"No Black Bars" sticker on new Sound of Music disc (1 Viewer)

[Jon Robertson]

It is widely accepted that theatrical releases are OAR (or close enough to it).

I haven't the faintest clue what you're on about. Believe it or not, the people who prefer fullscreen presentations are not doing so because of any particular desire to destroy the filmmaker's intent. The entire problem lies with current television technology.

The ONLY way you'll get everyone to adhere to OAR all of the time is to invent a television that organically and automatically changes its screen size to fit whatever is on it.

 

[Jerry Gracia]

:rolleyes
My inner devil wants to lash out, but I know better.
(trying desperatly to hold back my P&S hatred venting.)

 

[David Lambert]

The ONLY way you'll get everyone to adhere to OAR all of the time is to invent a television that organically and automatically changes its screen size to fit whatever is on it

Like a projector?

 

[Jerry Gracia]

Jon Robertson
The only solution to this problem is a sudden influx of mass common sense on the general public...
These excuses you guys make really get under my skin.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

1st of all, that sticker addresses exactly what the customer for a pan & scan DVD would want to see, so for its intended audience, it is laser-focused marketing. If Fox is going to serve this market, then they are going to market it properly, which they did.
2nd of all, if I play it on my 16:9 TV and there are vertical black bars, is it false advertising?
Regards,

 

[Dave Scarpa]

If we want to press this issue I believe we could make a point that on WS sets there would be Black Bars, if properly displayed (No Stretch Mode) I wonder mind forcing this issue upon Fox. That why they'd at least have to put a disclaimer on it. *Widescreen sets excluded"

This statement "Assumes" 4x3 television. We should force this issue.

 

[Jon Robertson]

The only solution to this problem is a sudden influx of mass common sense on the general public...

These excuses you guys make really get under my skin.

Oh, honestly! So now I'm siding with "the enemy". Which incidentally are some of my family and friends...

 

[John Berggren]

I do hope that's sarcasm. Do we really need to quote the mission statement in every one of these threads that comes up?

 

[Chad R]

What arguments? That as long as a Widescreen version is available we should be happy?

I don't understand the argument that just because we like Widescreen that we should somehow deny others their preference. That's logic akin to them denying us Widescreen because they prefer P&S. Or since we prefer DVD, and it's obviously superior to VHS they should do away with VHS.

I also don't understand the paranoia that the new trend of releasing dual versions of movies is somehow going to lead to the demise of widescreen. I see the sales numbers on these dual releases and widescreen often outsells P&S. It's got enough of a hold to be a viable format for a long time.

To me all of this venom directed at a studio which has been a friend to this community when they HAVE offered what we ask for it wasted breath. Let's redirect all of this energy towards the studios that are releasing only P&S versions of movies. Let's be constructive rather than destructive.

 

[george kaplan]

Well, think of it this way. When dvd started there were a lot of p&s only releases (many of which are still only available in p&s, e.g., Grumpy Old Men, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, etc.). Then for a long while there were no p&s only releases. Then slowly they started creeping back, and now, while they're not the majority, they're not rare. They are increasing in regularity. I hope I'm wrong, but the trend is obvious. Pan & Scan only is becoming more and more common. :frowning:

 

[Tony-B]

BOO!!! That is the worst thing I have ever heard!!!! As said earlier, we should put stickers on the front that say, "Missing: 40% of the picture!". Now if only I could get my friend to stop believing that widescreen is just a gimmick to make us buy new TVs. :rolleyes

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Suggesting that a Home Theater Forum member is not pro-OAR and on-board with the "mission statement" if they do not actively oppose the release of any pan & scan titles is analogous to suggesting that someone is not a vegeterian if they do not actively try to prevent others from eating meat.

As long as they are still selling tofu, er..., I mean OAR DVDs, I will be sound as a pound. I'll happily explain my preference and the reasons for it to others when given the opportunity, but it won't ruin my day if they continue to not share my preference. Dual releases are fine. Non-OAR only releases are where I draw the line.

Regards,

 

[John Berggren]

My line is a bit further back - anything that actively promotes P&S whether as part of a dual release or no. There should be education on why the black bars are there, rather than advertise "the one without black bars".

I've already been burned by at least 10 titles that I personally want to own, but are only available chopped.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Well chad a studio's P&S decisions do affect me. It affects which version of the film I can buy when I go to Costco and they decide to only Stock the P&S. It affects my choice to rent the film when the rental store does the same. If these and other retailers would offer the choice you state I would have no problem with any of the above. What Fox is doing is perpetuating a falsehood and an ignorance of the facts. It's upholding the stereotype of WS versions of films somehow shortchanging the User, when in fact it's P&S which is not showing you all the picture. Until this concept is understood WS Sets cannot become Mainstream accepted

 

[MikeAlletto]

I don't care if people want full or widescreen. Doesn't matter to me at all, but the way they advertised this one is rather tacky.

 

[John Stone]

Well chad a studio's P&S decisions do affect me. It affects which version of the film I can buy when I go to Costco and they decide to only Stock the P&S.

Come on, man! That's a retailer issue, take it up with them and stop trying to blame the studios. We have more choices than ever before when it comes to which retailers we choose to give our DVD money to. I have NO problems finding the DVDs I want in widescreen format when multiple versions are released. That's because I only give my money to e/retailers that consistently carry DVDs in their OAR. I don't give a rat's ass if they also have the pan and scan version for sale. As long as I can get what I came for, I go home happy!

 

[Jan Strnad]

This advertising plays to people's ignorance and is therefore abhorrent. I can't fault the marketing, since it's what people want to know, but I can lament when a product plays on ignorance rather than understanding for its sales appeal (which, of course, applies to many, many products we see advertised).

Jan

 

[Andrew Bunk]

I saw the P&S version of Office Space at Target, and it also had this reprehensible sticker on it too. I felt like smashing it under my boot. If people are too ignorant to understand the concept of OAR, then they deserve substandard releases.

I mean, is the average joe that naive that he doesn't realize a theater screen is much wider than his TV?

End rant...

 

[Eric Fisher]

"no black bars" is incredibly block-headed. Obviously, this isn't true in all cases (as pointed out earlier).

 

[Jerry Gracia]

Oh, honestly! So now I'm siding with "the enemy". Which incidentally are some of my family and friends...

Would you mind pointing out to me exactly where it was I used the word "enemy" and attached your name to it?

Chad,

I said "excuses", not arguments.

Also...there's a problem with your analogies and I hope I don't have to point them out to you.

Cheers!