Trilogies that switch aspect ratios.

[Pirate]

This is something that has always bothered me. I think trilogies and franchises should stick with one aspect ratio. I mean, if it’s something huge like 007, then changing aspect ratios is fine. If it’s like Harry Potter, where it’s all one story, I think they should stick with the aspect ratio of the first film. 2 examples of this are:

The Silence of the Lambs Trilogy:
Silence of the Lambs - 1.85:1
Hannibal - 1.85:1
Red Dragon - 2.35:1

Spider-Man Trilogy:
Spider-Man -1.85:1
Spider-Man 2 - 2.35:1
Spider-Man 3 – 2.35:1

I’m of the opinion, as I’m sure a lot of you are, that the aspect ratio means something. I think that Spielberg is a good example of a filmmaker who uses aspect ratio to tell the story as opposed to just as a default. If they changed aspect ratios in the middle of the Star Wars films or LOTR, it’d be jarring.

What are your thoughts on this?

-PH

[Sycho]

Terminator Trilogy:
The Terminator: 1.85:1
Terminator 2: 2.35:1
Terminator 3: 2.35:1

American Pie Trilogy:
American Pie: 1.85:1
American Pie 2: 1.85:1
American Wedding: 2.35:1

Ya, things like that bugged me, but the first terminator suited the 1.85:1 ratio, as did T2 for the scope ratio from the Super35 element. I can't comment on the american pir movie's as i have only seen the first one.

[MARVEL]

Alien: 2:35
Aliens: 1:85
Alien 3: 2:35
Alien Res: 2:35

Blade: 2:35
Blade 2: 1:85
Blade 3: 2:35

It definitely changes the scope (pardon the pun) and makes a movie bigger but in the case of Aliens it makes it that much more claustraphobic.

[elwood731]

Some of these examples would be hard to stop as the Alien series has had different directors, and the Hannibal series was never meant to be a trilogy (well, not in quite the way it occurred). So, I understand them better than say Lord of the Rings if it suddenly changed.

[tomdkat]

Wow, just when I thought I had fully explored piratehunter's mind.

Interesting thread. I think it might be fun to see a movie with different ARs that change during the movie.

Peace...

[Sycho]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Interesting thread. I think it might be fun to see a movie with different ARs that change during the movie.

Peace...

that'd be interesting, have you seen brother bear? ok, it's only one change, but it has doug and bob mckenzie.

[Efstar]

Originally Posted by Sycho

Terminator Trilogy:
The Terminator: 1.85:1
Terminator 2: 2.35:1
Terminator 3: 2.35:1

American Pie Trilogy:
American Pie: 1.85:1
American Pie 2: 1.85:1
American Wedding: 2.35:1

Ya, things like that bugged me, but the first terminator suited the 1.85:1 ratio, as did T2 for the scope ratio from the Super35 element. I can't comment on the american pir movie's as i have only seen the first one.

I think American Wedding was a different AR, due to all the big shots wide shots for the wedding at the end.

[Monterey Jack]

The first Lethal Weapon was 1:85, while the three sequels were all 2:35. Plus, the first three James Bond movies (Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger wah-WAH-wah!), were all 1:66, while most of the 007 films since Thunderball has been in 2:35.

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Wow, just when I thought I had fully explored piratehunter's mind.

That's not very nice.

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Interesting thread. I think it might be fun to see a movie with different ARs that change during the movie.

I distinctly remember watching Redford’s “The Horse Whisperer” in the theatre and the film changing from 1.85:1 to 2.35:1 when they reached Montana. The curtains actually opened up during the film.

-PH

P.S. I just noticed that someone changed my subtitle.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by piratehunter

That's not very nice.

Aw, come on man. I was so pre-occupied with our past Axiom discussion, this great topic took me by surprise. The sheer brilliance of the topic matter alone is legendary....

Peace...

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Aw, come on man. I was so pre-occupied with our past Axiom discussion, this great topic took me by surprise. The sheer brilliance of the topic matter alone is legendary....

Peace...

But I explained to you that I have a mental instability that causes me to obsess over the tiniest aspect of everything. You should be nicer to crazy people.

-PH

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by piratehunter

But I explained to you that I have a mental instability that causes me to obsess over the tiniest aspect of everything. You should be nicer to crazy people.

Oh, ok.

Peace...

[MARVEL]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Interesting thread. I think it might be fun to see a movie with different ARs that change during the movie.

Peace...

Galaxy Quest changed during the movie when in theaters. It started at 1:85 and changed to 2:35 when Tim Allen was brought to the ship. I was wondering why at the beginning of the movie the curtains were open to 2:35 when it started cause this theater was usually on top of such things, then it switched and I immediately got it.....

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by MARVEL

Galaxy Quest changed during the movie when in theaters. It started at 1:85 and changed to 2:35 when Tim Allen was brought to the ship. I was wondering why at the beginning of the movie the curtains were open to 2:35 when it started cause this theater was usually on top of such things, then it switched and I immediately got it.....

I'm assuming they don't bring films like "Galaxy Quest" and "Horse Whisperer" over to DVD like that is fear of cosumer complaints.

"Why do my black bars get thicker?!"

Or could they have been theatre flukes that were never intended to be shown that way.

-PH

[Taxi]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Wow, just when I thought I had fully explored piratehunter's mind.

Interesting thread. I think it might be fun to see a movie with different ARs that change during the movie.

Was this a subtle reference to the movie Brainstorm, Tom? (This was the first movie I ever saw that changed ARs during the movie, at least in any noticable way. It was very effective, IMHO.)

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Taxi

Was this a subtle reference to the movie Brainstorm, Tom?

Nope, but now that you mention it yeah, it was.

Excellent movie and I do remember the AR change.

EDIT: I just found THIS thread, which is close to this topic. I guess these thoughts come to mind every now and then.

Peace...

[SilentBob]

Originally Posted by piratehunter

I'm assuming they don't bring films like "Galaxy Quest" and "Horse Whisperer" over to DVD like that is fear of cosumer complaints.

"Why do my black bars get thicker?!"

Or could they have been theatre flukes that were never intended to be shown that way.

-PH

Well Brother Bear from Disney also did the 1.85:1 ratio and changed to 2.35:1 ratio once the main character became a bear. Disney even sent out a little memo with all the prints with the Moose guys on the sheet saying to play the movie in scope, and that teh black bars were normal on the sides of the screenOn dvd they kept the movie the way it was seen in theater. The flat ratio was shown in the Scope ratio with black bars on the sides of the image. They also released this as a 2-disc edition and on the 2nd disc they reformatted it to just play in a 1.66:1 ratio instead with no change.


Now for other trilogies in different OAR


Well its a weird one

El Mariachi 1.66:1 (theaters showings but was blown up from 1.33:1 recorded)

Desperado 1.85:1 (basically same Flat Ratio as above)

Once Upon a Time in Mexico 2.35:1 (that was in theaters but released on video at a ratio of 1.78:1)