I preordered this along with Firefly with a STL discount on Buffy at Amazon. I noticed that my order is still there, but if you click on either Firefly or Buffy 5, it says it's not currently available. Anyone know what happened?

Amazon jumped the gun on pre-orders before the discs were announced. They did it with Angel S2 and 24 S2 as well.

Can't wait.

With season 5 my Buffy collection will be over with, 6 and 7 bored me to tears.

But why the hell can't the Region 1 Buffy from Season 4 onwards be released in anamorphic widescreen like the Region 2? It was filmed in this format - although Whedon suggests in was framed for 4:3.

I say DAMN!!! I'll buy Region 2.

I posted a deal in the international forums where you can get the Buffy R2 sets for $50 each (shipped) you may want to check it out.
Hopefully the R1 Angel Sets will be in WS from S3 on...

And pretty much all 1.85:1 movies are filmed in a 1.37:1 ratio. Simply because something was filmed in a certain ratio doesn't mean it was composed for that ratio. Or, Super 35 movies, for that matter.

Should we start demanding full-frame transfers of these movies because they filmed that way?

I've watched Buffy S4 and it was clearly composed for 4:3. Aside from introducing framing errors (such as visible equipment and crew), all a widescreen image would do is show a lot of dead space on the sides of the screen with all of the central figures crowded around each other in the center.

The fourth season opens with a scene with Buffy and Willow in a cemetery, sitting very close to each other. If the sides were opened up, and we saw all of this empty space on each side of them, we'd wonder why Buffy was practically sitting on Will's lap.

Joss Whedon himself has explained that 4:3 is the proper aspect ratio for BTVS several times.

He has also stated that Angel was shot and protected for widescreen. Yet the first season and I believe the soon-to-be released second season are both 4:3 in the States. This is in direct contradiction to Whedon's intent and IMO these sets are not OAR. Some would argue that they were broadcast in 4:3 so that is the correct aspect ratio. I disagree. Director's intent, when it can be proved, carries far more weight. The correct OAR for Buffy is 4:3 but the Angel series sets should be widescreen. Thoughts?

The official explanation for the lack of WS on Angel Season 1 was that Fox didn't have any 16:9 masters for the DVDs. Season 2 on the other hand, I have no clue. Region 2 got 16:9 transfers and they look great. Region 1 and 4 are stuck with 4:3.

I'll readily admit that the WS Buffy DVDs have a lot of mistakes in the edges of the frame that you normally wouldn't see when it's broadcast in 4:3. But this isn't the case with Angel Season 2, so what gives?

Oh well, I'll just stick with the R2 set. Besides, I prefer the book packaging and the inclusion of the "Previously on Angel" intros.

Angel wasn't aired in the US (or anywhere but on one channel in the UK) is WS until season 3. There is no proof that it was "framed" for wide any more than Buffy until the WB allowed it to be aired that way.

Have you actually seen the widescreen versions for yourself, or are you just speculating?

You can't get a much dead-er (sic) space than the black columns down either side of my widescreen TV. ;)

I haven't seen the entire episode in widescreen, but I did see a cap of the widescreen image of that particular scene, which why I used it as a specific example.

Come back when you've seen the whole widescreen episode or better yet the season.

The show looks better in widescreen.

I'm not that big of a Buffy fan, but I do know that the widescreen debate has gone on past the point of sanity.

How about this for a compromise?

If you want the widescreen, buy a region free player (I have one, they're not hard to get) and get the R2's.

If you don't care, get the R1.

The world will not explode if everyone doesn't get it their way.

-rolleyes-

I agree. When are we finally going to let this argument go?????

I'm reviewing the U.S. season five set right now, and it doesn't have any "previously"s, not even on "The Gift".

Hmmm, the R2 has them.

Did Joss Whedon decree that the "previously ons" are not an official part of the programs? :)

I cannot believe they left it off. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH FOX? Sheesh. Why couldn't they just put it in for that ONE episode? Argh. This is so stupid.

Seriously? Wow. FOX are so gonna get their asses kicked by the fans. I'm glad I got the R2 set :D

Nah, I don't think so. The folks concerned about it are in a small minority, I believe.

I would like to have them as bonus material, but I can't get too worked up about them not being there.

I'm cancelling my preorder!

The "previously" on "The Gift" is pretty cool, but hardly a deal-breaker on the set.

I'll be picking mine up next week.

I think it'll be the deal-breaker for me. I've been pretty disappointed with these dvds and this is just the straw that broke the camel's back. Season 5 of Buffy is my favorite season of any drama ever and I'm not going to buy it if it's incomplete.