Well it should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the saga of Criterion's release of The Last Emperor on DVD that their announcement of their new Blu-ray release of TLE also carried the controversial 2:1 aspect ratio--approved by Director Bernardo Bertolucci and Director of Photography Vittorio Storaro.
THIS HTF thread in the SD Software section carries a spirited debate on the issue of Bertolucci and Storaro re-cropping a film that was originally presented 2.35:1.
As I said in that other thread...The Last Emperor probably contains some of the most strikingly beautiful images I've ever seen in a film. I think it's a shame that the Director & DP have allowed this film to be cropped down to a smaller version of it's original size. While I realize "it's their film," I wish the original ratio could have been presented as well somehow. Upon learning Storaro's theories in the information provided in that other thread, I can't say I go along with someone who is an acknowledged film genius. But, that's me.
THIS HTF thread in the SD Software section carries a spirited debate on the issue of Bertolucci and Storaro re-cropping a film that was originally presented 2.35:1.
As I said in that other thread...The Last Emperor probably contains some of the most strikingly beautiful images I've ever seen in a film. I think it's a shame that the Director & DP have allowed this film to be cropped down to a smaller version of it's original size. While I realize "it's their film," I wish the original ratio could have been presented as well somehow. Upon learning Storaro's theories in the information provided in that other thread, I can't say I go along with someone who is an acknowledged film genius. But, that's me.