What they really should do is stop making full screen releases altogether.

That would certainly solve the problem.

There wasn't a "#1 comedy of all time" banner on mine.

Everyone makes mistakes. That's not the point. The point is that its silly to issue "warnings" about this when it should be a given these days to check for seperate Widescreen/Fullscreen copies. Like i said before, its one thing if you're new to DVD. It's another if you have a collection 50+ large and have yet to realize that there are seperate full screen and widescreen releases for most new releases these days. Needing to warn someone about something specifically mentioned on the box of a product just seems silly to me. Especially when, in this case, "Widescreen" is noted in numerous places. It's on the front cover. It's on the spine. It's on the bottom of the back cover. It's on the security sticker. The copy i bought at Best Buy had a WS noted on the price tag. If you don't notice 5 different indications of Widescreen, you have no one to blame but yourself.

What's the problem with the Full Screen version anyway? It's not a film. It's a computer composition. It's probably better as a full screen. I think they reformat these Dreamworks animations, so you wouldn't lose any details when played in full screen format.

Regardless, I'm not buying the DVD in any version, so I don't really care. I just wanted to see what the fuss was all about.

And after all of that you couldn't take 10 seconds of your time to check and make sure it was the widescreen version? Sounds like you just set yourself up for it. Yes people make mistakes but grabing the fullscreen instead of the widescreen because you were too lazy or "rushed" to check is your own fault.

A better point would be that a thread giving people a friendly warning hurts absolutely nothing. Clicking into them to complain about them is little more than a thinly disguised thread crap.

As is the case with every thread here at DVD Talk, if warning threads don't interest you, don't read them and move along to the next thread. Some of us appreciate the heads-up.

What? So because it's all CGI means it wasn't ment to be seen in it's correct aspect ratio? That makes about as much sense as being to "rushed" to check and see if you got the widescreen version. Sorry but if it's fullscreen they are still formatting it to fit 4x3 therefore taking the sides out of the picture.

When I go to in&out and I ask for a doouble double with no onions, I take a look at the burger when they give it to me. If it looks right, I eat it. If it doesn't, I take it back. The point is you have to take it upon yourself to make sure you are getting the product you want.

If you want widescreen, I find it extremely hard to believe that you can run into a store, grab a copy, rub to the register, toss money in the clerks face and run out without looking at the product at all.

We aren't talking about mistakes made or mistakes we never make. We are talking about being an informed consumer on the product you are about to purchase.

You do not go to a car dealer and toss money into their face and drive away with a car without looking under the hood and checking out the tires.

Take a few seconds, have it be in line as you wait for your turn to pay to make sure you have the right product.

It's stupid to think that there is a real need to have a HUGE warning for something you should already be doing.


Was that really needed?


I think the main point to this is the title seems like it's more serious than it really is. It seems like there has been a thread for where the "widescreen" text is on the box more and more lately. While I don't mind them, but if you play it off as if it's the end of the world or some serious issue like "warning!" than you will have people not sure what the subject is about or if it's more serious than it is, clicking on them which leads to this sort of discussion.

I'm not saying people are dumb. I just figure that can be a little more interested on what their hard earned cash is going into and be an informed consumer when making their purchases. I don't by the in and out in 15 seconds idea for buying anything.

Isn't it possible that some people might FORGET to look and see if it's the Widescreen version? It only take a few seconds to look, but it also only takes a few seconds to pull you keys out of the ignition, but I know I've locked them in the car more than once. I mean, I doubt very many people buy a DVD saying "I better look and see if this is the Widescreen version...oh nevermind, I'm too lazy so I'll just grab one and hope for the best." If the Widescreen/Fullscreen label isn't obvious, then I could see how it would be possible to get one and forget to check. All this thread does is remind people to look, and I don't really see why anyone would be as vehemently opposed to it as some people seem to be here. I'd think apathy would be the most negative feeling a thread like this would provoke. :hscratch:

Ah yes, because the descriptive thread title obviously should have prevented me from clicking and seeing what it was about. A warning about a DVD i just purchased and was highly anticipating means i check it out.

Telling people they should always check what they buy hurts absolutely nothing as well.

No I don't see how it would be possible to FORGET to check and see if it was widescreen if you really wanted widescreen and it was a DVD you wanted so badly that you "rushed" into a store to get it. Seems like it would be the first thing you'd do.

In this case, it isn't hard to find the label because it is the text in the lower third of the cover and on the sticker.

This is not one of those cases. It's obvious to where it says it. This is like having a thread to remind us all to breath. Cause you know... we aren't always paying attention to when we are doing it during our daily events. :p

So, you people who have difficulty differentiating between widescreen and fullscreen in the store must REALLY have problems ordering from an internet site - you do a search for a title and then click on the very first choice on a page without even reading whether you are ordering the widescreen or fool-screen version. I mean, if you can't check in the store by looking at the case, then how can you possibly spend the necssary time to make a CHOICE between Star Wars WIDESCREEN or FOOL-Screen when purchasing from Amazon.com, DVDPlanet.com or etc?!?!?!?

Nah, if you hold your breath for too long you just pass out and then start breathing regularly again so no real harm there. But if you buy a Fullscreen DVD, you're stuck with it's Fullscreeniness...forever. :( (Or, you know, at least a few hours)

I'm disappointed that they didn't have it listed in braile. I'm not sure which version I've got. But it sounds good.

You made me laugh.

Also, this thread didn't get ugly because of those asking why you couldn't see it. It got ugly when it became a "You never make mistakes" thread. No reason to go to an extreme on this. Just doesn't seem like much of a need for a warning.

Because if you don't, you are assuming it's a widescreen only release. And we all know what happens when we assume, right?

Well, I have made plenty of mistakes in my life, some little, some major.

But I have purchased 474 DVDs to date and I have NEVER grabbed the wrong version.

If you know enough to buy widescreen over full frame, you should know enough to look for it.

Can you just imagine the anguish that Joe Six Pack has when he buys a widescreen version of any movie by accident.

"You people"? :rolleyes:

When you search for a title at a Web site, both widescreen and fullscreen choices come up and it's easy to see there is a difference.

But when buying in a store, you may not even know a particular title has been released in multiple versions. And in the case of "Shrek 2" (And "Eternal Sunshine"), the widescreen/fullscreen logo is not only small it may very well be hidden by the shelf.

But, you know, believe whatever makes you feel superior to those of us in the ignorant unwashed masses who don't mind a friendly reminder.

Not to interrupt the feud here, but does anyone know if this is true? I know Pixar re-rendered the fullscreen image for A Bug's Life so as not to lose any side information. Has a similar process been performed on Shrek 2? Anyone have a screen cap comparison?

That's why you become an informed consumer, turn the product around and see the back specs.

Just like if you are in a super market. If you can't take in to much sugar. Will you just jump into the supermarket, grab a bunch of products and zip out of the store not knowning what exactly you bought? No, you take a moment of your life and read the back. See if you are spending your well earned cash on what exactly you wanted to begin with.

It's not about a superiority or anything like that. But if a thread issues a warning, it makes it sound like it is really important, when really it should be something every consumer should learn or look at before spending their money on.

Can't it be a little of both?

Pixar takes the time, effort and expense to recompose the images for 4 x 3 viewing, but Dreamworks does not.

Dumbest thread ever!