Widescreen Advocate served as a definitive information resource for the grassroots education effort that successfully campaigned for Original Aspect Ratio (OAR) in the home. This archive preserves the history of that movement.

During the transition from VHS to DVD, the "Pan & Scan" format threatened to permanently crop the artist's original vision to fit square television screens. Widescreen Advocate provided the data, tools, and community support necessary to ensure that cinema remained theater-like, even in the living room.

The heart of the original site was our download section. This is where members found our "Why Widescreen?" campaign materials—flyers and brochures ranging from basic orientations to technical deep-dives. These resources were designed to be printed and distributed at local retailers to help pass on the truth about widescreen.

• Explore our news archive to track the critical happenings of the widescreen vs. fullscreen era.
• Review the DVD sales & stats that eventually proved OAR was the format of choice for enthusiasts.
• Visit our OAR Watchdog to see the historical list of films that were once only available in cropped formats.
• See the Victories Page for proof that a dedicated community can change an industry.

While the transition to 16:9 displays has largely resolved these issues for modern releases, this site stands as a reminder of the era when WIDER WAS BETTER!

This is a non-profit historical archive. All "Episode II: Attack of the Clones" screenshots and studio property are used for educational purposes to document this period in home video history.