Disney DVDs - Why Fullscreen?

[humphreybear]

That's the thing, Cordy Biddle. I always hate when they release two versions of the movie, buy the wide screen version or buy the full screen version, when they could have just used both sides of the disc and sold them both in one package. It isn't just Disney that does this, we have wide screen versions of the Harry Potter movies, and a separate full screen version was sold. I understand the earlier comment from someone that would like full screen for the bedroom and widescreen for the living room. I hate that they offer two different versions rather than bundling both in the same package.

[Lightyear]

Or do what MGM sometimes does and have a fullscreen version on the flipside of the disc.

I think it's safe to assume that 99% of the people that buy the movies wouldn't like that idea because there would be no disk art.

I personally wouldn't want that.. I like one sided discs more.. But I guess if it meant getting Widescreen on every movie.. I'd live with it.

[qpid]

I like the seperate widescreen and fullscreen versions. This allows the maximum quality of film on the disc, instead of having uber compressiong and seeing artifacts and other blemishes. I also have always gotten widescreen movies, even when I had a smallish non wide tv. I prefer movies to be in there original aspect ratio.

[Jayden]

I agree with what's been said. DO NOT bring back those stupid flipper discs. I hate them! Keeping the two versions separate is the best idea, as it allows the consumer to make the choice of what version he/she wants.

However, my ideal is this: do away with pan and scan altogether and release JUST the OAR versions.

That's my $0.02

[Luke]

As far as I know, every time Disney has put two formats on the same disc, the discs have been dual-layered, not dual-sided. They've done this with some regularity on recent films. Wouldn't be surprised to see <i>Ice Princess</i> do this. It's certainly favorable to getting just fullscreen as with <i>Snow Dogs</i> or <i>Max Keeble's Big Move</i>.

[ZOOMBOOM0688]

Or do what MGM sometimes does and have a fullscreen version on the flipside of the disc.

I hate that because I like to have a picture on the disc, i'm scared of sraches, and I don't want to flip it over for special features.

QUESTION: A long time ago I read somewhere that they wanted to make (or made) a DVD player that could read a 2 sided disc without fliping it but I guess since they invented a dual layer disc they stopped making movies on double sided discs so the DVD was unneeded.
IS THIS TRUE? HAS ANYONE HEARD OF THIS? OR AM I CRAZY?

[Walt Forever]

As far as I know, every time Disney has put two formats on the same disc, the discs have been dual-layered, not dual-sided. They've done this with some regularity on recent films. Wouldn't be surprised to see <i>Ice Princess</i> do this. It's certainly favorable to getting just fullscreen as with <i>Snow Dogs</i> or <i>Max Keeble's Big Move</i>.

That´s exactly what I had in mind when I wrote my last post. Both versions on one side! of the disc! So Disney should use dual-layered discs for that - I´ve looked again at my "Mulan - LE"-DVD: it is dual-layered and offers both formats.

Of course the process costs more money, but then both groups (wide- and fullscreen) of customers would probably buy the dvd. Why care if you get a second version on the same disc for free?

[orestes.]

Oh I hate those double sided discs too. Dual layered int eh way to go. Yup I'm another one who likes his disc art.

I don't have any Universal TV shows on dVD but from what I've heard they are double-sided. Oh and my Flintstones season 1 has one disc that is double sided. Blech.

I'm all for DVDs containing both the OAR and the fullscreen. I don't know if it will cost more to produce (according to WaltForever it does but it couldn't be too much more for them than making sperate editions I would think...) but maybe it'll convert more people in the long run. They'll finally see the light and won't get upset that all of their movies are in fullscreen but also have widescreen too. Plus for some movies they should have the cut and uncut movie together. I would love that. 'the Forgotten' does that but most get seperate releases.
...plus it would be nice to get rid of those pesky 'widescreen'/ 'wullscreen' banners.

[BrandonH]

The trouble with putting WS and FS on a dual-layered disc is that the image and sound quality are affected. The studios can actually use both layers of the disc for one version of the movie. The extra space is used to give consumers the maximum possible A/V quality. One example is the Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition. Both layers are used for the film on each movie disc, resulting in some amazing visuals and sound.

Those who don't want black bars on their TV when they watch a widescreen disc have a simple tool to make their own fullscreen version. They can use the ZOOM feature on their DVD player.

[deathie mouse]

QUESTION: A long time ago I read somewhere that they wanted to make (or made) a DVD player that could read a 2 sided disc without fliping it but I guess since they invented a dual layer disc they stopped making movies on double sided discs so the DVD was unneeded.
IS THIS TRUE? HAS ANYONE HEARD OF THIS? OR AM I CRAZY?

Well i haven't heard of it (but i probably wasn't paying attention neither) but it coulda been a proposed possibility at some point cus actually Laserdisc players did just THAT. But since one of the main attractions of DVD was convinience and lower costs of scale (a laser flipping DVD player would be much more mechanicaly complicated and expensive and would have to be taller and less compact) that idea must have had a very short life span against dual layerism and separate disc seditions.

If it wasn't for the convinience, size and cost issues, Laserdiscs coulda gone Digital mpeg2 video, and since they had 6 times the file size capacity PER side/layer and were already two sided, and flipping laser players where common, all this bandwith/compression, resolution, and separate aspect version issues wouldd have been moot. (A two sided dual layer Laserdisc (like the T2 DVD-18 disc) would have held about 100GBs or more . Why, the disc label (covering unused data area) was almost the size of a dvd itself )
But i guess a 12" DVD wouldn't have been as nice to play on your portable laptop


Now, i'm thinking, what will people that don't buy widescreen do with all their pan/scan and shrinked image open matte "fullscreen" discs when they don't look so fullscreen the day they buy a 16:9 display...


*buys some e-bay stock

[boris]

I am surprised there is such a widescreen/fullscreen war over in America. In Australia:
1- All dvds are released in their OAR (there may be stuff ups but they are rare). No moviess have a 'fullscreen version' available to buy seperatly.
2- All TV, news, documentaries whatevers are filmed in widescreen (except some cable stuff).

I get really pissed off when an American show comes on because it is usually in Fullscreen (is it me or do the Americans still film their sport in fullscreen?).

Why doesn't the American studios follow suit and film everything in widescreen (inmagine the wrestling in widescreen etc)? With that said, why doesn't disney follow suit with the Australian sector of the Walt Disney company and only release widescreen?

[orestes.]

With that said, why doesn't disney follow suit with the Australian sector of the Walt Disney company and only release widescreen?

Because the American public on average doesn't seem to want to see that I guess.

I don't know what the statistics are but they seem to be pretty slow. From what I have heard even Canada is doing well... from what I have heard we are adapting better at buying widescreen/hdtv more than any other country on Earth... and to think I thought most people in Canada were still clinging onto their fullscreen but I think it's just the area I live in... it's so... conservative I guess you could say.

[Andy]

Ok i have been wondering this for a while.....
How come when Monsters Inc was released on dvd in the UK the standard release was Fullscreen? Back then i didnt have a clue about dvds really and it was my first ever dvd, well until about 5/6 months ago when i really started to collect dvds i found out that it was fullscreen, i didnt realise it when watching it and now i can tell!
So that means im missing half the film? And im watching it in evil mode...lol!

I know theres the collectors edition which is widescreen but its £17.99 for a movie i already have! I just dunno what to do.....does it look quite different in widescreen?

[Lightyear]

Ok i have been wondering this for a while.....
How come when Monsters Inc was released on dvd in the UK the standard release was Fullscreen? Back then i didnt have a clue about dvds really and it was my first ever dvd, well until about 5/6 months ago when i really started to collect dvds i found out that it was fullscreen, i didnt realise it when watching it and now i can tell!
So that means im missing half the film? And im watching it in evil mode...lol!

I know theres the collectors edition which is widescreen but its £17.99 for a movie i already have! I just dunno what to do.....does it look quite different in widescreen?

Your not missing half the movie, but you are missing some of the movie.. Sell it used or throw it on ebay and then go get the widescreen version.

[MR. INCREDIBLE]

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF BAMBI CAME IN WS?

[RJKD23]

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF BAMBI CAME IN WS?

Nope.
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/bambi.html

[Jayden]

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF BAMBI CAME IN WS?

Tone down the caps Mr. Incredible. You don't need to shout to have your questions answered.

The answer is quite simply, no. However, that's nothing to freak out about, as it is the OAR that the movie was originally produced in (Remember, the movie is over 50 years old)

[RJKD23]

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF BAMBI CAME IN WS?

Tone down the caps Mr. Incredible. You don't need to shout to have your questions answered.

The answer is quite simply, no. However, that's nothing to freak out about, as it is the OAR that the movie was originally produced in (Remember, the movie is over 50 years old)

Jayden...here's his explanation found on another thread:

THANX FOR THE REPLY'S AND I CAN'T TURN IT OFF DO TO THE FACT THAT THE KB IS BUSTED SORRY.

so yea..

[MR. INCREDIBLE]

THANX RJ VERY NICE OF U!!

[Luke]

How long has the 'KB' been busted? Haven't you come across a need for lower-case letters yet?