I bid on and won a DVD on eBay a week ago. You can see the item here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=9142197502

It's Raising Arizona, and the listing indicates that it is:

Release Date: Apr 04, 2006
UPC: 024543044192

I checked this out and it was the new anamorphic release (according to DVD Profiler). The seller has lots of feedback at 100%, and clearly trustworthy. However, since most of the Raising Arizona DVD's sold on eBay are the older non-anamorphic version, I decided to check with the seller before she sent it to me, saying I preferred to cancel the transaction if it was not actually the anamorphic version. She doesn't have the experience to know anamorphic from non-anamorphic and wasn't sure when she bought the DVD but she said (in an email) that the case had the new sticker with the new UPC pressed on top of the old case. I figured that this clearly implied that the new anamorphic disk was what was included. So, I didn't cancel the transaction. However, having received the disk I now find that the disk is indeed the non-anamorphic disk. I find it incredible that the new UPC sticker has been put on the case and the new disk not included and I figure I have something of a case that Fox should (if they are nice guys) replace my DVD with the new version. I know I can contact them somehow online, but thought I would run this by you people in this forum for clues on how I can best handle this. Here's a picture of what the case actually looks like:

http://fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user...ArizonaDVD.jpg

Thanks for any help!

Edit: I'm finding it hard to find a contact phone number, email contact, anything for 20 Century Fox. Can anyone help? Thanks.

Edit2: I went to the Fox online store and found a toll free contact number. The woman I talked to tried to find out the answer (i.e. is the April 2006 release anamorphic or was DVD Profiler "misinformed). She couldn't and so gave me an email address: [email protected] I emailed them an inquiry (anamorphic or not).

I doubt Fox will do anything for a movie you bought on ebay.

Yeah, you should be blaming the seller or yourself, not Fox. You said the seller didn't know the difference, and it looks like wherever she bought it had just slapped a new sticker on it.

My question at this point is whether or not the new release is anamorphic. If so, I was duped. I do have the UPC sticker. What was that doing in the hands of a party willing to paste it over the actual sticker? I think they might do me the service of replacing my disk. It isn't a giant deal. It wouldn't cost them very much. It would be a gesture of good will and decency, as I see it. I was deceived. I'm being totally honest with every party on this.

I was not aware this title was released in Anamorphic. Was there a thread on this?

DVD List doesn't show any UPC for an anamorphic version of this, and Amazon.com doesn't show one either: Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC

Possibly it is not anamorphic, although I find it hard to understand why they would put out a new release (some 7 years after the initial release) in April 2006 that is not anamorphic. There doesn't appear to be any reason to do so other than to do an anamorphic release. DVD Profiler indicates the new version is anamorphic and includes deleted scenes (which the previous versions did not).

Exactly--when the hell did Fox confirm an anamorphic release?

Blame myself? Of what am I guilty? Being deceived? Blame the seller? She didn't know either. The party culpable is whoever put that sticker on the case, however it seems to me that the studio releasing the film (who are in control of the issuance of stickers, right?) have some responsibility.

I am with general stupid here, when the hell did Fox confirm an Anamorphic re-release of Raising Arizona with a new disc?

As for your problem, it's not your fault or the sellers fault, it is indeed Fox's fault but that is only if there was a re-release of the film with Anamorphic WS. Mix ups happen with studios, see The American President, Warner messed that up bigtime by claiming the re-release with a Mother's Day card had Anamorphic WS.

Unfortunately for you DVDprofiler may have all their info screwed up and Fox probably just reissued the old non-anamorphic WS version with a new UPC code to keep the product fresh. I wouldn't doubt it or put it past them.

So, DVDprofiler may be the one at fault here. I don't use it, but I know they do make mistakes.

I'm with you, why indeed? I find it hard to beleive there was no press about an anamorphic release of this film. This is a Cohen Brothers movie with a large cult following. I think an anamorphic release would have merrited some hub-bub, but I've seen nothing here or on the Bits, etc.

Believe me, I would love to have this title available anamorphic, as I've been holding out from purchasing this until there is an acceptable transfer available. (Hear me, Lucass?)

I'm with everyone else. I've never heard of an anamorphic version of this title. Given it's popularity, I would be surprised to find out an anamorphic version quietly slipped under everyone's radar.

I think you tried to buy something that doesn't actually exist (in R1 anyway). So when you say:

I would have to answer that you're guilty of being an uninformed buyer. That's a dangerous thing on EBay.

Anamorphic Raising Arizona??? That's news to me. If it's true, I don't know how the hell I missed hearing about it.

I seem to remember hearing of other non-anamorphic original releases that were reissued years later and still non-anamorphic. Unfortunately I don't have any examples or sources to prove that. But it could certainly conceivably happen.

I see another reason for a re-release other than an anamorphic transfer. You give it yourself in the very next sentence: this version has deleted scenes (according to DVD Profiler).

Having said all that, it sucks that you ended up in this situation and hopefully whoever is responsible for the mixup will make some changes so that it does not happen again in the future.

Raising Arizona was released twice by Fox in Region 1:

UPC #086162123023 on 6 March 2001

UPC# 024543020196 pn 20 August 2002

Both are 1.85:1 Letterboxed (non-anamorphic). The only difference between the two releases is that the second one contains a Sensormatic security sticker.

Fox has never released the film on DVD in Region 1 in an anamorphic transfer.

Crazy as it sounds, around the same time as the R1 release, Fox released the film anamorphically in Region 2 (PAL) [UK, France, Netherlands, Germany] and Region 4 PAL [Australia]. Go figure.

EDIT: I'm not aware of any release worldwide that contains deleted scenes. The R1 release does contain TV Spots that are not on the PAL releases.

You didn't get screwed, the description was wrong. I remember seeing some info or perhaps a box labelled as anamorphic, but they never reissued the release...same disc, virtually same cover, just new price point... hopefully they'll issue it on one of the new formats and give Raising Arizona it's due.

MATT

The Abyss is one example that immediately springs to mind.

I agree with the other member, you should BLAME YOURSELF. In the first place, it is only your problem until you shared it in a public forum like this to get advises. You are stupid if you expect all to have positive response.

And if I would share my opinion, Blame yourself and blame your stupidity.

Oh, but I was informed. If it was misinformation, I was misinformed.

Stupidity? OK, why? I find out whether or not a particular UPC release of a DVD is anamorphic or not by consulting DVD Profiler. I don't remember it misinforming me in the past. Evidently it did on this occasion. So that proves I'm stupid? Give me a break.

Where do you research that information?

Edit: Popping this disk back in my DVD player, I went looking for the "Deleted Scenes" this UPC release is credited with having. I don't see any in the Special Features. I have to think either DVD Profiler screwed up on that one too or I didn't get the right disk. Well, I'm awaiting a response to my email sent today to Fox.

You just made my sig.

DVD Profiler information is contributed by average joe's like you and me & is rife with misinformation (though the situation has improved over the last couple of years, and there is now some oversight in place). I would not rely on the information there when making purchasing decisions. (Nor would I rely on information from many Ebay sellers.)

Of the major etailers, I find DVD Empire and Laser's Edge to be the most thorough, accurate, and reliable (though their information is limited by the accuracy of the studios that provide it). For information on the content of a given disc, it's best to consult a reliable review site, such as DVD Talk, DVD Beaver, DVD Times, or DVD Verdict, or several reviews (DVD Basen comes in handy here).

With respect to whether deleted scenes were supposed to be on the disc, I would refer you back to my (very accurate) post here.

but........but............but.......it was gently watched.

Dude, you are a complete moron. Please shut the fuck up unless you have something positive to add. He asked a simple question - what's up with the personal attacks?

Your response is not helping the situation.

My hypocritical response was for effect.