*****TO ALL STUDIOS, watch the sales of 'EPISODE 1' for the message. (1 Viewer)

[Inspector Hammer!]

It's WIDESCREEN ONLY, and it's going to sell through the roof!
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God bless the USA and the men and woman of our military and their families!

 

[William Ward]

Point to sales of Cast Away, Gladiator, and Warner's own Matrix to show that WS only will sell and sell well.
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William
Go Bucs!!
MyDVDs

 

[Brian Lawrence]

I suppose they could also look at the sales of Phantom Menace as means to justify making us wait 2 freaking years for a dvd version

 

[Dick]

Yes, I'm sick of hearing that the retailers like WAL MART are receiving complaints about the goddamn black bars. I say, too bad. The DVD's are selling, aren't they? So take a few years of complaints until the format is accepted by the public at large.

 

[John Berggren]

I'm a firm beleiver that pan and scanners don't care enough NOT to buy something only available in Widescreen. However, those of us who appreciate Widescreen will not buy pan and scan. I walked out of 2 Best Buy's and a Walmart yesterday without Cats and Dogs specifically because I could not buy it in Widescreen.
Warner's loss is Fox's gain.
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Rationality is not a commodity which is evenly distributed.
Thank you Sci-Fi channel for Season 6 of Stargate SG-1
View SpaceDog's DVD Collection

 

[Brian-W]

However, those of us who appreciate Widescreen will not buy pan and scan

Speak for yourself.
I prefer widescreen, and when given the option will always buy the widescreen version. However, I'm not going to deny myself the enjoyment of a film or story simply because it's not in my preferred format. That said, if a film is only available in P&S, if I enjoy it enough and are fairly sure it won't be re-released in WS, I'll buy it.
I love the Vacation movies, and wasn't going to deny myself that enjoyment simply because they weren't widescreen.
I can't wait to see this argument spill over to HDTV. HBO-HD shows all movies (except 4:3 sourced) in 1:78:1. That includes Die Hard and every other 2:35:1 movie now cropped to 1:78:1. Do I hate that? Absolutely. Am I not going to watch it because of that? Certainly not.
If people want something bad enough, they'll buy it regardless. Episode 1 is proof. Those that hate widescreen bought it because they aren't going to deny themselves that enjoyment from the movie. Had it been P&S, it would have been the same thing.
Bottom line is studios generally (not all, not always) have done a poor job educating consumers.
I remember going to laserdisc shops, and seeing a free booklet from Pioneer explaining and showing the differences between widescreen and pan & scan. They did try and educated consumers, but the majority of laserdisc buyers already knew enough about it. They need this kind of booklet in Best Buys and other retail establishments.
-Brian

 

[TomRS4]

I am speaking for myself: No AOR = No Sale or Rent.

I can't wait to see this argument spill over to HDTV.

I've been wishing it would for some time. HBO's treatment of 2.35:1 movies is a disgrace, and I don't understand why there hasn't been a bigger uproar. So far they haven't responded to my queries into the matter.
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Tempus Fugit

 

[george kaplan]

quote:
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However, those of us who appreciate Widescreen will not buy pan and scan
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Speak for yourself.
I prefer widescreen, and when given the option will always buy the widescreen version. However, I'm not going to deny myself the enjoyment of a film or story simply because it's not in my preferred format. That said, if a film is only available in P&S, if I enjoy it enough and are fairly sure it won't be re-released in WS, I'll buy it.

How you buy things is up to you, but the fact that there are pro-OAR people like you willing to buy p&s if that's all that's available, and that there are certainly anti-widescreen who won't buy anything but p&s, does not negate the fact that
The vast majority (I'd guess 90 some percent) of pro-OAR people absolutely refuse to buy p&s, and the vast majority of anti-widescreen people, might prefer p&s, but will buy OAR.
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13-time NBA world champion Lakers: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001
[Edited last by george kaplan on October 18, 2001 at 08:29 AM]

 

[Glenn Overholt]

John, I think this is a really bad example.
There is no doubt that if you are a widescreen fan and like the movie you are going to buy it. A no-brainer, for sure.
Any child given the money (or if they have saved it up) will get it too, and that's a no-brainer as well.
However, I can see someone asking mom or dad to go out and get it, and when they find out that there is no full screen version they might come back empty-handed. We can run through multiple versions of the conversation that follows, but I think that in a few cases it will NOT be purchased.
Glenn

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Just FYI, the Vacation films are open matte, not pan and scan. Big difference.
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[Inspector Hammer!]

Jeff, shit is still shit, no matter what color it is.
The sales of 'Episode 1' is a GREAT example, I mean how can you miss it, it's a high profile title, that has no pan n crap version available for the mass public whiners, and it's selling like hotcakes to alot of demographics, adults, teens, adults buying for the kids, plus Christmas is coming up, so those same people will probably be buying extra copies for stocking stuffers. It's pretty clear to me.
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God bless the USA and the men and woman of our military and their families!

 

[Doug Pyle]

I too will NOT buy even the best movie ever made on DVD if it is not available in its Original Aspect Ratio. I am very pleased with SW Episode 1 DVD. I would not have bought it if it were not in its original aspect ratio.
I think it is fair to generalize that informed DVD buyers will be less likely to buy a flawed P&S product, while the ignorant DVD buyer would buy it either way. I don't think the point had anything to do with personal preference or speaking for oneself. I think it was fair to generalize how the informed and ignorant might buy/refuse to buy based on aspect ratio.
But, to speak for myself, I do know what is missing in a P&S film -- and the more I like the film, the more I'd hate to see it in P&S.
In sum, No OAR, No Sale. Point of the header to this thread is valid in my opinion.
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• May you be happy and well!

 

[Neil Joseph]

I don't care how good a film is, if it's my favourite film and it is available only in P&S then I do without it until such a time that it is. This is war.
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