Get this! (or better yet, don't!): New Wonka SE? Pan 'N Scan ONLY! Part II (1 Viewer)

[Douglas Bailey]

However, it has been brought to our immediate attention that a small few Wonka enthusiasts are disappointed with our announcement to release this Special Edition Wonka DVD in a Full Frame version only. We are very aware of how this may effect your decision to purchase this special DVD.

I don't know which part I find more aggravating: that Warner refers to us as "a small few... enthusiasts", or that they don't understand the "affect"/"effect" distinction.

doug
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"How can it be the same movie if they've changed my character from a
tightly-wound convenience-store clerk to a jittery Eskimo
firefighter?... uh huh... uh huh... uh huh. Well, that's actually a
pretty good explanation..."
--James Woods, on THE SIMPSONS

 

[AdrianJ]

Well, I've stayed away from this debate, but finally signed the petition mainly because of the false advertising saying that this would be both a full screen and widescreen edition. It's up to 6881. I guess we are still a small enthusiast group.
By the way, if you were going to please a group why wouldn't you go for the enthusiasts who actually know what they wanted instead of the general public who never knows what they want.
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Adrian Jones

 

[Jim Bivins]

This bit of info is from dvdtalk, kind of similar to the news from dvdangle...with a different ending!
"The DVD Talk Forum has been buzzing this week about news that the 30th anniversary DVD release for Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory is only being released in full frame. We spoke to representatives at Warner Bros who tell us that they made this blunder because of market research indicating that family DVD buyers prefer full frame, but the response to this mistake has been HUGE and they get the message LOUD and CLEAR that movie lovers want movies in their original aspect ration. Warner Bros. is currently investigating the possibility of a future widescreen release of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. "
Yeah, Like they 'investigated' the possibility of an uncut version of Return of the Joker...hmmmm, where is that title now!

Jim

 

[James David Walley]

This from The Big Picture:

3:03 pm PST - A few moments ago, we received a phone call from an official spokesperson for Warner Home Video who requested that their name not be published for this article.
We had inquired as to whether WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY director Mel Stuart had some role in the decision for Warner Bros. to release the upcoming 30th Anniversary Edition of the film in a full-frame open matte version only. Unfortunately, the Warner rep had no idea regarding Stuart's preferences, but did confirm earlier reports that after conducting market research, Warner Bros. determined that "families" prefer the 4:3 format. The rep went on to say that since this title was being marketed as a family title, the decision had been made to issue the film in the full frame, open matte 1.33:1 aspect ratio in which it was filmed.
We inquired as to why an alternate widescreen enhanced version had been left off of the disc and we received no official response, other than an attempt to correct a false impression. Two press releases dating back to May 18,2001 officially issued by Warner Bros. Home Video did not specify that a widescreen release would be included on the upcoming disc.
The press releases mentioned an "original theatrical featurette", which may have been misquoted by some sources as "original theatrical aspect ratio" or perhaps it was just assumed that a widescreen version would be included.
The spokesperson could not provide us any solid assurances that an outside agency representing the company might have mentioned the widescreen release at some earlier date. When pressed as to why the a widescreen version wouldn't have been part of the game plan from the get-go, as in the original DVD release of the title and following the pattern of so many other Warner Bros. releases, the rep declined comment, stating that anything he might suggest would be purely speculation on his part.
The BIG Picture asked whether or not this popular title was being used as some sort of a litmus test that might indicate a shift in Warner Home Video's committment to original theatrical aspect ratio versions of future titles targeted for family entertainment, but again, the spokesman offered no official statement, only suggesting that it was unlikely that such a sweeping generalization could be made in the case of this disc.
The spokesman did assure us however, that the company is well aware of the online petition drive and the criticism that's been leveled by other internet sites due to the omission of the original theatrical 1.85:1 widescreen aspect. The spokesperson further stated that "Warner Bros. is evaluating the situation", but would make no committment or even speculate as to when a decision regarding a future release of the 30th Anniversary edition in a widescreen anamorphic version might be made.
The BIG Picture would like to thank Warner Bros. for speaking with us and hope that they will reconsider any future plans that omit widescreen releases of film titles originally screened that way. After all, widescreen fans have families, too.

In other words, it wasn't a blunder, they never intended a widescreen version be part of the SE (i.e. blame it on an "outside agency"), they have no current plans to issue a widescreen SE, and they are sidestepping the issue of whether this is the first step toward 4:3 as a standard.
Remember when Warner was the DVD good guy? (Maybe, remembering this will become the ultimate test of who qualifies as a DVD "old-timer"...)

 

[george kaplan]

You know these descriptions of us as a few small enthusiasts isn't all that different than the descriptions of those early adopters that CC used when pushing divx. Let's hope the end results are the same.
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13-time NBA world champion Lakers: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001

 

[Scott Weinberg]

I'm pretty sure that the 'CustomerService' post over at the WB Wonka board is a sham. It's poorly-written and it misspells the name of one of WB's executives. Lastly, I doubt very highly that WB would offer up the direct phone number to one of their employees and invite disgruntled customers to harangue her... Read it again and tell me if I'm nuts:

Warner Bros. is proud to bring you the magic of Wonka on DVD in a glorious 30th Anniversary Special Edition DVD later this month with the release of "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". We feel that we have carefully created and designed a wonderful Special Edition DVD worthy of every collector's personal library. However, it has been brought to our immediate attention that a small few Wonka enthusiasts are disappointed with our announcement to release this Special Edition Wonka DVD in a Full Frame version only. We are very aware of how this may effect your decision to purchase this special DVD. The opinions of every Warner Bros. customer is of utmost importance to us, thus in order to grasp a clear and concise opinion of our market we encourage you to contact our Consumer Relations Department at 818-954-6000, or speak directly with Sherry Bogart at 818-954-7165. All comments and suggestions will be taken into consideration as we strive to bring you the very best that DVD has to offer. You can also express you opinions at a non-Warner Bros. sponsored website - http://www.petitiononline.com/wonkadvd/petition.html - We thank you for you interest in Warner Bros. and the magic of movies!

Sheesh. If you're gonna troll on message boards and try to sound like a WB exec, couldn't use AT LEAST try to sound like a human being?
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Scott
TheAngryJew's Movie Reviews at HBS.com
AOL IM: TheAngryJew29

 

[James David Walley]

The CustomerService post is likely a fraud; however, the Big Picture story I quoted above definitely isn't, and it's even less promising...

 

[Peter Kline]

WB is simply using doublespeak. Make a "statement" but don't really say anything. They should be ashamed of themselves. On second thought the execs there cannot have that emotion based on this episode..
If a widescreen version ever comes out it won't be until next Spring at the earliest. It was not a top priority and still isn't I'm afraid.
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[LukeB]

That Big Picture piece doesn't sound good at all. They're "evaluating" the situation?? That sounds to me like, they'll hope we'll all just give in buy the fullframe disc and eventually forget about it. There should be no reason for Warner not to state that they will be re-releasing the movie in widescreen except that they don't have plans to re-release the movie in widescreen. If they don't say they're definitely gonna re-release Wonka in OAR, then if/when they do, they'll piss off all the people who bought fullframe disc to give in...and now must re-purchase it.
I'd highly urge people in high up positions: Ron, Bill Hunt, Cliff to pry Warner and get a confirmation on a widescreen release by the end of the year. Let's not let Warner get away with this, gang! This is a huge injustice, and one that if they hold fast to, we're all in deep trouble.

 

[Jan Strnad]

One point I'd like to make is that we aren't at war with Warner Bros. We're at war with an attitude at Warner Bros.
We don't want to shut WB down. We don't want to annihiliate them. We want to destroy the attitude that the lowest common denominator should decide the content of DVDs for everyone.
A couple of years ago, Mike Knapp warned us what would happen as DVDs became mainstream. Well, it's happening.
At this point in time, we widescreen enthusiasts are the minority. As widescreen TVs become the norm, we'll eventually regain the majority. (Then the battle will be for extra-widescreen releases when J6P wants 16:9!)
The main thing we can do is not purchase non-anamorphic DVDS.
If Warner Bros. issues a good anamorphic DVD, we buy it. If they don't, we don't.
Don't cave in to the kids. Hold your money. Wait for the widescreen Wonka. Hold firm and we won't have to deal so often with this situation in the future.
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http://www.mindspring.com/~atombrain/risenintro.html
Jan Strnad
author of Risen and
"The AtomBrain Guide to Letterboxing"

 

[John Geelan]

Warner must reconsider this release soon before its too late. Postpone the release till its done right.
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[Peter Kline]

John,
They're not going to postpone the release. The have the DVD's and VHS tapes in the pipeline and they're going to ship them. They'll sell what they've pressed and duplicated and aside from our interest in a widescreen version the current one is all that is available. I belive it would take at least 2 months to get a widescreen version out if they decided to do so next week. Interestingly I don't think this was ever going to be a monster seller for them.
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[Clinton McClure]

Sheesh. If you're gonna troll on message boards and try to sound like a WB exec, couldn't use AT LEAST try to sound like a human being?

Since when did WB execs sound like human beings with their decisions?

I'm curious how the "market research" was conducted and data gathered...Did they go home and ask their kids?
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You bought fish boots...

 

[Jeff_Shafer]

The Big Picture info really puzzles me because the studio is denying that the widescreen option was ever going to be on the DVD. If that was the case, why did the DVD producer J. M. Kenny say that it would be in anamorphic widescreen last month? I would think that he'd be in the best position to know what was planned to be released. With the impact on space that such an option implies, I doubt that it could have been a mistake on his part when he said that.

 

[Jon D]

Scenario time: "Willy" is a well known film. Most adults have seen it, so have quite a few youths today, but who is really in the market for this disc? Collectors. The chances of some adult walking into a store and purchasing this on a whim are fairly small, in my opinion. I think Warner is going to get burned much worse than they think. This isn't some new Disney release that everyone is going to pick up. It's an old, eccentric movie that has a cult following. And we all know cults want the movie in it's OAR. This may not be the case, and I may be talking out of my pucker, but I can always hope that, in addition to their fucked up 'market research,' Warner also screwed up in their assumptions over who would buy this disc. We'll see.
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Gee, I hope this doesn't lower your opinion of me

 

[GaryEA]

I love (sarcasm on) that Warner's "statement" did not acknowledge or address the fact that the producer of the Wonka disc , Mr. Kenny, announced that "The film on the disc, by the way, is available in both full frame and anamorphic widescreen."
I can see it now; Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: 31st Anniversary Widescreen Edition, followed by the Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker Special Uncut Edition.
Whoops. Forgot to turn my sarcasm off.
-g
[Edited last by GaryEA on August 10, 2001 at 01:12 AM]

 

[Jeff Swindoll]

Market research? I just did some market research and looked in the mirror and asked if I'd buy Willy in full frame. I answered "no".

WB, why dont you post this market research on the web and let us see the numbers, how it was gathered, etc. If you want to sound scientific, how bout some peer review of your numbers? I double dog dare ya

The statement to the Big Picture was mostly "no comment".

Notice how the WB person did now want to be identifyed, they knew they'd be getting a full voice mail box over this

.
They know they did wrong, as MGM knows Chitty Chitty is still a bone of contention, but nobody wants to admit it or correct it. (BTW, this is the same where I work as well

)
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Dear MGM : Quality over quantity & Consistency!
I didnt play Dungeons and Dragons all those years and not learn something about courage.
--Bernie Faulkner

 

[LukeB]

So I guess this battle is over and we all aren't getting our widescreen? Looks like I'll have to give in and get the non-OAR disc....unhappily.

 

[William Bailey]

quote: Looks like I'll have to give in and get the non-OAR disc....unhappily.[/quote]
Well that's just the type of doldrum attitude they are hoping for!
[Edited last by William Bailey on August 10, 2001 at 09:43 AM]

 

[CharlesD]

Looks like I'll have to give in and get the non-OAR disc....unhappily.

Don't do it! I think its VERY important that everyone who cares about OAR movies on DVD doesn't buy this or any other non-OAR DVD. That is the only thing that corporations like AolTimeWarner understands: lost sales. They are not a movie studio, the home video department is not run by people who care about movies as anything other than a commodity.
No OAR = No Sale is simple enough for these MBA morons to understand, anything about art or integrity is waaay over their heads.
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-- Will Work for Five Million Dollars