Another Blown Opportunity: The WB Butchers LOTR

[Joseph S]

I'm sorry, this is beyond bush league. You get the exclusive rights and butcher the AR. What is going on???

This why Fox is Fox, UPN is UPN, and WB is WB. They'll screw up every chance they can because they strive to be the worst.

Awful!!!!!!!!!!

[Mark Strube]

I'm not able to watch it in HD since I'm on TWC... what did they do to the AR?

[Joseph S]

They cropped it to "fit your screen" from 2.35:1 and then plastered a logo at the 4:3 border.

[John L]

TV station are required to stick their logo on during a program.  The reason it is happening so often is because to help take control of video piracy.  More and more people are illegally transfering and copying movies.  Even purchased movies that were legally released on both DVD and Video will have the tape producers logo on there.

Just the other day on the news they were talking about the rise in movie and video piracy taking place and the movie industry will be watching and accessing your computer for any illegal copies.

-John L.

[Joseph S]

TV station are required to stick their logo on during a program. The reason it is happening so often is because to help take control of video piracy

1) I don't recall that FCC requirement
2) Pirates don't care
3) Home viewers do care about poorly placed, non-transparent, and/or obnoxious logos.
4) Burn-in is a major issue for RPTV viewers
5) Logos don't need to be continuous under any circumstance
6) LOGOS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH CROPPING THE ORIGINAL MOVIE

Just the other day on the news they were talking about the rise in movie and video piracy taking place and the movie industry will be watching and accessing your computer for any illegal copies.

They cannot do that. It is in violation of the laws of the United States and would be subject to imprisonment and fines along with civil claims. What "news" was this on?

[Mark Strube]

So suddenly it's illegal to record a movie that's played on network television? And sharing that is 'piracy'? Wow ok. I must be behind on things.

[borghe]

it is branding, and c'mon guys, it's been going on for the better part of a decade at least.

it wasn't done to prevent piracy from end-users, it was done to prevent piracy between stations and networks. eventually it just shifted over to branding.

the only thing I can say I hate is WB putting Fresh Episode for a good portion of the episode on there. that is stupid.

as for OAR, again, people need to really get over it. network television doesn't show OAR, and when it does it is more likely a fluke than not.

If you want no logo bugs and OAR you have to wait for the HD-DVD. Plain and simple. I really don't understand why you expect any less..

[Mark Strube]

I think when people saw them making such a big deal that they've got LOTR, and ooooh it's gonna be in HD, people just assumed they'd at least do a movie of this scope the honor of leaving the picture alone. The equivalent of how they play Schindler's List or Saving Private Ryan unedited.

[borghe]

for the record, and I can't believe I am alone on this, LOTR is not in the same ballpark as Schindler's List or Saving Private Ryan.

LOTR is one of, if not THE greatest fantasy movies ever made, but if they show Star Wars cropped on TV, they'll show LOTR cropped on TV.

Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List are completely different stories.

[Mark Strube]

It's called an analogy. :rolleyes:

LOTR is known for its sweeping and epic scope and vision, with some of the best SFX film has ever seen. Artistic integrity.

Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan remain unedited on network television to retain what? Artistic integrity.

I'd say that's quite a valid comparison.

[The Law]

Right, or wrong, they prolly believe that they are server their greater audience by doing it cropped.  To me, it's like showing a Monet poster in a McDonald's - same picture, right? - Well, sure, only you're missing the detail of the paint textures and the surroundings detract from the art.

The detail of the paint textures is analagous to not seeing the picture in it's full glory.

McDonalds is analagous to distracting commercials.

No thanks. Since HDNET, iNHD, Show-HD and DVD players have been invented - non-commercial free, non-HD movies do not interest me.

I would've watched LOTR otherwise.

BTW - notice how movies magically fit into a perfect 2 or 3 hour timeslot on commercial TV? - no, they don't shape commercials for it - they cut out little bits of the movie......

/end rant

ps...any movie deserves to be shown in it's full glory - Schindler's, LOTR, Caddyshack, etc...

[borghe]

Originally posted by UnrealityS
It's called an analogy. :rolleyes:

No offense, but kind of a poor one.

LOTR is known for its sweeping and epic scope and vision, with some of the best SFX film has ever seen. Artistic integrity.

Agreed.

Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan remain unedited on network television to retain what? Artistic integrity.

no, they were shown that way because they are representations of true and very powerful stories.

I'd say that's quite a valid comparison.

I'd say comparing a fictional story, no matter how epic or moving, to the true, emotional, and traumatic story of people's lives is nowhere near a valid comparison.

I get what you are saying, but you really need to pick better examples, but at the end of it I really feel that is kind of the point. Very few movies get the "royal treatement" on network television, and that should certainly say something about the ones that do.

[Mark Strube]

Heh... well then I guess this wouldn't be the place to mention that I think Saving Private Ryan is extremely overrated.

I think when people saw them making such a big deal that they've got LOTR, and ooooh it's gonna be in HD, people just assumed they'd at least do a movie of this scope the honor of leaving the picture alone. The equivalent of how they play Schindler's List or Saving Private Ryan unedited.

That was my original point. You're reading into this a bit much. I'm not literally comparing these movies... I just gave a small example of when they don't edit movies for television.

Schindler's List isn't really known for its amazing VFX and visuals. It's known for being a powerful true story, which is why it's played unedited. LOTR IS known for the VFX and visuals, and it has some of the best ever. I'm talking about leaving the picture alone, not cutting out parts of the film, which you are referring to about Schindler's List.

Wow, one non-literal comparison and I get lambasted. Pick your battles.

By the way...

ar·tis·tic (är-tstk)
adj.
Showing imagination and skill: an artistic design.

in·teg·ri·ty (n-tgr-t)
n.
 The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness.

Now I would say Schindler's List or Saving Private Ryan remaning unedited is retaining artistic integrity... whether it's a true story or not, such movies in the hands of a different director and these might not even be good films. That's why leaving the picture alone for LOTR is also retaining artistic integrity, just in a different way. I'd even go as far as saying a doumentary can have artistic integrity.

"Pick better examples." LOL... call me crazy but I'll use what examples I like! Wanna tell me anything else to do while you're at it? :rofl:

This is getting way off-topic. This thread was started to complain that they cut part of the picture of LOTR off. I make a small comparison and now I'm having to defend myself here. Ok, lets disregard everything I've said... I think it sucks that they had to cut the picture. Is that ok? Or will I have to phrase it differently for you borghe?

[StarvingForHDTV]

I'm thankful the WB gave me an HD version of the movie for free.

[Mark Strube]

Good point! Here I'll play devil's advocate for a moment...

Cropped or not, it was still in HD... and hey it's kinda nice that it fills the screen!

Then again, that's the same argument they use for fullscreen DVD's. Yuck.