>>>> Spoke to Warner Rep today concerning WONKA & CATS - here is what I was told..... (1 Viewer)

[Mark_TS]

quote:
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By my count of the Wonka petition Warner has lost $280,212.87 from lost sales. Currently we are @ 11,213 signatures...
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...and thats just from a petition that a select group here see and have signed...I imagine that over the internet, and for the general movie buff/public at large they could lose TWICE as many sold copies... can they really afford to blow off up to HALF MILLION DOLLARS in lost sales...?
....IT COULD COME TO THAT.....
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[Edited last by Mark_TS on August 18, 2001 at 04:21 PM]

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

I wish I could have seen this so-called survey...
Warner Home Video Family Survey
1) Do you prefer to see home video versions of films with HIDEOUS BLACK BARS that surely must be hiding something good OR... NICE AND BIG on your TV set? Please circle your preference below:
a) PAN & SCAN = NICE & BIG!!! YAY!!!
b) WIDESCREEN = YUCK!!! Everything is all squished down and icky with ugly black bars going across, plus everything's all tiny and stuff because my TV set is only 13" diagonally!
c) What on Earth are you talking about? (Circling this answer indicates your preference for Pan & Scan.)

 

[JohnS]

I think Warner Brothers had some hanging chads in their voting process!
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[Yumbo]

well sorreeee,
1,600 DVDs and 100 every month - no OAR , no sale.

 

[Travis Hedger]

I really REALLY would like to hear Warren Lieberfarb's opinion on this issue!

 

[Josh Dial]

I think Warner is out and out lying when they say they have done even the slightest market research. What I think the simple truth is, is that execs at Warner honestly are out of touch with the public when it comes to pleasing us. Thus they here rumours of this and that, get scared that they market share will drop slightly, or that this quarter's comps aren't going to be very high.
Warner get with the picture, and realise that you are the single worst studio when it comes to the home video market, and that if it weren't do to the brilliance and artistic merrit of many of your older titles (like Wizard of Oz) then you would have gone the way of Orion years ago.
Tour a studio like Paramount and see what a real studio runs like. Or Meet with Peter Staddon of Fox and realise that great studios start with intelligent people.
cheers!
Josh

 

[John Morgan]

Jeeze, I hope Warner's doesn't consider THE GREAT RACE a family film.

 

[Jim Bivins]

Though it is too late for this release of Willy Wonka (and probably Cats & Dogs), I think their is a simple and acceptable solution to soft matted, films. I think it was the second Re-animator film that used the subtitle 'layer' to create a widescreen matte over the 'full frame' picture.
This seem's like an acceptable and inexpensive way to please both parties. of course, the 4:3 picture would still have to be 16x9 enhanced, but I think it could work...any thoughts?
Jim
p.s. Warner, PLEASE PLEASE release the Iron Giant SE in it's full scope glory!
[Edited last by Jim Bivins on August 18, 2001 at 04:54 PM]

 

[Kenny Goldin]

I can see the question they asked now:
" Do you want Willy Wanka in all its glory, beautifully filling your screen with terrific imagery in pristine DVD image, or do you want to see a teency weencie image with those black bars?"
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Jay and Silent Bob in
CLERKS

 

[Gunnar Syren]

I'm going to have to agree with Jeff Rogers.
I'm sure that deep down people at Warner knows that P&S is wrong. Instead of giving in to the uninformed, Warner should try to educate them.
Put both versions on the disc and include a card that clearly shows a good example of what gets lost in the P&S version.

 

[Richard Kim]

Dear Warners:
For the longest time I have not bought your current version of The Iron Giant, in anticipation for the upcoming Special Edition. However, after hearing about your new policy of butchering your family films, today I went to Best Buy and immediately bought The Iron Giant.
Today you just received some of my money. Do you know how? It's not with deluxe super duper special features. You got my money BY RELEASING YOUR FILMS IN THEIR ORIGINAL ASPECT RATIO, THE WAY THE FILMMAKERS INTENDED.
If you adhere to this OAR policy in regards to your family films, you'll see alot more money.
Thank You
Richard Kim
[Edited last by Richard Kim on August 18, 2001 at 05:41 PM]
[Edited last by Richard Kim on August 18, 2001 at 05:48 PM]

 

[Ricky f]

Please Warner,
OAR is all we are asking for.
Regards,
Ricky
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Please help convince Warner to release Stephen King's IT On DVD
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...ML/003344.html

 

[David Coleman]

I have nothing at all against a studio releasing a title in "full-frame", however I do have a problem when it's released "exclusively" that way!
Let's face it! DVD is now a mainstream item and we all knew the day was coming when "joe six-pack" was gonna mandate that he wanted his films in "full-frame". However the industry can still remain profitable to release films in both formats! There's money to be made in both!
David

 

[Ike Graul]

I have a problem with companies releasing films in full frame. It is not the movie intended by the director. For further information on this subject listen to the commentary on "What Lies Beneath". It's like editing the content of Published Books to make them consumer friendly. Changing composition is changing composition and it is not a good idea in creative work.
Ike

 

[Jeff_HR]

Warners is simply pandering to the LOWEST common denominator by only offering P&S films versions. I am insulted that they think that I cannot figure out how to tell the difference between a P&S version on one side and an OAR version on the flip side. Of course, it would help a great deal if the Studios would make the printing on the discs BIGGER! Use the ONLY leverage we have. DO NOT buy those P&S versions!
I intend to keep my LD Widescreen versions of films that WB seems intent on not releasing. Funny, I makes me wonder how in heaven's name the DVD of "Seven Days in May" escaped from WB's vault. After all it is a Black & White film from the Sixties about politics! Surely the person responsible for releasing this film was quickly FIRED for letting this excellant film get released & polute the collections of all those unsuspecting "Families" that bought it by mistake thinking it was the usual Warners fare!
[Edited last by Jeff_HR on August 18, 2001 at 08:35 PM]
[Edited last by Jeff_HR on August 18, 2001 at 08:36 PM]
[Edited last by Jeff_HR on August 18, 2001 at 08:37 PM]

 

[Stan T]

I was really looking forward to purchasing "Cats & Dogs" and was anxiously awaiting preordering the title. Then I heard the awful news that it was going to be pan & scan only. Even though I would love to buy & watch this film I will not be purchasing this title. I can't believe in this day & age & how far DVD has come that a major studio is releasing an "A" title film in pan & scan only.
It seems like every other studio has seen that everyone wants to watch a movie regardless of the title in anamorphic widescreen now or at least have a choice with both versions on the same disc. Look at the other studios releases and you can see. Warner got me started in DVD & for that I am thankful. However without giving people choices they are losing my business. Why would a studio get behind a format & push it and then alienate the same people that supported you when it was a "niche" market? Warner is causing themselves serious damage here & as we've seen from "Divx" when several thousand people get behind something that they don't like it can cause irreperable damage. It would be smart for Warner to realize this before too much damage is done.
They are going to lose out on so many sales on "Cats & Dogs" because they are not giving people the choice to view it in either format. I choose not to watch pan & scan or letterbox movies that are not anamorphic. So I am not a casual buyer but I do have a large collection & there are Warner titles that I will not be buying because of their decision. Warner at least give us a choice if not releasing exclusively in anamorphic widescreen. At least give us the pan & scan on one side & anamorphic widescreen on the other. Adults like to watch family titles also - but NOT IN PAN & SCAN! You will continue losing my business and countless others if you continue with this decision.
Please reconsider releasing "Cats & Dogs" in anamorphic widescreen. Send me a survey & I'll be glad to tell you that's what I want & so will countless others on this forum. Look at all of the money you will be losing & customers because of your decision.

 

[Antonio_M]

Warner has to realize to that we take our DVD film hobby seriously. So I hope they don't think with the logic that we will get over it eventually and give in to pan and scan, because that is not the way it works.
VHS had it's run of movies being butchered up, and in no way is it fair to continue the trend and tranfer the same butchered crap to DVD.
I would love to hear what other studios think about this, with what is going on with Warner. Especially Dreamworks and Fox. (Columbia too )

 

[ChrisA]

MY GOD THIS IS ALMOST THE YEAR 2002!
SPACE 1999? NOT!
I can't even get a damn widescreen DVD of WW or Cats and DOGS, let alone have a base on the moon.
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Link Removed

 

[cafink]

Early in the DVD game, when it was just us entusiasts, most studios — Warner more than most — saw fit to produce DVDs, mostly in widescreen, for us. Joe Sixpack wasn't buying DVDs at all; the enthusiast market was big enough to warrant catering to.
Now, in the DVD market, Joe Sixpack outnumbers us enthusiasts but a wide margin. The thing is, while we may be smaller PROPORTIONALLY than we were before, there are now MORE enthusiasts in the market than there were back in '97.
If producing discs for us back then was a profitable endeavor, it can only be MORE profitable now. Feel free to cater to Joe Sixpack as well, but please don't ignore us.

 

[Antonio_M]

An individual here made a valuable point. It seems me and many are the ones who constantly buy rereleases. Joesixpack ain't picking up shit. To him, he just bought the lastest thing, and that will standout for years to come.
But look Columbia Tri Star. They release Fifth Element, and the current Fifth Element is beautiful as is. Picture is pristine in my opinion, and sound is great even for 384kbps Dolby Digital that is holds. Now they are releasing a Superbit with better video and sound. Who is gonna pick that up? Joesixpack? In your wildest dreams. Us, me, I am picking it up again because I really care for that great widescreen 2:35.1 flick. Joesixpack couldn't care less. If the current Fifth Element did not have the widescreen section, and the Superbit came out with pan and scam, it will lay there on the shelve not making any dough for Columbia Tri Star. Also, the Superbit is coming out in widescreen only, no pan and scan side like the current Fifth Element. Now, you don't believe that the reason the Superbit Fifth Element is gonna make money is because the load of joesixpacks rushed to get it right?