The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

[TJdaSportsGuy]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Your welcome. I certainly can see where you are coming from. That is why for 4:3 TV's they made full screen DVDs(I never bought them lol). People complained about the black bars. The full screen DVD's sometimes were known as "family" edition of the DVD. Full screen DVD's actually cropped some of the actual film and thus you don't get what the director wanted you to see.

So I totally feel ya TJdasportsGuy but I'm a indy filmmaker myself and have worked in the Hollywood Industry so I also know where the director is coming from. The "art" side of it I guess .

Well I have a widescreen...just doesn't make much sense to me to have a shrunken widescreen image on my screen with black bars on the top and bottom when the size of my screen should accommodate all the director intended for me to see.

[triplej96]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

hey tj

Yep I've had a lot people ask me why the black bars on my HDTV? Again I see where you are coming from and if every director wanted their film at 1.78:1 you would be in luck but more and more films seem to be at 2.35:1 or 2.4:1 which will mean letterboxing. Even films at 1.85:1 have a small letterbox but I don't think you would mind it as much. It seems a lot of older films pre-1999 have a 1.85:1 aspect ratio.

Maybe they will release "fullscreen" blu-rays but I highly doubt that. Sorry tjdasportsguy I hope some of my info helped you or atleast eased the pain a little. lol

[Thrasha]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

So only in the blu ray version does the aspect ratio change while in the actual movie?

I bought the DK on regular DVD but didn't notice any change in the aspect ratio... And when I watched the iMax filmed scenes on the bonus disc, it didn't take up my whole screen.

Instead of a letterbox format at the top and bottom, I got it on the sides.

Is it because I don't have a blu ray player/blu ray disc?

[Blzer]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Widescreen aspect ratios will never effect the "quality" that is up to the transfer and many other factors but not the aspect ratio.

A film can look amazing at 1.78:1, 1.85:1, 2.35:1 etc...it doesn't matter.

Then perhaps it's that the movies that use 1.78 : 1 tend to use a lesser quality lens in general, seeing that is the cheaper format as is. I guess I made a rather large generalization.

[Seymour Scagnetti]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Then perhaps it's that the movies that use 1.78 : 1 tend to use a lesser quality lens in general, seeing that is the cheaper format as is. I guess I made a rather large generalization.

You really have no idea what you're talking about some of the time. Feature films are all filmed in 35mm. IMAX films use 70mm film hence the higher quality. The higher the better. That's why you get some older indy films that are shot with 16mm film that look inferior. In fact Nolan's 1st film "Following" I beleive was shot on 16mm and it shows. There is no cheaper lens from using different aspect ratios. Many 1:85:1 bluerays are stunning just as there is many 2:40:1 movies that look inferior.

In alot of instances movies may vary in sharpness because of the grain and filtering that is used to give it a more "film like feel". For instance the DVD of Saving Private Ryan may look inferior because of the washed out colours and the film grain is heavy. So it may not look "pretty" but the movie has no EE and the clarity is excellent for a DVD. It's what the director intended. So when the blueray of this movie comes out please don't criticize it because it doesn't have that hidef pop and sharpness. It's not meant to look that way and no it's not because the movie is shot in 1:85:1.

What you may think are superior 2:40:1 movies is because action movies almost are always shot in this ratio and action movies tend to have more outdoor scenes and special effects which look pretty in hidef. Many comedies and dramas use 1:85:1 and tend to have more indoor scenes where lighting can't showcase the full effects of hidef.

[inkcil]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

So Batman flying around, landing on his feet from 100's of feet up in the air and just being a bit hurt didn't snap you back to reality?

lol...good point

[Jgainsey]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Well I have a widescreen...just doesn't make much sense to me to have a shrunken widescreen image on my screen with black bars on the top and bottom when the size of my screen should accommodate all the director intended for me to see.

I felt the same way. I even tried to make this argument over at AVS forums and was practically burned at the stake, lol. I understand that this is the aspect ration that many film makers use, and that I'm seeing what the director intended me to see and all that crap. I would just prefer that they use the 1:85:1 or whatever it is that fits my widescreen hdtv. If I had known I was going to be watching so many blu rays with the black bars I probably would've bought a bigger TV.

That being said, it really doesn't bother me anymore. I'm just a little bit happier when I get a blu ray in one of the ratios that fills the screen. Though after watching DK this weekend I want every movie to be filmed with IMAX cameras. I know that can't be done, but damn those scenes look good.

[callmetaternuts]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

I felt the same way. I even tried to make this argument over at AVS forums and was practically burned at the stake, lol. I understand that this is the aspect ration that many film makers use, and that I'm seeing what the director intended me to see and all that crap. I would just prefer that they use the 1:85:1 or whatever it is that fits my widescreen hdtv. If I had known I was going to be watching so many blu rays with the black bars I probably would've bought a bigger TV.

That being said, it really doesn't bother me anymore. I'm just a little bit happier when I get a blu ray in one of the ratios that fills the screen. Though after watching DK this weekend I want every movie to be filmed with IMAX cameras. I know that can't be done, but damn those scenes look good.

This is probably the #1 complaint of all people who buy a widescreen TV. At least in 2008 people are aware of it, back when widescreen TV's werent the popular ones or very few people had one (like me), it made you so mad to not be able to figure it out

[triplej96]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Seymour is right but I just wanted to add a lot of films are now being shot totaly in digital format not 35mm film. They are beign shot on a Panavision Genesis. Some films shot on the Genesis:

* The Spirit (2008)
* Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)
* 21 (2008)
* Apocalypto (2006)
* Asterix in the Olympic Games (2008)
* Balls of Fury (2007)
* Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)
* The Comebacks (2007)
* The Condemned (2007)
* Click (2006)
* Deja Vu (2006)
* Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) (limited portions)
* The Ferryman (2007)
* Flyboys (2006)
* Grindhouse (2007) (Planet Terror only)
* His Majesty Minor (2007)
* I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007)
* The Lookout (2007)
* La Maison Du Bonheur (2006)
* Next (2007)
* The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
* Reign Over Me (2007)
* Slipstream (2007)
* Scary Movie IV (2006)
* Superbad (2007)
* Superman Returns (2006)
* A Tiger's Tale

Anyhow TDK is my favorite Blu-Ray the IMAX shots are incredible!

[ezekiel55]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

TripleJ, since your working in the industry, I'm sure you've heard of the Red Cam.

I expect this camera, which is priced moderately compared to the high-end cameras currently used, to alleviate some of the issues with aspect ratio due to the fact that the footage captured is never in a native resolution. All aspect ratios and resolution is acheived in post.

The only thing is Directors, Editors, and Producers wiilingness to take advantage of that.

[triplej96]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Yeah Red Cam is pretty sweet . I haven't used it my self I've only seen stuff shot on it. A problem it had early on was because of the cmos censor it produced a image with a rolling shutter bad for 3d match moving but I think further updates have improved the problem if not solved it!

Its already being used on big films like Angel & Demons (for vfx shots), Jumper, Knowing.

[Altimus]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

I've been really tempted to buy the collector's Two Face silver plated coin which I think I'm going to do.

[Psyblast]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

I've been really tempted to buy the collector's Two Face silver plated coin which I think I'm going to do.

Where can you get it?

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

I really want this even though I don't have a blu-ray player.

[Bruins]

Re: The Dark Knight Discussion **CONTAINS SPOILERS**

http://www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-conte...eathoscar2.jpg