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Author Topic: Dark Knight Blu-Ray to shift aspects during IMAX sequences Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-29-2008 09:03 PM                     The Right Stuff was 1.85 in 70mm too. The Road Warrior, as someone mentioned above did the 1.37->2.39 jump. Steve  |  IP: Logged Scott Jentsch Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1061 From: New Berlin, WI, USA Registered: Apr 2003 posted 09-30-2008 12:33 PM                        If the studio has any brains at all, they'll make the 1.78:1 "full frame" feature an option on the Blu-ray disc for The Dark Knight. The Blu-ray format has the ability to do such options, just as DVD did with its seamless branching, and to not do so ignores those fans who do have 2.35:1 setups. For those unfamiliar, CIH (constant image height) home theater setups are becoming more popular, and many manufacturers are now supporting its implementation. The poor-man's way of doing it is to zoom the lens out so that the letterboxed 2.35:1 image fills the screen, requiring that the zoom be returned to its normal position when viewing 1.78:1 content. This can be done manually using the projector's zoom and lens shift controls, so it's a very inexpensive way to get the effect. This method is being made easier this year with Panasonic's new projector which has two zoom and lens shift memories to make switching very easy. The more expensive and elegant way to do it is to use an anamorphic lens in front of the projector's standard lens to stretch the 1.78:1 frame out to 2.35:1. This requires that the projector or a video processor take the 2.35:1 image from the source and compress it horizontally so that it can be restretched by the anamorphic lens. A sled is often used for the anamorphic lens so that it can be put into and out of position when needed. Motorized sleds can cost as much as the anamorphic lenses, which make for a combination that can exceed the cost of the projector being used. As you can imagine, the people that have 2.35:1 setups have gone to great lengths to enjoy movies with a constant image height (just like what is always supported here in movie theaters). To mess with that crowd is foolish, and I would certainly hope that the studio will take the little bit of extra time necessary to create that option. Even without 2.35:1 setups, some people may not want to see the image change sizes. Why not provide the option?  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 09-30-2008 01:25 PM                        quote: Scott Jentsch The Blu-ray format has the ability to do such options, just as DVD did with its seamless branching DVD can indeed do branching, but it sure as hells ain't be seamless!  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 09-30-2008 09:07 PM                     When I read this article, at first I thought the letterboxing of the 35mm scenes was only for the screener BluRay, and it was so voters could get the effect, but not subject regular purchasers to it. Did anyone else get that impression? --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 09-30-2008 09:57 PM                        According to what I've read, TDK changes aspect ratios 37 times, and that does not count the reversion back to scope.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 09-30-2008 11:18 PM                     37 times??? I assumed it was a once or twice during the movie gimmick for IMAX...but 37 times? I would've been yelling at the manager of the IMAX theater had I seen it there. That is just flat out ANNOYING.  |  IP: Logged Sean Weitzel Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 619 From: Vacaville, CA (1790 miles west of Rockwall) Registered: Dec 1999 posted 10-01-2008 02:08 AM                     most of the shots are quick 2 to 5 second wide establishing shots before a scene. I know it's hard to believe, but it worked really well and wasn't distracting at all.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 10-01-2008 09:42 AM                     I didn't have any problem with the aspect ratio switches. Actually I found it less distracting than the signal to put on your 3D glasses during movies like Superman Returns. The big IMAX shots made sense in context with the rest of the film. Some were aerial establishing shots, showing lots of tall buildings. At least three action sequences were filmed in IMAX, including the one where the semi-truck gets flipped. My only criticism of the IMAX stuff is some of the Hong Kong footage was under-exposed.  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 10-01-2008 03:31 PM                     Jumping in late, to say thanks Steve and others for the corrections on the "Right Stuff" aspect ratio. But keep in mind that I ran that film first-run so the memory is a bit foggy.. I'll be running "Dark Knight" later this month in 35mm so it'll be interesting to see the aspect ratio changes..  |  IP: Logged Mike Olpin Chop Chop! Posts: 1852 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Jan 2002 posted 10-01-2008 05:06 PM                     quote: Tony Bandiera Jr I'll be running "Dark Knight" later this month in 35mm so it'll be interesting to see the aspect ratio changes.. You won't see them. The IMAX footage was shot with a scope safe area in mind. 35mm prints maintain 2:39 throughout.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 10-01-2008 11:45 PM                     I ran the Right Stuff too when it came out and hence also knew how they handled the 70mm version. The Right Stuff would BARELY fit on a Chistie AW-370....very little platter deck left. Note, sometimes, when the studios did a 70mm blow-up...they actually filled the frame...like in the case of WARGAMES. 1.85 35mm and 2.2 70mm Steve  |  IP: Logged Anslem Rayburn Master Film Handler Posts: 476 From: Yuma, AZ, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 10-04-2008 07:17 AM                     quote: DVD can indeed do branching, but it sure as hells ain't be seamless! I recall watching a borrowed copy of "Snatch" with it's branching, and it was pretty seamless. When a diamond popped on screen, you pressed a button on the remote, and the deleted scene played in place. Naturally, correct me if I'm wrong and I'm just remembering it as I hoped it was.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 10-04-2008 10:48 AM                        Some players can probably do seamless branching, but I'd recon most can't. For layer switches there is actually a "seamless" option when authoring the DVD, but if you enable it you end up breaking compatibility with most DVD players.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 10-04-2008 12:44 PM                     I'm a little surprised to hear about the seamless branching issue regarding DVD players. I thought most DVD players made after about 1999 supported it. I have several different DVDs with seamless branching options for alternate endings or other alternate content during the movie. The Five Star Collection version of Independence Day had seamless branching. The Abyss: Special Edition is one first DVDs I bought with that capability. Thanks to The Abyss being non-anamorphic, it's now practically un-watchable on my new TV. Ugh. Fox seriously needs to do a scan and DI treatment on The Abyss and True Lies so decent versions can be made for DVD and Blu-ray already.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 10-04-2008 07:35 PM                        Why do you own Independence Day?  |  IP: Logged

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