Aspect ratios in theaters

[jacobsever]

I went to see a movie last night, and realized for the first time that regardless what aspect ratio a movie is in, it always takes up the entire screen in the theater. That seems a little odd that a film shot in 1.78:1 and 2.39:1 look the same.

Why do they do this?

[Jezza]

Originally Posted by jacobsever

I went to see a movie last night, and realized for the first time that regardless what aspect ratio a movie is in, it always takes up the entire screen in the theater. That seems a little odd that a film shot in 1.78:1 and 2.39:1 look the same.

Why do they do this?

Usually from my experience the actually size of the projection screen is 2.39:1, but for films framed at 1.78:1 there are curtains on either side of obscure the rest of the projection screen for a film that would be in 2.39:1. So it makes it seem like the whole screen is being taken up by the image, when in fact sometimes it doesn't. So it's more subliminal more than anything else.

I don't know if this is how it is in the US, but it's how it is in the UK.

[Cinemave]

Originally Posted by jacobsever

I went to see a movie last night, and realized for the first time that regardless what aspect ratio a movie is in, it always takes up the entire screen in the theater. That seems a little odd that a film shot in 1.78:1 and 2.39:1 look the same.

Why do they do this?

That seems to be the case. I think they run the traveller in from a 2.39:1 to 1.85:1 when needed.

[Strevlac]

Originally Posted by jacobsever

I went to see a movie last night, and realized for the first time that regardless what aspect ratio a movie is in, it always takes up the entire screen in the theater. That seems a little odd that a film shot in 1.78:1 and 2.39:1 look the same.

Why do they do this?

How many movies do you go see in a theater? Side masking, usually curtains that open and reveal more horizontal screen area, have been standard for decades.

[L-Rouge]

Some theatres make it bleetingly obvious. Reading Cinemas in my ol home town had no side masking what so ever and seeing War of The Worlds 2005 seemed distinctly unusual, very small real estate used on screen and it did take some time for me to get used to it. most previous movies were not "flat" for instance.

[Col. Zombie]

Originally Posted by Jezza

Usually from my experience the actually size of the projection screen is 2.39:1, but for films framed at 1.78:1 there are curtains on either side of obscure the rest of the projection screen for a film that would be in 2.39:1. So it makes it seem like the whole screen is being taken up by the image, when in fact sometimes it doesn't. So it's more subliminal more than anything else.

If you pay carefull attention, occasionally you can see the curtains opening/closing or a top curtain raising/lowering before the movie/ trailers start.

[Drewza89]

I've never been to a theater that didn't have the adjustable curtains.

[JTStarkiller]

It's been a really long time since I've been to a theater that uses adjustable curtains. I always see adjustable screens.

[SpaceDog]

Most theaters have electronic curtains that adjust to the aspect ratio. I remember seeing Harry Potter 7 in my least favorite theater (it was my second time and I was with a friend who likes it for it's proximity). It was the first Friday that they'd moved it to one of their smaller screens, and they didn't adjust the curtains until I went to complain (about 5 minutes into the film). The sad thing is that it wasn't the first showing that day, so there were likely audiences who suffered through it.

[Strevlac]

Originally Posted by Col. Zombie

If you pay carefull attention, occasionally you can see the curtains opening/closing or a top curtain raising/lowering before the movie/ trailers start.

I have never in my years of existence seen a top-curtain raising or lowering. Always horizonal. I'm not saying they don't exist, but IMO that really sucks if theaters really do that.

[42041]

One of the movie theaters near me just installed new digital projection rigs, and I saw Mission Impossible there (which is 2.39:1) and there were black bars on the top and bottom... the line between cinema and TV is getting blurry indeed

[Drewza89]

Originally Posted by 42041

One of the movie theaters near me just installed new digital projection rigs, and I saw Mission Impossible there (which is 2.39:1) and there were black bars on the top and bottom... the line between cinema and TV is getting blurry indeed

Did you see it on one of those faux-IMAX screens? If so, that would explain the bars.

[Strevlac]

Originally Posted by Drewza89

Did you see it on one of those faux-IMAX screens? If so, that would explain the bars.

Yeah, the IMAX-lite presentations have their own set of rules.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by 42041

One of the movie theaters near me just installed new digital projection rigs, and I saw Mission Impossible there (which is 2.39:1) and there were black bars on the top and bottom... the line between cinema and TV is getting blurry indeed

IMAX-Digital screens are 1.78, so yes it's the same as your hi-def monitor.

[househead]

Originally Posted by Strevlac

How many movies do you go see in a theater? Side masking, usually curtains that open and reveal more horizontal screen area, have been standard for decades.

Don't knock the OP too fast...


I went to see Drive at my local theater and it was being projected onto a 1.78 screen. Ended up calling to complain and the manager said they couldn't get the masking to open up so they decided to project it onto the flat ratio screen - he didn't think anyone would notice. He was wrong!

We got into a conversation about movies and aspect ratios. He invited me to come in for a tour of the facility and to see how everything works in the projection area. Pretty cool stuff.

[househead]

* I've also seen Halloween ('78) projected onto and filling a flat screen at the same theater. The excuse for this one was valid only because of system limitations. The studio sent them a blu-ray to project and the BD player and their projection system didn't play nicely so it ended up being cropped to 1.78.


BTW - this is the good theater in my area. Ha!