Ugh, I'm so annoyed!

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Pardon me if I'm posting this ummm, "vent" in the wrong place but I didn't figure it fit anywhere else!

I'm annoyed with the Pirates of Caribbean DVD. We loved the movie (me and DH) and I was just WAITING for it to come out on DVD so we could see it again... you know you miss so much of a movie the first time and this one is one I think I could enjoy over and over! Well, I bought it for DH for Christmas- and I HATE THIS DVD!

I hate it because it does that "screen" thing where on the TV it's like 1/4 the screen across top is black, 2/4 Pirates of C., then another 1/4 at bottom of screen black- all the way across.

My sister, who knows more about these things (LOL) said there was a way to fix that- but when she was over here earlier she tried and it takes away the black at top/bottom- but it magnifies it where you are missing half the screen on left/right! It's like you are watching the very center of a movie screen- totally not acceptable. Half the time what's going on isn't even showing what we can see that way! (hard to explain- get what I'm saying?)

WHY did they do this? Is the VHS the same way? If not, I'll buy it. The way this is formatted on DVD is annoying me to no end. It honestly gives me a headache watching it with it like this- so DH has watched it twice and I keep trying- but have to leave the room. I can't stand watching shows like that.
No fair!

 

[IloveDMB]

For some reason, they decided to only release POTC in widescreen.

Widescreen is when you have the black bands on the top and bottom of your screen.

My father refuses to buy anything widescreen because he cannot stand the black bands.

If I have the choice I go with fullscreen, but when a movie is only released in widescreen, I usually buy it.

I don't know about the VHS, but I'm assuming it won't be widescreen and you will have a whole screen of the movie.

 

[DocRafiki]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
My sister, who knows more about these things (LOL) said there was a way to fix that- but when she was over here earlier she tried and it takes away the black at top/bottom- but it magnifies it where you are missing half the screen on left/right! It's like you are watching the very center of a movie screen- totally not acceptable. Half the time what's going on isn't even showing what we can see that way! (hard to explain- get what I'm saying?)

WHY did they do this? Is the VHS the same way? If not, I'll buy it. The way this is formatted on DVD is annoying me to no end. It honestly gives me a headache watching it with it like this- so DH has watched it twice and I keep trying- but have to leave the room. I can't stand watching shows like that.
No fair!

OK, settle down. Do you realize EVERY movie is like that? The missing screen to the left/right is the REASON why they make the letterbox version available (the one with the strips at the top and bottom). Have you noticed that the dimensions of a theater screen are different from your TV? If they tried to fit the entire image onto your TV screen WITHOUT the black strips, the image would be distorted. Everything would look tall and skinny. It's a matter of physics (or mathematics?) You're getting angry for no reason.

 

[Bojangles]

A lot of people prefer the full screen versions. Many of the newer DVD's are released in both full screen and widescreen. I'm not sure why POTC wasn't.

 

[DocRafiki]

Originally posted by Bojangles
A lot of people prefer the full screen versions. Many of the newer DVD's are released in both full screen and widescreen. I'm not sure why POTC wasn't.

It sounds like she found the full-screen version on the DVD. I don't have it myself so don't know firsthand.

 

[palmtreegirl]

I hear ya! I don't mind the letterbox but it drives my DD crazy. It use to drive me nuts but now I'm just use to it. I really want to get a wide screen flat panal TV that i can hang on my wall, the only thing standing in my way is the $3000+ dollars that they cost. Maybe one day.........

 

[jfulcer]

Most movies are released in 'Wide Screen' and 'Full Screen'. The Full Screen version of the movies zoom in on a section of the original 'theatrical release' so that you don't see everything the director intended.

Full Screen movies are sometimes called 'Pan and Scan' because the final editor who creates the movie has the choice to move the focus of the full screen to different parts of the scene and generally does. Here is an example of the kinds of things you lose:

<i>The Usual Suspects</i>

The image on the right is the Pan and Scan - see how a lot is missing?

<i>Harry Potter</i>

Again, you are missing a good portion of the scene.

Where did the Hogwarts Express go?

Disney/Pixar is <i>different</i>. The software they use to generate both versions of the movie actually compensates for the loss of image area by re-arranging the scene as seen in <i>Bugs Life</i>:

While to some it's not a really big deal, I'd rather see the movie as the director intended not as a post-production editor HAD to come up with. I think it's a small price to pay to have the Wide Screen version.

The solution? Buy a widescreen TV! But then when you watch normal full screen movies, I would assume you have a black bar on the left and right, and I'm sure someone would complain about that also.

 

[DocRafiki]

Originally posted by jfulcer

The solution? Buy a widescreen TV! But then when you watch normal full screen movies, I would assume you have a black bar on the left and right, and I'm sure someone would complain about that also.

Haha. You can count on it.

That's interesting about Pixar.

 

[jfulcer]

And of course, you also have two types of Full Screen - Pan and Scan and Matte. Matte is where it's just centered on the center of the widescreen version. Pan and Scan they move the focus around.

Sometimes if they can, they SQUISH the picture to make it fit:

(ouch)

Again, you are the mercy of the editor. I've taken these Harry Potter scans from this website which seems to love picking apart the differences in Harry Potter movies.

 

[C.Ann]

Have to admit, I'm not a fan of the "black bands" either.. Every now and then they'll have a movie on TV that has them and I turn it off..

Don't know why, but it really, really bugs me..

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

We actually prefer the Widescreen here, the way the movie was made to be seen in the theatre. The Fullscreen annoys us since it was clipped and cut and made to fit the screen.

 

[C.Ann]

I totally agree with you on the "GC" thing - but didn't get to it soon enough to respond..

 

[Blondie]

I accidently picked up the wrong version of a DVD once and DH raked me over the coals. I couldn't understand what the big deal was, but he explained it the way Jeff did and now I can appreciate why he likes widescreen over fullscreen.

At first the black bands at the top and bottom bothered me, but now I don't even notice them.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

There are also TV shows that air in Widescreen-ER comes to mind right now. You really don't notice it if you learn to ignore it. We all prefer WS now.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Some more light on the subject.

http://home1.gte.net/res0mrb7/widescreen/index.html

LOL, I was going nuts here for a moment, with the two triple B's posting on the same thread. Not good the day after staying up till after midnight

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

I know Dan! I thought it was myself at first, that is why I read it!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Well, at least I know my mouse scroll wheel works well, Triple B (with an 'i'), as I zoomed up and down, back and forth, that first page, top to bottom, LOL. Your comment above is too funny.

 

[Alex]

Dan I have to agree with you!! I'm reading this thread going.. WHAT THE HECK?????

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

You all thought I was a nut talking to myself! Perhaps too much partying last night for you two! I think this happened one time before and everyone thought they were crazy, me included!
Maybe I can change the end of my name to capital BOO and that would help?? DD and I do like that character!

 

[Alex]

Normally we don't change usernames but I just made an exception.... for everyone's sanity