My hopes increased with my recent purchase of the "Lion King." I couldn't find a full screen butcher job anywhere on the shelves. Happy, I left the store thinking Disney has finally done something right (and if they'd stop releasing unnecessary sequels to their classic films, I may change my outlook on them). I open up the case after tearing it in 7 different places thanks to those god-awful "security stickers" (that's a whole new topic) and begin to read some of the enclosed documentation. Their recommendation? Use the zoom player on your DVD player to get rid of those "black bars." AAHHH!!!
It seems blatantly obvious to me that not even the companies stand to educate the consumer. Numerous websites exist to educate people, but will these people even bother to look (widescreen.org is an excellent starting point)? Is there anyone else to blame? Studio's have been releasing VHS copies in full screen since the format began. Have you ever tried tracking down a widescreen copy of a film on VHS. It's like trying to find your car keys in the morning during a bad hangover.
Something needs to be done and it needs to be done immediately. I can't stand watching people live their lives missing the finer points of Drumline. If anyone has suggestions, please, drop a line to your favorite movie company. Will they listen? Probably not, but you'll walk away from your keyboard knowing you've wasted 10 minutes of your life trying to make a difference. Oh, and if you still insist on watching your movies crammed, squished, panned, cut, packed, smashed, and butchered, my E-mail address is readily available.
Article comments
1 - Ken Edwards
And no I am not going to link the Full Screen version :P
2 - Nyx
If people want the fullscreen they probably should use the zoom button. Sure, it will look like shit and they'll miss a lot, but they'll miss a lot with the crap fullscreen version, anyway.
And I think tv shows like Angel and The Sopranos which are broadcast in widescreen are showing people the superiority of the format.
3 - Jim Carruthers
In the adding insult to injury department, the Red Green movie, "Duct Tape Forever" is only apparently available in the butchered pan & scan format, but the "making of" extra feature has clips from the movie in widescreen.
A lot of the "full-screen" conspiracy seems to be because of the teevee networks. I asked the producer of TVO's Saturday Night At The Movies why they broadcast pan and scan versions of widescreen movies, and the answer was that is what they are supplied by the distributors.
Apparently, the studios want to provide you with a sub-optimal experience if you are watching a movie on your teevee.
4 - JR
"Angel" is broadcast in widescreen? How come I never noticed that?
5 - Jim Carruthers
Widescreen teevee broadcasts depend on your local station.
For example, "Tru Calling" is widescreen, but the local Fox affiliate in Buffalo doesn't broadcast in widescreen, they show the cropped version.
So, if you aren't seeing "Angel" in widescreen, complain to your local station.
6 - Johno
Get this... my local video store will NO LONGER carry ANY letterboxed versions of films, and have sold off their existing stock.
Why? Because every time they order, say, The Two Towers in both letterbox and in pan-n-scan, they are deluged with yahoos who want their money back because they don't understand why their movie is playing between two black bars. Where's the rest of my movie?, they ask. Where's the rest of my movie? Where are my pants? Maw, have you seen my teef? Where's my teef?
The complaints are such a drag on their business that they refuse to put up with it anymore.
The only thing keeping me from being a fuck-'em-all conservative is that I believe people are too stupid to take care of themselves, and the only thing keeping me from being a bleeing-heart liberal is that people are too stupid to rate my attention. Is that harsh of me?
7 - Michelle
I am looking for the Lion King in a full screen version. Does anyone know if they made one? If you know where I can find one please
[Personal contact info deleted]
They won't let me put an email address here in full!
thank you!
Michelle
[Michelle: there are good reasons for protecting people.]