A FILM CRITIC who HATES widescreen? (1 Viewer)

[Matt Pelham]

I think the problem is not those who understand the difference and opt for the Pan+Scan (MAR) DVDs, but with those who are ignorant or refuse to accept the reality of widescreen movies.

There are many people who will argue with you when you try and explain the difference. These are the same customers who return DVDs because of the black bars covering up all the picture and demand full screen DVDs, often leading studios to think maybe the public prefers this format.

I actually believe that the majority of Americans prefer P+S movies, but that those who do favor OAR purchase more DVDs, which is why the statistics favor widescreen.

 

[MarkHastings]

I have read numerous posts where pro-OAR members of this forum stretch and zoom 4x3 material for their 16x9 screens. They have used the excuse that "TV shows" can be "mangled" in this manner since they aren't "high art". Hmm? Can you say "waffle"?

You know what, if I want to stretch reruns of Saturday Night Live on broadcast TV to save my RPTV burn-in, so that I when I want to watch 4x3 DVD's in their proper aspect ratio (with the grey bars on the side), then I am entitled to this. If you can't understand this concept then you either don't have a RPTV or you don't give a crap about saving your investment.

If you want to take my viewing of "background" material (i.e. when comedy central is on the tv all day long and I am casually watching it) and say it shouldn't be stretched, which can cause my $5,000 tv to wear unevenly - and then claim that I am a waffler you've got another thing commin'.

Keeping your RPTV in stretch mode during those moments that you consider the broadcast programming "unimportant" to go toward your 18% of your weekly viewing time in "Normal 4x3" mode is actually telling me that I am even MORE of an HT Enthusiast than most because I take the time to care for my equipment.

Maybe if J6P wants to watch every single tv broadcast in 4x3 mode on his 16x9 tv, then he can go right ahead and replace his tv every time he gets 'burn-in'

As for me, I'll stick to stretching 'lesser' broadcast material if it saves me from having to replace my tv every 2 years.

Thank you

 

[Lew Crippen]

That's funny, as most reviewers I read (Ebert, for one) rarely mention framing, camera movement, etc. Seems they concentrate on the plot and acting.

, where you imply that it is OK for critics to not be aware of the cinematic aspects of film, since they don’t write about it—otherwise why bring it up?

No doubt you don’t care, but I stretch talking head TV shows such as Letterman and the news. Otherwise I watch 1:33:1 material on either of my 16:9 sets unaltered—and I watch a lot of classic films.

We must read different critics. Jonathon Rosenbaum, Dave Kehr, Elvis Mitchell, Kenneth Tynan, and yes, Rodger Ebert (among many others) frequently (not always—perhaps not a majority of the time) comment on the cinematic aspects of movies. Even when they don’t I assume that they (and any critic) would be aware of these aspects and would comment if it seemed appropriate—that is, if it were particularly good or quite lacking.

Oh and by the way, I don’t think that I wrote or implied anything that indicated that I thought that cinematography was more important than any other aspect of a film. If you inferred that from one of my posts, I did not write clearly. I’ll try to be more precise in the future.

 

[Mark Bendiksen]

You know what, if I want to stretch reruns of Saturday Night Live on broadcast TV to save my RPTV burn-in, so that I when I want to watch 4x3 DVD's in their proper aspect ratio (with the grey bars on the side), then I am entitled to this.

My thoughts exactly. I'm a film lover, first and foremost. Certain TV programs, especially news broadcasts, always get stretched on my Toshiba widescreen. (Actually, I use the "Theaterwide 1", which stretches the sides and zooms slightly.) Anyway, the point is that I do what must be done to protect my investment from burn-in. For the record, I NEVER zoom old Academy ratio movies. However, programs like David Letterman get the stretch/zoom treatment.

 

[Julian Lalor]

Again, if you really think that we (this forum) should have better things to do than to advocate the use of widescreen, then you have the WRONG idea of this web site and this forum is DEFINITELY not for you.

Why do you keep putting words into people's mouths? I never said anything about not advocating widescreen. I thought my (and a few others) point was clearly stated. I won't state it again.

 

[Ricardo C]

It really sucks when the people you're replying to change their original post to soften their harsh statements AFTER you've answered them...

 

[MarkHastings]

It really sucks when the people you're replying to change their original post to soften their harsh statements AFTER you've answered them

Thank you Ricardo for pointing that out. Julians original comment (before it got edited) was very demeaning toward the people here who wished to discuss the subject at hand.

Yes, this forum may seem pompous to the average reader, but I thought we were in a community where we are free to express our hatred for non-OAR films?

Like I said before, try going into a gear-head forum and telling them all they should have (and I quote) "better things to do in life" than to be obsessed with cars.

That was really uncalled for Julian :frowning:

 

[Mark Hamilton]

Lev-S, I also work at a large electronics retail outlet in Canada and had the exact same position as you on the morning of the 26th. I put up blatantly clear signs all over the widescreen and fullscreen displays to enable customers to recognize exactly which version of TTT they were picking up.

Astonishingly, we sold about 4 P&S copies for every 6 WS copies that we sold. This really surprised us until we came to the realization that most of the die-hard, or more serious film fans, are probably waiting for the extended cut in November. Our P&S sales are usually tiny in comparison to our WS sales.

I did have a nasty run-in with one customer who had grabbed a WS copy after we ran out of P&S. I informed him that it was the WS copy and mentioned that it was the more preferable of the two versions anyways as it didn't suffer the dramatic cropping featured on the P&S disc. He promptly tossed the DVD at me and demanded that if I wanted him to waste his money on a WS DVD that I should buy him a WS TV. In hindsight, there were a significant number of nasty shoppers out that day. Still, enough people appreciated the fact that I indicated that they were buying the copy that they didn't really want that it wasn't all bad.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Fascinating thread, guys. My take can be summed up in one obnoxious analogy:

I'd trust a film critic who prefers Fullscreen as much as I'd trust a food critic who prefers TV dinners.

 

[MarkHastings]

He promptly tossed the DVD at me and demanded that if I wanted him to waste his money on a WS DVD that I should buy him a WS TV

You should have then gasped and said "You don't have a WS tv??? , then why the hell are you buying DVD's? Do you even have electricity?"




p.s. before I get slammed, I'm just kidding - it was meant in good fun.

 

[Ric Easton]

Some threads are like train wrecks. I know I shouldn't, but I just have to look.

My feeling is the folks that don't understand widescreen are the same people who as kids failed the square peg in a round hole test. It just seems so basic to many of us, that it's really hard to see why everyone doesn't get it.

And I never liked that Jeffrey Lyons either!

Ric

 

[gregstaten]

Situations like the one you faced remind me of that great scene in ANNIE HALL where the patron in line is pontificating on Marshall McCluhan (sp). After Woody Allen calls him out he then pulls Marshall himself out from beind a standee to call the pontificator out.

As Woody says, "Don't you wish this happened in real life?"

-greg

 

[Jack Briggs]

So, is this thread calming down a bit now?

 

[Jeff_HR]

I'd trust a film critic who prefers Fullscreen as much as I'd trust a food critic who prefers TV dinners

Exactly!