Steve O
Stunt Coordinator
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2000
- Messages
- 111
I apologize in advance if this topic has been discussed elsewhere, but I couldn't find a specific thread devoted to it. I'd like to pass along an actual dialogue that took place last Saturday between me and a Blockbuster manager (as verbatim as I can recall).
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Me: Do you carry the widescreen version of Jurassic Park III on DVD? I only saw the full-frame version on the shelf.
Blockbuster Manager: Just a minute, ... let me check. {checks on computer} Our computer just says, "Jurassic Park III," ... there's no mention of the version.
Me: I saw at Best Buy that they released the widescreen and full-frame versions on separate discs. With the full-frame version, I'll be missing a lot of the movie.
Here comes the amazing part of the conversation. Are you sitting down? Of course you are, ... you're at your computer. Here goes, ...
Blockbuster Manager: Doesn't your TV allow you to switch between widescreen and full-frame?
Me:Some DVDs will have both the widescreen and full-frame versions of the movie on the same disc and you can select them from the menu. This movie has the widescreen and full-frame versions on separate discs. I only see the full-frame version on the shelf.
Blockbuster Manager: Even though the movie is full-frame, there should be a setting on your TV that allows you to crop the top and bottom for a widescreen presentation.
I stand there dumbfounded for a few seconds, wishing I had a tape recorder running to capture this conversation.
Me:Thank you for checking.
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I can assure you that no part of this verbal exchange was made up or embellished in any way. Here are the conclusions that I made about the Blockbuster Manager's understanding of widescreen:
1. Movies are made in 1.33:1 aspect ratio and the tops and bottoms are cropped to make a 2.35:1 widescreen presentation. Hence, the black bars.
2. Large screen TV sets have a feature that allows you to cut off the tops and bottoms to achieve a widescreen presentation.
What he was really saying was that it is acceptable to take a 50% picture loss (with the full-frame version) and turn it into a 75% picture loss (by cropping the top and bottom). Yea, ... that's what I want to see, ... 25% of Jurassic Park III.
Am I missing something? Do widescreen TVs actually have a feature to crop the tops and bottoms of full-frame movies and stretch the remaining image to fill the screen? If so, why on Earth would anybody want to do this?!
After the conversation, I felt like quoting Fred Sanford (from the sitcom, "Sanford and Son"):
'Lizbeth, ... I'm comin' to get ya', ... I think this is the big one! ...
Ahhh, ... the snot-nosed kid wouldn't have recognized the reference anyway.
Question for my home theater brethren:
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP BLOCKBUSTER GET INTO THE 21st CENTURY?! It seems as if they don't care diddly-squat about movies or film at all -- just the almighty buck. I'm amazed that their employees know so little about their business. What can be done to turn the tide?
------------------------------------------------
Me: Do you carry the widescreen version of Jurassic Park III on DVD? I only saw the full-frame version on the shelf.
Blockbuster Manager: Just a minute, ... let me check. {checks on computer} Our computer just says, "Jurassic Park III," ... there's no mention of the version.
Me: I saw at Best Buy that they released the widescreen and full-frame versions on separate discs. With the full-frame version, I'll be missing a lot of the movie.
Here comes the amazing part of the conversation. Are you sitting down? Of course you are, ... you're at your computer. Here goes, ...
Blockbuster Manager: Doesn't your TV allow you to switch between widescreen and full-frame?
Me:Some DVDs will have both the widescreen and full-frame versions of the movie on the same disc and you can select them from the menu. This movie has the widescreen and full-frame versions on separate discs. I only see the full-frame version on the shelf.
Blockbuster Manager: Even though the movie is full-frame, there should be a setting on your TV that allows you to crop the top and bottom for a widescreen presentation.
I stand there dumbfounded for a few seconds, wishing I had a tape recorder running to capture this conversation.
Me:Thank you for checking.
------------------------------------------------
I can assure you that no part of this verbal exchange was made up or embellished in any way. Here are the conclusions that I made about the Blockbuster Manager's understanding of widescreen:
1. Movies are made in 1.33:1 aspect ratio and the tops and bottoms are cropped to make a 2.35:1 widescreen presentation. Hence, the black bars.
2. Large screen TV sets have a feature that allows you to cut off the tops and bottoms to achieve a widescreen presentation.
What he was really saying was that it is acceptable to take a 50% picture loss (with the full-frame version) and turn it into a 75% picture loss (by cropping the top and bottom). Yea, ... that's what I want to see, ... 25% of Jurassic Park III.
Am I missing something? Do widescreen TVs actually have a feature to crop the tops and bottoms of full-frame movies and stretch the remaining image to fill the screen? If so, why on Earth would anybody want to do this?!
After the conversation, I felt like quoting Fred Sanford (from the sitcom, "Sanford and Son"):
'Lizbeth, ... I'm comin' to get ya', ... I think this is the big one! ...
Ahhh, ... the snot-nosed kid wouldn't have recognized the reference anyway.
Question for my home theater brethren:
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP BLOCKBUSTER GET INTO THE 21st CENTURY?! It seems as if they don't care diddly-squat about movies or film at all -- just the almighty buck. I'm amazed that their employees know so little about their business. What can be done to turn the tide?