Old HTF Chat w/Pixar on Bug's Life

[Jake Lipson]

I just happened upon <a href=http://www.hometheaterforum.com/files/pixar.txt target=blank>this old HTF chat with Pixar</a> about the A Bug's Life transfer. Makes for very, very interesting reading even if it's dated by today (begging for Toy Story to show up on DVD, talking about why the Bug's Life DVD wasn't 16x9, etc.) They talk a lot about how they recomposed the movie for 4x3, and the then-novel digital-to-digital transfer process which they began with Bug's Life. The reactions to that are neat to see. I thought this was relivant enough to bring up especially since the Collector's Edition is getting a facelift on Tuesday. This was even before that, but is stil relivant. I'm guessing the pressure at this chat for a 16x9 transfer sort of influnced Pixar to choose to upgrade the transfer fom letterbox to anamorphic for the CE.

[Luke]

Yeah, I read that a while back (although it doesn't pre-date my DVD days, it pre-dates my days at the HTF). And you're right, it's very interesting.

A chat with Disney would be great, but it will never happen. When they offered Ron an interview about the Fullscreen business (coincidentally, what happened to the Part 2 of The Digital Bits' coverage of that, when they took it over)...he declined.

[Jack]

Enjoyable read. Up till now, I had no idea they reformated the original aspect ratio for the DVD - not too sure I'm happy about that.

I know we're not loosing much in the process (not nearly as much as pan & scam or foolscreen), but it bugs me a bit.

Anyways, the guys at Pixar seem cool, from the interview.

[Luke]

The original 2.35:1 aspect ratio is in tact on the DVD, and that's great. I've watched the reformatted 1.33:1 a few times, and it's nice composition, too. But I still prefer the wide presentation, even if the alternative is better than P & S.

[Jack]

The original 2.35:1 aspect ratio is in tact on the DVD, and that's great.

Great to hear.