Blu-ray woes in Australia

[brb]

2 things happened recently concerning Blu-ray sales in this country which leave me with a poor opinion of the Movie Companies and their opinion of Australian Consumers.
1. The day the earth stood still was released with 2008/1951 versions. I did not care much for the recent version, all I wanted was the 2 disc 1951 version. That was not to be not available here.
2. Gone with the wind This was only released in a 4X3 format in all formats.
On Amazon it is available in the preferred format but not in Australia.

On both occasions I attempted to ask the movie companies what happened and found it impossible, consumers are not to be talked to in all cases.

So it appears to get the version that I am seeking I will purchase them frolm Amazon Uk. It would be great if all I had to do was visit my local record store, but that is not how it is done now.

[LordCrumb]

I have the same issue with X-Files: Fight the Future. I already have I Want to Believe, but in order to get the first movie, you have to buy the double set.

Im sure it will come out eventually, but it is a shame it wasn't available separately first.

So Gone with the Wind is in Widescreen instead of the original 4:3?

That is the great thing about importing though, if your country doesnt have what your after, you can shop around online.

[Zyclone]

you may have to wait a bit longer but it will most likely be cheaper to import them from the uk or the us anway.

[Davidian]

Gone with the wind was filmed in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio. The only widescreen version you're likely to get (On DVD mind you) will be a bastardized 2.20:1 matted version which, as any film buff will tell you is an abomination. http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/special/gwtw.htm

[gettodamoofies]

Originally Posted by brb

2 things happened recently concerning Blu-ray sales in this country which leave me with a poor opinion of the Movie Companies and their opinion of Australian Consumers.
1. The day the earth stood still was released with 2008/1951 versions. I did not care much for the recent version, all I wanted was the 2 disc 1951 version. That was not to be not available here.
2. Gone with the wind This was only released in a 4X3 format in all formats.
On Amazon it is available in the preferred format but not in Australia.

On both occasions I attempted to ask the movie companies what happened and found it impossible, consumers are not to be talked to in all cases.

So it appears to get the version that I am seeking I will purchase them frolm Amazon Uk. It would be great if all I had to do was visit my local record store, but that is not how it is done now.

Seeing as though you've raised these issues here and they are the same one's you posted in the Last Blu-ray You Bought/Watched topic, here's what I posted in that thread in response to your original post:

As for The Day The Earth Stood Still, you can purchase the 1951 original from many online stores in the UK for around $22 delivered. Problem solved.

Regarding Gone With the Wind, perhaps you should read up on the original aspect ratio of the film before having a go at WB staff. That's how the film was shot - it's in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio. True cinephiles would jump up and down if the film was cropped to a 1.78:1 or 1.85:1 aspect ratio just to satisfy a couple of people that don't get that films back then used Academy Ratio. I for one applaud WB (GWTW and Wizard of Oz), Paramount (Star Trek: TOS) etc for releasing classics in their original aspect ratio.

You now mention that GWTW is available in the "preferred format" on Amazon. I'm not sure what you mean by this is all the releases I'm aware of feature the same aspect ratio which is the 1.37:1 ratio. As it's the original ratio, surely that would be the preferred one. It sounds like you want it cropped to a 16:9 ratio.

[Arkadin]

to brb: when you buy a bd from now on check the date when the movie came out--
if it is BEFORE 1950 then it will ALWAYS be 4:3.
16:9 movies weren't made before that time.
(yes I know there may be a few exceptions like "Napoleon" but I'm speaking of the other 99.9999999% of films)
in general, with a few exceptions, blu-ray has been a OAR format, thank goodness.
There are probably less than 10 examples out of over 5,000 released films of bds where the OAR is not correct.