Planet Terror: 1,78:1 or 2,35:1? (1 Viewer)

[DexterPQ]

According to the IMDb the OAR is 2,35:1, but according to some people the DVD is in 1,78:1.
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=558

Made Rodriguez a ratio change as with 'Once Upon a Time in Mexico'?

 

[Jonathon M]

It appears (from comparing the trailer to the upcoming DVD release) that Planet Terror has been cropped from 2.35 to 1.78. Wasn't Mexico merely unmatted for DVD release? By the way, the Machete trailer (which runs before the actual feature, on the main title - title 1) is also 1.78:1.

That being said, having only watched the first 30 minutes so far of PT on DVD, it doesn't look cramped or anything, at least the majority of the time. I'd really be curious to hear Rodriguez's statement on the matter, as he has never really used one aspect ration constantly in his work, whereas Tarantino definitely has a favour towards 'scope. Not to mention, many of the trailer shots seem to look overly empty on the sides, like television shot "for safety" in widescreen.

Possibly the theatrical ratio of PT was wider purely because Death Proof's ratio, and the need for all the reels to be in one format... (ie: anamorphic 35mm)

This is something that certainly needs some further fact-checking before we get medieval on RR's ass. He was the Director and DOP, so we should be (by default) leaning towards being sure we're getting the version (ratio-wise) that he wants us to see. There's no point to TWC releasing a cropped version of this unless it was intended by RR, because they certainly didn't crop Death Proof.

 

[DexterPQ]

I read the european theatrical release of Planet Terror is in 1,85:1.

 

[TravisR]

That would be my guess.

Of course, Rodriguez's intent and desire will be meaningless to people who are going to scream bloody murder over this.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Planet Terror was shot in 1.78:1 with the Panavision HD Genesis camera but screened theatrically at 2.35:1 (Death Proof was done the same way but with 3-perf Super 35 instead of HDTV). So it isn't cropped, just opened up to full width.

 

[Jonathon M]

The Planet Terror footage in the Grindhouse trailers is at 2.35:1 and shows noticeably more on either side. The DVD is lacking this extra side information. That's not a statement based on opinion of the framing. It's fact.

Now, IMHO, it looks like that extra information is extraneous, but regardless, PT's 2.35:1 ratio does indeed show more on either side of the DVD's framing.

Since PT was shot in 1.78:1, and was screened at 2.35:1, with the DVD framing being culled from the 2.35:1 print (minus the sides), that (realistically) means that the raw footage of PT has more information on all 4 sides, unless matte boxes were used during filming to frame down to approx 2.35:1.

Unless I've just misread your comment.

 

[Jonathon M]

Amen to that. Brace for the thread whinging.

Makes you wonder though, will the inevitable Grindhouse double feature release have PT framed in it's theatrical aspect ratio of 'scope?

BTW: Planet Terror still (obviously, to anyone who has read the screenplay) has the missing reel. The machete trailer and restricted card, along with the grindhouse title card are at the start. Only difference so far (besides framing, and possibly more gore?) that I can tell, is that "QT/RR double feature card" at the Grindhouse title card now says "A RR film" or something like that.

There's possibly some small things, I'm not sure. I guess there has to be, because of the "extended and unrated" tag, but I'm not seeing much difference so far, unlike the DVD of Death Proof. Then again, I only saw Planet Terror once on a dubious format, as after the infamous US release, Grindhouse was canned in Australia. Apparently we get Death Proof in November. *shrugs*

 

[Jonathon M]

oh, and for shits and giggles: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1077258/...t/86315400?p=1

i swear to god, its like the blind leading the blind over there, but isn't it always?

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

Jonathon, since you have the dvd, can you confirm what the audience screening track on the dvd is ??????????????????????

 

[TravisR]

Yeah, just going off of the script, there were very few scripted scenes that were deleted from the Grindhouse cut of Planet Terror (and none of them seemed to add much if they are back in the movie now).

 

[Drew Reiber]

Going by the script, there would be a lot of expository extensions at the Blocks' house, the hospital, the precinct and, hopefully, the base. What's disappointing for me is that reports on the extended cut seem to say that the action scene in the base doesn't exist, even though there was tons of evidence that they got close to shooting it. I was also hoping for the missing reel, but there was never anything to suggest it actually existed outside of some gag interviews and the DVD solicit.

 

[Jonathon M]

What action scene on the base? I've got the book, but didn't read the screenplay of PT all that closely (yet). Can you be a little more specific?

Thanks!

 

[Benovite]

Who is filmmker that wrote this:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...d.php?t=262913

read here before you complain. learn something about film projection - hence anamorphic 35mm being a key point in understanding this.

it appears that rodriguez shot it in 2.35:1 for the cinema (to match death proof) before cropping it for DVD and single-film theatrical release. it would appear that the DVD matches the director/dop's intention.

so either think about things, or don't ask questions that simply require a little thought from film fans (something surprisingly difficult to find on this site...).

[above message directed at whole topic, not specifically romer68]

Who ever it is they come off as very arrogant IMO.

It's one thing to enlighten and educate, another thing to talk down to people.

Sorry, just saying it how I read it. =/

 

[Matthew Marino]

Jonathan, is the framing I have here roughly correct on the dvd? I find it strange that promotion videos show the full 1.78 while the DVD shows the cropped 1.78.

 

[Jonathon M]

The DVD is less cropped than that, but appears to trim a bit off all four sides.


The shot that I found to be the most obvious is the "Lose the arm? My arm?" scene. The shot with that line in it doesn't get that wide on the sides on the DVD.

 

[Jonathon M]

I've got to go to work in a few minutes, but when I get back, I'll take some captures from the trailer, and some captures from the DVD and throw them up here.

 

[Drew Reiber]

Grindhouse pages 71-72, of the Planet Terror script. El Wray uses the mini-bike to drive around the base and destroy a number of tanks, among some smaller moments with Cherry taking on some soldiers too. The action scene is fully detailed on those pages, with animatics on page 91 and what looks like a shot from that area of the film on page 98 (could be wrong). Maybe they didn't shoot it... maybe they shot it and it's in the deleted footage...

EDIT: According to Steve Joyner, Jeff Poss and Caylah Eddleblute on page 138, the scene was shot. ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHH! Where is it?!?

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

Jonathon, can you confirm if the dvd has the audience screening track ???

 

[Matthew Marino]

Thats the international trailer and every shot shows more information on the top and bottom of the screen. I'm really finding it hard to believe that it's not just the open matte version on the DVD.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

... although "Jackie Brown" was 1.85:1.

Regards,