DVDizzy Forum

In my opinion, On the Waterfront is a great classic. I own the DVD, which has a full-screen transfer, and even states on the back of the cover that it has a 1.33:1 OAR. However, to my horror, as I'm typing this, Turner Classic Movies, which ALWAYS shows complete, unedited, commercial-free films in their OAR, is airing On the Waterfront in a WIDESCREEN ratio of about 1.85:1!!! What the heck happened with the DVD?! Will their ever be an OAR DVD release of the film?

Internet Movie Data Base has "On The Waterfront" listed as 1.37:1. Since it was from 1954 which is during the period that the practice of matting films to a wider standard was just beginning, it is probably one of those movies that no one is sure whether or not it is supposed to be matted. Whatever the case I'm sure that the Columbia DVD is not cropped, it is surely the full frame camera negative. Turner Classic Movies has probably matted it down themselves, thinking that was the filmakers intent. And they could be right.

I just took a look at my copy of "On the Waterfront" And I can tell it was definitely shot "open matte". There is plenty of space above and below the titles and plenty of space above the actors heads. So I'm pretty sure Turner Classics got it right. This movie was supposed to be framed at 1.85:1. Internet Movie Data Base (and the Columbia DVD) definetely screwed up on that one!