On September 11, Warner will release the animated Bakshi version of The Lord of the Rings on DVD...in disgusting PAN&SCAN!

I was really looking forward to this DVD, but unless Warner can be convinced to correct this, I certainly won't buy it. I've already signed the petition, and I urge everyone who cares for movies to do so as well, or what's next: Potter Pan & Scan? Jackson's LOTR Pan & Scan? Star Wars Pan & Scan? (I have a Pan & Scan VCD of Star Wars which I've never watched, simply because the image is unbearable).

• Article at TheOneRing.net
  
• Petition

Seems that Warner Home Video has a nice little policy for "Pan and Scan" for all Family titles.

The ONLY reason GOONIES was widescreen (thank GOD) was because Richard Donner stepped in and insisted upon it.

WHV seems to be full of idiots.

I'd like to offer a (possible) ray of hope for the animated LOTR, though. If my fading memory serves, LOTR may have been filmed "open matte", as animated Disney films were at that time, and so a "full frame" version may actually contain MORE information at the top and bottom of the image (think Stanley Kubrick). The animation normally not seen in theaters would therefore be perfectly acceptable and the integrity of the original animators' work might actually be preserved, not diminished. Anyone who has seen Criterion's unmatted laserdisc of Harryhausen's JASON & THE ARGONAUTS knows how much infomation was lost when Columbia letterboxed the film for DVD...and, unfortunately, the "full frame" side is zoomed-in quite unnecessarily.

I should point out that ever since Beauty & The Beast in 1991, computers have been used to combine and render nearly all animated films, and as a cost- and time-saving measure matted areas were left black in each frame (at least out to 1.66), but LOTR predates B&B by nearly a decade.

Still, reportedly, LOTR is going to be released in Pan & Scan, and Pan & Scan is not Open Matte. Also, it's not a Disney film (Tolkien loathed Disney).

An example would be ID4 and Godzilla. Both appear to be overmatted on the top and bottom. Austin Powers 2 looks like it should have been boxed at 1.85:1 in stead of 2.35:1. My friend and I e-mailed Dean Devlin several years ago asking why on the video you can see more of the bottom but the widescreen version cuts some of the picture out. He gave an explanation we didn't understand.

I've always wondered why the Jason and the Argonaughts DVD was letterboxed. I have the Criterion Laser Disc and I thought it was presented correct. That probably means the other Harryhausen DVDs are matted incorrectly. The have the 7th Voyage of Sinbad also listed at 1.85:1.

quote:

---

Originally posted by dgoldwas:

WHV seems to be full of idiots.

Dan

---

Indeed!

I just signed the petition.

--Brian
Gryffindor Seeker

I should point out that I have no idea what LOTR looks like theatrically. I've only seen the same videotape that's been around for years. However the WB disc looks, it had better be FAR superior to that old transfer. I guess we'll know soon.

Also, as far as this crap about family audiences wanting full frame transfers...
I've yet to hear of any child unwilling to watch a favorite video because it's been properly formatted. Think about it: "Mommie...(sniff)...I'd LIKE to watch "The Little Mermaid" but...(sob)...I CAN'T 'cause of those black things on the screen...(WAAAHH!!!)"

Wonka goes widescreen (08.23.01 - 8:54apm)

Here's the golden ticket? Warner has just announced a widescreen version of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, due 11/13. Check out the press release - now real, according to to Warner reps - for the details. Congrats to all those who voiced their opinions and started petitions... in this case, it worked. But hopefully, in the future, consumers won't have to start a petition to get every single Family Entertainment title in widescreen!

And Warners admits it was due to popular demand! Read the press release:
http://www.dvdfile.com/news/web_wire/press_release/titles/willywonka_widescreen_fake.html

(They thought the release was fake until Warners confirmed it today.)

Film composers are also joining the fight, apparently. Check out signature #319:

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?lotrdvd&4101