Pan & Scan Blu-rays - MGM on 4/6 - Blu-ray Forum

rkolinski · 04-02-2010, 02:30 PM

I didn't see a thread for this one and it bothers me a lot! According to Amazon.com, MGM will start releasing some of it's titles in Pan & Scan beginning on April 6! Here is a partial list:

Bridge Too Far
Igor
Graduate
Robocop
Speed
Hoosiers
Windtalkers
Super Troopers
Hart's War
Terminator
Rocky
Out of Time
Bulletproof Monk
Napoleon Dynamite
Commando
Planet of the Apes (2001)
Walking Tall
Road House
Rollerball (2002)

Just MHO; this bothers me even more than studios messing with an original aspect ratio to remove the black bars & releasing a film 16:9. Unfortunately, this not only adds something new that we have to look out for when making a purchase but I also don't think the general public checks like we do! What are your thoughts about this possible new trend?

BluBonnet · 04-02-2010, 02:36 PM

These are the ones being issued in a DVD/BD combo - probably for late adopters, who are usually less sophisticated about things like aspect ratio, etc.

As long as it doesn't catch on with other studios, it might not be such a horrible thing. But it does create a bad precedent, I suppose.

neo_reloaded · 04-02-2010, 02:37 PM

There is no real evidence that these will actually be pan-n-scan. Amazon is ROUTINELY incorrect with its technical specs, and is really not a useful source of information for that kind of material at all. I mean, some of these are even 1.85:1 to begin with (fills an entire widescreen TV) - to P&S these down to 1.33:1 (old-style square television) would be counterproductive even for the crazy people who don't care about OAR and just want their screens filled. MGM re-releasing all these titles in butchered presentations would really be unheard of in this day and age, so given the circumstances and the complete lack of outside info, I think it's safe to just blame this mistake on Amazon.

crs · 04-02-2010, 02:42 PM

It's only the DVD that is P&S, the Blu-ray is exactly as previously issued.

DetroitSportsFan · 04-02-2010, 03:09 PM

These releases are the existing BD, packaged with the DVD version, in a DVD sized case.

Lincoln6Echo · 04-02-2010, 03:18 PM

I didn't even think it was possible to do a P&S 1080p transfer. I mean what's the purpose? The native resolution of BD is 1920x1080...sure, granted there are some 4x3 HD releases out there, like Justic League -Season 1 and the re-issues of Highlander- The Series, but even those are in 720p, but the whole purpose for BD is to get full 1080p resolution rather than anamorphic 480i/p video.

crs · 04-02-2010, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincoln6Echo

I didn't even think it was possible to do a P&S 1080p transfer.

It's possible. There are plenty of OAR fullscreen Blu-rays. They have black areas on each side.

SpaceDog · 04-02-2010, 04:46 PM

I think it makes more sense to include an OAR blu-ray with an OAR DVD in a blu-ray sized case.
I'm not the target market, but I don't want to see any MAR films associated with blu-ray.

SillyMammo · 04-02-2010, 04:50 PM

I thought the whole idea of pan and scan was so the picture fits the entire screen of standard TVs? It will now have black bars on the sides of the picture instead of at the top and bottom! I guess these viewer will just stretch the image to fit the widescreen. That hurts my eyes just thinking about it.

Clark Kent · 04-02-2010, 04:52 PM

People pay way too much attention to the technical specifications that Amazon lists. Here is the simple fact of the matter. Amazon has not redesigned their site or inventory software since before Blu-ray was an official format. They just plug in a bunch of listings from unreliable press sheets to their database. MGM does not have the money to even release many new selections, much less re-author their entire Blu-ray lineup in pan-n-scan.

These sets are clearly meant for consumers who have not bought into Blu-ray yet, and so the dvd version is the main consideration. I would not buy them at all, since they come in dvd-style packaging.

toddly6666 · 05-17-2010, 08:50 PM

so what's the verdict on these:

Is it a fact that the blu-ray is not tampered with and it's just the DVD that is Pan and Scan?

DetroitSportsFan · 05-17-2010, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddly6666

Is it a fact that the blu-ray is not tampered with and it's just the DVD that is Pan and Scan?

Correct, it's just the existing BD with a DVD and in a DVD case. Personally, I'd just get the previously released BD.

joltman · 05-18-2010, 03:32 PM

I don't even think the DVDs are pan and scan, I was looking at the back of the RoboCop DVD/Blu-ray box yesterday, and it lists the Blu-ray and DVD as both being widescreen.

F-Man · 05-18-2010, 03:50 PM

This is the 1000th time a misguided topic gets made about Amazon's wrong specs.

Thank you Amazon.

joltman · 05-19-2010, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F-Man

This is the 1000th time a misguided topic gets made about Amazon's wrong specs.

Thank you Amazon.

To be fair, I don't think it was Amazon's fault, I think it was whoever supplied Amazon with the info, since Best Buy also lists them as Pan & Scan.

Xyberfaust · 07-23-2012, 10:08 AM

I'm resurrecting this because I'm curious to know. Showgirls actually shows more of the picture in pan and scan, at least vertically. Back To The Future full frame actually shows more of the picture. A lot people remember these films from VHS and cable which were in full frame. Sometimes full frame for certain movies isn't so bad because you do get more.

I would like an option for these films: widescreen and full frame.

svenge · 07-23-2012, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xyberfaust

I'm resurrecting this because I'm curious to know. Showgirls actually shows more of the picture in pan and scan, at least vertically. Back To The Future full frame actually shows more of the picture. A lot people remember these films from VHS and cable which were in full frame. Sometimes full frame for certain movies isn't so bad because you do get more.

I would like an option for these films: widescreen and full frame.

Just because something was visible on a Super 35 negative doesn't mean that it was ever meant to be seen. Lazy telecine operators doing transfers for TV and early home video releases "opened up" the frame from its intended aspect ratio all the time back then, and bringing that nonsense back to the modern era would be a very bad idea.

Arkadin · 07-23-2012, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xyberfaust

I would like an option for these films: widescreen and full frame.

Oh brother!

Tns49 · 07-23-2012, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arkadin

Oh brother!

Yep he wants movies like Ben-hur to fill his screen. I don't think I have seen any Pan-and-Scan (to 16x9) blu-rays but it certainly is possible.

HBO does it with their broadcasts all the time.

joltman · 07-23-2012, 01:28 PM

FTR, pan and scan is the incorrect term to use if you see more image in a 4:3 image, in that case it is full frame. It is only pan and scan when a widescreen image is cropped to 4:3, in which case they need to 'pan and scan' to follow the action.
So it's safe to say that no one wants pan and scan on Blu-ray, but others would possibly want full frame. BTW, that doesn't include me, I want the correct image, not the most image.

04-02-2010, 02:30 PM	#1
rkolinski Blu-ray Baron Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:May 2008 Home Theater Gallery:184 4K collection:76 Blu-ray collection:3078 Blu-ray reviews: 17	Pan & Scan Blu-rays - MGM on 4/6 I didn't see a thread for this one and it bothers me a lot! According to Amazon.com, MGM will start releasing some of it's titles in Pan & Scan beginning on April 6! Here is a partial list: Bridge Too Far Igor Graduate Robocop Speed Hoosiers Windtalkers Super Troopers Hart's War Terminator Rocky Out of Time Bulletproof Monk Napoleon Dynamite Commando Planet of the Apes (2001) Walking Tall Road House Rollerball (2002) Just MHO; this bothers me even more than studios messing with an original aspect ratio to remove the black bars & releasing a film 16:9. Unfortunately, this not only adds something new that we have to look out for when making a purchase but I also don't think the general public checks like we do! What are your thoughts about this possible new trend?

04-02-2010, 02:37 PM	#3
neo_reloaded Banned Top contributor Member since:Jan 2008 Blu-ray collection:416 Trading Score:72	There is no real evidence that these will actually be pan-n-scan. Amazon is ROUTINELY incorrect with its technical specs, and is really not a useful source of information for that kind of material at all. I mean, some of these are even 1.85:1 to begin with (fills an entire widescreen TV) - to P&S these down to 1.33:1 (old-style square television) would be counterproductive even for the crazy people who don't care about OAR and just want their screens filled. MGM re-releasing all these titles in butchered presentations would really be unheard of in this day and age, so given the circumstances and the complete lack of outside info, I think it's safe to just blame this mistake on Amazon. Last edited by neo_reloaded; 04-02-2010 at 02:41 PM.

04-02-2010, 03:18 PM	#6
Lincoln6Echo Special Member Top contributor Member since:Sep 2009 Home Theater Gallery:4 4K collection:312 Blu-ray collection:1517 DVD collection:8 Blu-ray reviews: 25	I didn't even think it was possible to do a P&S 1080p transfer. I mean what's the purpose? The native resolution of BD is 1920x1080...sure, granted there are some 4x3 HD releases out there, like Justic League -Season 1 and the re-issues of Highlander- The Series, but even those are in 720p, but the whole purpose for BD is to get full 1080p resolution rather than anamorphic 480i/p video. Last edited by Lincoln6Echo; 04-02-2010 at 03:23 PM.

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04-02-2010, 02:36 PM	#2
BluBonnet Blu-ray King Top contributor Member since:Oct 2009 Trading Score:1	These are the ones being issued in a DVD/BD combo - probably for late adopters, who are usually less sophisticated about things like aspect ratio, etc. As long as it doesn't catch on with other studios, it might not be such a horrible thing. But it does create a bad precedent, I suppose.

04-02-2010, 02:42 PM	#4
crs Power Member Member since:Apr 2010 Trading Score:15	It's only the DVD that is P&S, the Blu-ray is exactly as previously issued.

04-02-2010, 03:09 PM	#5
DetroitSportsFan Hot Deals Moderator Top contributor Member since:Aug 2007 Location:Michigan 4K collection:439 Blu-ray collection:2226 Trading Score:93	These releases are the existing BD, packaged with the DVD version, in a DVD sized case.

04-02-2010, 04:46 PM	#8
SpaceDog Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Jun 2007 Location:Raleigh, NC Blu-ray collection:116	I think it makes more sense to include an OAR blu-ray with an OAR DVD in a blu-ray sized case. I'm not the target market, but I don't want to see any MAR films associated with blu-ray.

04-02-2010, 04:50 PM	#9
SillyMammo Expert Member Member since:Aug 2008 4K collection:428 Blu-ray collection:1088 Trading Score:2	I thought the whole idea of pan and scan was so the picture fits the entire screen of standard TVs? It will now have black bars on the sides of the picture instead of at the top and bottom! I guess these viewer will just stretch the image to fit the widescreen. That hurts my eyes just thinking about it.

04-02-2010, 04:52 PM	#10
Clark Kent Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Oct 2007 Location:Metropolis Blu-ray reviews:2 Trading Score:184	People pay way too much attention to the technical specifications that Amazon lists. Here is the simple fact of the matter. Amazon has not redesigned their site or inventory software since before Blu-ray was an official format. They just plug in a bunch of listings from unreliable press sheets to their database. MGM does not have the money to even release many new selections, much less re-author their entire Blu-ray lineup in pan-n-scan. These sets are clearly meant for consumers who have not bought into Blu-ray yet, and so the dvd version is the main consideration. I would not buy them at all, since they come in dvd-style packaging.

05-17-2010, 08:50 PM	#11
toddly6666 Blu-ray Baron Top contributor Member since:Nov 2009 Location:Hong Kong Home Theater Gallery:20 4K collection:1 Blu-ray collection:1441 DVD collection:31 Blu-ray reviews: 290 Trading Score:61	so what's the verdict on these: Is it a fact that the blu-ray is not tampered with and it's just the DVD that is Pan and Scan?

05-18-2010, 03:32 PM	#13
joltman Special Member Top contributor Member since:Feb 2010 4K collection:523 Blu-ray collection:2756 DVD collection:612 Trading Score:1	I don't even think the DVDs are pan and scan, I was looking at the back of the RoboCop DVD/Blu-ray box yesterday, and it lists the Blu-ray and DVD as both being widescreen.

05-18-2010, 03:50 PM	#14
F-Man Senior Member Top contributor Member since:Oct 2008 Home Theater Gallery:1 4K collection:3 Blu-ray collection:282 Trading Score:1	This is the 1000th time a misguided topic gets made about Amazon's wrong specs. Thank you Amazon.

07-23-2012, 10:08 AM	#16
Xyberfaust Banned Member since:Feb 2012 Blu-ray collection:56	I'm resurrecting this because I'm curious to know. Showgirls actually shows more of the picture in pan and scan, at least vertically. Back To The Future full frame actually shows more of the picture. A lot people remember these films from VHS and cable which were in full frame. Sometimes full frame for certain movies isn't so bad because you do get more. I would like an option for these films: widescreen and full frame.

07-23-2012, 01:28 PM	#20
joltman Special Member Top contributor Member since:Feb 2010 4K collection:523 Blu-ray collection:2756 DVD collection:612 Trading Score:1	FTR, pan and scan is the incorrect term to use if you see more image in a 4:3 image, in that case it is full frame. It is only pan and scan when a widescreen image is cropped to 4:3, in which case they need to 'pan and scan' to follow the action. So it's safe to say that no one wants pan and scan on Blu-ray, but others would possibly want full frame. BTW, that doesn't include me, I want the correct image, not the most image.

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