argh923

Rocshemp didn't even read the question. The question was why movies can't be made in the same aspect ratio now...it wasn't referring to movies that were made years ago.

Mr. Salty

What you fail to realize is that movies are filmed for presentation in movie theaters first, not your precious TV. There are still more 4:3 TVs in the world than 16:9, so why aren't you advocating for movies to be shot in 4:3? I can tell you why: You're only thinking about what suits your preferences.

Movies should be shot in whatever aspect ratio the director and cinematographer feel is most appropriate for the subject matter at hand. Whether some stoner on the Internet is unhappy that 4 percent of his massive HDTV later goes unused should not enter into the equation.

DVD Polizei

But at the same time, if we never had 2.35:1 and only had 1.85:1, we probably wouldn't notice the difference. Within all the THC-filled posts WiiDSmoker blows, I still find a little sanity in them. A little.

I'll be honest. I wish my entire screen was filled on my HDTV. Makes is seem more "personal" and intimate. When the screen has bars on it, it seems distant. But, there are some films which I do like in tighter aspect ratios. Battle Of The Bulge, for instance.

WiiDSmoker would probably have his first born if he saw this movie's AR.

But, for me, I think a lot of movies filmed in 2.35:1 could have been done in 1.85:1.

And we can argue what the Holy Director Incarnate intended. Well, I'm the motherfucker buying his shit and watching it, so I have a rather large say in what I want on my television. Maybe some directors only want wide-ass AR's for their weird-ass flicks. Doesn't mean it's right. Since the end product goes into my living room, I think director's might want to take this into consideration more.

This is another problem we face as we have the 16:9 pseudo-standard. And it's too bad directors can't have a standard amongst themselves. The world wouldn't end if they did, and talent would still thrive. The TV-viewing world would be a better place if a standard AR was approved, so that you could expect a particular AR.

Can't help but wonder if a standard AR would have helped HD along a lot more than what it is now. I mean, it's getting rather tiresome explaining to my friends when they buy a "widescreen" TV, there will still be bars on the top and bottom. Chalk them up as being idiots, fine, but still, they have a point. And for us HD snobs who think a director has a right to film his masterpiece in whatever AR he/she chooses, we should think re-think this concept.

Grubert

If anything, we're seeing more and more movies in 2.35:1, even within genres that traditionally were 1.85:1

For example, Step Brothers or The Devil Wears Prada (comedies), or Space Chimps and Kung Fu Panda (CGI for kids) are all scope-ratioed.

Hammer99

Just switch your gear & then it really doesn't matter, even 1.33:1 projected onto a 133" screen is spectacular.

MBoyd

Damn, I love 2.35:1. Didn't know what an aspect ratio was but it was always exciting as kid to see the curtains open to project the scope format. Maybe I equated it with quality? Blockbuster? Star Wars movies? Who knows . . .

Brian Shannon

I don't watch the area of the sceen without an image, there are no black bars

Exactly

There have been many legitimate answers if you care to read the thread. The idea that all film sizes are the same as the size of the screen is incorrect.

Or perhaps you go to the Louvre and ask why the Mona Lisa does not fill up more of the wall?

WiiDSmoker

Excuse me for wanting a movie to fill my entire 65" widescreen 1080P DLP TV.

You guys are insane if you love having your precious TV be cut in 1/3 when a movie is being played. The fact remains is that there should be a standard now. There is simply no excuse for movies being filmed these days (I'M NOT REFERRING TO MOVIES ALREADY FILMED) to not fill up the entire screen.

Stop your analogy of 4:3 vs 16:9. 4:3 TVs was a horrible decision because our eyes do not see in 4:3 "full frame" vision, we see in widescreen.

I'm not a stoner, if you can't tell that my name is a play on the Wii and the Nintendo DS then you have inherent problems; which is probably why you love black bars on your movies.

Why is it you don't see black bars on Hi-Def videogames? Because there is a standard.

Get off your high horse and realize that when people buy a TV, especially a high end 1080P TV, that they want the whole image to be filled. Not 2/3s of it.

Adam Tyner

This forum is for discussion about HD media. Cries for filmmakers to start making movies in 1.78:1 -- because, y'know, theaters should conform to the TVs in people's bedrooms -- would be better suited to the Movies forum.