The Wire on Bluray... Will it ever appear? (2 Viewers)

[TravisR]

The dvd's are 4:3 so is the BD cropped ?

No, they've basically opened the frame to reveal the entire 16x9 image.


There's a pretty good discussion of what was done at David Simon's (creator of The Wire) site: http://davidsimon.com/the-wire-hd-with-videos/


and we debated it to death here (starting at post 358): http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/319803-tv-shows-and-tv-movies-gone-w-i-d-e/page-18

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

This is a disaster for those of who'd like to see the 4x3 era of television make its way to high definition in its original aspect ratio. It sends exactly the wrong message.

 

[TravisR]

This is a disaster for those of who'd like to see the 4x3 era of television make its way to high definition in its original aspect ratio. It sends exactly the wrong message.

I'm sure I've said it in other threads but while I'd prefer it were in the correct 4x3 aspect ratio, at least Simon & trusted associates were involved in the process and it's not cropped.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I'm sure I've said it in other threads but while I'd prefer it were in the correct 4x3 aspect ratio, at least Simon & trusted associates were involved in the process and it's not cropped.

That's not exactly true. It's cropped in places and opened up in places. Lots of care and attention when into the artistic compromises, but it doesn't change the fact that they're compromises.

 

[youworkmen]

Warner released the whole of ER on dvd in 16:9 . I wonder why the dvd's of The Wire are 4:3

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

I'm still wondering why this show (shot on 16mm at 4:3) gets a BD release before HBO's Six Feet Under, which was originally broadcast in 16x9 HD? I don't feel any need to upgrade my The Wire DVD set, which looks great and maintains the OAR. But we've got Sopranos, where's Six Feet Under blu-ray?

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

I'm still wondering why this show (shot on 16mm at 4:3) gets a BD release before HBO's Six Feet Under, which was originally broadcast in 16x9 HD? I don't feel any need to upgrade my The Wire DVD set, which looks great and maintains the OAR. But we've got Sopranos, where's Six Feet Under blu-ray?

Okay, so I'm caving and trading in my DVD set for the Blu-ray set on The Wire. After extensive reviews and reading about how the original DPs framed for 16x9, plus the fact that it was shot in 35mm (and for some reason, I had throught 16mm), it just makes sense to embrace the BD on this one, the best novel of a series on television.

 

[JoHud]

Yeah I agree on principle that this set spits in the eye of the OAR purists. No matter how good this remaster is, this isn't in its intended OAR.


However, I'm astounded at how much more of the frame is visible in the blu-ray with comparatively minimum cropping.

 

[TravisR]

...the original DPs framed for 16x9...

Just so no one reading that gets confused, I'd point out that while the show was shot 16x9, the DoPs' shots were composed for a 4x3 frame. The extra empty space on the 16x9 sides of the frame was not meant to be seen.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Yeah, I went through the whole debate, explanations, and comments on the David Simon website and completely understand the trade-offs - lose OAR, get a better image - but I've seen the show a couple times already in 4:3 and look forward to enjoying it all over again in this 'alternate' version. And I've totally enjoyed seeing the 16x9 The X-Files on Netflix for the same reason.

 

[Corey3rd]

I'm still wondering why this show (shot on 16mm at 4:3) gets a BD release before HBO's Six Feet Under, which was originally broadcast in 16x9 HD? I don't feel any need to upgrade my The Wire DVD set, which looks great and maintains the OAR. But we've got Sopranos, where's Six Feet Under blu-ray?

The legacy of Six Feet Under isn't quite as strong as The Sopranos and The Wire - which constantly get named. When has the last time it got rerun on cable? Since before Bravo was into cooking and housewives?