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Post #933184

Author
EJones216
Parent topic
Info & Discussion: Fullscreen Laserdisc / DVD Preservations
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/933184/action/topic#933184
Date created
22-Apr-2016, 7:16 AM

Super 35 is generally 4x3 on the negative (4-perf only, of course) but the extra information depends on the transfer-- most major studio films in the late 20th-century will have exposed the entire 24x18mm gate on the negative (including anamorphic and Academy 1.85:1 films) and only be matted on the married print. The “Spider-Man” comparisons posted earlier have a couple frames with more information on the left in 4x3 than 1.85:1, and pan-and-scan versions of “October Sky” and “GoldenEye” (I’m sure plenty of others) occasionally go beyond the 2.35:1’s left edge. For a different kind of “unmatted version”, the widescreen versions of MGM’s original R1 DVDs of “Species” and “The Great Escape” are two I know of that expand the left area of the frane (DVDBeaver has comparisons on both).

“Reservoir Dogs” (1997 DVD-- not the 2002 which is completely pan-and-scan) appears to be a straight unmatted transfer, although both the 4x3 and letterbox transfers are overcropped on the left side (running comparisons to the 2002 DVD, it appears the 1997 transfers (which might have been the same ones made for LD and VHS) were done to Academy measurements rather than Super 35, but regardless is another unmatted DVD at your disposal).

T2’s Ultimate Edition’s extras go at length to describe the Super 35 topline used in its production (centered at 1.85:1 with 2.35:1 common top, CGI shots hard-matted at 2.00:1 with 20% top and 80% bottom, framing chart here: http://www.davidmullenasc.com/super35chart.jpg), and in Cameron’s “Letterbox Heresies” essay he appears to favor sizing the 4x3 frame at the 1.85:1’s height, which would explain why his 4x3 transfers are generally a 50/50 split between OAR and pan-and-scan (and examined closely enough, completely ignores the original framing-- the beginning of the pseudopod’s POV shot in "The Abyss’ uses the very bottom of the frame to where the film gate is visible, and as such loses some of the top of the 2.35:1’s frame. The Super 35 demo on T2 Ultimate Edition also shows a shot that goes to the very top). It’s possible many non-Cameron transfers utilized this methodology since the 4x3 negative may be in many shots not completely protected for boom mics and other equipment.

(there’s also Super 35 “common top”, which I assume is more likely to result in an unmatted transfer because all the extra image is below the 2.35:1 frame, but it would need a reference as to what films were shot that way. “Ronin” is the only one I know for a fact was-- still cropped on sides but mostly unmatted as shown here with other S35 comparisons including “The Matrix” at http://www.cinedie.com/formatting2.htm – but this framing was popular enough for Fincher to express his disdain for it and use a common center on “The Game”)