So Much For Being Able To Rent ANY Universal Big Name Titles....... (1 Viewer)

[Nick Graham]

Well, we have it confirmed that Jurassic Park 3, The Grinch, and now American Pie 2 will have seperate pan and scan releases, therefore making a rental of any of them completely unacceptable, as no store other than independent
mom and pop stores will carry the widescreen version (and I happen to be hours from the nearest mom and pop independent store). Is it SO hard to grasp the old concept of the P&S and widescreen version on different sides of the same disc? If DVD-18 were given more attention from all the studios, I wouldn't be having this problem. I'm almost expecting an announcement for a P&S only version of The Fast And The Furious just to spite me.

 

[Barry S]

Universal really made a bad move with this one. I have e-mailed them about this, but who knows if it will even be read. Perhaps a petition is in order?

 

[Mark-W]

Is this Universal's problem, or the rental stores?
If they released the pan-and-scan version first,
I might understand...but otherwise I blame the
people who actaully ASK for the pan-and-scan verison.
-Mark

 

[Doug Schiller]

DVD-18 would have solved it. Heck, even DVD-14 (Legally Blonde) works.
You can thank everybody that complains to the studios about DVD-18s.
They just have to have their artwork and unnecessary 2 disk sets.
But vote with your dollars, don't rent the movies and ask Blockbuster to carry both versions. I'm sure they will stock at least a few WS versions if there is enough feedback.
Doug
Long Live DVD-18!

 

[Tom-G]

This trend of releasing separate pan and scam DVDs is a disturbing one. I wanted to rent "The Mummy Returns" but was unsuccessful locating a widescreen copy (and buying it was not an alternative).
It doesn't help matters that stores like Blockbuster and Hollywood are carrying the pan and scam titles only. The studios will just about always cave to the demands of those stores and most people who rent there don't want letterboxed movies because they are uninformed.
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[Michael Reuben]

In the days of laserdisc, Universal was also the studio that most frequently released separate widescreen and P&S versions. Of course, the market for those releases was a very different one.
If you're having trouble renting from B&M stores, I'd suggest mail order rentals. I've found DVD Overnight to be very reliable, and they generally stock widescreen versions.
M.

 

[Larry Gardner]

This may not be a bad marketing move on Universal's part. Granted, it sucks for renters who want widescreen.
But imagine if Universal is trying to determine if more renters are P&S and purchasers are WS. If this is the case, Universal may manufacture P&S for rental stores (BlockBuster and Hollywood Video) and leave WS for retailers (Best Buy, Circuit City, WalMart and e-stores).
Like I said, this sucks for WS renters, but this is probably not Universal's decision. That would come from input from DVD rental stores. If BB and HV tell Universal that people ONLY want P&S for rent, that is what Universal has to go on.
I would let Universal know through real feedback direct from the consumer, not from corporate minded rental stores.
Given the fact that most rental stores do not even showcase DVDs in their stores, I truly feel their marketing research is biased in the direction that they feel would give them more revenue profits.
I feel this is really going to come to a head in the nexct few months. The studios seem to be fighting back and winning in the area of video revenue sharing concepts (based on VHS days) with rental stores.

 

[Jeff]

Thus the thread I started, which no one really got the point, judging from the replies.
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...ML/032799.html

 

[Richard_Huntington]

But imagine if Universal is trying to determine if more renters are P&S and purchasers are WS. If this is the case, Universal may manufacture P&S for rental stores (BlockBuster and Hollywood Video) and leave WS for retailers (Best Buy, Circuit City, WalMart and e-stores).

It as absolutely impossible for Universal/MCA to get any correct data from doing this, since the Blockbusters and Hollywood Videos are spikng the results be refusing to stock widescreen, despite constant complaints.
Around here, it is nearly impossible to rent a widescreen MUMMY RETURNS and 100% impossible to rent a widescreen CATS & DOGS (though that one is Warner's fault).
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"My wife actually prefers widescreen"

 

[Larry Gardner]

Richard:
You proved my point exactly. If the input from the rental retailers is only coming from BB and HV, then that is all Universal/MCA has to go on.
It doesn't seem that much WS input is making it to the studios, now does it?

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

My local mom & pop shop ordered widescreem Mummy returns only and received pan & scan only. They got the distributor to replace their sale copies, but were afraid of not having any copies in stock at the release date for rental, so all of their rentals are pan & scan. They were made into a quasi-Blockbuster becasue of a distribution error.
I am most perplexed by Netflix, though since they carry only widescreen versions of 102 Dalmatians and Remember the Titans and only pan & scan versions of The Mummy Returns. Is it possible that Universal is forcing the pan & scan on rental places with volume discounts or somehow confounding their distribution channels (intentionally or otherwise)?
Regards,
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Ken McAlinden
Livonia, MI USA

 

[Robyn Young]

At Hollywood video(at least my store in Cheyenne), We got widescreen copies of the Grinch. Maybe thier experiment failed, and too many people complained.
Another thing that would potentially affect thier decision is previously viewed sales. My thoughts are these. When we got Mummy returns fullframe, we only got Mummy returns widescreen to sell. Now, the rentals are starting to go PV, and no one is buying them. In the future, if the trend is to purchase widescreen dvd's, then renting fullframe discs wouldn't help them sell later.
Um, anyway--Just wanted to let you know that at least one Hollywood video got widescreen grinch.
Robyn