Columbia: 4:3 in the US yet 16:9 in Europe (1 Viewer)

[Jeff_HR]

It is just the very cinematically uninformed North Americans who think that the black bars are a conspiracy to rob them of part of the movie.

 

[Rachael B]

That's not always true Jeff. I explained aspect ratios to my cousin and her hubbie. They don't care. They just want THEIR screen filled. Education only goes so far...:frowning:

 

[Jeff_HR]

Well it is THEIR loss unless the Studios & the J6Pers & the Wal-Marts manage to do away with DVDs being released in their OAR.:frowning:

 

[Daniel J]

Is it possible that the reson we have more people buying P&S is because we have more TVs? The deeper the low-cost TV experience is in the mind of a viewer, the more likely they are to move against something that's different.
Is it possible that in a few segments of europe the only people who own DVD players are the ones who care, while everyone else is out living their lives?
And BTW, just because it was a frenchman who invented cinema does not mean that french people are more likely to care. That's like saying that Canadians care about the telephone more than Americans do.
Then again, if the french saw panning and scanning as a British invention, there might be a wee bit of patriotism stirred up.

 

[James David Walley]

Well it is THEIR loss unless the Studios & the J6Pers & the Wal-Marts manage to do away with DVDs being released in their OAR.

That time may be closer than you'd like to believe...I wouldn't at all be surprised to see the current dual-inventory (OAR and MAR releases) morph into a situation where either:
a) You'll get dual-inventory releases on big-name films in which the pan'n'scan will be the generally-available bare-bones release for $20, and the widescreen will be the special edition with extras for around $35-$45
or
b) If a film isn't big-name (i.e. a picture that came out and had fair to decent sales, but nothing better, and quickly dropped off the radar screen), you'll get pan'n'scan...period
or
c) If such a film is a "critical darling," you may see the studios, after a period of time, license the rights to Criterion for an SE selling for, say, $50.
:frowning:

 

[Jeffrey Gray]

James David Walley:

I sure as hell hope that doesn't happen. If it does, we're back in the dark ages of VHS. And I'm sure that's what Wal-Mart and the other stores want.

Hey...I just thought of something. Wasn't the fact that the films were in their original aspect ratios supposed to be one of the big advantages of DVD over VHS? If they get rid of that, we'd be getting closer to just having VHS on a disc.

 

[Chad R]

Sydney Pollock did indeed sue to have his film shown in WS. It was in the contract which is why he can't do the same over here.:frowning:

 

[Jeff_HR]

That time may be closer than you'd like to believe...

Well I glad I have a multi-region player. I've already purchased some DVDs from across the oceans in widescreen form that were not available in that form in R1. Two of them being:

• 1.Frantic
  2.Night Hawks

 

[Jeffrey Gray]

Hey...is there an R2 widescreen DVD of National Lampoon's Vacation and/or A Christmas Story?