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Columbo: The 1970s Complete Collection Seasons 1-7 (Blu-ray) [UK]
- Thread starter Space Cadet
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With the exception of the last couple of Columbo's 4/3 was the default aspect ratio.
Have to disagree. I have compared the DVD 4/3 versions with my blu-ray widescreen versions and there is way more information on the 4/3 versions on the DVD set. They simply did the open matte trick that Hammer did back in the 60's. The only exception to the Columbos I have seen is the very last one he did. That was clearly shot and formatted for 16/9. The blu-ray versions are simply the 4/3 version zoomed in.... I will be interested to see what Kino do and I will be able to compare my set to their set..... If they are same then I know the show was filmed 35mm open matte.... If it's genuine 16/9 then then you right. At the minute I'm going by what's available on the market which I have.
I don't think you quite understand what you're talking about. That's why I brought up those popular movies, out of many dozens filmed in Super35, but cropped for and intended to be in Widescreen, 1.78:1 in this case.
During 'old times' when TVs were 4:3, they might have broadcast the moviesodes of Columbo in 4:3, only with them shot on Super35, there was no need to 'pan&scan', crop from a Widescreen original, but rather release/show the open matte version. Doesn't mean it's the original intention, or better. Even some so called 'full screen' VHS and DVDs had open matte versions of movies.
Of course your comparing of an open matte DVD with a cropped from it Widescreen shows you more - ALL Super35 filmed video is like that. Widescreen frame has a little more of the image on the sides, 4:3 has a lot more on the bottom and the top, a little less on the sides.
Here's Top Gun example:
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I have a photography degree so I'm well aware of what is going on with various photographic film formats and the various differences. And I doubt in 1989 any TV company in America was thinking of widescreen. And right now the DVD's and blu-ray is telling me that with the exception of the last Columbo 35mm or 4/3 was the intend. As I said I will wait until Kino release the second set to see what they do.... Since I have the Japanese set I will be able to do a comparison as Kino are doing brand new scans and not using the Japanese prints. I think September is the release date.... I will only have to watch the first 1989 episode to compare....
Alright, I had no idea if you're a 20-year old 'newbie', or a 'seasoned' collector, so I'm sorry if I assumed something incorrectly.
Will be interesting to see your comparison then, not many have that Japanese BD set!
Everyone wants the same thing- the ORIGINALLY INTENDED ASPECT RATIO.
I had read that 1.78 was the intended aspect for Columbo after 1989. BUT- this could be dead wrong. (They may just be referencing the aspect as presented on some commercial discs).
But- organic framing is usually pretty obvious. Too much headroom is a giveaway that mattes have been removed. Cramped and awkward composition is a giveaway that the image is being zoomed in on, etc.
There are (unfortunately) meriad ways that they can mess this up. (Ex. The transfer of 2.35 THE KEEP was done 4:3 - then zoomed in on to make it 16:9!)
There is also the possibility that the later episodes were possibly framed for 1.78 , then they dropped the mattes and reframed for 4:3.
Your eyes can usually tell when it looks correct or not. Composition and framing that has been altered is usually pretty obvious.
I had read that 1.78 was the intended aspect for Columbo after 1989. BUT- this could be dead wrong. (They may just be referencing the aspect as presented on some commercial discs).
But- organic framing is usually pretty obvious. Too much headroom is a giveaway that mattes have been removed. Cramped and awkward composition is a giveaway that the image is being zoomed in on, etc.
There are (unfortunately) meriad ways that they can mess this up. (Ex. The transfer of 2.35 THE KEEP was done 4:3 - then zoomed in on to make it 16:9!)
There is also the possibility that the later episodes were possibly framed for 1.78 , then they dropped the mattes and reframed for 4:3.
Your eyes can usually tell when it looks correct or not. Composition and framing that has been altered is usually pretty obvious.
British TV was ahead of the game as far back as the early 90's and they made a big deal of it by showing TV shows intended for widescreen by a slight black bar top and bottom. The night after Diana died ITV showed the second Sharpe episode in full widescreen. The only time they showed a Sharpe in it's full widescreen on analogue broadcasting and then for 5 weeks started showing various classic widescreen films. That was about the time widescreen TV's were coming in both the UK and USA. And the USA didn't really start widescreen until 1997 even though they have been making widescreen TV's since 1993. So UK around 1993, USA around 1997 is when true widescreen broadcasting started.
I've been doing photographic restoration and colourisation for over 30 years so I have to be familiar with the various aspect ratios from glass plates to 20 x 16 plate cameras and we had to study moving film formats at college. You would be amazed at the history of widescreen. It goes way back to the mid 1920's....
That makes sense as she died at 3am in the morning and it was the next night they showed that Sharpe episode which I still have today on DVCAM tape. A unique recording on analogue...
I remember that day as I was traveling back from my weekly shop at Sainsbury's when I found out the news...
I was working that night for a major newspaper and one of our engineers was in Paris when it happened and at 3.30am the word was given to strip out the entire edition and go with the new lead. 12am the next morning before we finished. i literally did a 27 hour shift in one go... A unique and knackering experience.
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