# You wanna know how to watch that DVD? Shove it up your widescreen ass. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 9, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213 "2004-04-09T19:38:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/1 "2004-04-09T19:38:25Z")
What the fuck, ‘people’. Let me introduce you to the concept of personal accountability. If you get all jazzed up over a movie, maybe when you are buying said fucking movie all that jazzed up hysteria will enable you with the personal accountabilty to look at the product your buying and ensure you have in your clutches the precious little move you think you do. Don’t jump in here and bash fellow dopers who couldn’t give a rat’s ass about letterboxes, widescreen, pan this and pan whatever. You cherish movies so much, then check the fucking product when you buy it. Full screen movies exist on DVD! **RUN FOR YOUR FUCKING LIVES!** Some humans even _prefer_ the full screen version. They _prefer_ it! **OH THE HUMANITY** THE FUCKING HUMANITY. You might even lack the brainpower - yes YOU, the movie loving person that you are - to notice that you are puRchasing a full screen version, or \*\* A DVD THAT OFFERS BOTH VERSION!!!\*\* AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! THE HORROR! \*\* THE HORROR!!!\*\* MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU NEXT TIME YOU BUY A DVD, NUMBNUTS! ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/2 "2004-04-09T19:45:53Z")
I’d agree with you if I hadn’t accidentally bought that fullscreen version of _Chicago_. Stupid full screen version! It’s much better to blame the studio, the store, and the DVD than to accept personal responsibility. stupid DVD… ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/3 "2004-04-09T19:53:39Z")
Why did we need another thread on this topic? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/4 "2004-04-09T19:53:50Z")
Wow. I agree. I’d also like to point out that coffee is available in both caffienated and decaffienated versions. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/5 "2004-04-09T19:58:49Z")
All movies should be released in widescreen format, both as a service to movie buffs, and a nudge to non-widescreen-TV-owning folks to get their asses in gear and update their hardware. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/6 "2004-04-09T19:59:58Z")
> [@](#): > > Some humans even prefer the full screen version. They prefer it! Really? I mean, no. That can’t be. Really? No. No way. I just don’t believe it. Really? C’mon. Really? I don’t believe it, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/7 "2004-04-09T20:06:10Z")
Sometimes, I get up and wonder what the meaning of life is. Then I yell “Goddamnit Ralph! Clean up the fucking cottage cheese!” ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/8 "2004-04-09T20:09:58Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > Some humans even _prefer_ the full screen version. They _prefer_ it! **OH THE HUMANITY** THE FUCKING HUMANITY. Some people like molesting kids, too. Am I really comparing people who enjoy pan-and-scan movies to people who touch children inappropriately? I believe it’s obvious that I **am**. I have nothing more to report. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/9 "2004-04-09T20:11:32Z")
BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA! I am watching a movie on my PC in all it’s SQAURENESS! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I think I missed something over on the right! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! FUCK IT! I’ll buy a projector and watch it on the side of my S-U-FUCKIN-V! ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/10 "2004-04-09T20:14:55Z")
Sorry-- if you prefer a version of someone’s artistic work that has parts of both sides torn off then you are a moron. As someone pointed out in the other thread about this, it’s like buying a great painting and then cutting off parts of both sides so you can fit it in your frame (buy another frame). Why _moron_? Because you are shitting all over the work that hundreds of people spent months making. I don’t care if it’s Fellini or Kevin Smith. It’s just wrong. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/11 "2004-04-09T20:20:50Z")
**Philster** , you watch your DVDS however you want. I’ll watch mine in widescreen on a 16:9 television with 5.1 surround sound. And we’ll both be happy. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/12 "2004-04-09T20:20:51Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > watch it on the side of my S-U-FUCKIN-V! 😕 You own a vehicle that copulates with sports utilities? ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/13 "2004-04-09T20:22:25Z")
**News Flash** When I am at the movies, I actually sleep through parts, ignore entire stretches or ponder about how to build something with my own hands that some others could look at and ignore. THE HORROR! ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/14 "2004-04-09T20:27:34Z")
16:9 with 5.1 I’m down with that…way down with that. Hey, I’m all about 16:9 with 5.1. As long as that means square picture with montone sounds and a hiss in the background. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/15 "2004-04-09T20:31:23Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > 16:9 with 5.1 > > I’m down with that…way down with that. > > Hey, I’m all about 16:9 with 5.1. As long as that means square picture with montone sounds and a hiss in the background. [quote] No, it means a television screen built for widescreen films and 5.1 means 5 directional speakers with a subwoofer to give the extra LFE oomph to explosions and space battles. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/16 "2004-04-09T20:33:33Z")
_whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh_ ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/17 "2004-04-09T20:35:11Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > _whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh_ Caution: Use of cape does not enable wearer to rant creatively, or make any fucking sense whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/18 "2004-04-09T20:44:13Z")
Ilsa: Here is my personal experience and take on it. If people want to watch Pan & Scan, fine. If they don’t want to watch a movie with me because I only do Widescreen when it is available, also fine. When my fucking video store doesn’t mark the DVDs and I get home with a copy of ‘Down With Love’ and it is Full Frame, I AM PISSED OFF. They decided at the video store I patronize to only get Full Frame(Pan & Scan) copies of ‘Down With Love’ because it was so much cheaper. They didn’t mark that on the racks. I also resent that Universal and a few other manufacturers don’t put Widescreen and Pan & Scan on the same disc. They also often do not use a clear and obvious banner to distinct that it is a Widescreen or Full Frame version. I made that mistake ONCE years ago, and others I have known still don’t look closely to make sure they are getting the right version. It should be more obvious. Perhaps a hunter orange or toxic green sticker. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/19 "2004-04-09T20:46:44Z")
I’m irritated when movies are released foolscreen only, like **Miracle Mile** and **Remo Williams**. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/20 "2004-04-09T20:49:24Z")
Ooops. I made a mistake. I addressed my response to Ilsa rather than the Philistinester. Mea culpa. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213.md?page=2)