Aspect Ratio Documentation (4 Viewers)

[jimmyjet]

film type - 70mm, 35mm, other ?

grain - what sort of grain, in terms of coarse, fine ? i am guessing that when one orders film, one can request a certain type of grain to it ?

 

[Bob Furmanek]

For what film?

 

[jimmyjet]

you have done lots of research on movies regarding aspect ratio.

just curious if you had compiled stats for either film type, or grain on whatever movies you had researched ?

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Oh, I see.

No, I have not.

 

[jimmyjet]

okay.

be sure to let us know if anyone starts placing your info on a site (a separate thread, so we wont miss it).

thanks.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Sure, but other than my own 3-D Film Archive site, this is the only place I share that information.

 

[DVDvision]

Hi Bob, would you happen to have any info on the format of That Man From Rio (L'Homme de Rio) during the US release in 1964?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Man_from_Rio

I just got the new french Blu-ray, and I'm wondering about the format, it's 1.66:1, but the movie looks composed for 1.75:1 to me. It's slight, but this have been forever zoomboxed on DVD. I'm just curious about any historical reference to the format.

 

[JSul]

Why must titles be 'zoomboxed' for dvd/bluray?Why can't they just be their original, intended AR?Is it because they think the 16x9 screen must be filledat all cost?I love this thread and the info I have learned from it and the 3d thread, but this is maddening to me.

 

[DVDvision]

Zoomboxing is an old habit when TV masters are / were made. Back a decade, TV channels thought the resolution wasn't that great so they wanted zoomed in masters so that people can better see the actor's expressions. The new Man From Rio isn't zoomboxed, but the old MGM disc was, severely. Look here.

 

[haineshisway]

Hi Bob, would you happen to have any info on the format of That Man From Rio (L'Homme de Rio) during the US release in 1964?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Man_from_Rio

I just got the new french Blu-ray, and I'm wondering about the format, it's 1.66:1, but the movie looks composed for 1.75:1 to me. It's slight, but this have been forever zoomboxed on DVD. I'm just curious about any historical reference to the format.

That Man from Rio has had no official DVD release anywhere - all the DVDs are bootlegs and made from, I believe, the old VHS master. That, I believe was full frame - perhaps zoomed in, can't remember - it was nauseatingly bad - the new Blu (no subtitles) is pretty terrific. It was certainly shown in the US (where it was a huge hit) in 1.85.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Here you are David, from June 29, 1964:

 

[DVDvision]

Thanks Bob. There was an official DVD of That Man From Rio previous, issued in France in 2006 see listing here http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/f25693-homme-de-rio.html same copy as the russian bootleg that you can find on amazon.

I had a feeling watching the Blu-ray (which is a major step in presentation for this film) that the framing was a bit too loose, it look framed more properly zoomed in to 1.77:1. At several points in the film, the camera pan up to give more air above the characters heads. In other parts like the bar fight, it looks zoomed in sightly and framed to exact proportions. Nothing major, thought and 1.66:1 was the correct french theatrical ratio.

 

[John Hodson]

Puzzlingly, after presenting the DVD at (IIRC) 1.78:1, the new BD of Help! is 1.67:1 - 1.75:1 is correct Bob?

 

[JSul]

Watched From the Earth to the Moon (1958) last night on TCM. It was shown with Academy ratio, but is listed on their site as 1.85:1.TCM info is not always correct, but surely this was a widescreen film, perhaps one 'protected for academy?' There did seem to be a lot of headroom in many scenes.What is the correct AR? As wonderful as TCM is, perhaps in some cases the widescreen version is not available to them?I am probably daft, but in an early scene, I thought. I saw the shadow of the boom microphone above Joseph Cotten's head, when he was addressing the men at the dining table about his desire to send a projectile to the moon.Thanks in advance for all the info.

 

[Yorkshire]

Here you are David, from June 29, 1964:

That Man.JPG

Thanks Bob. There was an official DVD of That Man From Rio previous, issued in France in 2006 see listing here http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/f25693-homme-de-rio.html same copy as the russian bootleg that you can find on amazon.

I had a feeling watching the Blu-ray (which is a major step in presentation for this film) that the framing was a bit too loose, it look framed more properly zoomed in to 1.77:1. At several points in the film, the camera pan up to give more air above the characters heads. In other parts like the bar fight, it looks zoomed in sightly and framed to exact proportions. Nothing major, thought and 1.66:1 was the correct french theatrical ratio.

Interesting. When there's a European film, and European sources & shooting practices suggest 1.66:1 or 1.75:1 would probably have been the correct ration, but Variety (or whoever) in the US says 1.85:1, what should the release be?

Steve W

 

[EddieLarkin]

Interesting. When there's a European film, and European sources & shooting practices suggest 1.66:1 or 1.75:1 would probably have been the correct ration, but Variety (or whoever) in the US says 1.85:1, what should the release be?

Steve W

At some point surely even Britain (and maybe the mainland too?) went 1.85:1 as well.

For instance, the BFI have released plenty of 60s and 70s British films in 1.85:1, despite them being wholly British productions (and in some cases probably never played outside of Britain). Off the top of my head, 1971's All the Right Noises (BFI Flipside) is a 1.85:1 disc, and fits my above description.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Puzzlingly, after presenting the DVD at (IIRC) 1.78:1, the new BD of Help! is 1.67:1 - 1.75:1 is correct Bob?

A HARD DAY'S NIGHT is documented for 1.75:1 and I suspect the same is true for HELP.

 

[Professor Echo]

Watched From the Earth to the Moon (1958) last night on TCM. It was shown with Academy ratio, but is listed on their site as 1.85:1.TCM info is not always correct, but surely this was a widescreen film, perhaps one 'protected for academy?' There did seem to be a lot of headroom in many scenes.What is the correct AR? As wonderful as TCM is, perhaps in some cases the widescreen version is not available to them?

Though TCM Is the greatest network in the history of television, they do show their share of full frame and even pan/scan presentations for widescreen films, especially movies from the 50's. It's unfortunate and I don't know why it is, but perhaps reasons are offered on their forums, which I have not visited in quite awhile.

 

[Mark-P]

TCM is at the mercy of what's supply to them to show as I'm sure they try to show every film in its OAR. These large corporations are not as sync as some assume they are which causes problems for us the consumers/viewers.

Considering that From the Earth to the Moon has never even been released on DVD in the US, I think we can forgive them, since it's unlikely that a widescreen master even exists.

 

[Professor Echo]

And on the other hand, I have been able to make 16x9 copies of widescreen films from TCM HD that either never came out or were released flat letterboxed. I realize they are at the mercy of their suppliers, but as indicated, it does get frustrating when full screen presentations occur on movies that their parent company WB owns. I was suggesting that there might be more answers on the TCM boards as to why some prints are only full screen. TCM reps contribute to their forums.