Why do some rental stores not carry widescreen DVDs?
Rental chains such as Blockbuster and Hollywood Video have decided to only carry full-screen (pan-scan) versions of movies when both widescreen and a full-screen versions are available. This has infuriated a certain segment of DVD fans who could never countenance watching a non-widescreen version of a movie on DVD. Blockbuster and Hollywood Video hide behind the claim that directors, not the rental outlets, choose the format when releasing a DVD. This is true to a point, but in cases where there are both widescreen versions and full-screen versions of a title the rental chains carry only the full-screen version. If you would like to voice your opinion about this, sign the online petition. See 3.5 for more about widescreen. See 1.38 for pros and cons of letterboxing.