List of Vudu Movies with Incorrect Aspect Ratio

[vivafriend5]

Razorback (1984) is severely cropped from a 2:35:1 image to fit a standard 16:9 aspect. It is unwatchable and the worst crop I have ever seen.

[crackedknee]

Originally Posted by vivafriend5

Razorback (1984) is severely cropped from a 2:35:1 image to fit a standard 16:9 aspect. It is unwatchable and the worst crop I have ever seen.

It's UV but not UV on FN, so no way to check if the FN version is correct or not.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by crackedknee

Sound quality is also another issue with some movies that we often sort of overlook, but we should not ignore. I do hear from time to time that Vudu will update an encode with one having better audio. But it's also a problem they often ignore.

I've complained about this before (here and to Vudu support) about films being native 5.1 that are 2.0 stereo only on Vudu. Movies Anywhere also usually has them in 5.1, but unfortunately Paramount isn't on board yet.

[vwnut13]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

I've complained about this before (here and to Vudu support) about films being native 5.1 that are 2.0 stereo only on Vudu. Movies Anywhere also usually has them in 5.1, but unfortunately Paramount isn't on board yet.

Way too many Vudu movies have Stereo audio.

[mulscul]

Christine (1984) is 1:78 and hdx, even though its uhd and in scope on fandango now.

[crackedknee]

Originally Posted by mulscul

Christine (1984) is 1:78 and hdx, even though its uhd and in scope on fandango now.

There are several Sony releases like that, because Vudu does not yet have the UHD version, you get stuck with the older HD (and in this case, 1.78) version there. So the only way to see those is either FN (who does have it in UHD and correct ratio), or the Sony 4K app (also correct in that app).

[Bob Schlapowitz]

I don't understand how Die Hard 2 is incorrect (1.78:1) but the rest of the Die Hard Collection is correct.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Bob Schlapowitz

I don't understand how Die Hard 2 is incorrect (1.78:1) but the rest of the Die Hard Collection is correct.

Maybe they're trying to crop that terrible film as much as possible?

Vudu is weird with the 1.78 versions.

[crackedknee]

Vudu most likely obtains the broadcast scan (that's why they're 1.78), and then forgets about it. It may be that they have to pay to get the correct version, which they will avoid at all costs since it involves effort and money rather than simply collecting money and no effort.

[crackedknee]

A Few Good Man UHD was added to Vudu. It IS is now in the correct aspect ratio in the UHD version.

Can anyone who still has only HD check and report if that HD version is now also correct, or still incorrect? I would like to find out if they overhauled the whole thing (every scan), or just the UHD version.

[vwnut13]

What the hell, I just bought The Evil Dead (1983) in UHD on Vudu and it is 4:3?

Both HDX and SD are widescreen.

[heynongman]

Originally Posted by vwnut13

What the hell, I just bought The Evil Dead (1983) in UHD on Vudu and it is 4:3?

Both HDX and SD are widescreen.

4:3 is the original aspect ratio for The Evil Dead

[vwnut13]

Originally Posted by heynongman

4:3 is the original aspect ratio for The Evil Dead

Okay, that makes sense.

Initially I thought the UHD was a pan and scan, and that was reaffirmed when I checked on here and it said the OAR was 1.85:1

Double checking I can see that the widescreen version is infact matted down.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by vwnut13

Okay, that makes sense.

Initially I thought the UHD was a pan and scan, and that was reaffirmed when I checked on here and it said the OAR was 1.85:1

Double checking I can see that the widescreen version is infact matted down.

Um, a huge amount of 1.85 movies were matted from a full frame capture.

[xbs2034]

Kinda surprised that Christopher Robin is wrongly 16x9 instead of scope on VUDU.

One would think that wouldn't happen with a fairly high profile new release movie like that, though since it's a MA digital code (and other services have it correct), plus I have the Blu it doesn't really bother me (since MA has come in I don't use VUDU for playback much anymore).

[crackedknee]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

Kinda surprised that Christopher Robin is wrongly 16x9 instead of scope on VUDU.

One would think that wouldn't happen with a fairly high profile new release movie like that, though since it's a MA digital code (and other services have it correct), plus I have the Blu it doesn't really bother me (since MA has come in I don't use VUDU for playback much anymore).

I just checked it out, and wow, that is really obnoxious. I can't fathom why Vudu would have obtained or received a cropped version of this.

This movie DOES play the correct 2.39 ratio in the following:
FN, MA, and Amazon

[sea2000]

I recently bought quite a few movies on Vudu as part of my transition to digital, but I didn't watch them. I assumed they'd be good prints in OAR, but I just sampled three on your list, and they're still in the wrong aspect ratio: The Apartment, Houseboat and Father Goose. It boggles my mind that Father Goose is windowboxed! It's 2019!

How can they even sell these as HD, when the image is so soft from all the cropping and zooming? I've asked Vudu to remove the movies from my library and refund my money.

[crackedknee]

Originally Posted by sea2000

I recently bought quite a few movies on Vudu as part of my transition to digital, but I didn't watch them. I assumed they'd be good prints in OAR, but I just sampled three on your list, and they're still in the wrong aspect ratio: The Apartment, Houseboat and Father Goose. It boggles my mind that Father Goose is windowboxed! It's 2019!

How can they even sell these as HD, when the image is so soft from all the cropping and zooming? None of these are Movies Anywhere or UV, so I have nowhere else to go. I've asked Vudu to remove the movies from my library and refund my money.

Yeah, Vudu staff is either commanded to not care, or is understaffed. If you ask customer service, they often blame the studio for "providing them with that scan", but since other services (MA, FN, etc) have a correct aspect ratio, so that excuse is probably a lie. That it takes so long and still not corrected shows they don't care to fix it.

The Apartment is not UV and/or MA, so yeah, no way to watch it somewhere else. That is good to know about Father Goose, as I was thinking of getting that one. Father Goose is actually UV, so should port to FN, so you might check to see if it's correct there (and report here if possible).

[sea2000]

I stand corrected. You're right -- Father Goose and Houseboat are UV, so I've edited my original post.

I took a look at them on FandangoNow. Both are 1.78:1, rather than 1.85:1. At least Father Goose isn't windowboxed and it's reasonably sharp. Houseboat is softer, with some possible misalignment of colors in the print. I guess I'll live with them.

The Apartment, however, is not acceptable at 1.78:1 when its OAR is 2.35:1 (according to TCM). I'm still going to ask Vudu to give me a credit for that one.

[sea2000]

Vudu is now telling me they won't give me a credit for The Apartment because they claimed I watched it. I pointed out to them that all I did was check the beginning to verify the aspect ratio. There's no other way to find out, since Vudu doesn't include the aspect ratio in its description!

To avoid this situation in the future, I will never buy another Vudu-only movie -- it will have to be MA (preferably) or UV, and if I can buy it elsewhere for the same price, I will. Up to now, I was favoring Vudu, particularly because I converted a lot of movies via its disc-to-digital program, but no more.