Was Snow White ever shown in widescreen format... (1 Viewer)

[Aaron Reynolds]

Are you kidding? The OAR of Super Speedway is nearly square. When you lose information at the top and bottom of the frame that was part of the original composition, how is that different from cutting off the sides of a widescreen film?
Isn't this forum all about the original intent? OAR?
Saying that some compositions on, say, the pan&scanned version of Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid look better than the OAR version would get you crucified on this forum.

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

Aaron, did you not read what I said? The widescreen version adds more image to the left and right side of the screen, while the full frame version adds more image to the top and bottom of the screen (which makes me feel that Super Speedway was shot in Super 35). Do a search on the forum and look for the thread that shows screenshots from both the widescreen and full frame versions and you'll know what I'm talking about.
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Link Removed / AIM: MrMatthew / ICQ: 96444542
"I'm a firm believer in the philosophy of a ruling class. Especially since I rule."

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

To be a bit more specific:

- Widescreen Version (1.78:1): You'll lose picture on the top and bottom of your screen (due to matting), BUT you'll gain image on the sides of your screen.
- Full Frame Version (1.33:1): You'll gain picture on the top and bottom of your screen, BUT you won't be seeing the additional image on the sides of your screen as seen in the widescreen version.

Why would seeing information that you were not intended to see be a plus? In the thread about the open matte vs. widescreen A Fish Called Wanda, screenshots have been posted that show Cleese wearing pants when he should be naked...information that should have been covered by a matte. Is this a bonus? HELL NO.
Bottom line: the Super Speedway Mach II disc is NOT OAR. Why is it being praised in a hardline pro-OAR forum?

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

Super Speedway was shot in IMAX, which is a format wherein 70mm film is run sideways through a modified camera with a significantly larger image size than traditional 70mm (like VistaVision, except with bigger film). The aspect ratio is nearly square. Go to an IMAX theatre and see Super Speedway, and you will see a nearly square image.
A super 35mm film when the mattes are removed is no longer OAR. Super Speedway presented with additional information at the sides is no longer OAR.
edit: a further clairification --
Why is there additional information available at the sides? It is the "safe area". It is area that is always matted to account for splices, softness at the very edge of the frame, lens coverage, and the like. Scope movies in 35mm also have a similar safe area.
It's not part of the image that was intended to be seen.
[Edited last by Aaron Reynolds on November 04, 2001 at 02:10 PM]

 

[Phil Florian]

Ooo...Aaron brings up a good point. I think some of the rich dudes on here that own 16x9 tvs now will be the J6Ps of the next generation, bitching and moaning when their screens have these silly black bars on the side of their screens when they watch "Wizard of Oz" and, oh, "Barney Miller" Season one DVDs. That would be an ironic hoot.

Speaking of Wizard of Oz...I just recently got he DVD (and wow...it is a beautiful looking film!) and while watching the old trailers from it's various re-releases, I noticed they were all in letterbox. I assume these were the hack jobs done in later years to fit widescreen theatres? I was always wondering about that.
Ciao,
Phil
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Quis custodiet ipsos custodes.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

In the Pinocchio LD box, the trailers from the 80s re-release were cropped (and pretty horribly, too).
Isn't there a 16x9 Evil Dead disc coming out, a kind of "Director's Pan & Scan"?
The floodgates have opened, kids.

 

[Scott_MacD]

Yes, The Evil Dead will probably be rereleased in 1.85:1. It was released in R2 earlier this year by Anchor Bay, with DD5.1 and DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 tracks, the same as the rerelease due in February in R1, although the R1 will probably have better extras and packaging.
Last I heard, Bruce Campbell had supervised the vertical framing of the 4:3 exposed area to 1.85:1 because Raimi was too busy working on Spiderman. (Thank God I've got my Elite DVD! - although I'll probably be getting the rerelease, the unscrupulous sucker that I am.)
I could be mistaken, but I read that info on one of the side columns of www.dvdreview.com a while ago.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

It was Sam Raimi's wish to do the new DVD 1.85:1, as he always thought ED would look better that way. They just didn't have the time/inclination to do it back then. My friend got this from the Philly If Chins Could Kill signing which he neglected to tell me about
Jeff Kleist

 

[Billy Fogerty]

Ooo...Aaron brings up a good point. I think some of the rich dudes on here that own 16x9 tvs now will be the J6Ps of the next generation, bitching and moaning when their screens have these silly black bars on the side of their screens when they watch "Wizard of Oz" and, oh, "Barney Miller" Season one DVDs. That would be an ironic hoot.

Well I guess I'm one of those "rich dudes". 4:3 looks great on my 16:9. Especially when played on my RP91. No bitching and moaning here.

 

[Brian W.]

Chad R., I own the original video release of Pinocchio from 1985, and what you read is incorrect -- it was transferred OAR. I've done side-by-side comparisons with the DVD -- the formatting is exactly the same.
[Edited last by Brian W. on November 05, 2001 at 10:08 PM]

 

[Patrick McCart]

Only one trailer on the Wizard of Oz DVD is matted to 1.85:1.

The rest are 1.33:1.

 

[Bill McCamy]

While I fully agree with Aaron about "Super Speedway" and the odd approval the cropped version received from many on this forum, I have begun to wonder about "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King." A thread in the movie section has been started about the new IMAX release of the former, and the future IMAX release of the latter. While originally framed at 1.85:1, both films have been substantially restored (with new footage added to "Beast") in the IMAX format. What is their OAR now?

Just a riddle to pose while waiting by the waterside in the dark.

And, I was amused by the idea of hijacking a hijacked thread back to a point close to its origin.

And, although the count is not entirely accurate, this show as my 500th post, three years after signing on.