Letterboxed 4:3 TV movies on Blu-ray

[Hintermann]

I was wondering if there is a list of older TV films that were originally released in the Standard 4:3 aspect ratio but were later letterboxed to 'Widescreen' (usually between 1.77:1 to 1.85:1) for Blu-ray release. I know of only very few - Spielberg's Duel and more recently the Network release of the 1987 TVM Escape from Sobibor.

The 1983 TV movie Starflight One was letterboxed to 1.85:1 for DVD by a Spanish company but I don't think there is a blu-ray release.

[defwarrior4000]

The TV miniseries V was released in 1:77:1 on Blu-ray. Kenneth Johnson wanted a theatrical release for it overseas similar to what happened with Salem's Lot, but this did not happen. It should be noted that the Blu-ray of Salem's Lot is 1:37:1.

[CreasyBear]

Shouldn't this be in the BD section?

[Hintermann]

Originally Posted by CreasyBear

Shouldn't this be in the BD section?

I thought about that but the BD section is divided by country and so I felt fewer people might see it then. Also, sometimes a TVM might have been only letterboxed in certain releases.

[Damon1281]

Originally Posted by Hintermann

I thought about that but the BD section is divided by country and so I felt fewer people might see it then. Also, sometimes a TVM might have been only letterboxed in certain releases.

Twice the number of people viewing the North American section than are viewing this one.

[PenguinInfinity]

Letterbox is not the correct term for what you are describing. If a 4:3 movie is reformatted for 16:9 then it is either cropped or open matte. If the black bars are kept then it is pillarboxing.

[Hintermann]

Sorry for reopening this thread, but since the last post I noted that there is now a US Blu-Ray release of the 1983 TV movie Starflight One that's been reformatted from its OAR of 1.33:1 to 1.67:1.

As already mentioned, the only other older TV movies that have been reformatted to a "widescreen" release for Blu Ray are

1. Duel
2. Salem's Lot
3. Escape From Sobibor

Are there any other similar releases of older TV films?

[DR Herbert West]

Psycho IV

[RFK]

Both The Day After and Threads (UK) have letterbox versions included with their blu rays