SIGN THE PETITION: More full frame films being released by Columbia!!! (1 Viewer)

Jay E · Mar 14, 2002

Saw this at DVDFILE:
http://dvdfile.com/software/dvd-vide....html#03142002
Columbia use to be my favorite studio for DVDs. What a shame that they are going this route.
Other films that Columbia has released recently or are being released full frame are:
84 Charing Cross Road
Cowboy
The Scent of Green Papaya
Homicidal
A Midnight Clear
The Mountain Men
Look Who's Talking Now
Perfect
Please sign the petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/rain71/petition.html
You can also go to Sony's website and submit your comments on how you feel about this:
http://www.spe.sony.com/spe/help_feedback_index.html

Rain · Mar 14, 2002

I think you should. I was going to do it, but I'm easily intimidated by lengthy internet forms. :frowning:
What I really don't get is Columbia releasing titles like 84 Charing Cross Road in full frame only, as has now been confirmed. Since movie buffs want OAR and reformatting movies is something you do to make Joe Six Pack happy, I have to wonder: Does Columbia really think they are going to make money trying to see this title to Joe Six Pack? Please.

It seems pretty clear that they have no understanding of the DVD market whatsoever.
It's shameful and particularly disappointing from a studio who has done good work in the past and earned a good reputation. Why they now want to throw that right out the window is quite beyond my comprehension.

Walt Riarson · Mar 14, 2002

Once again, Rain and I are in total agreement. While Columbia is not my favorite DVD-producing studio, they certainly used to be right up there. Now they're falling by the wayside. First, their HORRIBLE cover art abominations, and now resorting to full-frame releases. What gives guys? Did you hire the guys who used to work at MGM or what?

Rain · Mar 14, 2002

And those who may not be particularly interested in the titles currently affected should keep in mind that the next batch of full frame only fiascos could include movies that they are interested in.

I think we need to make an official fuss over this while it's still early in the game.

Walt Riarson · Mar 14, 2002

I'm in.

But what do we do?

Jack Briggs · Mar 14, 2002

Pelt them with e-mails and that petition, but send some snail-mail complaints as well.

A trend has started here. The elitists gave DVD its start, but the philistines might win the war over this format. Being a little alarmist, I know, but this is disturbing.

Rain · Mar 14, 2002

Can anyone provide email and snail mail addresses?

As for the philistines winning, when was the last time you heard them clammoring for 84 Charing Cross Road at all, much less in a modified format?

george kaplan · Mar 14, 2002

I'm not interested in any of those, but I'm willing to do my part on principle. Just let me know where there's a petition, and I'll sign it.

Ronald Epstein · Mar 14, 2002

You know, you guys were warned about this.
I don't know what to say about it all.
In a way, I'm not overly upset because these
are little titles. Yet, I am sure they mean
something to someone.
Look how Warner's "Follow That Bird" slid under
the radar as being a non-anamorphic release.
Nobody said "boo" because it wasn't a particularly
important title.
Yet, we have this slow shift by many of the
studios towards gratifying the public that
wants their movies without the black bars.
Just look at the "other" studio who is
catering specifically to this kind of
clientel by releasing triumphantly advertised
full-screen versions.
Just the fact that this "other" studio makes
this sort of move only signals to the other
studios that perhaps more attention should be
given to releasing full-frame releases.
It's not actually their fault -- two other
studios were doing it even before them.
I knew this was a dangerous move, and once
one studio starts catering to this sect of
consumer, all the studios will follow.
The studio excuse of "we are still releasing
widesecreen versions of our titles" does not
wash here. All movies should be released
in their original aspect ratio. Period!
To think the public will stop buying movies
because they have black bars on them is BULLSHIT!
People are not simply going to stop buying DVDs.
If the studios had even taken the suggestions
we gave them and put a promo in front of their
releases explaining widescreen, the public would
have accepted. They may not have liked it, but
at least the message they would have seen is,
"this is the way we are releasing our films from
now on...get used to it!"
The more I read this stuff, and the more I see
how this format is sinking to new lows, the more
I am totally pissed that studios have the audacity
to litter the market with full-frame titles with
an excuse that they are simply meeting the wants
of the public.
Can't the studios see that by catering to this
sect, they are sending out a bad message. In
addition, the consumer who buys these full-frame
offerings will only expect more.
The studios should have continued forcing
widescreen movies on the public. Sooner or
later -- just like every new technology that people
are afraid to accept -- will be accepted.
It's sickening to see what DVD has become.
In an age where television hardware and entertainment
is advancing so swiftly, the studios are actually
taking this DVD format back to the age of VHS.

GlennH · Mar 14, 2002

What's puzzling to me is that Columbia Tri-Star is owned by Sony, who you think would have a vested interest in releasing widescreen DVDs to further encourage people into buying their shiny new widescreen HDTVs.

Since CTS used to be pretty reliable for OAR on DVD, it seems to me that some lunkhead must have taken over at Columbia in home video. Given the proliferation of yet another needless release of Stuart Little and MIB, maybe he used to work at Universal.

Perhaps the corporate owners in Japan need to be made aware of what CTS is doing so they can make the responsible party do the honorable thing (i.e., fall on his sword).

Jesse Skeen · Mar 14, 2002

Why are they doing ANOTHER 'special edition' of "Stuart Little" with only pan and scan??? That makes no sense at all. There's no excuse for "Mo' Money" being pan and scan either as that was put out ONLY in widescreen on laserdisc- in fact that was one thing that convinced me to jump to laserdisc as only "special" movies got released in widescreen on VHS but even stuff like this got put out widescreen on laserdisc! That movie is extremely short too so they could fit both versions on one side if they wanted to!

Patrick McCart · Mar 14, 2002

I bet Columbia is being lazy and re-using previous TV/laserdisc transfers.

Follow That Bird is the same thing since it has video problems that shouldn't be seen on any mastered-for-DVD transfer.

Rain · Mar 14, 2002

I suppose that we can find some consolation in the fact that the virtually non-existent sales that they are going to make on 84 Charing Cross Road (and similar titles) may send them a message.

- We won't buy it because it's not OAR.

- Joe Six Pack won't buy it because he doesn't know what the hell it is.

I would encourage my fellow HTF-ers to make a point of continuing to support Columbia's OAR releases. I know I will be. Though I'm sure I don't need to say it, make a point also of NOT buying the non-OAR titles.

Petitions are all fine and good, but we need to vote with our dollars to hammer the point home.

Joshua Clinard · Mar 14, 2002

If a petition is started, we will be sure to list it on widescreenadvocate.org

Rain · Mar 14, 2002

The petition is now up at http://www.petitiononline.com/rain71/petition.html
Please add your name and spread the word!

LukeB · Mar 14, 2002

I agree that this has got to stop, but an effort has to be made to communicate with the people who are making these types of assinine decisions to release content in fullscreen-only. I'd hate for a petition to be pushed and we get several thousand signatures and it just gets passed along from place to place and not acknowledged. The thing is, it's not just Columbia/TriStar...it's Fox's new pared-down, sliced-up single disc releases, it's Warner pulling crap like releasing stuff in 1.33:1 only, and it's Columbia/TriStar taking this to a whole new level of wrong. This has got to stop, but how? I know Fox has reps here, but do the other studios? Are they this stupid to think that P + S only is the way to go, do they just want to piss us off or what?

Dave Mack · Mar 14, 2002

Signed and spread!

Jeff Swindoll · Mar 14, 2002

Isnt 84 Charing Cross Road the movie where Hannibal the Cannibal opens up a (cook)bookshop in London?

Those vile black bars sure caused Matrix, Gladiator, etc. to have such low sell numbers :laugh:

TheBat · Mar 14, 2002

I have bought many dvds from sony. I am really disspointed that they would do this at this time. I want the widescreen version of Sweet Hearts Dance with Don Johnson.. I hope they release Spider-Man in widescreen.

JACOB

Ricardo C · Mar 14, 2002

Signed. And I agree with Jacob... Spider-Man BETTER be WS.

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