What is the aspect ratio on Greenaway's The Pillow Book R1 DVD?
05-11-07, 12:21 PM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
The DVD is a modified full-screen transfer. There is no proper widescreen release of the movie available on home video anywhere in the world.
It's a real shame. The aspect ratio problem is basically a huge clusterfuck for the film, which was very precisely composed for a mix of aspect ratios, with some footage in 1.85:1 and others at 2.35:1. There are scenes where the aspect ratio should shift mid-shot from one to the other, but that effect is hugely compromised on the DVD (which in a few scenes switches from 4:3 to approximately 1.66:1, but is badly cropped).
It's a real shame. The aspect ratio problem is basically a huge clusterfuck for the film, which was very precisely composed for a mix of aspect ratios, with some footage in 1.85:1 and others at 2.35:1. There are scenes where the aspect ratio should shift mid-shot from one to the other, but that effect is hugely compromised on the DVD (which in a few scenes switches from 4:3 to approximately 1.66:1, but is badly cropped).
05-11-07, 01:14 PM
#3
DVD Talk Godfather
Thread Starter
Well I found this :
http://dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=1860
All versions here are framed at 4:3 (1.33:1) full screen with aspect ratios varying within that frame. They are the same full screen transfer that was supervised by Greenaway himself.
http://www.mondo-digital.com/pillow.html
Fortunately, the DVD edition preserves the nuances and colorful schemes of his compositions very well. Letterboxing pursits will balk at the claim on the packaging that the film, "while filmed in multi-aspect ratios, has been re-formatted to fit your TV." In fact, this is the same fullscreen transfer supervised by Greenaway himself which first debuted on British video some time ago. Like much of his television work, The Pillow Book was created with digital Japanese technology and involves layer upon layer of images interacing in various aspect ratios (ranging from anamorphic Cinemascope to 1.33:1). This version looks far more satisfying than the film's theatrical showings at 1.85:1, which constantly lopped images and subtitles off at the top and bottom of the screen. Occasional shots framed at even slighter aspect ratio than 1.66:1 seem slightly clipped on the left side of the screen (notably the end titles and an occasional title card), but this in no way affects the compositions. This is a marked contrast to Greenaway's other digital Paintbox epic, Prospero's Books, which was shot hard-matted at 1.66:1 and completely collapsed under Fox's pan and scan video transfer.
http://dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=1860
All versions here are framed at 4:3 (1.33:1) full screen with aspect ratios varying within that frame. They are the same full screen transfer that was supervised by Greenaway himself.
http://www.mondo-digital.com/pillow.html
Fortunately, the DVD edition preserves the nuances and colorful schemes of his compositions very well. Letterboxing pursits will balk at the claim on the packaging that the film, "while filmed in multi-aspect ratios, has been re-formatted to fit your TV." In fact, this is the same fullscreen transfer supervised by Greenaway himself which first debuted on British video some time ago. Like much of his television work, The Pillow Book was created with digital Japanese technology and involves layer upon layer of images interacing in various aspect ratios (ranging from anamorphic Cinemascope to 1.33:1). This version looks far more satisfying than the film's theatrical showings at 1.85:1, which constantly lopped images and subtitles off at the top and bottom of the screen. Occasional shots framed at even slighter aspect ratio than 1.66:1 seem slightly clipped on the left side of the screen (notably the end titles and an occasional title card), but this in no way affects the compositions. This is a marked contrast to Greenaway's other digital Paintbox epic, Prospero's Books, which was shot hard-matted at 1.66:1 and completely collapsed under Fox's pan and scan video transfer.
Last edited by inri222; 05-11-07 at 01:17 PM.
05-11-07, 01:45 PM
#4
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And thus the only reason why I haven't picked this dvd up yet...
Speaking of Greenaway, proper releases are sorely lacking for most of his films in Region 1. A Zed & Two Noughts, The Draughtsman's Contract, and The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover are all out of print (the former two being non-anamorphic).
Prospero's Books, The Baby of Mācon (a personal favorite of mine), and Drowning by Numbers are non-existant over here.
I'm region-free but I don't have a PAL-NTSC converter, so simply speaking it sucks being a Greenaway fan in the states right now.
Speaking of Greenaway, proper releases are sorely lacking for most of his films in Region 1. A Zed & Two Noughts, The Draughtsman's Contract, and The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover are all out of print (the former two being non-anamorphic).
Prospero's Books, The Baby of Mācon (a personal favorite of mine), and Drowning by Numbers are non-existant over here.
I'm region-free but I don't have a PAL-NTSC converter, so simply speaking it sucks being a Greenaway fan in the states right now.
Last edited by Gonvik; 05-14-07 at 01:58 AM.
