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

SteveMc

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Feb 3, 2001
Messages
230
Like most of the rest of you, I am in shock. Both that Warner would do this, and the outrageous response that rallied behind this disc. I've been away for a few days so the first i heard was at Digital bits and saw their petition link, then come here and the Hot Topic is already 20 pages and closed to start part 2! Unbelievable. Warner will be crazy not to fix this, look at the response that this has gotten in two days! I am crossing my fingers...
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Crash
"I don't even own a gun, let alone many guns that would necessitate an entire rack."
Help us get the Friday the 13th films-UNCUT. Click Here or here
 

Mark Cappelletty

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 6, 1999
Messages
2,322
Everyone should read Donald from DVD Empire's statement on Page 20 (!) of the previous thread. I haven't had much on pre-order except for the odd Anchor Bay title or box set here and there, but have always had good service from the DVD Empire gang and want to let them -- and other retailers -- know that we the consumers and customers are well aware that the retailers aren't the bad guys here, but Warner Bros., who have misled the fans of this film and left a lot of bitterness through their actions.
 

Dwayne

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jan 22, 2000
Messages
770
Well, I called Warner today from work. Actually, I called twice. The first time, the receptionist transferred me to one of the reps and got her voice mail. I simply stated my name and the number at which she could reach me. About five minutes later, I decided to call back, hoping that I would get someone. Again, the receptionist transferred me. Low and behold, it was to the same woman. That time I left a message expressing how disappointed I was with their decision and that I would not purchasing the title because of it. Afterwards, I couldn't help but think that she was intentionally not picking up the phone since it seemed that everyone calling in about Wonka would get transferred to her.
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-Dwayne
"And vidi films I would."
[Edited last by Dwayne on August 07, 2001 at 11:40 PM]
 

Tom Ryan

Screenwriter
Joined
Apr 1, 2001
Messages
1,044
I think Warner actually might buckle under the pressure on this one..........over 3000 sigs in about 24 hours is awfully impressive, and who knows how many more there will be.
-Tom
 

Sean Oneil

Supporting Actor
Joined
Mar 19, 2001
Messages
931
I think that simply boycotting ALL Warner product INCLUDING the 16 x 9 OAR material is a huge mistake. I can understand the boycot of this one title, but ripping Warner a new A**hole is only going to encourage them to cater to a different market.
I have heard many state that they will catagorically refuse to buy ANY new Warner product over this issue. That they will cancel they're pre-orders of 'The Goonies' even though it is a 2.35:1 16 x 9 title. What everyone should be doing is putting they're money where they're mouth is, and buying as much OAR widescreen material from studios as they can. If you support WS OAR with sales, then it gives the studios reason to keep producing DVDs in that format. If you simply stop buying all DVDs which are WS OAR out of protest, then the studios will simply stop making WS OAR titles completely -and focus on the P&S market who do not care about WS OAR.
Frankly, I thought we had a good thing going with the studios here at the HTF. We should not be trying to intimidate Warner out of doing any more chats with members, and instead we should simply voice our disapproval of releasing P&S only titles -which the majority of us have done, but there are always those overwhelmingly angry few who think that they can speak for everyone and tend to ruin a good thing. Boycott Wonka if you like, but do not boycott a good WS OAR DVD from Warner or any other studio out of anger over a single P&S only release. If you do, then you will find the eclipsing of OAR WS DVDs happening much more swiftly, because the studios will just give up on WS OAR ...and happily cater to 'Joe Pan and Scan' exclusively.
Warner: I will not be buying this 'Wonka' release on DVD, thank you very much. I will be buying 'The Goonies' and any other favorite films in your catalog which are Anamorphically Enhanced WS OAR titles.
 

CharlesD

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 30, 2000
Messages
1,493
Thanks for posting Donaldp. Hopefully Warner will at least listen to retailers such as DVDEmpire, even if they don't listen to the actual end users of their DVDs!
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-- Will Work for Five Million Dollars
 

Andy_S

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 19, 2000
Messages
393
I agree with Sean on this one. Warner Bros needs to see that an OAR movie in their catalog can sell just as good (or hopefully better!) than a non-OAR movie.
 

Carlo_M

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 31, 1997
Messages
13,385
I think the most disappointing thing about this release is that WB had an anamorphic OAR DVD master ready to go. J.M. Kenny said so at Comic-Con. The transfer had been done. It was to be included on the disc.
It's one thing if a studio can't afford (or won't shell out the money) to produce a new transfer. That, at least, can be chalked up to a cost-analysis decision. But the new OAR was ready to go and set for inclusion, and WB for some unknown reason, decided to forego it.
Un-frickin'-believable.
 

Scott Weinberg

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Messages
7,477
Thanks for the new thread, Parker. I was getting about 40 emails an hour after posting the original thread.
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Not that I'm complaining! I'm thrilled to see so many people as outraged about this decision as I am. Let's hope that our collective voice has been heard...even a little.
(3,513 signatures and counting!)
http://www.petitiononline.com/wonkadvd/petition.html
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Scott
TheAngryJew's Movie Reviews at HBS.com
AOL IM: ScottFromPhilly
 

Chuck Blair

Agent
Joined
Aug 11, 1999
Messages
38
What amazes me is how long it's taken for the home theater crowd to jump on Warners en masse for a long history of not presenting titles OAR. Remember their string of budget titles with budget transfers? Personally, I took a big step away from Warners when one of my favorite films of the 90s, "Fearless", showed up fullscreen. I don't boycott Warners titles, but I only purchase the "I really have to have this one" DVDs. Of course I'm not going to boycott the special edition of "Blade Runner" (I'm not a hero), but the type of run of the mill stuff that I buy every week I don't buy from Warners (I have about 800 DVDs) and won't be buying from them until they make good on past disasters like "Fearless". And now with "Willie Wonka" its just the bitter (make that poisoned) icing on the cake. Unless it's a masterpiece, no more Warners, and even if it is a masterpiece, no more Warners if they don't do it right. They've shown they don't need my money. Now multiply that by tens of thousands and maybe they'll have a change of heart (if they only had a heart).
I just became number 3535. I think I hear "Network" playing in the background.
[Edited last by Chuck Blair on August 08, 2001 at 12:56 AM]
 

Jon D

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Sep 29, 2000
Messages
166
Funny, Warner has one of, if not the, biggest DVD's ever with "The Matrix," and it was 2.35:1 widescreen. That didn't seem to hurt it's sales AT ALL, so why do they think that widescreen on "Wonka" would? Do they honestly think parents buy widescreen for themselves but P&S for their kids to spare them the misery of the bars?
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Gee, I hope this doesn't lower your opinion of me
 

James David Walley

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jul 12, 1999
Messages
149
I just became number 3535. I think I hear "Network" playing in the background.
Everyone, go to your telephone, call Warners, and shout out I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!
BTW, wasn't Network a WB release?
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(I must admit that my previous post comparing the treatment of Wonka with that of Fly Away Home would have worked a little better if, when I showed up at Tower this past afternoon, FAH had actually been in the new releases bin. That's the last time I trust DVD Profiler's release date...
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)
 

EricCr

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Apr 4, 2001
Messages
149
Posted this in the personal message to WB thread, then decided it was better in this one.
I e-mailed Amazon about still listing the widescreen version as being on the DVD. They got back to me and said that after speaking to their supplier they were told that it still has the widescreen version on it. Just goes to show you how little some of these stores know about the products they carry.
 

Henry Gale

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 10, 1999
Messages
4,628
Real Name
Henry Gale
Wal-Mart actually refuses or strongly discourages the selling of Widescreen only DVD's!!!??? Is this true??
This is the second time I've seen this on the Forum this week...and I'm sure there have been others. It sounds very believable, but is it true?
Went into my local Wal Mart yesterday and found plenty of "widesceen only" titles. I asked a clerk, a young woman who seemed familiar with the stock and she did not think a ban on "widescreen only" was in existence or was close to being implemented.
Jim
 

Richard Freeman

Auditioning
Joined
Jun 25, 1999
Messages
4
Why is the sales ranking of Wonka going up at Amazon. I canceled my preorder like so many others but I now see it's sale ranking at 14th. It was 23rd Monday when I canceled and 17th last night. Whats up?
Also, still listed widescreen and full screen at Amazon!
 

Gary_E

Second Unit
Joined
May 6, 1999
Messages
366
Warner Bros.,
I'm sorry I just don't get it. Your decision to omit the OAR version on this new disc will be in the back of my mind while I'm browsing the DVD section of my local video store.
I currently have many of your titles but I will be much more selective when it comes to my purchases.
-Gary
 

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