This is topic Psycho (1960) REQUEST in forum Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 09-26-2009, 08:42 PM:
Looking for print information. Specifically, is this 1.85 or 1.66?
AJG
Posted by Karl Borowski (Member # 5424) on 09-26-2009, 09:01 PM:
I"m not 100% certain, but, to hazard a guess, I'd say 1.66.
EDIT:
Actually, according to IMDB it is 1.85:1, not that that is by any means definitive.
Also from IMDB.com: 2972.1m (12 reels) [9751 feet] 109 min. (108 min. in the edited German version?)
Posted by Jack Theakston (Member # 4484) on 09-27-2009, 02:28 AM:
Project at 1.85, some shots are hard matted to 1.75. Universal's camera department only marked for 1.85-1 and 2-1.
Posted by Karl Borowski (Member # 5424) on 09-27-2009, 01:42 PM:
Any idea why they hard-matted to 1.75 Jack, to hide mikes maybe?
Was 2:1 a common aspect ratio in those days, in addition to 1.66?
How did that work? Were projectors marked off for three or four different formats in the early '60s?
Posted by Jack Theakston (Member # 4484) on 09-27-2009, 02:08 PM:
Karl, probably at 1.75 so that there's a little play-room between 1.85, in case you were undermasked or overcut on your plate. Some of the shots are opticals or effects, others are to hide the tops of sets. The most infamous hard matte in the film is during the shower scene, covering up Ms. Leigh's boobies.
2-1 became one of Universal's house ratios since 1953 when they began shooting everything for wide-screen. Paramount also started composing all of their VistaVision titles for this ratio later on, since it was the "maximum" ratio the print could be projected at. Ultimately, the idea was to get a super-wide screen, without having to fork over thousands of dollars for CinemaScope lenses. All studios began to unanimously compose for 1.85 around 1956, although if you look at most reel bands from Universal even after this point, many say "Maximum projection ratio: 2-1."
I could be wrong, but I don't think most theaters were capable of that many variable ratios (this would be more likely in a big city chain theater). You had a flat, 'scope and maybe Academy plate and lens. Many neighborhood theaters were common width, so doing variable ratios there would be easier. Most flat ratios were picked based on the proscenium dimensions.
Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 10-30-2011, 11:19 PM:
It has been 763 days since the last post.