Fox gets in on Pan & Scam game (1 Viewer)

[Ted Todorov]

I was just in the store and I saw the picture of Claudia Schiffer with multiple nose rings in something called Reckless and Wild. I said to myself wow this is cheap, maybe I should get it. I turn the DVD over and it is PAN & SCAN "This film has been formatted to fit your screen." Not my screen, bub!
Anyway, to further my dismay, it is a Fox release -- I thought that Fox had an all OAR policy. Guess what, not anymore
So, it's some trashy movie -- well guess what, I want my trash in OAR! And we all know how it goes: trash today, great films tomorrow...
Et tu Fox?
Ted

 

[John_Berger]

Jeez! What is with these studios?!

 

[CharlesD]

FOX does not have an OAR policy as far as I can tell. In fact they are going back through their DVD catalog and producing Pan & Scan versions of movies that were previously only available in OAR on DVD. I consider this to be a big step backward even if the OAR DVDs are still available.

Furthermore titles like The Day The Earth Stood Still, which FOX had been preparing a SE of, is now MIA. This is a classic film but probably would not have been a bestseller...

 

[Robert Crawford]

Unfortunately, in today's "corporate studio" world, sometimes, you got to throw them some crumbs in order to keep the bean counter wolves away.



Crawdaddy

 

[Jack Briggs]

Charles: What do you mean The Day the Earth Stood Still is MIA? It was believed to be coming this year. Robert Wise has recorded a commentary track. Our man at Fox has indicated the studio is working carefully on this title. Have you read something somewhere on the Internet that indicates otherwise? JB (Also, "fullframe" issue moot with that title; it was released in 1951.)

 

[Robert Crawford]

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[Peter Staddon]

OK , lets put a couple of things straight here.

1. Fox does have a pro oar policy. Films we produce will be released with OAR on their initial release. The P&S titles we release subsequently are not a replacement for OAR they are to satisfy a specific customer requirement. Please let's not get into another debate on that subject here.

2. As I replied in a thread regarding Boondock Saints, as a Studio we sometimes enter into distribution deals with third parties. The DVD assets already existed on this release and the third party would not consider reworking the title. Please refer to the boondock saints thread.

3. The Day The Earth Stood Still is being released as a special edition next year. It is not MIA it is just not announced yet. It was delayed to fit into a very specific program that will see many of our classic films debut on DVD. You will have to wait for more information.

Thanks for your interest,

Peter Staddon

 

[Jeff_HR]

Hope the delay is not TOO long. In any case I'll wait for this title. It MUST be done right!

 

[Jack Briggs]

Thank you greatly, Mr. Staddon. Now the trick is for me to endure the wait until next year! Of one thing I am certain: The disc will have been well worth the agonizing wait.

 

[GlennH]

It was delayed to fit into a very specific program that will see many of our classic films debut on DVD.

That sounds good. Thanks for the update Peter.

I assume titles like LAURA may be part of this effort with classic titles.

I'd also like to submit one vote for FOX to reissue the Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals (THE KING AND I, OKLAHOMA, etc.) as special editions with restored prints and anamorphic transfers. Do them proud like you've done the Diamond Collections (Marilyn).

 

[Frank Anderson]

The Day The Earth Stood Still is being released as a special edition next year.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
I am so excited about getting this movie. Thank you very much Fox and thanks Peter for the update.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Many classic films next year? Mmmmmm

Thanks Mr. Staddon, for keeping us in the know!

 

[george kaplan]

Websites (such as dvdfile) are reporting that films like Dr. Dolittle and Mrs. Doubtfire are being released in upcoming p&s only versions, and that the current OAR versions are being discontinued. If true, that means that we go from having these films in OAR only, not to OAR & p&s, but p&s only.
Is that true? It's heartbreaking enough when a film comes out p&s only, but to know that the OAR dvd exists, but has been pulled so that you can now only buy it in p&s or not at all would truly be a travesty.

 

[Jack Briggs]

George: The story is that Fox will reissue the widescreen versions as standard, single-disc editions. The studio is simply letting the current SE stock dwindle. JB

 

[John Thomas]

Hey Peter, heard anything about the release of PCU?

 

[george kaplan]

Jack,

I certainly hope that's true, but more than one website is reporting that some are being released as single disc and still widescreen, and others single disc and pan & scan only.

This is an example from dvd news:

I'm not happy about the 1 disc downgrades such as Sound of Music, but the pan & scan only downgrades, if that pans out, would be sad. Hopefully these reports are wrong.