What's with the fullscreen releases??? (1 Viewer)

[Randy A Salas]

It's almost becoming too much to even monitor, with Columbia, Warner, Disney etc all releasing P&S rubbish on the market.

What are some recent Warner examples?

 

[Felicia J]

My hubby and I were chagrined to find the deluxe edition of "Stuart Little" is seemingly available in full-frame only. It looks like the previously released, widescreen version is going out of print! Hubby got on e-bay and found a widescreen edition for us.

I almost bought a copy of Edward Scissorhands for $14.99 at Best Buy over the weekend, but guess what? Pan and scan!

The studios seem to think the "average Joe" wants full frame, but I wonder. Out of curiosity, I got on amazon.com and read reviews of the "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" DVD. A lot of people who picked up the full frame edition, seemingly not realizing a widescreen version was coming out, wrote comments like "My only complaint is that this movie is not available in widescreen."

 

[Randy B A]

"@Randy
Not buying is a good thing, but don't forget to tell them (retailers etc) WHY you didn't buy."

I have been calling and complaining to the studios that release P&S only:

White fang
Balto
Balto 2
taking care of buisnes
and others that I have not purchased.

 

[John_Berger]

What are some recent Warner examples?

Two blatant examples are "Willy Wonka" and "Cats & Dogs". Warner had no intention of releasing them in widescreen. Thankfully, we didn't just sit around like logs and eventaully got them to release both of them in widescreen.

Too bad that Disney doesn't care what we think apparently.

 

[Han]

I almost bought a copy of Edward Scissorhands for $14.99 at Best Buy over the weekend, but guess what? Pan and scan!

They must have been out of the widescreen, because I remember getting it the first week it came out and mine's WS.

 

[Randy A Salas]

Two blatant examples are "Willy Wonka" and "Cats & Dogs". Warner had no intention of releasing them in widescreen. Thankfully, we didn't just sit around like logs and eventaully got them to release both of them in widescreen.

Well, I think those are the only two examples. The fact that WB did release widescreen versions of those films--even if after fan intervention--would seem to absolve the studio from discussion in this thread about full-screen-only releases. WB has done exactly what Disney, Columbia Tristar and Artisan (why does no one ever mention the full-screen-only dreck from that studio in these threads?) have refused to do: Listen to fans and make things right.

 

[John Kilduff]

I really wanted to get "Perfect" on DVD, but CTS F-d up on the title big time.

What's the point of Jamie Lee Curtis in workout gear if you can't see all of her body?

Sincerely,

John "Also, 500 Boy George impersonators requires OAR!" Kilduff

 

[Robert Dunnill]

Could a factor behind the increasing number of MAR releases be that some studios are quietly planning to sell these titles twice, the first time first now, and the second when current owners of 4:3 sets replace them with 16x9 displays a few years down the road (when they find that the images that once filled the screen now leave black/grey bars on the sides)?

RD

 

[CharlesD]

I was particulary infuriated by Disney's treatment of Muppet Treasure Island (which I did not cancel my pre-order in time)

Although the movie is in in "fullscreen" (I have a widescreen set so it isn't really) ONLY, the documentary has clips of the movie that not only are in 1.78:1 AR but are 16x9 enhanced (as are the menus) but the rest of the docu is 1.33:1!!!

What the hell is that about? It seems to me that they already have a 16x9 transfer of the movie but despite the obvious demand for widescreen versions of all movies, they chose not to release it so that their execs wouldn't have to field calls from WalMart officials complaining about 'them black bars'. This is Mickey Mouse Outfit we are dealing with here folks.

I only wish had been quicker canceling my pre-order. I certainly won't be buying any more Muppet movies and in future won't even pre-order a title unless I am 100% positive it is in its OAR.

 

[John_Berger]

The fact that WB did release widescreen versions of those films--even if after fan intervention--would seem to absolve the studio from discussion in this thread about full-screen-only releases.

Perhaps they should still be included since they might not have released them in widescreen if we (and others) didn't raise a peaceful fuss about it. Just because they made restitution doesn't necessarily forgive them for attempting to get away with it in the first place.

 

[Eric Fisher]

What infuriates me about the Wonka release is that I have never seen a widescreen version of the DVD in any stores. I had to order it online. They are skewing the sales deliberately to make it appear as if Full frame is more popular.

 

[AdamW]

I recently was at Wal-Mart... loads and loads of P&S A Beautiful Mind, not a single widescreen copy.

 

[Ken Garrison]

I recently was at Wal-Mart... loads and loads of P&S A Beautiful Mind, not a single widescreen copy.

 

[Ken Garrison]

I recently was at Wal-Mart... loads and loads of P&S A Beautiful Mind, not a single widescreen copy.

Did you dig in behind the fullscreen releases. I found dual release of ID4 at target and the OARs were in the back. So, you know what I did. Yeup. That's right. Put them in the front.

 

[Jeffrey Gray]

Look...when you see a bunch of P&S and no WS, then the WS is so popular that it sold out. All stores order equal amounts of both and put equal amounts on the shelf.

 

[cafink]

All stores order equal amounts of both and put equal amounts on the shelf.

I wish!

 

[Ron Kaledas]

I recently was at Wal-Mart... loads and loads of P&S A Beautiful Mind, not a single widescreen copy.

Jeffery beat me to it, but I was going to optimistically suggest that it was because the OAR releases were sold out, also! I don't believe, however, that they order equal amounts...I can't say I've seen equal amounts on release day in a store other than best buy...hmm...could it be that it's because the oar releases ARE selling more? Not from the sales numbers I've seen...joe and jane sixpack still need to be educated...

 

[Paul McElligott]

Why can't they just look at Amazon.com
LOTR WS sales rank 1
LOTR P&S sales rank 9
BTTF WS: 21
BTTF P&S: 397
A Beautiful Mind WS: 10
A Beautiful Mind P&S: 76
Oceans 11 WS: 36
Oceans 11 P&S: 439
Numbers don't lie. Widescreen is the people's choice.

 

[Randy A Salas]

Why can't they just look at Amazon.com

That's just one retailer--one that tends to cater to more-savvy online consumers and thus not indicative of B&M stores. For example, at Circuit City, the widescreen version of Harry Potter is No. 15 on that retailer's sales chart, while the full-screen version is No. 9. At Best Buy (the nation's largest DVD seller, much bigger than Amazon), HP WS is No. 10, while FS is No. 9. That's according to Video Business' breakdown of retailers on its weekly sales chart. Check that out to see how much sales differ among stores.
http://www.videobusiness.com/dvdsell.asp

 

[Ron Kaledas]

Why can't they just look at Amazon.com

Great stats...it's sad but true what Randy said, but when I need a place to point people to help convince them to buy widescreen only, I'll remember amazon! Thanks, Paul!