Widescreen Television - Black Bars Are Your Friend
I know I shouldn't take it personally. I know I should just let it slide. After all, they don't know what they are doing. It's just a job. Right ? Who am I talking about ? TV sales people. OK, before they all get upset, I'm not talking about experts. Norlec, Encel. They know what they are on about.
I'm talking about the pimple-faced weekend sales people at the Megamarts and Retravisions. I walk into these places (usually out of a perverse curiosity - do they understand it yet ?) to be greeted by huge widescreen televisions with distorted images being shown uniformly across the wall. Heads stretched in some strange torture device. Strange ectomorphic people populate every movie and TV show being screened in these places. There is not a black bar in sight. Why ? Because the general population don't understand how widescreen works, and these simple-minded salespeople don't want to teach them.
It's simple, really. Television comes in two flavours. 4:3 (aspect ratio 1.33:1) is the standard, almost square tube we have been watching for years. 16:9 (AR 1.78:1) is the new kid on the block, called Widescreen. So what's the problem ? Movies. Damn it, movies are the problem. Movies come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Let's list a few movie aspect ratios for the folks, shall we :
1.33:1 How it was at the beginning
1.66:1 Kubrick liked this. Strangelove actually shifts between 1.33 and 1.66
1.78:1 Widescreen TV
1.85:1 Probably the most common format used today
2.20:1 Not uncommon. 2001 was shot on this format
2.35:1 The EPIC ratio. Still used a lot today. Think Lawrence of Arabia
2.40:1 Super epic widescreen
And there are a few inbetween these as well. Notice something about this list. Only two of them fit exactly the screen ratio of television. All the rest will have black bars top and bottom (or vertical black bars on a widescreen TV in the case of 1.33 and 1.66). This is A GOOD THING. Why ? Because that is how the director shot the film. They made a deliberate decision to use this particular aspect ratio to hold their vision. If you want to watch their movie (and hey, it is their movie, not yours), this is how it should be watched. Saying (as some do) that having black bars means you get less picture is about as intelligent as saying daylight savings fades your curtains because of all the extra sunlight. In fact, you are missing out. Depending on the original aspect ratio, you could be seeing only half the picture.
Don't believe me ? Still don't understand how it all works ?
Have a look at this aging, but still relevent web site. It is one man's crusade to get the american people to see the light. There is also a very nice, brief explaination on the Die Hard special edition DVD.
And next time you go into a Megamart store, ask the salesperson standing there why you would want to buy a TV that stretches all the images. I bet they don't get the joke.
I'm talking about the pimple-faced weekend sales people at the Megamarts and Retravisions. I walk into these places (usually out of a perverse curiosity - do they understand it yet ?) to be greeted by huge widescreen televisions with distorted images being shown uniformly across the wall. Heads stretched in some strange torture device. Strange ectomorphic people populate every movie and TV show being screened in these places. There is not a black bar in sight. Why ? Because the general population don't understand how widescreen works, and these simple-minded salespeople don't want to teach them.
It's simple, really. Television comes in two flavours. 4:3 (aspect ratio 1.33:1) is the standard, almost square tube we have been watching for years. 16:9 (AR 1.78:1) is the new kid on the block, called Widescreen. So what's the problem ? Movies. Damn it, movies are the problem. Movies come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Let's list a few movie aspect ratios for the folks, shall we :
1.33:1 How it was at the beginning
1.66:1 Kubrick liked this. Strangelove actually shifts between 1.33 and 1.66
1.78:1 Widescreen TV
1.85:1 Probably the most common format used today
2.20:1 Not uncommon. 2001 was shot on this format
2.35:1 The EPIC ratio. Still used a lot today. Think Lawrence of Arabia
2.40:1 Super epic widescreen
And there are a few inbetween these as well. Notice something about this list. Only two of them fit exactly the screen ratio of television. All the rest will have black bars top and bottom (or vertical black bars on a widescreen TV in the case of 1.33 and 1.66). This is A GOOD THING. Why ? Because that is how the director shot the film. They made a deliberate decision to use this particular aspect ratio to hold their vision. If you want to watch their movie (and hey, it is their movie, not yours), this is how it should be watched. Saying (as some do) that having black bars means you get less picture is about as intelligent as saying daylight savings fades your curtains because of all the extra sunlight. In fact, you are missing out. Depending on the original aspect ratio, you could be seeing only half the picture.
Don't believe me ? Still don't understand how it all works ?
Have a look at this aging, but still relevent web site. It is one man's crusade to get the american people to see the light. There is also a very nice, brief explaination on the Die Hard special edition DVD.
And next time you go into a Megamart store, ask the salesperson standing there why you would want to buy a TV that stretches all the images. I bet they don't get the joke.
posted by Gunslinger at 10:53
4 Comments:
While the vertical black bars on a widescreen TV are technically a good thing from the aspect of the movie itself (you are seeing *everything* that the director intended), the point of the matter is that it would be nice if directors stuck to standards!
I mean, truly, you have to admit that some directors probably pick an odd screen ratio just to be different, not for any interesting aspects of the ratio.
Aside from that, the vertical black bars are just plain annoying. Really. If you think about it, because of the ratio difference, the overall picture has to be smaller on the huge tv of yours in order to accomodate the unusual picture ratio. Are you seeing everything? Yes. Are you enjoying it just as much? Probably not since it does take a little away from the overall experience. :) Do you want the image stretched? No friggin way..
It akk goes back to the saying:
"The beauty of standards is that there are so many to choose from."
Director's do stick to standards. In many ways they are very restricted, as they have to use film stock that is available to them. Remember that film has been around more than 100 years. The 16:9 standard for widescreen television is a very arbitrary one. They could just have easily chosen 1.85 instead, which would match the most common widescreen format used in film. Instead, they chose something different - 1.78:1. Not a standard film format. Things are settling down somewhat now though. Over time you will find that there will be probably three common aspect ratios. 1.78 for material shot just for widescreen, 1.85 for the majority of film material, and 2.35 for epic films. I am happy with any of these, even on my 72 inch Loewe CRT.
Thanks for ropping by,
Greg
And on a lighter note, it is with relish that I see that Megamart has folded due to poor sales. High prices, poor service, staff with no idea about the products - I just don't understand how it failed ! (note : sarcasm in use)
"Saying (as some do) that having black bars means you get less picture is about as intelligent as saying daylight savings fades your curtains because of all the extra sunlight."
That's the best way to describe it that I've ever heard. I might have to use it on some fools around here.
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