Why does my Imax edition still show black letterbox bars?

[Dieselboy]

I just recieved and watched some of my 'big screen edition/imax' version of the film Transformers 2- the walmart special one. Anyways, much to my dismay it still displays the classic black letterboxing bars just like the regular one I've seen previously, why is that?

In The Dark Knight, during the imax scenes, the image fills the entire screen yet in this movie it seems there are no special scenes....what gives? The blu ray says 'big screen edition' right on the disc as well as the packaging too-

What am I missing here?

[Drew664]

The Imax scenes are as follows:

Scene #1

Optimus vs Megatron and company in the woods. Black bars go away, and it's full screen goodness.

Scene #2

Giant Decepticon vs the twins. Also maybe when it pummels the pyramid too, can't remember.

You may have just missed those scenes, but they are definitely there.

[jw]

The IMAX footage was only about 60 seconds if I recall....

[progers13]

Are you watching an IMAX scene in the movie? Unlike The Dark Knight, Transformers: ROTF doesn't start off in IMAX. The first scene is about 55 mins into the movie...the forest sequence. The black bars will be gone during the IMAX scenes, but I don't think there were as many IMAX scenes in ROTF as there were in The Dark Knight.

[solarrdadd]

i will be really glad when they make one of these sci-fi movies completely filmed in IMAX so that when it makes it to blu we get the complete experience. won't that be nice, if it ever happens! cost would be a factor and the ability to make money back from an IMAX only big production. but someone will do it, and that will start the trend. it will take one big hit to cause the opening up of more IMAX movies around the USA. maybe 2010 will be that year, let's hope so!

[retablo]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

i will be really glad when they make one of these sci-fi movies completely filmed in IMAX so that when it makes it to blu we get the complete experience. won't that be nice, if it ever happens! cost would be a factor and the ability to make money back from an IMAX only big production. but someone will do it, and that will start the trend. it will take one big hit to cause the opening up of more IMAX movies around the USA. maybe 2010 will be that year, let's hope so!

Well, honestly, to get the "complete experience" you need to see it in IMAX, not at home on blu. If you mean no black bars, then shooting in 1.78:1 would fill your screen. IMAX footage is still cropped from 1.43:1, so even on blu you're not getting the complete frame of what was shot.

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by retablo

Well, honestly, to get the "complete experience" you need to see it in IMAX, not at home on blu. If you mean no black bars, then shooting in 1.78:1 would fill your screen. IMAX footage is still cropped from 1.43:1, so even on blu you're not getting the complete frame of what was shot.

yeah, i gottcha, the irony is everyone was always told to get 16x9 tv's to get the proper aspect ratio like the movies. still every single movie (not everyone but you get my meaning) still doesn't fill the screen (yes i know why) with the premise given about the 16x9 what was the purpose of that if i can't get the full screen on my 16x9 that the industry has pushed on us then why didn't they just make the "proper aspect ratio" screen to fill it. i know this issue has come up before but why not make sets that would fill the screen with the proper aspect ratio (for the greater number of movies that is) or have one uniform aspect ratio that movies and tv are shot in to give full screen and proper aspect ratio on the sets we are being sold.

i know it's a bit off topic but it is important to the topic, i think. oh well, that's my rant!

[retablo]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

yeah, i gottcha, the irony is everyone was always told to get 16x9 tv's to get the proper aspect ratio like the movies. still every single movie (not everyone but you get my meaning) still doesn't fill the screen (yes i know why) with the premise given about the 16x9 what was the purpose of that if i can't get the full screen on my 16x9 that the industry has pushed on us then why didn't they just make the "proper aspect ratio" screen to fill it. i know this issue has come up before but why not make sets that would fill the screen with the proper aspect ratio (for the greater number of movies that is) or have one uniform aspect ratio that movies and tv are shot in to give full screen and proper aspect ratio on the sets we are being sold.

i know it's a bit off topic but it is important to the topic, i think. oh well, that's my rant!

The industry standard aspect ratio is 1:85.1, which is almost what your TV is at 1.78:1. They can't make a TV to accomodate all aspect ratios, because they differ. And remember, movies are meant to be seen first and foremost at the theater, NOT to fill your screen at home.

[JBL4645]

Originally Posted by retablo

The industry standard aspect ratio is 1:85.1, which is almost what your TV is at 1.78:1. They can't make a TV to accomodate all aspect ratios, because they differ. And remember, movies are meant to be seen first and foremost at the theater, NOT to fill your screen at home.

16:9 looks like W/S, scope films don’t look right when set at 16:9 YUCK! It looks better on my, LCD video projector with the black bars, since I don’t have a DIY anamorphic lens.

The width looks nice only at 6 feet 2” and just over 3 feet high An IMAX DVD with the width and height looks nice, too bad I can’t get the projector to throw a large image onto screen that will go from side wall to side wall and floor to ceiling.

That’s why I like cinema it’s still the original moving image medium.

A video projector can do a few funky things and some overpriced masking systems.

Then again IMAX doesn’t have any masking least that’s what I saw with failed local IMAX cinema and from most others that I’ve seen on the internet.

They have this new 2.20:1 cinema TV out now or is it coming soon? Well they can keep it! IMAX won’t look right on that much is clear!

A video projector is the only means around it, and even that isn’t cheap on lamp life, if ran several times each day of the week.

'The Dream Is Alive' (1985) on my LCD video projector and yes that is a bed sheet!

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by retablo

The industry standard aspect ratio is 1:85.1, which is almost what your TV is at 1.78:1. They can't make a TV to accomodate all aspect ratios, because they differ. And remember, movies are meant to be seen first and foremost at the theater, NOT to fill your screen at home.

we all know that about the movie theater that is why they go there first! that is why i also said they should be developed to a standard when mastering them for blu sales to a standard that it will "properly" fit/fill your tv. also i understand and agree with the aspect ratio you quoted, just wonder why tv's weren't made to 1:85.1 or 2:39.1 (movies are shot in either). don't want to argue or drag on about who's right, as i'm not trying to do that. my comments were more of a wish or wonder. that's enough for me cause i know this will do on forever and ever.

[Gohanto]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

that is why i also said they should be developed to a standard when mastering them for blu sales to a standard that it will "properly" fit/fill your tv.

You'd be cutting off part of the frame to do that, and killing the director's intended vision. (Yes, directors usually have a reason for shooting 2.35 instead of 1.85)

[retablo]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

we all know that about the movie theater that is why they go there first! that is why i also said they should be developed to a standard when mastering them for blu sales to a standard that it will "properly" fit/fill your tv. also i understand and agree with the aspect ratio you quoted, just wonder why tv's weren't made to 1:85.1 or 2:39.1 (movies are shot in either). don't want to argue or drag on about who's right, as i'm not trying to do that. my comments were more of a wish or wonder. that's enough for me cause i know this will do on forever and ever.

They are made extremely close to 1.85:1. Its a good middle between the 1.37:1 content (everything pre-1953 and most TV up to the 1990s) and the wide aspect ratio of 2.39:1. There will ALWAYS be black bars unless all films are cropped to one size, which is unacceptable and I doubt will ever happen.

You do realize the size of movie theater screens changes as well, depending on the film? Well, the screen doesn't change, but the viewing area does.

[Deciazulado]

Sticky at the top with examples

Aspect Ratios The Director's Vision

[Hammie]

Originally Posted by retablo

You do realize the size of movie theater screens changes as well, depending on the film? Well, the screen doesn't change, but the viewing area does.

I noticed this recently when I took my kids to see Up (I think)... Maybe it was Where the Wild Things Are). Anyway, the previews were in the 1.78 and the movie was 2.35 or something smaller. My point is that there were "black bars" in the theater.

Personally, the black bars don't bother me. I watch in a near dark environment and don't think I have ever noticed them. As a matter of fact, I missed the screen size change in The Dark Knight because the room was so dark and I could not see the edges of the TV to see the change.

[BDestroyer8418]

The Dark Knight had a lot of IMax scenes. Transformers 2 only had 2 I think and it was only the Walmart Edition that had them. You won't miss them in TDK they are great. I remember watching the TDK extras on the BD when it came out. They said something that there is only 5 I-Max cameras and they had them all to film and they ended up destroying one of them.

[kevinbr100]

Originally Posted by retablo

Well, honestly, to get the "complete experience" you need to see it in IMAX, not at home on blu. If you mean no black bars, then shooting in 1.78:1 would fill your screen. IMAX footage is still cropped from 1.43:1, so even on blu you're not getting the complete frame of what was shot.

yup. they try to simulate that same effect in the imax theater, going from the 2.39 to full imax, by going to 1.78 full widescreen.

dream is alive i have this on laser disc, dvd, and bluray, originally filmed in imax, and as i recall for the laserdisc and dvd versions, for some scenes they actually "bend" the picture using some kind of wide angle fish eye lens so you can see the entire imax frame. my mind is completely blank if they did that on the blu version, even though i did watch it. might have to rewatch .

[SpotOn]

Originally Posted by louhamilton

I noticed this recently when I took my kids to see Up (I think)... Maybe it was Where the Wild Things Are). Anyway, the previews were in the 1.78 and the movie was 2.35 or something smaller. My point is that there were "black bars" in the theater.

Personally, the black bars don't bother me. I watch in a near dark environment and don't think I have ever noticed them. As a matter of fact, I missed the screen size change in The Dark Knight because the room was so dark and I could not see the edges of the TV to see the change.

It was probably Where the Wild Things Are in IMAX. IMAX is the only theatrical format that gives 'scope movies the "black bars".