This is from this week's "Answer Man" column by Roger Ebert. There have been running complaints about Wal-Mart and Blockbuster and their widescreen DVD policies. I thought you guys would like this exchange:

Reader:
Q. I would like to "commend" Wal-Mart on their new DVD releases. There is a shiny, silver sticker that reads: "Special Limited Release! Formatted to fit your TV! No black bars on top and bottom!" It's bad enough that these morons disfigure artwork, but now they're using their ignorance as a marketing pitch!

Ebert:
A. In a few years Wal-Mart will be selling wide-screen TVs, and their customers will be bringing in those DVDs and demanding a refund because there are black bars on the left and right.

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Has anyone seen these stickers on Wal-Mart DVDs? That amazes me!

i refuse to buy dvd at wal-mart or k-mart, or target for the same reason i wont buy audio cds theree. Becuase they always modify the media in one way or another. They always carry the editing version with cds, and same with dvd's they carry the weird versions.

Haven't seen this at Walmart in Canada. They seem to have the same DVDs everyone else has. What's hard to find are box sets or anything in packaging other than a traditional keep-case. And that's because of the way they set up their shelves.

I shop for DVDs at a place called DVDWave now, almost exlusively. They have (or will order) anything. And at prices better than any other store around here (large chains included). Richmond Hill, North of Toronto, Canada.

Bruno

Roger Ebert is my new hero.

Damn, that's a great quote.

That's why I read his reviews and articles all the time. I don't read him to know what to see, but to get some very good insight into movies. He's quite good. I don't always agree with him, but he usually has some good things to say. His Answer Man column is wonderfull, because if he doesn't know something, he'll get an answer from some very high-ups. He got Kevin Smith to provide an answer once. Another time is was the president of one of the big movie studios. Cool stuff.

ps-congrats, Tony, on post #30000 in off topic

I have not seen the stickers, but remember about a year or two ago I was at walmart and over heard some yokels. One said 'Hey this movie is out on DVD'. The other replied 'Thats wide screen, I'm not gonna buy it till it comes out normal.'

True story.