Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Amores Perros (2000)

This is topic Amores Perros (2000) in forum Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 03-14-2004, 10:07 PM:

"Amores Perros" (2000)
aka "Love's a Bitch"
8 Reels
Flat (see below *)
Dolby SR/SRD
US release by Lions Gate Films
Non-theatrical distribution by New Yorker Films
2/24/01 and 2/28/01 soundtrack neg and picture neg dates.
non-Kodak non-Fuji filmstock; edgecode "00OD" (zero zero oh dee)
Laser-etched subtitles (unfortunately some white-on-white)
Looks kinda like Tech. lab, but maybe not? (not labelled)

* We have some debate locally as to the correct aspect ratio. Tao Yue believes it should be 1.85:1, and points out that that is the ratio seen on the DVD, and there is no information to the contrary, and that the film is supposed to be visually crowded. I began watching it in 1.66:1 and we switched to 1.37:1 after R1 because a lot of elements were being cut off in 1.66:1, including significant chunks of people's heads. If anyone knows authoritatively, it would be nice to know. The subtitles are framed for 1.85:1 presentation, also.

Posted by Tao Yue (Member # 836) on 03-24-2004, 05:17 PM:

I wrote to Rodrigo Prieto, the cinematographer on Amores Perros, and received the following response (posted with his permission):

quote:

Dear Tao:
Thanks for your interest and insistence on preserving the artistic
integrity of the intention of the framing in Amores Perros. You are
correct, the aspect ratio was 1:85. It would be very sad for me that
anyone would see it projected at Academy Full Aperture since there
framing was very important to the story telling. Even though the
camera is hand held and mobile, great thought and energy was put into
the proper framing (at 1:85). Again, thanks for caring, and I hope
that I helped settle the issue. Good luck!
Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC.

Michael Coate, Paul Linfesty, and Steve Kraus would probably find a sense of deja vu in this. cf. the last time jhawk raised a giant fuss over the same subject (opening up open-matte films):

http://www.film-tech.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=12;t=000025#000000

This should settle any discussion over aspect ratio. Anything else should go in Yak.