Gcomeau

because you have to look on the back cover to see if it's W/S or F/S. That's what my buddy told me(works for BBV) so whatchout!!!Sorry i couldn't find a pic.

LBPound

Why even do a Fullscreen release of this? It doesn't exactly scream "people who don't like black bars" the way something like Scooby Doo does.

conscience

weird.

docF94

Especially since the pictures on the box - of EACH box - are in WIDESCREEN!?!

Grrr.

Ratukama.

PixyJunket

What's to be careful of?

Do people not know how to read packages when they buy?

...

LBPound

Well, if you don't know there's dual releases, and you just look at the front cover (both are conceivable), you might not realize you're buying modified crap.

Joe Molotov

That happened to me with The Rookie. I didn't see a Widescreen or Fullscreen on the front, so I just assumed they were all Widescreen until I got home with it and found out you have to read the fine print on the back.

PixyJunket

As a consumer, one should examine what they are paying hard earned money for, that's just common sense! I feel that if somebody bought the wrong edition of a DVD because they couldn't read the packaging, they're no better off than the people insisting on P&S DVDs to begin with. Not that everybody isn't entitled to make a mistake, that's understandable.. but if you've done it a second time, you only have yourself to blame!I refuse to belive the world today is that fast paced that you can't take 30 seconds to examine a product to make sure it meets your specifications if your purchase is going to be based upon those specifications.

caiman

I somewhat agree with the point you made, but this particular comment just baffles me.

PixyJunket

Well.. supposedly.. "Joe Six Pack" is the one who wants all these Pan & Scan DVDs, right? And "Joe Six Pack" is the guy that doesn't know what the hell he is doing, right?

I dunno.. I had little sleep last night.. maybe I worded it all retarded and I just can't tell..

djtoell

Since the title already has a limited sales potential, making a fullscreen version available helps ensure that stores like Wal-Mart will carry it. This makes the release potentially more profitable for Fox.

DJ

ScottReynolds

I think the original intent is to help those who don't know that there ARE 2 versions.

I, for instance, didn't know there was a widescreen Master of Disguise, so I never even bothered to look at my local Walmart for it (before anyone asks, there are no other B&M dvd places within 45 minutes of me)

I finally found out that both did exist, so I'm having my little brother pick me up one where he lives. (My Walmart only had FS anyway).

To make this long post somewhat shorter - if the consumer doesn't know that there are multiple specifications, how can we blame them for making the wrong 'choice' - there was no choice involved. I'm glad to know about this, and hope it hits the local shelves tommorrow.

marty888

Never assume - just make it a point to see the words widescreen, OAR, letterbox somewhere on the DVD before you hand over your money. If you do that every time, you then don't have to be concerned about packaging such as this new release has.

Yellowbeard

Is it unreasonable that the minimum-wage slaves who stock the shelves can keep the two distinct products seperate on the shelves? I have unconsiouslly made this error when I picked up a P&S version from a shelf that was clearly marked Widescreen. I for one appreceiate the good works of Gcomeau and others who have alerted me in the past to avoid possible mix ups. Keep up the good work! Yes, ultimately the consumer must take ultimate responsibility for what they purchase. However, I think that it is ludicrous that the studios don't make more of an effort to differentiate the two versions.

siberianhusky

Thats the first thing I look for, once I find widescreen then i look for a pristine copy.

TomOpus

A lot of people out there don't read online reviews/forums so they won't realize there are two versions until they pop it in their player.

Most of the time (at least) they print the version on the front. It just seems sneaky to stick it on the back . Next thing you know, they'll be printing it on one of the inserts

Tscott

Sure, this works with things like peanut butter where you know that there's always a smooth or crunchy option- you know to always check first (but, even with peanut butter they're still nice enough to clearly label it on the front). But enough DVDs are released with only one version that it's reasonable to assume some people will be lulled into a sense of security that the DVD they pick up will always be the "correct" one.

BTW, I'd much prefer seeing one nice 'heads up' thread like this one, rather than see 4 or 5 "WTF! I got the wrong one!" threads in the next few weeks.

DangerMouse

pixyboi: I guess we can't all be as perfect and cool as you because sometimes people buy the wrong version I guess that makes them stupid.

DVDho78DTS

Amen to that.

Josh H

That is pretty lame. It wouldn't have fooled me as I always check to make sure movies are anamorphic widescreen before I buy them so I'm always reading the back.

But I think most people are used to seeing clear indicators of full or widescreen on the front for dual realease DVDs so that's pretty lame of them to only put it on the back.

djtoell

Actually, there is no widescreen Master of Disguise disc, so don't be disappointed when your brother can't find it, either.

DJ

Josh H

Probably because people that prefer widescreen aren't going to buy that crap. j/k.

Aaron Amos

Word! Very Well said!

Drexl

I didn't pay much attention to those who said the Wal-Mart near them only had fullscreen, since the one near me has always carried both versions of dual releases.

Well, I went there to pick it up this morning, and thanks to the stupid "NO BLACK BARS" stickers, I didn't have any trouble distinguishing the-no wait, that would mean there actually were two versions there. No, all they had was Fullscreen!

It gets better-I asked a guy working there if they had any widescreen copies, and he said that the fullscreen version was the only one!

I think when I get back from Best Buy with my WS copy, I just might go back to that Wal-Mart, find the guy who told me there was only that version, and hold up the box and say, "look what I found!"

BizRodian

Reminds me of all the customer stories we hear here about people demanding a certain movie on DVD, and when the clerk says it's not on DVD, the customer goes crazy and says they saw it somewhere else. Haha.