Why doesn't the US mind releasing Fullscreen versions of Widescreen films?!

[takearushfan]

This is something I'm finding more often than I'd like. I didn't even realize "The Day After" was shown theatrically in Europe. I suppose I can cut MGM some slack on that one, as it wasn't shown in theaters in the US, therefore they shouldn't feel the need to release the Widescreen version in the states. However, "Lean On Me" was shown theatrically here (the US), so why is it only available in a Fullscreen presentation? I'm also still wondering why the first Scream film has yet to be released Widescreen.
Does anyone know of where I can find DVDs from other regions? I've found that sometimes other regions contain the video and or audio that I'm expecting, as opposed to what has been released in the US.
Thanks much

[MOVIEGEEK]

Have you tried Amazon?

[takearushfan]

Have you tried Amazon?

Yep; no luck.

[jagabo]

Amazon.co.uk
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scream-DVD-Neve-Campbell/dp/B00004CYJ3/

Don't forget, you'll need a region free player that can play PAL DVDs.

[intracube]

This is something I'm finding more often than I'd like. I didn't even realize "The Day After" was shown theatrically in Europe. I suppose I can cut MGM some slack on that one, as it wasn't shown in theaters in the US, therefore they shouldn't feel the need to release the Widescreen version in the states.

Just guessing, but if it was a 'made for TV' film, a 4:3 video transfer might be all that exists. Remastering from the original film might be out of the question for a title with limited sales expected.

Also, when these DVDs were released (2002 for the UK DVD/2004 for the US), many people had 4:3 TVs.

Also, if the movie was shot soft matted (likely), the 4:3 version might contain more picture at the top and bottom of the frame rather than less at the sides, which wouldn't be quite so bad. There's no way of knowing without comparing the 4:3 and widescreen versions (if it exists at all).

The Day After UK DVD is also listed as 4:3.

I'm also still wondering why the first Scream film has yet to be released Widescreen.

Scream (1996) 2.35:1 Region 1 DVD
http://www.amazon.com/Scream-Dimension-Collectors-Neve-Campbell/dp/630521610X/ref=sr_1...757365&sr=8-10
jagabo made a completely reasonable assumption that you'd explored all the obvious places already. I didn't

[takearushfan]

There is a Widescreen version of TDA on laserdisc. Someone on this forum send me a copy.
The version of Scream you pointed out is the one I already own. They claim WS but it's not. I'm more inclined to believe in the version on the UK's Amazon site.

[Noahtuck]

Another issue to be aware of is that when i have bought dvd's from overseas that were not released in WS in the U.S., they were full screen versions that were cropped at the top and bottom to make widescreen

[yoda313]

They claim WS but it's not.

How do you mean? Do you mean letterbox? Does it have the blackbars inside a 4:3 frame on a 16:9 tv? If so then I'm afraid your best is to use the zoom feature on your tv to automatically resize the video without reencoding it - it will be relatively "soft" compared to a true 16:9 image but at least it will be more natural looking on a widescreen tv.

I can't imagine there isn't a 16:9 version of Scream yet. Scream 4 is out and it has a 16:9 picture - I know I watched it streaming on my Xbox 360 over the zune service on Xbox Live. I would have to imagine there is a 16:9 version of Scream 1.

Is it out on Bluray yet? That will surely have a 16:9 print if it existed.

[jagabo]

Scream is 2:35:1 on Netflix streaming:

[takearushfan]

This is odd. Now that I look at it again and compare it to your screenshot, your image has some data missing from the sides that my version isn't missing. However, my version is sort of squished and overly letterboxed. Now I'm confused as to what AR I'm watching on my version.

[yoda313]

your image has some data missing from the sides that my version isn't missing.

I wouldn't read too much into that. It's probably just an anomaly of the screen capture itself. I'm sure the video displays properly when not viewed in a window.

As for the version your watching I can't say.

[jagabo]

your image has some data missing from the sides that my version isn't missing.

I wouldn't read too much into that. It's probably just an anomaly of the screen capture itself.

No, that's what you get from netflix. Even full screen the picture is the same -- except the overall size, of course. But the camera is wandering around and zooming during that shot. I don't know how takearushfan can compare the framing without knowing exactly what frame it is. Unless it's a really large difference.

my version is sort of squished and overly letterboxed. Now I'm confused as to what AR I'm watching on my version.

I suggest you use DgIndex to extract a short sample and post it. Something where the aspect ratio is obvious.

[intracube]

There is a Widescreen version of TDA on laserdisc. Someone on this forum send me a copy.

Without doing a side by side comparison with the 4:3 version there's no way of knowing if the widescreen laserdisc version contains more picture at the sides, or less at the top and bottom.

I'm not trying to be difficult, but film formats and film to tv transfers are a complex and often misunderstood process. The general view that a widescreen transfer of a film will always contain more picture at the sides of the frame is often wrong.

Sometimes a widescreen version will contain less visible image than a fullscreen version because of a screwup during transfer to video, but often it's related to how the film was shot and is completely normal. The different film formats that exist account for much of the variation (open matted, hard matted, Super35, anamorphic, Techniscope, etc) and also the post production process.

Take a look at this thread from post #41.
*Note that the info on framing in that post isn't correct, but is corrected in post #48 with example images.

Also this page:
http://www.webalice.it/giulio.russi/bttf/DVDreview_eng.htm

I couldn't understand the translated text, but there were several issues with the different releases of BTTF that the page highlights. AIUI, the three films were shot open matted with a film aperture of 1.37:1, but framed for 1.85:1 (common width). The variations in framing between laserdisc and DVD are a known fault with the transfers that were highlighted some years ago. ISTR that newer versions of the DVDs have had the framing corrected. However, as the film was shot onto 1.37:1 film, a 4:3 version will still potentially show more height than the widescreen version.

In the case of the first Scream film, it's listed as being shot anamorphic, so the 2.35:1 version should show the most of the original negative. A 4:3 version will be missing the sides.

The version of Scream you pointed out is the one I already own. They claim WS but it's not.

These comments suggest it is widescreen, but not anamorphic.

There's also this DVD, released April 2011 by Mirimax Lionsgate. Amazon don't say if it's anamorphic or not. There's one user comment that says it's not, but the comment was posted in 2002 which pre-dates this DVD so must be referring to a different one.

You could go to a local store and see if there's more details on the DVD sleeve.

[intracube]

Here's a couple of examples:
Bourne Identity (2.39:1 R2 DVD - purple, 16:9 TV version - blue, 4:3 R1 DVD - orange)


The framing of the Bourne Supremacy was quite different. I'll have to dig out my DVDs, but from memory the 4:3 R1 DVD was mostly cropped down from the 2.39:1 release, while the 16:9 version was a similar width to the 2.39:1 version but with more height. I'd have to double check to be sure.

16:9 version of Bourne Ultimatum has more height than 2.39:1 version, (don't know about 4:3 version).

If anyone's particularly interested, I can dig out some examples of other films.

I should explain that I've got a somewhat obsessive interest in film framing/composition/cinematography, so I'll often buy different versions of the same movie on DVD

Anyhoo, off to organise my DVDs alphabetically, by genre, and by the colour of the spines...

[manono]

I'm also still wondering why the first Scream film has yet to be released Widescreen.

In the case of the first Scream film, it's listed as being shot anamorphic, so the 2.35:1 version should show the most of the original negative. A 4:3 version will be missing the sides.

takearushfan is incorrect so these red herrings of his don't help us to help him. It's been released as a widescreen 4:3 film. Maybe he means to ask why it hasn't been released as a 16:9 DVD. Here's a review:

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/reviews/scream.html

I'm assuming this is the 1996 Scream.

[jagabo]

Yeah, I think his player or TV is set up incorrectly.

[intracube]

In the case of the first Scream film, it's listed as being shot anamorphic, so the 2.35:1 version should show the most of the original negative. A 4:3 version will be missing the sides.

takearushfan is incorrect so these red herrings of his don't help us to help him. It's been released as a widescreen 4:3 film.

I didn't word that well. I meant any fullscreen 4:3 DVD (not letterboxed widescreen) that might be available would have to be a pan scan as the film was shot anamorphic. There is no picture above/below the 2.35:1 frame, unlike the Bourne examples which were shot with Super35.

[intracube]

Take a look at this thread from post #41.

takearushfan; I've just realised that you were involved in that thread too, and much of what I've said here was already covered there by others...

I wondered why I was getting a sense of deja vu, ha.

[takearushfan]

Take a look at this thread from post #41.

takearushfan; I've just realised that you were involved in that thread too, and much of what I've said here was already covered there by others...

I wondered why I was getting a sense of deja vu, ha.

Yep. I was wondering actually going to be the one to point that thread out, go figure

"Maybe he means to ask why it hasn't been released as a 16:9 DVD."

Yes, the anamorphic issue is what's bugging me. I have to remember when posting these kinds of questions not to be so broad when using "Widescreen" and "Fullscreen".