Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Screen Damaged

This is topic Screen Damaged - Need Aspect Ratio Info in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 07-28-2003, 04:16 PM:

I need to know ASAP what the aspect ratio is going to be for the restored release of VERTIGO. Seems there are more problems running an outdoor theatre than meets the eye. We fold the screen over on itself depending on which format is in use. THE BLACK PIRATE was 1.37 so that was all the screen that was shown, the remaining edges were folded back. Then for the live shows, the entire screen is rolled up and tied up to the truss.

When we came in a few days later and unrolled it, seems that squirrels had climbed down the aircraft cable and chewed about a 2 - 3 foot area at the edge of the screen -- when you open it up the hole has a mirror of itself on either side of the fold.

What I need to know is, can I play VERTIGO in 1.66? If so, then we have an extra week to deal with patching the freakin rodent's handywork. But if it is hard matted at 1.85, then we have to patch the screen before this Friday.

Anyone who has played this recently and knows if I can get away with it at 1.66, please let me know. Hopefully it is not hard matted at 1.85.

Frank

PS -- Didn't find any entry on the Feature Films and Trailer Attachements forum for this title. The info on the IMDB gave information about everything and anybody who every had anything even remotely to do with this film, but no aspect ratio info. Just reminds me why I hate IMDB

PPS -- does the restoration have an SR track? Digital? DTS?

As always, thanks in advance.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 07-28-2003, 04:22 PM:

Unless it was printed with a hard matte, probably yes. Call for Mr. Robert Harris....

http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/vvbook.htm

Posted by Sam Hunter (Member # 1119) on 07-28-2003, 05:43 PM:

I found the specs on IMDB for Vertigo and it states 1:85.1
http://us.imdb.com/Technical?0052357

Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 07-28-2003, 08:12 PM:

I thought that, being filmed in Vistavision, it could be shown shown either way (1.66 or 1.85.)

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 07-28-2003, 08:24 PM:

I think it may be 1.66 because I remember watching a movie may have been stratigic air command that had borders all the way around the picture for the opening credits. Didn't they do a restored 70mm version or this film with DTS only of did I dream that somewhere.

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 07-28-2003, 09:10 PM:

You weren't dreaming Darryl. I saw it in 70mm DTS at the Avco General Cinema in Los Angeles. IIRC they screened it in 1.85.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 07-29-2003, 07:55 AM:

That 70mm image on the Harris/Katz restoration appears to be 1.66:1 on the print itself. When projected, a bit of the top and bottom would be masked, so likely the intent was 1.85:1, but 1.66:1 should be safe. Again, if Mr. Harris sees this thread, he would have the definitive answer.

Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 07-29-2003, 11:45 AM:

If it's 1.85:1 can't you just show it in 1.66:1 letterbox.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 07-29-2003, 01:18 PM:

Found some other links:

http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/vvspecs.htm

http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/vvstory.htm

http://www.widescreen.org/aspect_ratios.shtml

http://home.earthlink.net/~mrob/pub/filmformats.html

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-03-2003, 06:00 AM:

Thanks guys, and yes, it was hard matted at 1.85 and it just so happened that the damaged part of the screen was over far enough that we were able to rehang it on the truss off center so that there was enough good screen before the hole to play the film at 1.85 as was intended. The print was a bit dense and for the first time the producers could see what I meant when I scream "you've got to cover up those park lights -- they are ruining the contrast" after every show.

The screen company (one I never heard of and which I can't recall off hand) sent a swatch of material to make the patch and instructed us to patch it by trimming the hole and then applying the patch from behind. They also supplied some sort of double-sided adhesive film to accomplish this. I once patched a Technikote screen but did it from the front and used silicone cement for the adhesive, which stayed flexible all these years. The patch is invisible with the projected image. I question doing it from the rear, but I am assuming the company knows their stuff better than me.

BTW, the print of VERTIGO was MINT. Not a splice or lab joint anywhere. Paramount sent word that was the way they wanted it back. OK by me. It's nice to be a change-over booth, even if it is over run by West Nile-carrying mosquitos and rats with tails! [thumbsup]

Posted by Tao Yue (Member # 836) on 08-04-2003, 10:37 AM:

So Frank, now that you have the print, can you answer your original question about sound formats?

DTS timecode? Discs?
SR-D? (claimed by IMDB, I don't quite believe it)
A or SR noise reduction on the analog tracks? (as I recall, early "DTS Stereo" was type-A only)

Also, was this a recent strike? A 1996 strike kept in the vault? Print number? I saw an incredibly beat-up print of Vertigo last summer at the Brattle, a theater that handles well over a dozen archive prints annually. Really muted my enthusiasm for booking it -- during the restoration credits you could hear the puzzled whispers in the audience: "Restoration? What restoration?"
There's currently no listing for Vertigo in the FITA forum, would be nice to see it there for future reference. Should be quite a popular rep title.
It's nice to hear that there are still good prints of a restoration that was done (only) seven years ago.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-10-2003, 01:24 AM:

Tao,

Will post this to the FITA forum, but here's the poop:

Title: VERTIGO (1996 Harris Restoration)
Distrib: Paramount
35mm Print #: 03
Emulsion: Eastman LPP
Base: Polyester
Print Incept Date: n/a (no EK edge code, no edge date stamp)
Release #: n/a

Special: Marked "ARCHIVE PRINT - DO NOT SPLICE"

Picture format:
Spherical 1.85:1 (Hard Matted)

Sound format:
Analog: SR
Digital: DTS / NO disks as of 1 Aug 03

Physical Condition: Mint
Scratches:
Base - None
Emulsion - None

Color Fade/Shift: None

Acidosis (VS): None

Overall Condition: AA
(WB rating)

Notes: No Reel Bands

Frank