|
|
This topic comprises 4 pages: 1 2 3 4
|
|
Author
|
Topic: Brother Bear - various aspect ratios
|
|
|
Evans A Criswell
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1579
From: Huntsville, AL, USA
Registered: Mar 2000
|
posted 10-21-2003 10:04 AM
Several of you mentioned Galaxy Quest:
Galaxy Quest started with a 4:3 image (simulating the TV show they were making in the show). After the first few minutes, the image widened (not instant -- it took a few seconds) to 1.85:1 within the scope aperture. After a while, it widened to full scope, and I believe the second widening was instant.
However, on the DVD, it starts out with the 4:3 image within the 2.39:1 letterboxed area, and at the first widening, instead of widening to 1.85:1, it widens to full scope then when the "slow widening" is used".
I liked this effect in the theatre, but I guess they figured it wouldn't translate well to DVD since a scope image is letterboxed in a 16:9 area and not using the full image width appears an an image with black all around it, which is a very different appearance than in a theatre.
I wish they'd made prints for theatres with nothing but the "Thermian Soundtrack". ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paul Linfesty
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1383
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 10-21-2003 12:43 PM
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS features a prologue that starts in 1.33(7) Lowell Thomas speaks on a set with a globe and shows clips from the Melies silent, TRIP TO THE MOON. Then, a countdown of a rocket launch commences, while an optical mask opens to reveal the full image (don't know if this was how it was originally projected in 1956, but it is how it exists now).
All of the CINERAMA travelogues began with standard 35mm introductions before expanding to full screen.
BRAINSTORM had all normal sequences in 35mm 1.85 format, and then cut to the SP 70 POV shots (or, more correctly. point of MIND shots). I never saw this in 35mm, so I dont know what format this was in (scope or flat). It was very effective in 70mm, though. Actually, even the 35mm flat blow-up material looked really good in the print I saw.
NAPOLEON played with an extremely small 1.33 image for most of the film until the last reel exploded to triple width. It was interesting how they achieved this in the 70mm 1982 version. This presentation actually required two lenses. The 1.33 stuff filled the top and bottom (or almost) of the 70mm frame and required a different focal length lens than the last reel, which used the standard 70mm lens of the theatre and had an extreme letterboxed ratio of 4 to 1 (ok, 3.99). So the brightness levels between the two formats were extremely noticable at the theatre I saw this at. In other words, the top and bottom of the screen was masked down and up to the ratio of 3.99, with the 1.33 image fitting within that narrow ratio.
MYSTERY OF PICASSO (1956) This was a french film that showed the artist at work, creating canvasses specifically for this movie. The last reel of the film is in scope to demonstrate "wide" canvas paintings as opposed to the narrower paintings of the rest of the film.
The HORRID 1989 re-release of THE TEN COMMANDEMNTS presents the Cecil B. DeMille introduction in 1.37, then optically EXPANDS the screen to a 2.2 ratio during the Paramount logo. NEITHER ratio was correct, as both prologue and movie were shot in VistaVision, and (despite the so-called several AR approach hyped by Paramount for the process) was specifically supposed to be shown at 1.85.
THE RIGHT STUFF opens with scratchy Black and white 1.3 footage, and with the crash of the test plane shown here, explodes into color and wide (1.85) screen. Not as much a dramatic increase in width, but effective all the same.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Frank Angel
Film God
Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999
|
posted 10-22-2003 01:53 AM
Yeah, well I've got the DADDY of all aspect ratio changes. The very first IMAX film I ever saw was at Gordon's CineSphere in Toronto. The film was NORTH OF SUPERIOR. I had never heard of IMAX before and I only went in because I was on vacation visiting Ontario Place and, hey, it was a movie and the name of the theatre as the CineSphere....would could resist?
My friend and I file in with the rest of a very long line. We hear people talking about "the biggest screen ever made." I think, "hmmm, we shall see." I sit in front of this wall. "Where's the screen...it's just a wall," I tell my friend. Already I am not impressed....and even worse, there's no curtain. Then they give the ole down-at-the-bottom-of-the-screen talk, which seemed to suggest we were going to see a really BIG picture. Then NORTH OF SUPERIOR starts and here's this smallish square image in the middle of the wall. I lean over to my friend, this is the big deal screen? The screen in my theatre is bigger than this...these Canadians have a weird idea of what BIG is," says I. "Shut up," says he.
Warning: SPOILER -- If you haven't seen this film, don't read any further.... you really should see it not knowing what to expect.
The film has started and we are looking at what seems to be a camera mounted on a boat that is slowly picking up speed as it skims along the water. The camera seems mounted in front of the boat almost at water level. It picks up speed....I mean REALLY picks up speed going faster and faster while the 360 degree sound is building to a pounding pitch, a kind of "Jaws" theme, only better. Then, just as it looks like the boat is about to fly out over a waterfall, camera and all, in that perfect instant, the image jumps to fill IMAX screen and it is now obvious as the camera dives and tilts over the gargantuan water fall, that it is not mounted in a boat at all but on an airplane and you are flying out over the rising mist of the falls.
It was one of the most exciting and impressive movie moments ever....reminiscent of Kubricks span across eons in the famous cut between the falling bone and the spacecraft, only with a lot my viseral reaction. I actually said loud enough for people around to hear, "Holy shit." An my friend didn't tell me to shut up either....everyone was of the same mind, holding with white knukles onto the arm rests so as not to fall over into the water. It was truly spectacular.
I dragged my friend back on the line and waited another hour to see it again....did that for the rest of the day until we saw the last show.
Gordon, do you know if that title is still in the IMAX rotation? Can it be seen anywhere?
I got back to Brooklyn and had IMAX send me tons of literature. I became an IMAX junkie. And one of the guys at the last show let me see the projector and even gave me three frames from a print that was damaged. It's still up on the wall. That was in around 1975 or 6. Gordon, could that have been you?
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All times are Central (GMT -6:00)
|
This topic comprises 4 pages: 1 2 3 4
|
Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM
6.3.1.2
The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion
and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.
|
Home
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[thumbsup]](graemlins/thumbsup.gif)
Bill Shaw himself made the presentation and gave the booth tour at a Toronto/Rochester/Montreal SMPTE "mini-conference" held in Toronto.
Printer-friendly view of this topic