Pan & Scan, I Hate You.
Let me clarify, Whomever invented the idea of pan & scan, I hate you sir/ma'am. Pan & Scan is what television producers have done to kill movies from the inception of the idiot box until a few years ago when some genius decided it was a good idea to stretch televisions out to a more eye pleasing dimension. Pan & Scan refers to the concept of taking a film shot for the wide screen and cropping and/or squeezing the image to fit inside the more square confines of the TV screen. I am not here to drop math on you and use terms like 16:9, but I will say that when I recorded Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind from AMC I thought they would have the decency to broadcast the film in the original format that the director shot and intended it to be seen in.

They did not.

I would say that about 65-75% of the film has this grinding pan from one side of the frame to another, especially annoying on any already existing camera movement. I found the whole experience off putting and degrading to the film watching experience. I am disappointed that through my trek of AFI's 100 greatest films to have not truly experienced Close Encounters as the film Spielberg had intended to show. AMC stands for American Movie Classics, so please continue to show classics, but give us proper presentation and while you're at it how about less commercials, most of which are only promoting your own channel.

Psst.. We're already watching your channel.

Turner Classic Movies is where its at anyhow, better movies, no commercials, and properly formated movies. Thanks Ted Turner.