I just found out that the current MGM release WITHOUT A CLUE is pan and scan and there are no plans for a widescreen edition. This may start happening more and more given that Blockbuster and Wal-Mart don't want to carry widescreen versions if they don't have to. Wal-Mart is destroying the world and because all of us zombies can't bear to pay a slightly higher price for anything, we are enabling them.

The months long grocery store strike here in southern California was the result of stores not wanting to pay their union employess health benefits because Wal-Mart doesn't do it. Thus Wal-Mart gets a bunch of desperate people to work there for practically nothing, discounts their groceries more than regular stores and puts them out of business because they can't compete. And, like every suck ass corporation, only the top execs at Wal-Mart ever see the big bucks. So if the almighty Wal-Mart and Blockbuster won't carry widescreen editions, you can bet less and less studios will be releasing them.

Those two aren't the only DVD distributers, only a very small part of it, so I would jump to that conclusion so fast.

When I'm at Wal-Mart looking for a DVD, I always pull out the WIDESCREEN versions from where they are hiding and put them right in front of the FOOL SCREEN ones.

I just love when I go to pay and the cashier says "You know this is the WIDESCREEN version, right?" And I just say "Yeah, I like to see the WHOLE movie."

I'm disappointed that I haven't had a cashier say this to me. Maybe they sense my glaring at them with my "just TRY to say something about widescreen... I DARE you" stare

You can also thank elitist snobs for not shopping at Wal-Mart and making sure they buy the WS version since WM often offers both versions when available. If more people would do so, WM's statistics might be skewed the other way.

Well said.

Can the socialist drivel. Walmart employees voluntarily agree to work there. No one puts a gun to their heads. Walmart, as a business, has a right to carry or not carry anything they choose. That is called capitalism and individual rights. So, stop whining and shop elsewhere.

I have never had a cashier ask me that in any of the stores I've ever purchased a dvd. I'm starting to wonder it it's an urban legend.

Brett

i've actually had the opposite before i knew what the hell i was doing with widescreen/fullscreen. a clerk (granted at a CD Warehouse, not Wal-Mart) warned me about it being fullscreen. that was my first eye-opener that there was a better option.

Wal Mart has no problems carrying widescreen releases when they are offered. So, they are not the ones to blame for this.

Sure, it is easy to blame them, but check out those bins. You will find PLENTY of widescreen only DVDs.

For a lot of the titles, the studio doesn't have the proper elements or doesn't feel it is worth it to do a widescreen transfer. They are the ones to blame.

Just a few weeks ago I bought the widescreen versions of Lost in Translation and Open Range at Wal-Mart. So they do stock widescreen and I have no problems shopping there, provided the price is right.

If it helps send the message to the owners of W-M that people are interested in the OAR, then

When I found out Blockbuster doesn't carry widescreen, I just don't go there anymore. There are plenty of other stores to get my widescreen releases; I don't worry about that

Can you please tell us what source you have that tells you that Wal-Mart does not want to carry WS? I think this is become a "false forum" story, I have always found every WS DVD I have every wanted at WM.

I do not rent at BB anymore, I rent at Hollywood Video, but they always had every WS DVD I wanted to rent.

When did you here that BB does not rent WS?

This level of hyperbole doesn't really help your argument much...

And, although I certainly have criticisms of them, Wal-Mart isn't to blame for pan & scan films (or 9/11, global warming, the CBS halftime show, or anything else).

Walmart do stock widescreen HDTVs. I know slightly off topic but you get the idea.

Just FYI, Open Range is ONLY available as a 2 disc dvd in WIDESCREEN. Fullscreen doesn't exist of it to my knowledge (and it is 2.35:1 to boot). Kevin Costner directed and he is a big dvd supporter and home entertainment buff. I say good for him for standing up and only offering the best. Pirates of the Caribbean is the same way (widescreen only 2.35:1).

If the FS version of Open Range does not exist, then WM is failing in their evil plans of ridding the world of WS.

BWAAAHAHAHA!

John - thanks for the info.

It depends on the Blockbuster. The one closest to me rented only full-screen versions of movies for the longest time, and now, for the most part, still do, but do occasionally have a couple widescreen copies for rent of the huge, er, blockbuster movies, like Matrix Reloaded and Two Towers, but the ratio of full-screen to widescreen for them is something like 20:1. I kid you not. On the other hand, the Blockbuster near my job rents only in widescreen. I remember going in there and asking if they carried a particular movie in full-screen. When the guy said no, I asked him if they carried anything in full-screen. He told me it was pretty much all widescreen. I thanked him and told him I'd be renting there more often. Of course, with a Hollywood Video literally a mile from my place, I kinda stretched the truth... into a lie.

K

I thought Microsoft was destroying the world? How times change.

Like Cornelius said, the BB nearest to where I live has a couple of copies in WS to rent, but when it comes to purchasing a new movie, I was told they never order WS...

Blockbuster has changed their corporate policy. They now rent widescreen films.

Early on, they did support fullscreen. But (and the press release can probably be found by checking in this forum) they said that due to consumer demand, they have changed and are carrying widescreen.

But again, it is easier to play the blame game, to say that BB and Wal Mart are evil and the reasons full screen exist. That just isn't the fact. There are other reasons.

Lets see, the people/companies that are 'evil' by internet forum users are:

Microsoft & Bill Gates
Lucas
Paypal/Ebay
Disney
Walmart
Block Buster
Best Buy
Suncoast
Joe 6 Pack

Feel free to add a $ into any name that has an 's' in it.

AFAIK, Suncoast isn't evil. They do stock widescreen versions of films. They're just kinda dumb with their horrible overpricing.