Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Rentaholic2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/14/04
#0Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:34pmJust wondering...I used to think that it was just distorted a little, not that they actually cut off the sides..
YankeesFan175
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/8/05
#1re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:36pmi think its just resized. maybe thats just VHSs, b/c theres the "this program has been reformatted to fit this screen."
#2re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:37pmIt depends. For most films, it doesn't matter. But, for others (especially Gone with the Wind and Robert Wise's The Haunting) the framing is very important, and becomes ruined by the transfer. Updated On: 12/7/05 at 04:37 PM
#3re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:39pmDepending on how it was originally filmed, you lose up to half the image in a fullscreen DVD. Never, never, ever buy a fullscreen DVD. They're evil!!! Regardless of what you are losing, image-wise, you are not getting the proper aspect ratio the director intended you see.
#4re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:42pm
The simple answer is yes. When a movie is shot in widescreen, and is viewed in the fullscreen format, basically they chop off the sides to fit the tv (that is why you may see noses talking to eachother). They may also do what is known as 'Pan and Scan' - which is what is depicted above - they pan the frame and decide what to show, and the other part is left out. It is basically taking a rectangle and chopping off the sides to make it into a square. Older movies (i.e., before television), were shot in full frame format (like 'Gone With The Wind'). Movies in the 1950's began to be bigger, and wider, to compete with television. These pictures above should give you an idea (you do not see Anakin at all in the full screen).
And, no, I am not a 'Star Wars' junkie - this is the first thing that came up when I searched for pics!
#5re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:43pmActually, GONE WITH THE WIND is not a good example, as you lose nothing in the transfer. For the most part, any film made prior to 1953 is not cropped in any way. Most films made after 1953 are. There are exceptions to both, of course. THE LORD OF THE RINGS, would be horribly cropped, HERBIE FULLY LOADED would be less so.
#6re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:43pmnot only are things chopped off on both sides of the screen but oftentimes wideshots are changed to "pan and scan" (to change from a frame that had two actors at opposite sides of the frame to a close-up of one actor then a close-up of the other) which can very jarring once you notice them.
PED
SorryGrateful
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/10/05
#7re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:43pmI truly believe that you do. With the more epic movies, widescreen is vital. I hate when I accidentally buy full screen. I did that with Lost in Translation and I am so pissed off about it.
#8re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:45pmJimmcf, a picture is worth a thousand words!
ihearttheatre
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/12/05
#9re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:45pmI had no idea it was that bad. I usually rent Fullscreen if I can because the black bars bother me. I guess I'll just have to tolerate them- I'd much prefer to see everything going on.
#10re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:46pmafter the first few minutes of a movie, i don't even notive the black bars anymore. i'd much prefer seeing the whole movie the way it was originally shown.
PED
#11re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:51pm
I have refused to watch full screen or pan and scan movies for many years - that is initially why I bought a laser disc player in the 1980's - they were the first ones that had widesceen home video. Even now, I refuse to buy the 'Les Miz' Anniversary concert on dvd. The laser disc is widescreen (for some reason the dvd is not). During the Marius, Cosette and Eponine songs you can actually see all 3 of them singing on the widescreen version...not just Michael Ball in the middle and 1/2 of Lea Salonga and Judy Kuhn on the sides as on the full screen version.
#12re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:55pmMy parents had a laserdisc player, and I saw every film in its proper aspect ratio. That is something my dad insisted on. Now, so do I. I just can't watch a cropped (pan and scan) film.
#13re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 4:59pm
FULLSCREEN IS EVIL!!! I will NEVER buy or rent a fullscreen movie because it honsetly affects my enjoyment of the movie. I can't stand the fact that they just chop up film masterpieces because people can't deal with the black bars. To me it's like cropping a Monet.
I accidentally bought the fullscreen DVD of West Side Story for $9.95; when I noticed that it was fullscreen I took it back and bought the only version they had in widescreen. It was a forty dollar boxed set, but getting the full picture was worth it!
My sister bought the fullscreen version of Lord of the Rings, and it's just confusing as hell!
-best12bars
"Sorry I am a Theatre major not a English Major"
-skibumb5290
Rentaholic2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/14/04
#14re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 6:33pmwow, I never really knew...damn, I always buy fullscreen cause I was under the impression that they just sqeeze it a little, and a tv screen is small enough as is that I want it to fill the entire screen...shoot! thanks though
timote316
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/04
#15re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 6:53pmWhenever my parents buy DVDs, I get angry, as they buy fullscreen. However, after a few years, they finally listened to me and started buying widescreen for the movies for me (Star Wars, movie musicals, or anything else I specifically ask for). I just can't stand fullscreen.
chrrymn
Broadway Star Joined: 7/20/05
#17re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 7:03pmThere is quite a difference. I learned my lesson after I borrowed a widescreened dvd from a friend, then going back and watching my vcr tape of it. It's very noticable.
"Mrs. Lovett, how I did without you all these years I'll never know!"
Avatar photo (c) Paul Kolnik.
#19re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 7:08pmesta loco!
PED
#21re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 7:11pmdios mio.
PED
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#22re: Do you really lose a lot of the picture in a Fullscreen DVD?
Posted: 12/7/05 at 8:25pm
Watch How The West Was one in fullscreen & letterbox
This is one of the better examples as it was shot in 3 panel cinerama & you really see how the aspect ration comes into play. The pan & scan basically shows you 1 panel & you lose almost 2/3 of the film. The biffalo stampede becomes a few buffaloes as opposed to a whole screen of them It is somewhat like the sensation of seeing it in Cinerama - which I did @ the Loew's State in NYC ( now Paramount Plaza)
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