Angel DVD's Aspect Ratio ?

Re: Angel DVD's Aspect Ratio ?

Season 1:
1.33:1 Full Frame (4x3)

Seasons 2, 3, 4 and 5:
1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen (16x9)

Season 2 was modified from its original 1.33:1 image, expanded to 1.78:1, just like its UK counterpart.

I have every set as originally released, so I am providing a definitive answer, unlike the random specs seen floating around the web provided by online stores.


On all seasons, the bonus features are occasionally letterboxed non-anamorphic.

Menus for all seasons are anamorphic.

Re: Angel DVD's Aspect Ratio ?

No. The 4x3 frame was 'opened up' at the sides, so the top and bottom of the image remains exactly the same. There is just 'dead' space at the sides, where people and most of the action onscreen are in the center of the screen.

I'll link an image to show you.

This image is the 16x9 frame - notice Angel's reflection in the mirror he steps out of - something never intended to be shown as it destroys the illusion of a vampire not having a reflection:



Now this is my approximation of the frame as ORIGINALLY broadcast on television. No reflection because it is out of view:

Re: Angel DVD's Aspect Ratio ?

Here's another example from earlier in the scene.

Angel is supposed to be walking alongside Wesley, Cordelia and the fitness club employee. Because of all the mirrors on every wall, Angel shouldn't bee seen walking in them.

To achieve the effect, Boreanaz is waiting for his cue to join the group, as the camera moves with the others. He is on the right edge beyond the green pillar:



The same image, with my approximation of the broadcast. The green pillar actas as the edge of the frame, preserving the vampire reflection effect:



I've had these quick screen grabs for a while, just in case a question like this were ever asked.

Re: Angel DVD's Aspect Ratio ?

I had never noticed that before, and I've watched that episode a half-dozen times anyway. I can't remember that I've really ever noticed any gaffes because of that. Maybe there are a couple more, but I've never noticed them.

There was a bit of controversy when this set first came out over this. I seem to recall Joss or Greenwalt or someone being quoted as saying that it was shot knowing that it would air originally in 4:3 but also with the intention of protecting it for widescreen for DVD and for reruns whenever HDTV became the standard.

Re: Angel DVD's Aspect Ratio ?

I don't know, but it may have to do with the fact that The UK releases are more or less the same, and even there, season 1 is 4x3.

Interestingly, there is an extra on the season 5 DVD showcasing Joss Whedon's favorite ANGEL episodes, and every clip from season 1 included in it, (the episodes 'I will Remember You', 'Eternity', To Shanshu In L.A.' ) is in widescreen - not cropped, but the same image expansion. So it could have been done.

Re: Angel DVD's Aspect Ratio ?

To me, the two funniest examples of seeing what you shouldn't, are in the episodes 'Are You Now or Have You Ever Been' - in this one you see a crew member with a ladder on the left of the frame for the climactic battle at the end of the episode.

The other is in 'Dead End' - One of the trademark flashy scene transitions is NOT expanded to 16x9, so it has a black border on the sides...it's fast, but funny.

Nowhere near the level of mistakes in the UK widescreen Buffy sets I've seen screencaps of.


TRIVIA:

That fitness club guy is Werewolf Oz. A stunt/creature double for Seth Green.

Re: Angel DVD's Aspect Ratio ?

Here is a photo album with better examples:

http://s134.photobucket.com/albums/q...io%20examples/

Re: Angel DVD's Aspect Ratio ?

Wow. That is SO lame

It's cool that Whedon said he was a purist for the region 1 version of Buffy, but what happened with season 2 of Angel?

I'm just watching the show for the first time and it's kind of lame to know that my super-deluxe boxset has the wrong aspect ratio... and there are actual examples of being able to see more than you should

Thank you for posting such definitive information, though!

Re: Angel DVD's Aspect Ratio ?

No problem.



The Region 2 Buffy expanded frame issue is FAR worse than any ANGEL episode in terms of seeing things you're not supposed to.
Set edges, blue screens, film-frame edges (creating a periscope look) and so on. ANGEL season 2 got off lucky in comparison!

Well, I realize that this is an old thread but it answered a question I had about the slim sets.

I did have another question though. Amazon lists the aspect ratio of the Angel Season 1-5 Collectors Set as 1.85:1. Do you know if that is for the entire 5 seasons? What do you think would be a better purchase (based just on aspect ratio) the slim set or the collectors set?

Thanks in advance.

^ I can't say for sure but I'd guess that the series set still has S1 in 1.33 and Amazon is listing the widescreen aspect ratio because it applies to the majority of episodes.

 Thanks for the response. Would you consider 1.78 to be truer than 1.85 (assuming of course that 1.33 is the truest aspect ratio).

1.78 would be the true ratio and the episodes are probably presented at 1.78 too. The difference between 1.78 and 1.85 is nearly imperceptible so the two ratios are often used interchangeably on packaging or in retailer listings.

 Thank you. I guess that means that the slim sets are better than the collector's edition set. Even if only slightly.

Just to clarify,  I meant that Amazon is using 1.78 and 1.85 interchangeably and the aspect ratio (and everything else on the discs) will almost definitely be the same whether you get the series set, the slim sets or the original fold out packaging sets. Generally, companies use the contents of the existing discs for series sets rather than spend money on making new transfers, etc. when it's not needed.

My advice is to pick up what ever one is the cheapest because the content will all be the same.

Oh. Ok then. Thanks for the clarification. I guess I'll get the collectors set then. It'll save me $50.

Thanks again.

I own this set and I can confirm that Season 1 is indeed in the correct 1.33 ratio. It's also a really nice, space concious box, too. Highly recommended.

The only way to see season 1 of ANGEL in widescreen is on Hulu.com, and now they no longer have every episode (though through a series of shall I say, 'creative' means, I personally captured every episode of it that way)

It has the same overall look as widescreen Buffy season 4, where the errors created by the expanded frame are more apparent than in season 2 / Buffy season 5, and has a softer image compared to later seasons, just like Buffy. 

I have screencaps of season 1 in widescreen, as an addition to the caps I made above:

http://s134.photobucket.com/albums/q89/NL197/ANGEL%20-%20Season%202%20Aspect%20Ratio%20examples/

It's titled "season 2" but there are a lot of season 1 caps in there.

Also, "City Of" was not expanded correctly, so it is expanded on the left side only, and therefore stretched to make it fill the 1.78:1 shape. The only way to restore it to its original shape is to squish the image until there's a black border (like a 4:3 border on a widescreen TV) on the right side only. Eagle-eyed viewers will notice a black border on the side of a brief clip from "City Of", as shown in the title card for David Boreanaz in the season 3 and 4 credits - it's the first shot with is name.

I've been on an ANGEL rampage lately, which is why I noticed the bumps in this thread. I've been making a video project, attempting to create the same overall feel of the original broadcasts, with WB trailers and recaps re-attached to the episodes. Silly? Perhaps but I truly love this show that much so it's worth the time and trouble to do it.