Movie Formats/Viewing (theaters, discs, streaming, new inventions, etc.)

[drinkanddestroy]

NBC’s ‘Peacock’ to join the streaming fray in April

https://apnews.com/70519309777b497d909652092e6124c4

[drinkanddestroy]

Disney stops airing Netflix ads on most of its TV channels

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2019-10-04/disney-will-stop-airing-netflix-ads-on-abc-fx-freeform-and-national-geographic

[drinkanddestroy]

NBC touts advantage in streaming wars by making service free

https://www.crainsnewyork.com/telecommunications/nbc-touts-advantage-streaming-wars-making-service-free

[drinkanddestroy]

https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/disney-will-fix-the-simpsons-aspect-ratio-on-disney-plu/

So Disney+ streaming channel showed Simpsons episodes formatted for 16:9, chopping off the bottom and top of the image of the show that for years was shown in 4:3. Fans complained, and starting next year, they'll be shown in original aspect ratio.

That's good for fans of the Simpsons on Disney+, but what does this portend for classic movie fans and other streaming services?

Many viewers are probably not that knowledgeable and prefer to see the entire screen filled rather than black bars. Let's hope streaming services always show stuff in original aspect ratio.

[T.H.]

https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/disney-will-fix-the-simpsons-aspect-ratio-on-disney-plu/

So Disney+ streaming channel showed Simpsons episodes formatted for 16:9, chopping off the bottom and top of the image of the show that for years was shown in 4:3. Fans complained, and starting next year, they'll be shown in original aspect ratio.

That's good for fans of the Simpsons on Disney+, but what does this portend for classic movie fans and other streaming services?

Many viewers are probably not that knowledgeable and prefer to see the entire screen filled rather than black bars. Let's hope streaming services always show stuff in original aspect ratio.

This is one thing that I never would have anticipated. It took so damn long to end pan and scanning and now the opposite might be a concern. Wow. Hopefully, other services etc learn from this mistake but that would be such a bizarre problem to occur.

I'm already all-in on the DJ culture bunker theory but stories like this cements it for me.

[drinkanddestroy]

I'm already all-in on the DJ culture bunker theory but stories like this cements it for me.

yes, once you own a BRD, you have it forever, that version, in that aspect ratio, with those bonus features, etc. (Though the day may come when they'll stop selling BRD players; you'll have to get used machines on eBay or something.)

But of course, the issue is money.

For a classic film that you'll watch frequently, it may be worthwhile to buy the disc. But for a good movie that you'd like to see about once every two or three years, are you really going to buy every disc of that type of movie?

I own some of the classics (and some not-so-classic but solid) on disc; but many films that are good, say,. Charley Varrick was recently discussed here, play once or twice a year on TCM. That's certainly enough for me. As long as TCM keeps playing these films in original aspect ratio etc., the once or twice a year they play the solid films is enough for me.

But of course, if you need to be absolutely sure that you will always have a certain version of a particular film available, getting the disc is the only option.

[T.H.]

yes, once you own a BRD, you have it forever, that version, in that aspect ratio, with those bonus features, etc. (Though the day may come when they'll stop selling BRD players; you'll have to get used machines on eBay or something.)

But of course, the issue is money.

For a classic film that you'll watch frequently, it may be worthwhile to buy the disc. But for a good movie that you'd like to see about once every two or three years, are you really going to buy every disc of that type of movie?

I own some of the classics (and some not-so-classic but solid) on disc; but many films that are good, say,. Charley Varrick was recently discussed here, play once or twice a year on TCM. That's certainly enough for me. As long as TCM keeps playing these films in original aspect ratio etc., the once or twice a year they play the solid films is enough for me.

But of course, if you need to be absolutely sure that you will always have a certain version of a particular film available, getting the disc is the only option.

I admittedly have a collector's personality: it started with baseball cards, then CDs, then DVDs and vinyl, and now blurays. I understand the anti-clutter mentality and I use that philosophy for videogames. I don't care about having a physical copies of video games and would rather just buy cheap digital games and have it stored on my PS4's hard drive.

The nice thing about the potential longevity of the bluray format is that the HD conversion process is cheaper now and there are a ton of catalog and/or deep cut type movies being released on the format in the last few years. This comment could age terribly, but I believe that physical copies will be around for a long time due to the niche market -- but maybe I'm way off. I don't have the best instincts when it comes to tech, I thought we would have the spotify for movies by now.

You're totally right about not getting your money's worth with a relatively large movie collection when discounting the idea of selling Twilight Time titles or OOP stuff. I don't think I've used a bluray disc more than three times, so I don't have a counterpoint other than I love having the security of being able to watch movies I love and not have to worry about trying to track down an inferior digital/streamed version. This might sound dramatic and a bit silly, but I almost view blurays as replicas of film prints. So for me, knowing I can watch something like Out of the Past at any time without having to worry about internet connection, transfer quality, availability, etc is worth the 15 bucks I paid for it.

The nice thing about bluray players is that they're included with every PS3, PS4 and Xbox One (and a 4K player when the PS5 is released). So in a doomsday type scenario where there would be a stoppage in manufacturing new players, there would be countless bluray players available to buy used.

[drinkanddestroy]

Netflix is renting a New York theater; this ensures that its productions are eligible for awards


https://www.indiewire.com/2019/11/netflix-saves-paris-theatre-1202192078/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/11/25/netflix-leases-new-york-movie-theater-guaranteeing-venue-its-oscar-contenders/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/netflix-keep-new-yorks-paris-theater-open-1257882

[noodles_leone]

If they keep a theater called “Paris” open, cannot they find a theater in Paris where they can show a the à Irishman for more than a single VIP screening?

[drinkanddestroy]

If they keep a theater called “Paris” open, cannot they find a theater in Paris where they can show a the à Irishman for more than a single VIP screening?

The question is, is there a theater in Paris called “New York”?

[noodles_leone]

We have at least a dozen of "Le New York", "New York Café", "Paris-New York" and the like. They're mainly burger places but it does count.

[dave jenkins]

Start building your culture bunkers now: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/10/media/gone-with-the-wind-hbo-max/index.html

[dave jenkins]

And from last year: https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/the-simpsons-michael-jackson-leaving-neverland-stark-raving-dad-1203158114/

[dave jenkins]

And on and on it goes: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jun/11/fawlty-towers-dont-mention-the-war-episode-removed-from-uktv?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_gu&utm_medium&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1591904236

[noodles_leone]

Let the episode there, put a "don't be racist" memo at the beginning, everybody will be happy.

We should all get behind the Gone With The Wind solution pretty quick in order to save all these shows and movies.