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

[Jim Bivins]

Don't know if anyone else has read this, but it looks like we may have suceeded...
"Willy Wonka Update: I just got off the phone with a rep for Warner. Their decision behind pulling the widescreen version of the film was based on market research. It seems they found most families prefer the full frame format. In retrospect, they discovered there is a substantial percentage that want the widescreen version. So, you can expect to see another release - a widescreen release - "very soon."
This is from dvdangle.com. Don't know how acurate it is, but I visit them regularly and have no reason not to believe them.
all the best
Jim

 

[Jim Benard]

Since the list is approching 6000, assume at an average of 20.00 per copy, Warner is losing around $120,000 in sales. Is this enough for them to flinch? Maybe not...

 

[Phong]

A little over 2 days of activity on the petition, and we're approaching 6000 signatures. I keep saying it, but I never thought there'd be this much support when I first wrote the petition. Every day there are more new names on it than from the previous day.
I was searching around to see if I could find any new links to the petition, and I found several messages on various boards, and on USENET, even some in different languages! I hope everybody that signed the petition is as excited as I am at the influence we are bound to have.
I have been reading everybody's messages here and at DVDTalk, and I want people to know that I have not ignored the P&S vs open-matte debate. To satisfy those who feel very strongly about having the term "pan & scan" removed from the text of the petition, I have submitted a change to the petition, which will replace "p&s" with "open-matte" and "full screen" (and also throw in a few extra instances of "anamorphic"). I hope the changes will be active by tomorrow.
Keep spreading the word!

 

[Bill Crosthwait]

Why hasn't WB responded to us yet? After all this negative feedback, they should at least say something about their future plans.
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Bill
My DVD Collection
[email protected]

 

[Brian E]

Can someone post the URL to the previous lot of this thread (20 pages) or so? I can't seem to find it in the archives, and I want to read the last couple of pages, especially the DVDEmpire info that was alluded to. If it is in the archives, or elsewhere, it is not easy to see, and it was removed before I had a chance to view it.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/Forum15/HTML/028984.html
My DVD List

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Here's the URL to the original thread:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...ML/028984.html
I just checked .08 seconds ago, and the petition has now swelled to 5,777 signatures! Thanks to Phong for starting it up. I know that I personally have forced about 120 people to sign...many of whom had no real interest in the issue but saw how furious I was and decided to examine the issue for themselves.
IF WB does rectify this travesty, I just hope that I had one teeny tiny little bit to do with it. I know that every active member of HTF (as well as a few other DVD-related groups) should be proud of themselves if this decision is ever reversed.
I suppose now comes the waiting game. Regardless of the outcome, I am thrilled and suprememly satisfied to see how many people truly care about the way motion pictures are presented for the home viewer.
Yes, movies are 'product' in relation to how the studios produce them. There's nothing wrong with a corporation making a solid profit off of their properties.
But movies are also art (yes, even the crappy ones) and deserve to be treated as such.
Despite the cause of this uproar, I love that so many people have banded together and made their voices heard so loudly. Pat yourselves on the back.
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Scott
TheAngryJew's Movie Reviews at HBS.com
AOL IM: ScottFromPhilly

 

[Mark Cappelletty]

On the outgoing message on Sherry Bogard's voice mail, she said she was out for the rest of the week and won't be in until Monday. I'm curious if Warners will say anything before then.
So feel free to fill up her voice mail box with messages-- but fer Chrissakes, be polite when you leave one, telling her that you're not interested in buying this unless a widescreen option is presented.
[Edited last by Mark Cappelletty on August 09, 2001 at 03:16 AM]

 

[James D S]

And with the chat coming up, too. I hear 'Taps' playing in the background...

 

[DaveF]

Since the list is approching 6000, assume at an average of 20.00 per copy, Warner is losing around $120,000 in sales.

It's been said before, but it bears repeating: If the DVD retails for $20, then Warner is selling it to the wholesalers for about $10/ea, and their actual cost is probably about $5/ea. So ~$30,000 lost profits to Warner.
Not trying to be pessimistic, just realistic.
Of course, someone suggested that there is a 2x - 10x factor between non-buyers and actual petition signees. Best case then, is that 6,000 petitioners => 60,000 non-sales (of people who would otherwise have bought it).

 

[Luc Labelle]

Bill (Heathen)
Here is the link to the old thread.
It is ridiculous that Warner targets half the product to home theatre enthusiasts (Added value extras) and the other half of the product to generic shoppers (Fullscreen for J6P). Of course we get screwed on the most important part, the actual presentation. I would never buy fullscreen or P&S, even with a 14" monitor. (That's how I started watching DVD, now in glorious 60", though no widescreen TV yet)

 

[Paul W]

Dave,
Remember: profit=revenue-costs
with a revenue of $20 per disc and a cost of $5 per disc (assuming your numbers), then WB is losing $15 per disc, or $90,000 in net profits. The $120,000 in sales (or revenue, in this case) is still accurate.
== Update ==
I think I misunderstood your post. So if you're saying the total cost for Warner is $15 bucks then profits would be $5. I can see that. However, I don't believe WB is in the biz for a $5 margin. I think the total costs are probably closer to the $5 mark.
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Link Removed Paul Warren
Hey fella . . . I bet you're still livin' in your parent's cellar . . . downloading pictures of Sarah Michelle Gellar . . . and posting "Me too!" like some brain-dead AOL-er . . . I should do the world a favor and cap ya' like Old Yeller . . . you're just about as useless as MPEGs [sic] to Hellen Keller.
[Edited last by Paul W on August 08, 2001 at 11:59 PM]
[Edited last by Paul W on August 09, 2001 at 12:21 AM]

 

[Colin Jacobson]

And with the chat coming up, too. I hear 'Taps' playing in the background...

But that's a Fox film!

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Colin Jacobson
DVD Movie Guide
www.dvdmg.com

 

[Jon D]

Here's more confusion: the few J6P's that I know couldn't give a flying shit about extras, yet this J6P oriented release has quite a few. BTW, my main J6P source is my stepmom, who hates widescreen and ignores the extras.
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Gee, I hope this doesn't lower your opinion of me

 

[Jason_Els]

What's next? Lord of the Rings being released as a View Master series? I wish Warner would just listen and use some brains. Right now it looks like they're getting their marketing decisions from Madame Cleo.
But more curious is why they're releasing it in AOR in region 2. Are European children that more sophisticated or just more appreciative of art?
"Well shoot there Cindy Lu Mae, them Yoo-ro-peens got all those statchoos and mooseems and high falootin queens and all so they must sure know a lot more then weez do! Better give them the artsy-fartsy vershun."
And I work for AOL-Time Warner and right now am not very proud of this.
Thanks!
Jason

 

[Calvin Watts III]

Here is the latest, taken dircetly from the WB online message board:
Dear Valued Customer,
Warner Bros. is proud to bring you the magic of Wonka on DVD in a glorious 30th Anniversary Special Edition DVD later this month with the release of "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". We feel that we have carefully created and designed a wonderful Special Edition DVD worthy of every collector's personal library.
However, it has been brought to our immediate attention that a small few Wonka enthusiasts are disappointed with our announcement to release this Special Edition Wonka DVD in a Full Frame version only. We are very aware of how this may effect your decision to purchase this special DVD. The opinions of every Warner Bros. customer is of utmost importance to us, thus in order to grasp a clear and concise opinion of our market we encourage you to contact our Consumer Relations Department at 818-954-6000, or speak directly with Sherry Bogart at 818-954-7165.
All comments and suggestions will be taken into consideration as we strive to bring you the very best that DVD has to offer. You can also express you opinions at a non-Warner Bros. sponsored website - http://www.petitiononline.com/wonkadvd/petition.html
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"Don't make me angry....You wouldn't like me when I'm angry......"

 

[Joseph S]

with our announcement to release this Special Edition Wonka DVD in a Full Frame version only.

This one really deserved the "saluting smiling" posted in the earlier thread, but I found this one more amusing.

 

[PhilipG]

...a small few Wonka enthusiasts...

"Small few" indeed!
Bloody marketting departments (excuse my French).

This is the same sort of propaganda we always see. It's the same story when anyone bothers to complain about those "useful" TV on-screen logos.

 

[Jeff]

Warner is just insulting us even more by the "few small enthusiasts" comment but I can understand this in a way because the number or people emailing and calling them are few and small. Even 6000 people on the petition isn't enough when there are millions of DVD players sold.
We some how need to step up our efforts and expand this beyond the Home Theater Forum and the Internet. The only way to attack warner is through the media but I don't know if any paper or TV news program would touch this. After all, we are talking about a Willy Wonka DVD. Is this important enough for the news? Perhaps if the protest got large enough, thus the media would have that to go on.
I think if everyone here called, wrote, or emailed a small local paper (maybe we could concentrate on one) and suggested this story for their entertaiment section, they might be interested. Things could grow from there.
Jeff

 

[Edwin-S]

Well, I signed the petition and I don't even like "Willy Wonka", in fact, I hate it but I don't like the approach these companies are taking to "family films" even more. Just because it is a "family film" doesn't mean it shouldn't be shown in the Original theatrical format. "Secret of NIMH" is a perfect example. I would like to have a copy of this film but I am not buying a "VHS on DVD" version, ever!!
I noticed on the petition, that several people were signing with pseudonyms like "George Lucas" and "Willy Wonka". I have to admit some of the comments are humourous but if you want to be taken seriously I think people should be signing with their real names only and writing a comment that lets WB know how you feel. Joke names will just make whoever reads this list think that there is a bunch of childish buffoons on this and other boards.
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[GlennH]

quote: However, it has been brought to our immediate attention that a small few Wonka enthusiasts are disappointed with our announcement to release this Special Edition Wonka DVD in a Full Frame version only. [/quote]
Did I miss this "announcement"? Their original press release apparently didn't specify an AR. They apparently did state that both ARs would be included to retailers and the press some other way. But where has there been an announcement of full-frame only. The news came from DVD news sites when they physically got the discs.
[Edited last by Glenn Heberle on August 09, 2001 at 07:07 AM]