I like the Video verison better. You get abetter look a things. On widescreen its just not the way to see it.
Hey Erine,
I'm wondering if you understand the difference between the "widescreen" version and the "video" version that fills your TV. It's true that some folks just prefer the "square" version that fills their TV because they don't like black bars...and if this is you then I'm not going to try to convince you to watch the movie one way or the other...but I *do* just want to make sure you understand the difference.
This movie, like many others, is filmed in a wide-rectangle shape. This is the way it was seen in the theater...as a long, wide image. The "video" version you mention has been turned into a "square" to fit a TV screen by cutting off about 33-45% of the picture. They literally just CHOP it off!
You can see why so many movie collectors prefer widescreen...with modern films that are film "wide" for the theater it's the only way to see the movie on your TV with all the picture in tact the way the director intended it to be seen. For those of us who view movies as "art" this is critical...an artist composes a image inside the frame...if you chop a third of that painting off or if you change the shape you've changed (destroyed) the art.
I watched WS movies for years on a 27" TV and enjoyed them...but some folks find the image too small for their tastes.
Solutions that preserve the artistic integrity of the WS film:
Get a larger TV, or better yet get a *widescreen* TV, or if cost is a problem try moving your chair closer to the TV when watching a WS movie. If you really want to be "shocked" by the difference that WS can make...watch a movie in WS that you've watched for years on TV cropped out the wazoo...watch the Sound of Music in letterbox (the WS DVD). You'll be amazed that yes...you see all 7 children singing almost all the time when on "TV" you only saw 2 or 3! After a few experiences like that it gets very easy to watch and enjoy WS movies regardless of your TV size (However I must admit that I'm saving my $$ to buy a large-screen front-projector so I can recreate a *real* theater experience!).
-dave