No more P&S DVD only at Blockbuster (1 Viewer)

[DarrenA]

Before this get's any further out of hand, everyone who is concerned about the fate of widescreen DVDs should start by sending Blockbuster Video some feedback with regards to their policy of renting only Pan & Scan DVDs. Please take just a few minutes to write them a polite message and make your voice heard on this issue.
Blockbuster Contact Main Page
Link Removed

 

[Larry Sutliff]

This is what I wrote in my message to Blockbuster:

As long as Blockbuster refuses to carry widescreen DVD's of certain titles that are available in both widescreen and full frame, I will be forced to rent these titles from retail establishments like Movies Unlimited that give their customers a choice in this matter. I own a widescreen television and a pan and scan/full frame DVD of a widescreen title is absolutely useless to me.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I dropped them a Courteous Reply.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

I asked them to carry porn

 

[Ron-P]

I'm doing my part.
Peace Out~

 

[Matt Butler]

Thanks for the link. Ive been meaning to send a email for a while and forgot about it.

I want to rent the Grinch but I wont for this very reason.

 

[Nate Anderson]

I hope this does some good, however, I'm afraid they'll come back with the same asinine respone of: "All DVDs are encoded with both a widescreen and full-screen option."

Of which, my response will simply, and as nicely as possible be:

You're an idiot.

 

[Jon_B]

Thanks for the link. Hope they take notice.

Jon

 

[Steven Good]

I own aMitsubishi 65" 16 x 9 widescreen projection HDTV and progressive scan DVD player. Your company seems to only carry full-frame / pan-and-scan dvd titles if the studio makes widescreen discs and pan-and-scan discs available seperatley. Examples: CATS AND DOGS, WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (30TH ANNIV.), SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (MGM's re-issue), THE GRINCH, JURRASIC PARK III...and others. This is unacceptable to me. If your less-evolved customers complain about "those black bars" on their square tv's, use the opportunity to education them about the advantages of wadescreen presentation; don't pander to them by offering a product that modifies the orignal aspect ratio intended by the film's director. I will continue to seek out the titles I am interested in renting in the widescreen format, and give the store that carries them my business.

Steven Good

 

[SteveK]

I guess I'm lucky. The Blockbuster that I use tends to carry only widescreen DVD versions of DVDs. The one exception to this is for Cats and Dogs, which they have only in P&S. I've thanked them several times for carrying the widescreen versions, so hopefully that at least partially offsets the frequent complaints about the black bars.

Steve K.

 

[MarkBurton]

This is what I wrote. Hopefully, it will do some good.

Recently, I went in to rent the Mummy Returns on DVD in the

Widescreen format. Unfortunately, all the store had was the Full Frame Pan & Scan version, so I was forced to rent elsewhere. This same scenario has now happened twice more with Cats and Dogs and The Grinch.

It seems that when a studio releases a separate widescreen and full frame version of a movie, all of the Blockbuster stores in my area only carry the Full Frame version. For me and my friends, this sets a bad precedent. I certainly do not wish to deprive anyone of a Full Frame presentation, if that is their choice. I just do not understand why both versions can not be made available for rent.

I certainly would like to continue to frequent my local Blockbuster store and have the widescreen titles available for rent so I wouldn't have to drive miles away to another rental chain.

Any consideration that you can give this matter will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[BradyB]

Let our voices ring out.

I just sent off mine, someone will have to start paying attention to us.

 

[Robert McDonald]

I sent mine:

"I was distressed to see that Blockbuster has decided to stock only Pan and Scan ("modified to fit your screen") versions of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. I am sorry to say that unless and until Blockbuster changes its policy and agrees to stock movies in their original aspect ratio I will be renting videos elsewhere."

I received a reply which appears to be automated, as it explains they do not stock NC-17 or X rated movies:

"We do not edit or otherwise alter movies ourselves. We leave the methodology as to how ratings and the formatting is applied specifically and completely to the studios involved. We are retailers and not members of the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America), so we take no position on individual scenes or the overall artistic merits of a film. We are not in the content business. We are in the business of exceeding the expectations of our members and customers, and thus our goal is to offer the widest possible selection within our broad parameters of our "no NC-17 or X" standards.

"Thank you for letting us know how we can better serve your entertainment needs. We take your comments very seriously and welcome them, as a valuable tool needed to improve the quality of our service. We hope you will give us another

opportunity to serve your entertainment needs. If you need further assistance, please contact your local Blockbuster store. Our employees are empowered, authorized, and expected to take care of customers."

(I especially like ... our goal is to offer the widest possible selection within our broad parameters of our "no NC-17 or X" standards.)

So, my reply, of course was to point out again we are talking about OAR, not ratings:

"My e-mail was not about Blockbuster not carrying NC-17/X movies, which I understand. It was about Blockbuster not carrying movies in their original aspect ratio, but only as re-formatted to fit a 4:3 (1.33:1) TV screen; what about those who have widescreen TVs? Or those that want to watch the movies as originally shown in a theater?

"Your reply, "We are in the business of exceeding the expectations of our members and customers, and thus our goal is to offer the widest possible selection within our broad parameters of our "no NC-17 or X" standards." is not accurate as you do not carry movies in their original aspect ratio when a version is released which is reformatted to fit a standard TV; that is what is distressing and limiting my rentals from Blockbuster.

"Thank You."

Let's keep the pressure on; maybe corporate will notice.

 

[Ron-P]

I received that same exact email. Further proof that BlockBuster has NO clue. Glad I closed out my membership with them.
The only way to fight them is to cancel your membership and have all your friends and family do the same.
Peace Out~

 

[Jesse Skeen]

It's been about 10 years since I rented anything from them (they were one of the few places to rent laserdiscs, but they gave up on them later.)

 

[T r o y]

I'm supporting this effort as well. Here is my message to Blockbuster:

Dear Blockbuster :

"I recently was in a Blockbuster store in Kentucky during Thanksgiving and wanted to rent the movie

"How the Grinch stole Christmas" but noticed it was only available in Full Frame version only .

I didn't care to rent the full frame version but wanted to rent the WIDESCREEN version instead.

They didn't even have any widescreen versions available at all and this makes me upset.

Please start carrying the widescreen version as well if it is made separately from it's pan and scan version so the customer can choose which one to rent"

Regards

Let's hope they take heed to this.[/size][/font]

 

[Dave Barth]

Just was in a blockbuster and my father wanted to rent "The Mummy Returns". I noticed all three copies had FF after the title. My dad went up to the register to ask about it and see if it was in widescreen and the checkout guy replied:

(1) If the DVD case says Collector's Edition it must be widescreen (quickly shown to be false by the DVD packaging which stated FULL FRAME on the bottom and COLLECTOR'S EDITION on the top)

then

(2) You can use your player's settings to make a full-frame movie play in widescreen on your TV (even if I could, I'm sure the windowboxing would look fantastic, don't you think!)

Needless to say we rented another title. As my father seems to be jonesing to see this movie, we'll rent it from the independent store down the block. Actually we should rent everything there, but we recently moved into the neighborhood, and I have my BB card but haven't set up an account at the video store yet, and this is only the 3rd rental we've made, so...

The only positive thing I can say about BB is that the store guys seemed as surprised as I was that the title wasn't widescreen. Granted they were clueless about everything else, but at least they didn't seem to have anything to do with the decision to stock the title FF only.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

They Sent me back a form Letter.
Thank you for your e-mail. We take your questions and comments as a welcome
show of interest and loyalty. Customer feedback is very important to us and we
are glad you took the time to write.
We do not edit or otherwise alter movies ourselves. We leave the methodology as
to how ratings and the formatting is applied specifically and completely to the
studios involved. We are retailers and not members of the MPAA (Motion Picture
Association of America), so we take no position on individual scenes or the
overall artistic merits of a film. We are not in the content business. We are
in the business of exceeding the expectations of our members and customers, and
thus our goal is to offer the widest possible selection within our broad
parameters of our "no NC-17 or X" standards.
Blockbuster has always tried to provide our customers with a variety of choices
while maintaining our family orientation. As you know, we will not carry "X"
rated or "NC-17" rated films. However, there are unrated film titles we feel
may contain content unsuitable for children, and we designate these titles with
a "YRV" designation, for "Youth Restricted Viewing". Although not pornographic,
only members older than 17 are allowed to select these films.
Thank you for letting us know how we can better serve your entertainment needs.
We take your comments very seriously and welcome them, as a valuable tool needed
to improve the quality of our service. We hope you will give us another
opportunity to serve your entertainment needs. If you need further assistance,
please contact your local Blockbuster store. Our employees are empowered,
authorized, and expected to take care of customers.
Sincerely,
Blockbuster Consumer Services
[email protected] on 11/28/2001 12:35:08 PM
To: Customer Service/RetailOp/Corporate/Blockbuster@BBEGI
cc:
Subject: Policy from Contact Us Form
Here are the results of the Contact Us form:
FORM: promo2.blockbuster.com/contact_us
FORM submitted at 11/28/2001 1:35:08 PM
First Name: Dave
Last Name: Scarpa
Issue category olicy
Issue: I'm dismayed that all your stores have decided in the instances
where both a seperate Widescreen And Pan and Scan DVD is released, to only
stock the Full Screen. I own a widescreen set and refuse to watch a film
that has Pan & Scanned. I cannot believe a buisness the size of
Blockbuster could not stock Both and that displays could be set up so that
members can clearly choose which they are renting/Buying. I will have to
seek other venues for my movie rentals if this policy does not change.
Both the Mummy Returns and The Grinch, as well as Cats& Dogs, were
examples of this happenning.
Thank You
This hereby concludes the contents of the form.

 

[DarrenA]

I realize that since yesterday's (12/13/01) Digital Bits post about Blockbuster, that everyone is now getting the idea of just what Blockbuster is doing.
Since this thread was started a few weeks ago, I juat wanted to update the thread with the link to the "official" petition to Blockbuster to get widescreen DVDs available for rent again. Here's that link...
http://www.petitiononline.com/widedvd/petition.html

 

[Marty M]

This move by BB does not surprise me a bit. They were really dragging their feet about stocking DVDs and only started to push it when J6P's started buying DVD players. BB was never there to support DVD when it started, so I have stopped going there at all. Fortuneately, we have a locally owned video store that started carrying DVD's over 3 years ago and has always carried the OAR movies.