Ahab

Am rather discouraged to see this being issued in 16:9 rather than its OAR. But I did read the following at this site :

"Some controversy surrounds the release though following the news that it had been decided to crop the original 4:3 visuals to 16:9. As Fremantle's Anthony Thomas revealed, this was the result of not only numerous comparative tests, but also commercial pressures such as the fact that when it comes to worldwide broadcast rights, 'there simply aren't any HD TV channels that are willing to consider 4:3 material. However, it's worth pointing out that all of the grading and restoration was done to the original 4:3 material, before it was cropped to 16:9. So, if for some reason we ever need it, we do have the restored version in its original aspect ratio'."

Does anyone share my slim hope that they may later release it in the original aspect if enough consumers complain about this cropping?

Drexl

I sure hope it would get released in its OAR. I'm afraid we'll be seeing more of this as time goes on. I have never understood the double standard some people have with this; letterboxing on the top and bottom is okay, yet on the sides it's taboo. I guess they're just accustomed to it in one case, and not in the other.

And really, the excuse about the HD TV stations doesn't fly with me. TV stations can and will crop material all the time, but that's no reason to carry it over to the BD release.

milo bloom

Here's the flaw in your argument. People still complain about letterboxing. They get their widescreen displays and their Bluray players, and the first scope movie they watch with the black bars, they come screaming to the internet about how their still being "cheated" out of their movie by the "elitist" black bars.

The education of the masses should have started with DVD way back when. All films presented in their OAR, and anything wider than 1.66 should be 16x9 enhanced should have been in the DVD spec.

Drexl

Sure, but I think there's more of a resistance to side bars. Disney has never gone to the length of including art panels in the empty space of a 2.40:1 movie.

(Although, it was done for the opening credits of The Dark Crystal way back when.)

Gizmo

You don't know how many times I hear or see people complaining about 2.35:1 or even 1.85:1 movies on their Widescreen TV. There is no point in even trying to educate these people as they will just hit the Zoom button on their remote.

doctorthodt

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/hd-talk/577...y-11-16-a.html

davidh777

Too true, considering people are still complaining about it in this forum. It's even worse among the unwashed crowd.

Ahab

Thanks to the link to that thread. Somehow I missed it. I should have posted in that one rather than starting a new thread. Sorry!

Living Dead

My parents always bought fullscreen DVDS's. Then when they got a widescreen TV, they continued to buy fullscreen movies and just let the TV stretch the image. It made me want to scream.

Ahab

Yes, it is going to have subtitles.

JimRochester

Do they still release FF DVD's besides TV series? It's been so long since I've looked for a regular DVD I don't know but I figured by now they would have stopped releasing them.

I'm looking for Ken Burns The War but apparently that has also been cropped for HD broadcast so the BD will as well.

PhantomStranger

The chance this set ever gets released in the original aspect ratio? Zero, as it will be a tough sell the first time on Blu-ray. The real problem is the fundamental lack of understanding geometry by the average consumer. All modified aspect ratio problems come down to that simple fact.

I believe the producers though about broadcast demanding it to be widescreen. That is very common in the industry for HD feeds.

BuckNaked2k

The War is 1.78:1. Do you mean The Civil War?

Jay G.

Let them press zoom on their remote, as long as the Blu-ray is in OAR.

JimRochester

No, the article I read stated that it was cropped to 1.78 for HD broadcast. I forget the source, probably DigitalBits unless i read it wrong.

BuckNaked2k

I think they meant the source material was cropped. The 2007 film is 1.78:1.