I can't believe it. I bought Moscow on the Hudson the other day. Sat down to watch it and the warning screen comes up about the image being reframed to fit my screen. Not my screen sir. My screen is 16:9. But anyway ...

So I eject the disk, presuming it's a flipper. No sir, I see a label there. It's no flipper. So I check the menus, in case I missed a 'Choose your aspect ratio' option. Nothing ...

I look at the back cover and see "Full screen presentation".

Huh?

So I check a few retailers and they all list this DVD as being 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and 1.33:1 full screen on the same disk.

I go to DVDEmpire and look at the back cover they have up. Says the same.

My back cover doesn't. It looks identical except it only mentions a full screen presentation.

So I check the UPC. Same UPC as the ones listed as having both widescreen and full screen transfers!

What's going on? Have they started replacing dual aspect ratio DVDs with full screen only?

Yeah, Columbia's been doing this a lot. Yeah, it sucks.

There's a thread or two on this already.

Yes, the fact that they are releasing these crap versions under the same UPC is deceptive and reprehensible.

I hope you take it back to the store to get your money back. Tell them that it's defective because it isn't framed correctly.

I was hoping this was a one-off. I can't believe they are doing this!

Same problem with Johnny Mnemonic DVD as it says its both widescreen and fullscreen but only fullscreen is available. A mislabled disk is worse then not having a label at all.

And aren't we all happy Sony is buying MGM?

flipper meaning a dvd that plays on both sides of the disc?

i need a glossary.

I can't understand that at all. Talk about a step backward. I'm glad I have the widescreen version of Moscow on the Hudson.

fuck no

Same thing happened to me with "Geronimo: An American Legend". Luckily, I noticed the specs on the back before opening it and was able to return it. I'm much less inclined to pick up some of these bargain titles now because of it.

Yes, it's a shame. They should at least change the upc code. I noticed that The Mirror Has Two Faces is one of the titles they've done this to. Although I was in no hurry to pick up that guilty pleasure, now I need to get one of the OOP WS/FS discs.

What's really odd is that some of the titles are available in Superbit editions, so basically they're making you spend a lot more money to get a widescreen version. So a consumer who wouldn't care one way or the other will buy the FS edition, since it's cheaper.

I have noticed this recently with The Toy and The Last Action Hero. Both were flippers but now are produced with only foolscreen.

Someone needs to compile a list of dvds that have been "dumbed down". I am sick of companies getting rid of a disc of extras or getting rid of widescreen.

Yes.

Is this a Wal Mart thing?
It seems like alot of flipper titles have been showing up in their $5.50 bin as fullscreen only
They've lost my money too, because there have been several titles that I would've bought had they not been dumbed down.

Yes it is.

Skip

A flipper is where the movie is split across both sides of the disc. Much like Schindler's List.

If the movie is completly contained on a single side or has widescreen on one side and full screen on the other, it's a double sided disc, not a flipper.

Obviously flippers are double sided discs. But double sided discs are not necessarily flippers.

If you need more information than that, check out the DVD FAQ.

Hell NO!

I was happy when I found out that Warner Brothers was buying MGM because they would have treated the films right, and would have release good DVDs.... But Sony is just going to Butcher the films (the only DVD that Sony has put out that I was empressed with was the 2-disc Spider-Man Release).

Has Sony given an official reason for doing this? Sure makes me want to go buy a Sony widescreen TV. Guess I'll have to use my computer to make my own copies of the widescreen discs if I can't buy them anymore!