Bug's Life and widescreen question (1 Viewer)

[Bruce White]

I just rented and watched "Bug's Life" from Blockbuster. The DVD has a full-screen and widescreen version on the DVD. I have a Mits 55819 16:9 TV. How come when I choose widescreen on this DVD, I still have quite sizeable top and bottom black bars?

My DVD player is a Panasonic RP-91 and I had progressive scan on.

Any help?

Thanks!

Bruce

 

[Claus Nielsen]

It could be that you were watching the non-anamorphic edition. The only anamorphic edition available, at least to my knowledge, is the 2-disc collectior's edition.

 

[Brian L]

That ratio of the WS side is 2.35:1 (or very close). Your set is 1.78:1. As such, the film has a wider aspect ration than the TV, thus some black bars at the top and bottom.

Typically any film in 1.78 or 1.85 will display without any (or very small) bars on your set. Normally 2.0, 2.35, 2.4 and such WILL show bars.

I sense from the question that you are just getting started on the subject of aspect raios. I would recomend a search on the subject. I would bet you get 1000's of hits.

Also, the original release was not anamorphic, so assuming you don't have black or grey bars top, bottom, and sides, I would guess you have a newer release that IS anamorphic (that is a GOOD thing).

There is a very good primer on the subject of WS and anamorphic films on the Digital Bits site. Its worth a look.

BL

 

[Ned]

Was it Bug's Life or Antz that was re-rendered to "fit" 4:3 tv's so that no cropping had to be done?

 

[Malcolm R]

Was it Bug's Life or Antz that was re-rendered to "fit" 4:3 tv's so that no cropping had to be done?

I think it was "A Bug's Life." There may have been no "cropping" per se, but all the digital elements that were spread out in the widescreen version had to be manually crammed into the smaller frame. And even if it's not true pan and scan, it's still an alteration from the OAR as seen in theaters.

 

[Andy_MT]

I still have quite sizeable top and bottom black bars?

remember, black bars are your friend

 

[Darcy Hunter]

Bruce

Claus is right, the only R1 anamorphic version of ABL is the 2-disc special edition. I also own a 16 x 9 TV and the RP-91, and while 2.35:1 films do have black bars, when you watch a non-anamorphic 2.35 film, the picture will seem to look "stretched" with people looking very short and fat, and the black bars will be even thicker.

 

[Bruce White]

Thanks for all the replies. I guess I have the non-anamorphic version. There is only 1 disk.

I'll have to be more discerning as I rent DVDs from now on. I had a similar bit of confusion with Twister. I wanted the special edition, but ended up with the original release. Fortunately, the local Blockbuster was very nice to allow me to exchange for no extra cost.

Bruce

 

[Andy_MT]

Darcy wrote :

when you watch a non-anamorphic 2.35 film, the picture will seem to look "stretched" with people looking very short and fat, and the black bars will be even thicker.

you don't really watch 2.35 non 16x9s in stretched mode do you ? please say it ain't so

 

[Mark-W]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was it Bug's Life or Antz that was re-rendered to "fit" 4:3 tv's so that no cropping had to be done?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I think it was "A Bug's Life." There may have been no "cropping" per se, but all the digital elements that were spread out in the widescreen version had to be manually crammed into the smaller frame. And even if it's not true pan and scan, it's still an alteration from the OAR as seen in theaters.


Actually, --I am sure you didn't want this to go this
direction, but having the CE set and watching both
the 1.33:1 and 2.35:1 versions I can tell you that while
they like to talk about how the 4:3 version is recomposed,
it still CLEARLY fits the label "pan-and-scan:" just
look as several side-by-side shots, and you'll see lots
of information was lost on the sides of the film...when
the queen is being fanned by her little helper while
she tells her daughter to relax, the fanner is cropped
out of the scene...that is pan and scan as anyone should
define it.


Mark

 

[Johnny G]

Andy,

There are still people with 16:9 TVs that won't use the various sizing functions properly.

 

[Joseph Young]

The 2-disc collector's edition of A Bug's Life is OOP, as far as I know. It is the only version available with an anamorphic widescreen version to accompany the fullscreen version of the film.

I was lucky enough to find the 2-disc version collecting dust on an obscure back shelf at Suncoast just a month ago. The difference in resolution & quality for 16:9 or anamorphic compatible TVs is worth mentioning, far superior to the 1 Disc "Gold Edition" (which has a non-anamorphic widescreen version of the film).

that is pan and scan as anyone should
define it.

I'll be the first to admit that IMO the widescreen framing is superior. However, it's fun to watch the 4:3 framed version, as they went through a great deal of effort to reframe everything to new specifications, and most of it looks quite natural. The 2 disc edition has an extra feature with side-by-side comparisons of many key scenes. Each example a loss at the sides and gain at the top and bottom of the frame in the conversion to 4:3. This was no hatchet job, folks - a lot of care and effort went into the reframing.

I am a staunch OAR supporter, and by this criteria the 16:9 should be the only version available. But in the case of A Bug's Life I make an unapologetic exception.

Joseph

 

[Brian L]

I think the point of the original question has been lost (or I got it way wrong!).

That ratio of the WS side is 2.35:1 (or very close). Your set is 1.78:1. As such, the film has a wider aspect ration than the TV, thus some black bars at the top and bottom.

Whether or not you have the anamorphic version or not will not get rid of your black bars.
The anamorphic version of a 2.35:1 film will have bars top and bottom on any WS 1.78:1 display, unless you choose a zoom or stretch mode.
The non-anamorhic version of a 2.35:1 film will have black (or grey) bars top, bottom, and side, unless you choose a zoom or stretch mode.
Of course, I may have totally mis-understood what you are asking.
Here is where I think you need to go to learn all you need to know on the subject:
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articl...c/welcome.html
Best Regards,
BL

 

[Damin J Toell]

The 2-disc collector's edition of A Bug's Life is OOP, as far as I know.

Nope. It's still in print. Image still lists the status of the disc as 'Active.'

DJ

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

The anamorphic version of a 2.35:1 film will have bars top and bottom on any WS 1.78:1 display, unless you choose a zoom or stretch mode.

Or, to put another way, a 'widescreen' television is a compromise, being about half way between 'standard' television in a 4:3, or 1.33:1 ratio, and what is the most common of the widest of theatrical ratios, for movies being made these days, which is 2.35:1. Or, 7.05:3 if my math is holding out.

 

[Darcy Hunter]

Andy

No, of course I don't watch non-anamorphic material in the "stretched" mode or Full for HiDef. Befor I got my RP-91 I used the zoom option, but now I use the 91's non-anamorphic scaling feature. I guess I should have phrased that better.

 

[Bruce White]

Brian L,

Thanks for the link! I've downloaded the PDF version and will read through it.

I realize I'll have black bars when watching 2.35:1 movies on my 16:9 TV. However, these bars will be fairly small. However, with the Bug's Life DVD I rented, these bars are quite large. That was one of the things that prompted my post in the first place.

=============================

Darcy,

Can you tell me how you use the 91's non-anamorphic scaling feature? Is that a setting to turn on somewhere?

Thanks!

Bruce