Balto full frame only - why? (1 Viewer)

[Will K]

Universal has set a 2/19 date for both Balto films, but in full frame only. The second film I believe was direct to video, but the original was a theatrical release(1.85:1). Universal, why can't we have an OAR release in 16x9? The laserdisc release was letterboxed. Furthermore, the movie runs only 78 minutes and you can't get two versions on one disc?

 

[Dick]

Despite our apparent "victory" with regards to convincing Warner Bros. to release a few titles in widescreen that were to have been P&S, I think the studios are slowly but surely abandoning us. Fox is evidently releasing FERNGULLY in P&S, now we hear this about BALTO. It makes me want to vomit when I see studios simply igoring the consumer group that put DVD on the map in the first place. How simple it would be to put both P&S and OAR on two sides of the same disc, especially since neither FERNGULLY nor BALTO are being released as special editions. I think we're screwed, folks, unless we can produce the numbers of protests for these releases that got the attention of WB for CATS AND DOGS and WILLY WONKA. Are we up to it?

 

[Joel C]

Balto and Ferngully are two animated films I enjoyed in my pre-teen years that will not be purchased unless they are in their respective OAR.

I think Balto came out when I was 14 or so, and even then I liked it. Oh well.

 

[Frank Thoennes]

While I'm not a fan of either film, I would never consider purchasing ANY movie not in OAR. If there's a petition to sign, let me know. If there's an e-mail address where I can complain, let me know.

I've recently refused to buy no less than three DVD's because they are butchered: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Christmas Story, and Forever Young. All Warner titles, all no sale.

 

[Sean Conklin]

I've recently refused to buy no less than three DVD's because they are butchered: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Christmas Story, and Forever Young. All Warner titles, all no sale.

Me too!
Dammit, this pisses me off.
I've really had enough of this P&S ONLY horseshit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK it's your turn Universal!! break out the complaint forms and petitions!!!

 

[Joshua Clinard]

I would pick up Fern Gully, but ONLY in OAR

NO OAR = NO SALE

 

[Jeffrey Gray]

I think the reason they're not going to be OAR is because the majority of the public (including me) doesn't even know the films EXIST. So they think they can get away with it.

 

[GlennH]

I can't believe we're going to get screwed again, didn't Warner hear us on the Wonka BS? These are films and works of art and hopefully Warner gets another ear full, break out the complaint forms and petitions!!!

BALTO is a Universal release, not Warner...

 

[Sean Conklin]

BALTO is a Universal release, not Warner...

OOPS Sorry. :b

Thats ok, Warner still needs a kick in the ass for not giving us Vacation and others in OAR!

Ok then, prepare the petitions for Universal!

 

[Cynthia]

This needs more attention.
Go here and tell Universal you're not happy:
http://www.universalstudios.com/home...gi?email_id=10
Even if you're not a fan of the film, I urge you to let them know your feelings about pan & scan before they start releasing more and more "family films" all butchered up.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

I sent my e-mail. I am off to fire off a PM to peter to ask about Fern Gully.

If someone starts a petition for these, I will add them to my site.

 

[Patrick McCart]

It can't be THAT hard to make dual-layered discs of these family films and have both a P&S and LBX transfer. I think the FOX family films are dual-format (Their other family DVD's have both such as The Sandlot). I thought Universal was out of the "P&S-only" phase...

The Vacation DVD's were made in 1997...when Warner basically re-used old laserdisc transfers. They're just open matte, too, so there's not as much damage if they were hard-matted, anamorphic, or wide-gauge.

You'll notice that most 1997/1998 DVD's are not up to current standards and simply re-used a transfer from TV or laserdisc. This goes for all studios. Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon are the only titles from this peroid that actually don't need much work (Great audio/video, nice extras)

 

[David Lambert]

I sent a note to Universal about Balto. Here it is if you're interested:

I just wanted to send you this simple and direct note.

As much as I'd like to, I won't be buying the new DVD for Balto for my family.

We've seen the film and enjoy it, but even children's fare like this deserves to be seen the way it was presented in the Theater, originally.

We don't buy *anything* that's been "modified to fit your (4:3) television". We only buy DVD's of theatrical films that are presented as they were shown in the theater. No Pan-And-Scan or Open-Matte editions for us, please. Only Original Aspect Ratio (OAR). Even if it's small-ish on our 19" TV, we still enjoy seeing it the way we saw it in theaters.

In fact, we're still holding off on the DVD for Babe, for this very reason. The only existing DVD version of the original film is only in Modified Aspect Ratio (MAR).

NO OAR = NO SALE. No matter what the subject matter is.

Thank you very much,

The Lamberts

Memphis, TN

Just a note for clarification: we have two TV's with DVD players hooked up, a 30" and a 19". The majority of kid's fare gets watched on the 19" now, so that's what I referred to in my note. I thought it was fair to explain the exact situation.

Thanks for the e-mail link,