This is why some people ride the small bus... (1 Viewer)

[Lev-S]

Browsing on Amazon.com and found the following comment on the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' DVD page...

Disney& other foolish studios that won't release full screen, November 29, 2003
Reviewer: Scott Mitchell (see more about me) from Wasilla, Ak USA
This is an absolutely fantastic movie, but for Disney not to release a full screen version is disgraceful. Probably 95% of the population does not have widescreen TV, and yet the studios continue to force widescreen DVD's on us. Bless the few studios that put both versions(one on each side). I, for one, refuse to buy widescreen DVD's. And I will not buy VHS...get it Disney? I don't buy your movie. I rent the VHS and make a copy...now I've got the MPAA mad, and you could so easily make everyone happy, and yourself millions more to boot. Now for the movie...Depp is incredible in the swashbuckler role, being funny, cute, debonair, and just an incredible actor. The movie will keep you entertained throughout, and isn't that why we like movies to begin with. Highly reccomend for those who buy VHS and those with widescreens...for everyone else(90%)of America, hold out till they realize they are missing the big picture(FULL SCREEN RELEASES!!!)

All I can say is this guy is about as informed as a can of mixed nuts. Poor fellow. Somebody forgot to tell him that Widescreen is the full picture.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

He doesn't care about the full picture. Just the "big" picture.:rolleyes

 

[Lev-S]

Oh, don't worry, I anonymously rebuttled.

 

[Shane_M]

That's too funny... it's too bad you can't slap someone up side the head electronically.

Wouldn't that be fun... hey stupid *SMACK*

 

[Lev-S]

This is NOT my response (mine was little more wordy) but it looks like somebody shares that sentiment...

5 stars because it's Widescreen Only!, November 29, 2003
Reviewer: A viewer from Skamokawa, WA USA
Fullscreen sucks major balls. Thank you Disney for releasing it in the correct aspect ratio ONLY. It should be widescreen only. Fullscreen editions are for retards who ride the short bus to school.

Short bus! Just like my post!

 

[WillG]

Unfortunately, it is these yahoos that the studios have been listening and catering to. Wish some studios would have more balls to say no to P&S on DVD. Ironically, it is Disney that is doing just that

 

[Brandon Conway]

"Widescreen IS the full picture, Fullscreen is HALF of it. It's called the future so get used to it. '

Gold.

 

[jonathan_little]

This guy is undoubtedly a member of Columbia Tristar's fine market research group.

 

[CraigF]

This is a pretty funny thread...

The sad thing is that he's not even nearly alone. And it's so trivially easy for him to find out how mistaken he is, all he has to do is try just once. But he's probably right in one respect, probably close to 95% (or more) of the population don't have WS TV's. I bet that, say, 75% of the people who buy DVD's regularly do though, and much of the rest know that you don't lose anything (now or in the future) by buying WS. I work with PHD's and engineers, everybody is, and I would not even try to tell them that they should buy the WS version...so it's not just the short bus, it's people who just don't "get it". Let's face it, there's no financial incentive for studios to educate people re this, but plenty for them not to.

 

[Mitch Stevens]

It's scary how uneducated people are/can be. I will agree with him that the majority of the public want foolscreen, but what he doesn't realize is that the majority of the public are just as uneducated as he is.

 

[Beast]

When he says he rents it and makes a copy, I wonder if he means he burns a copy on DVD. Because if this ignoramous has a DVD Burner, but doesn't understand Widescreen, then I fear for the future of the human race. Hopefully he never breeds.

 

[Jeff D Han]

Let the uninformed have their foolscreen- I am
happy as long as widescreen is offered to an
educated movie fan like myself.

I wonder how many of these foolscreen die-hards
would change their minds if they were properly
educated or shown how foolscreen destroyes the
composition and balance of the intended viewing
area. Show these people a comparison of a movie
like Lord Of The Rings (for cinematography) or
It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World (for shots involving
two or more people talking in the same shot) and
they should see the light. If they still don't accept
widescreen, then they are clueless.

 

[Nick T Robot]

To prove the point of Wide Screen I ask people to put an image of a One Hundred Dollar Bill in a 4:3 box, and ask them to imagine that they can have that $100 bill if they are able to make it as large as possible without cutting any of it out.

 

[WillG]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, since the studios are not really going to do it, I wish more Filmmakers would take more of a stance on OAR. Some do (There's a pretty infamous sound bite from John Carpenter where he call P&S lovers...oh I believe it was.....Idiots). Sometimes you hear a filmmaker defend the OAR in a commentary or something, I just wish I would hear it more and in a way that a J6P could get the message from the Horse's mouth.

The Sad thing is, I wonder if going forward it will be harder to convince people of the Merits of WS. I don't think these people are going to be won over by WS from a cinematography standpoint. They might respond to severe cropping, but since there are less films being made anamorphically and is being replaced by Super35, it's going to get harder to make an airtight case when it comes to modern filmmaking

 

[Dave H]

I know of someone who will not buy widescreen DVDs. In fact, there are movies she wants, but won't purchase them just because they are only made in widescreen. I explained to her the importance of OAR, etc. but she didn't really care.

I, too, agree the filmmakers need to take a greater stance on the issue since studios won't.

 

[Andy_MT]

loved the way pixar recommended the widescreen version on finding nemo (in the intro i think). maybe if more film-makers did something along these lines, the message might get through. although probably not for our friend, Scott Mitchell. bit past any help. if there was a full screen edition of POTC, i know where i'd like to put it. and it would require the presence of Mr Mitchell.

 

[Colin Davidson]

Most probably wont believe this but here goes...

Was in Suncoast on Friday pre-ordering Firefly and while waiting to check out a sales guy was helping someone buy a DVD - forget which title - but the customer asked for the fullscreen version.

Sales guy: "You dont want full screen because a big part of the picture is actually missing when you watch it. You really want widescreen."

Customer: "But I dont have a widescreen TV yet."

Sales guy: "Yeah but when you do buy one you will have a movie that you'll watch and not have to buy it again when you get your new TV."

Customer: "Wish someone had told us this before."

After my purchase I coulda hugged the sales guy - but instead gave him a thumbs up and said good job on the widescreen sale.

 

[ScottCarr]

There is a large number of people that do not have widescreen and prefer not looking at black bars.

Many people will not make such a switch until broadcasting and cable companies may the switch from 4:3. then and only then will widescreen become widely accepted.

as a society it has been decades for 4:3 viewing. It is going to take some time for all intersted parties to accept 16:9. When walmart, bestbuy, circuit city, target stpop selling 4:3 then people will be forced to adapt.

Give the consumer a choice they will be more apt to spend $200 on a tv so they can drive around in a big SUV.

To most TV watching is just not as critical to HTers.

 

[Craig S]

There is a large number of people that do not have widescreen and prefer not looking at black bars.

There's an easy answer to this - watch the MOVIE, not the bars!!!

 

[TonyD]

someone came into my video store the other day and wanted to rent 2 movies.
bruce almighty and a man apart.
they handed me the tape of man and dvd of bruce.
i told them i would check for the dvd of MAN, when i came back with it they didnt want it but were actually hoping for the tape of BRUCE.

SO I ASKED, "you want tapes of both movies not dvd?"

yep.

the guy then went on to tell me that they CAN'T watch the dvd's because they dont have a widescreen tv.

then as i was about to explain that it isnt needed to watch a dvd he started giving me an annoyed that he can't get the full screen version on dvd look.

so i just shook my head and left it at that.