Luke wrote:Not to further stray from our non-existent <i>Beauty and the Beast</i> talk, but...
Warner never lists aspect ratios (at least on DVD; haven't seen one of their Blu-rays), instead simply specifying "Matted" or "Scope."
Yes that's true, as they also add preserving the aspect ratio of it's original theatrical exhibition. Now I've never had any reason to believe otherwise, and will have to compare the few Warners' titles I have to a known 1.78 release, I can borrow Toy Story to compare for that. And I can compare a known 1.85 release as well with them.
Luke wrote:And, AlwaysOAR, if you're relying on what review sites list and are unaware for instance that 1.78:1 anamorphic DVDs don't have black bars on the image themselves, it's pretty peculiar and ironic that you're a stickler for upholding OAR down to distinguishing between 1.78:1 and 1.85:1.
Oh, I'm aware on a 16:9 television that a 1.78 DVD won't have any black bars as that's the ratio of the new widescreen tvs. A film released on DVD in it's correct theatrical ratio of 1.85 I would think have slight black bars on top and bottom, as it should. Now if it doesn't because of overscan, I don't know as I haven't had the chance really to watch most of my collection on a 16:9 tv.
Now if I know that a title is misframed from it's theatrical ratio, whether that difference is .05 or .5 is besides the point for me. I don't expect agreement on that, though I do find it odd that you and KubrickFan are aware of misframing on alot of the Disney live-action classics from the 60's and 70's. Where a majority of them are misframed on DVD from their original ratios of 1.75, either overmatted at 1.85 or undermatted at 1.66, you seem to indicate they should be corrected on future releases, though if I'm wrong on that assumption, my apologies. So why not the same for titles misframed from their theatrical ratios of 1.85, to the 1.78 ratio to fill a 16:9 tv.
As far as review sites go, before I decide to purchase a title, I look at the various releases a particular title has had, looking at several different reviews to get as much of a complete account as I can, looking of course for correct theatrical ratio, not edited, etc.
I've said my peace on this subject in this thread, mostly, and don't plan on really commenting more on it (waits for applause), though I won't promise...
I do regret that we have gotten off topic, that being Beauty and the Beast, and all I want to see for it on it's upcoming release is at least one of the versions in it's original form and it's original aspect ratio...
You don't make the film fill your TV, be it 4:3 or 16:9, you make your TV fit the original ratio of the film. If that means a letterboxing or pillarboxing of a film, so be it.