Fullscreen. Why, oh why?

[Arislan]

I don't get the point of Fullscreen, especially when the stupid company that produces the film doesn't pan well, and the scene therefore misses a bit of detail. I watch movies to see the movie, not to see the center of the film, with one edge if the company decides to let me in a given scene.

Then we have dual versions. Why on Earth do companies STILL release two different DVDs, one with FS, and one WS? I have several DVDs that are double sided, with FS on one, and WS on the other. Now, there are issues that arise with DVD quality with this, but generally, anyone looking for quality is going to be perfectly willing to buy a Superbit or Criterion release and get all the ultra high quality anyone could wish for.

The worst part about it is, consumers don't even realize what they're missing. I worked with DVD retail sales for over 3 years, and had to educate countless dozens of people on precisely why Widescreen is what it is. You'd be amazed at the number of people that think that WS mean "they they put black bars at the top and bottom of the screen" or "stretch the picture for those newer TVs, and it looks weird on normal TVs". If anyone owns a copy, look at the DVD insert of Hackers. After showing the difference to people with that, there were a very few that actually went ahead and bought FS versions of films afterwards. Another great example is the Matrix, with the lobby fight scene. After the huge gunfight, there is a scene where the pillars crack and fall. In WS, no problem. But in FS, you end up losing the falling pieces in a non-Pan-Scan version, or at least one in the standard DVD.

Now, I understand that with smaller TVs, FS makes watching a bit easier, and I can understand that. The other argument that comes up is that on a large TV, the bars defeat the purpose of the TV. I can see that, but when you watch a movie in proper conditions, the difference between the black bars and any area outside that should be negligible. TVs are designed to blend in with the surroundings when you are focused on the film with proper lighting conditions.

So, really... Why?

[lain2k3]

To make more money.

[Arislan]

But it doesn't make any more money. It may make a couple hundred more sales off people that buy the wrong version, then can't return for the correct one, but besides that, it doesn't help sales. Dual sided DVDs would accomplish the saem thing, and defeat consumer anger due to purchasing or having the wrong version purchased for them. Just because VHS tapes were sold in two versions doesn't mean newer technology needs to follow the same path.

[Alielle]

Because people are stupid, and stupidity demands fullscreen.

This site (http://web.archive.org/web/20021128120429/http://members.aol.com/Savetele/) may amuse you. The actual site is down now, but you can see it thanks to the magic of archive.org. Sad thing is I think the guy was serious.

[lain2k3]

but there are stupid people. stupid people do stupid things for stupid reasons, and there a fucking lot of them. Stupid people are most companies target audiences. like cigarretes. what the fuck? who would want to smoke, especially considering the side effects?

i might understand those that have been addicted for decades, but who in their right mind would start smoking after the health warnings were announced?

[Arislan]

While no part of the original movie image is cut or blocked by lettershlocking/widescreen, the black bars do block a portion of the television screen. This is wrong, and prevents anyone from watching or enjoying the film..


Umm, ok, so no part of the original image is cut or blocked. Right. So what is the black bar blocking if it's not blocking the image you want to see?

::shudder::

One has to wonder how many morons this guy had agreeing with him and writing into places, especially with a site built like that... Broke nearly every rule of good web building styles.

[Mixfortune]

"Letterboxing" is the vile practice of censoring movies on video and broadcast television or cable by blocking the top and bottom of the television screen with black bars so that you cannot watch or enjoy the movie.

Letterboxing is a censor? Haha... yes, for we all know that anything that has to be censored is convienently placed within the bounds of the top and bottom bars throughout the entirety of the film or show.


Letterboxing"/Lettershlocking censorship ignores the fact that the television screen is a different shape than the movie screen, so that the movie must be correctly formatted to fit the television screen.

How does it ignore the fact that they are different shapes if it attempts to be correctly formatted to fit the screen? If it was truly "formatted" to the television screen, it would be stretched vertically. Now that would be an atrocity.

I can't take this person seriously. His arguments are full of opinions based off of his own misaligned contradictions. Anyone that says this:


99.999999999999% of the viewing public recognizes this for the atrocity it is.

is either not serious, satirizing the situation, or a complete moron.
It's also amusing how he called letterboxing "cutscreen", when fullscreen is the one that cuts.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Mixfortune on 2004-05-27 13:45 ]</font>

[HUnewearl_Meira]

Actually, they have to crop off quite a bit of the filmed video, regardless of whether it's widescreen, or fullscreen. The image is generally taller than can be proportioned into widescreen, but wider than can be proportioned into fullscreen. So effectively, neither version is perfect.

So to some degree, homeboy from the above mentioned webpage is indeed correct-- the widescreen format DOES cut off a portion from the top and bottom. However, it does not cut off as much from the top and bottom as fullscreen cuts off from the sides.

Albeit, that's just from the more or less ideal product... What's cut from the original film is actually quite the large portion.

The important thing, however, is that you generally see what the director/film editors wanted you to see.

So when it comes down to it, it's a matter of preference. What's more important to you? Using the full size of your TV screen, or seeing a slightly smaller image that will display nearly everything in the scene?

It's also worth noting that the entire reason why video publishers began making widescreen releases is to accomodate those who've purchased widescreen TVs. Several years ago, it was expected that "WIDESCREEN" would be the new revolution in TV viewing, as opposed to the basically square standardized dimensions that've shifted and mutated from the curved, squarish shape of the earliest televisions.

Furthermore, since VHS cassettes can't accomodate both formats at once, I do suspect that the reason why there are separate Widescreen and Fullscreen releases of DVDs is simply a hold-over from VHS cassette sales. There's a Widescreen and Fullscreen release of the VHS, so why not have equivalent releases of the DVD?

At least collectors and film buffs now have more merchandise to horde.

[Mixfortune]

While I wouldn't doubt that some of the scene is cut either way, referring to letterbox versions as merely the "cut version" is the flaw I was pointing out.

[DarthFomar]

I buy the fullscreen versions cuz the widescreen versions are always sold out. Either that or the store I buy the dvd from never had it to begin with. On the other hand I don't care what version just so long as I get my movie. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

I love renting movies and getting the wrong version too. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif Then there's also getting the wrong friggin movie....of course if I haven't seen the movie then I'll go ahead and watch it. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif And then tell them that they gave me the wrong one, when I take it back.... http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: DarthFomar on 2004-05-28 05:11 ]</font>

[HUnewearl_Meira]

On 2004-05-27 17:43, DarthFomar wrote:

I love renting movies and getting the wrong version too. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif Then there's also getting the wrong friggin movie....of course if I haven't seen the movie then I'll go ahead and watch it. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif And then tell them that they gave me the wrong one, when I take it back.... http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif


They didn't accidentally give you The Pubix instead of The Matrix, did they?

[Myopathy]

Actually, I believe on a big screen TV, widescreen is necessary. The black bars prevent the image from being scewed on a big screen TV. With the fullscreen, the picture is stretched to fit the wider dimensions of the TV thus making the picture distorted. I personally have always preferred widescreen.

[HAYABUSA-FMW-]

I've been buying up a lot of DVD's lately but have not had the time to watch them all.

Of course I only buy Widescreen versions.
I know better now.

Looking the whole package of the DVD over to see if its Widescreen or Full screen sucks though.
Like where is it?
The most recent DVD I have purchased, LOTR Return of the King has it right at the top of the DVD package across the header or whatever that area is called on the front. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

My Crouching Tiger and Enter the Dragon Spec Ed. DVDs recently purchased as well say it on the back. As do many others. You just have to know where to look and if you end up with a Fullscreen version you don't want then run back to the store with it! Unopened and with the receipt!

Edit* "packeg" to "package" http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif
Gosh my typing sucks lately.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: HAYABUSA-FMW- on 2004-05-28 13:45 ]</font>

[DarthFomar]

On 2004-05-28 08:27, HUnewearl_Meira wrote:


On 2004-05-27 17:43, DarthFomar wrote:

I love renting movies and getting the wrong version too. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif Then there's also getting the wrong friggin movie....of course if I haven't seen the movie then I'll go ahead and watch it. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif And then tell them that they gave me the wrong one, when I take it back.... http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif


They didn't accidentally give you The Pubix instead of The Matrix, did they?



http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif nope....but here's an example:

My parents rented the new Peter Pan motion picture...and The Last Samurai was in the case not Peter Pan. Kinda ironic seeing as we already have Last Samurai on Dvd home video.... http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

This has happened about 5 times since around 1997... http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_confused.gif go figure.