Lord knows standard DVD has had it's share of non-OAR DVDs in it's lifetime so I'm wondering if Blu-Ray has seen any such crap come out yet or if it's the accepted norm that hi-def will always be OAR?
Lonesome Dove, although I very much prefer the 16:9 ratio, and looks as though it may have shot with 16:9 in mind, although it aired 4x3 as did everything at the time.
There was a bit of controversy over the 2:1 ratio of Criterion's release of The Last Emperor, thought the change (from the original 2.35:1 ratio) was made at the behest of the cinematographer and with director's endoresement. Whatever you think of their decision to reframe the film (and I tend to agree with those who argue that it was a very poor decision), at least it was not done simply to have the screen filled up. Nevertheless, the Blu-ray presentation of the film is not in its original aspect ratio.
Gulliver's Travels is the worst example I've heard of. All the reviews of Lonesome Dove seemed to indicate that it was shot with widescreen in mind (there was some speculation that it might have been shot with a theatrical release in mind), so that one doesn't bother me too much.
I do think we'll see more and more 4:3 and wider-than-1.78 material cropped to fill 16:9 screens. It's a shame, but there are an awful lot of people who don't like black bars of any sort.
I believe that Lonesome Dove, like many TV productions from the 80s, may have been shot protected with an eye towards a possible European theatrical release. Examples of this type of work from the 80s include the Twin Peaks pilot, The Ewok Adventure and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor.
I was going to mention Justice League (with a caveat) but Brian got there first. Other than that title and The Last Emperor I really don't know of any.
I have read the discussions and after watching the first half on BR and then the 2nd half, the first half looks obviously cropped and just not "right" IMO. I think 4:3 is OAR for the first seven episodes and the 16/9 version on the BR is a compromise in that respect to my eyes. Just my opinion from watching my set the past week.......
I think there are a good number of 1.85 movies that have the matte opened up to 1.76 -- not a huge difference in picture information, but doesn't fit the official OAR.
People will continue to argue about Sleeping Beauty as to what the real OAR is and what parts of the animation cel were supposed to seen or hidden. Personally I believe the current BD is as close to the true intended OAR, , but there are lots of doubts. I still love my LD Boxset and think it's one of the most gorgeous movie sets ever produced though the BD just destroys the LD in picture quality of course.
And then there is poor Gulliver who got the full mutilation.
Well it's supposed to be watchable in either format, of course. I think both versions are equally compromised. Most shots didn't look right in 4:3, and other shots probably wouldn't look exactly right (cramped, perhaps) in 16:9.
The blu-ray of "Planet Terror" has been opened up to 1.78:1 from 'scope. As has the Canadian release of "Hostage", the thriller with Bruce Willis.
I ca't honestly belive that anyone considers the 1.85-1.78 thing an issue. Even with zero overscan, the difference is barely noticable, and you'll get far more varation than that from the masking plates in theatre to theatre.
I respect your opinion, I just dont agree. I watched 5-6 of the first 7 episodes in 4:3 as well and nothing jumped out to me as unusual from all my SP viewing, but in 16:9 it just feels/looks like you are up to close (since they chopped the top and bottoms off). This all goes back to normal though with episode 8 and on for me though and those dont looks "strange" since it is obvious 16:9 is the primary focus.
Very true. Some aperture plates vary between 1.66:1 to 1.9:1. The Truman Show has been mentioned, and although some sources point to 1.85:1 as the correct ratio, the widescreen laserdisc and VHS were in 1.66:1.