Dark Knight Blu-ray Question (Merged)

[Hagermanfd]

I know or at least i think, the black bars are supposed to be on the top and bottom of the screen when watching blue ray movies correct? I have a Sony Bravia KDL-46XBR5, with sony blue ray player, have all the settings set as they should, now the first scene in Dark Knight (bank robbery) the picture is in full screen, then after the bank robbery the rest of the movie has the black bars on the screen, anybody else have that problem, or is this just the way the movie was made?

[GGX]

Originally Posted by Hagermanfd

or is this just the way the movie was made?

Its the way its supposed to be. The scenes filmed with IMAX cameras will completely fill your screen.

Btw, there is no e in Blu-ray.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

It's because the Blu-ray includes the IMAX formatted sequences in all of their glory. Since IMAX has a different filming aspect ratio, there is a difference in aspect ratio between the scenes filmed with the IMAX cameras and the rest of the equipment used throughout the filming.

So, the switching aspect ratios are normal and they will always be present during the Blu-ray playback.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

It's the way the film was made. Some scenes were shot on Imax film, at a different aspect ratio than the rest of the movie.

If I am not mistaken, I believe that the Imax scenes were shot in 16:9, which is the same aspect ratio that is the standard for HDTVs, so those are the scenes that are filling up your whole screen.

The rest of the movie was shot on standard movie film at a much wider aspect ratio, so those are the scenes where you are getting the black bars on the top and bottom.

Nothing is wrong with your TV, your player, or your disc (at least not because of this). It's just the (unusual) way this movie was made.

[silversnake]

ahhhh!! Anyone else cringe when they see the "E" in blu-ray.

[Batman00]

Originally Posted by silversnake

ahhhh!! Anyone else cringe when they see the "E" in blu-ray.

i was just gonna say that, anyone who writes it with an E should be suspended

[Uncle Leo]

He's new. Give em' a break

[GGX]

Originally Posted by Uncle Leo

He's new. Give em' a break

Never

[silversnake]

Originally Posted by Batman00

i was just gonna say that, anyone who writes it with an E should be suspended

I don't know about that haha. It is the holidays after all.

[silversnake]

*delete*

[Afrobean]

Actually, the aspect ratio of the IMAX footage is taller than 16:9.

They reason it appears as 16:9 on the BD is because that was the most it could expand while maintaining the width. If they had done the full height of the IMAX aspect ratio, there would have been heavy pillarboxing during those shots.

Wikipedia says IMAX is 1.43:1 standard. A little wider than standard TV (1.33:1), but nowhere near as wide as widescreen TV (1.78:1)

[beefytwinkie]

I saw the DVD version of The Dark Knight and the whole movie is in widescreen. On the blueray it changes around. I know it's DVD and probably wouldn't make much of a difference but why didn't they do the same with the DVD as the blue? That is, show the movie in the original aspect ratio for all scenes?

[Booyahs the name]

Originally Posted by GGX

Btw, there is no e in Blu-ray.

Good thing you told him that always bothers me

[GGX]

Originally Posted by beefytwinkie

I saw the DVD version of The Dark Knight and the whole movie is in widescreen. On the blueray it changes around. I know it's DVD and probably wouldn't make much of a difference but why didn't they do the same with the DVD as the blue? That is, show the movie in the original aspect ratio for all scenes?

Probably for the same reason why there is still pan and scan "full screen" releases on DVD but not Blu-ray. OAR is extremely important for the enthusiast crowd that buys Blu-ray.

[Jeremy1983]

Originally Posted by beefytwinkie

I saw the DVD version of The Dark Knight and the whole movie is in widescreen. On the blueray it changes around. I know it's DVD and probably wouldn't make much of a difference but why didn't they do the same with the DVD as the blue? That is, show the movie in the original aspect ratio for all scenes?

I believe C. Nolan said that only the Blu-ray, because of the increase in resolution, would properly represent the IMAX experience. That's why the DVD is a set 2.35.

[Jamoctopus]

Same thing happened to me.
Guess we're just

[GGX]

Originally Posted by Jamoctopus

Same thing happened to me.
Guess we're just

Exactly

[Siri]

Originally Posted by silversnake

ahhhh!! Anyone else cringe when they see the "E" in blu-ray.

Yes, regardless of new members, the site is "Blu-ray.com" afterall...

[Afrobean]

Originally Posted by beefytwinkie

I saw the DVD version of The Dark Knight and the whole movie is in widescreen. On the blueray it changes around. I know it's DVD and probably wouldn't make much of a difference but why didn't they do the same with the DVD as the blue? That is, show the movie in the original aspect ratio for all scenes?

My guess is because if they did it in an anamorphic format as is standard for widescreen, they'd be opening the frame from 2.4:1 to 1.78:1. On an SD set, it would go from large black bars to smaller black bars. If they used the full 4:3 frame (i.e. "fullscreen" vs. anamorphic) to display more of the of the IMAX format, the DVD would be more true to the IMAX in displayed material than the BD.

And to entice people to be interested in the BD release as well obviously.

[bases1616]

Mods, please close this thread and move it to the TDK Mega thread if needed.