movies - letterbox versus pan & scan
... and widescreen versus full screen
In the debate over how film is transferred to video, the sites below go to extreme widths to make their case.
best on the net | graphic illustration | permutations of explanations | also of interest | related pages
Best On The Net
- Letterbox And Widescreen Advocacy Page
Defending the visions and intentions of film makers, John L. Berger has put together all the arguments needed for why pan & scan should be banished from the planet. Everything from artists' rights to near-monthly commentary on the state of affairs can be found here.
Graphic Illustration
Seeing is believing ... animated demonstrations of why size and shape matters.
- Anamorphic Widescreen
Sean Barnard's powerful Powerpoint-like demo. - Original Aspect Ratio/Widescreen Flash Tutorial
Ryan Wright's excellent demo will have you convinced.
Permutations of Explanations
All you ever wanted to know about the transfer of film from movie theatre to the home screen.
- Anamorphic Wide Screen Support Page
"Don't accept compromise ... demand original aspect ratios on DVD!" states the Cinema Laser, who also list DVD producers and their policies towards anamorphic enhancement. - Anamorphic 16x9 | Aspect Ratios
Illustrated examples from the Digital Dreams. - Aspect Ratios, Film Gauges and Sizes
The Last Link's guide to image ratios and film sizes. - Caveat Emptor
Martin Hart, curator of the American WideScreen Museum, issues an important consideration for DVD collectors. - Fox Movie Channel Letterbox Films
The folks at Fox Movie Channel say "That's the way you want them, that's the way we show them." Be sure to watch their little Cinemascope featurette. - How Film Is Transferred To Video
Henrik 'Leopold' Herranen leaves no detail unexplained. - How Video Formatting Works
From the folks at How Stuff Works. - Introduction To Widescreen
Ethan Killian calls himself the Hong Kong Fanatic, and he's a fan of the widescreen. Use the navigation tool on the left side of the page. - Letterbox Format Explanation
Richard Whettestone's no-frills straight-talking explanation. - Letterbox vs. Pan & Scan
"Most viewers don't know what they're missing," writes John Cunningham in this article from Reel Classics. - Letterbox vs. Pan & Scan
Samuel Stoddard at At-A-Glance Film Reviews explains the difference. - Letterboxed Video
"Put Your Rulers Away and Chill Out" or "How Your Favorite Video Magazines Can Confuse and Mislead You" -- the American Widescreen Museum clears the crap up once and for all. - Movie Theatre Information
Evans A. Criswell's quick guide to aspect ratios. - Movies The Way God Meant Them To Be Seen
Roger Ebert, writing in Salon Magazine, talks about boneheaded studios and incompetent projectionists, and states that movies deserve to be seen in their original aspect ratios. - Murdering Star Wars
Stefan Adler gives us examples from the wonderful world of television... - Star Wars Episode II - Attack Of The Clones: Widescreen vs. Full Screen
Even the folks at the official Star Wars site enter the debate. - This Film Has Been Modified
This article from the Edmonton Public Library's Source magazine explains what happened to your favourite movie on its way to the video screen. - Ultimate Guide To Anamorphic Widescreen DVD (for dummies)
Bill Hunt, editor of Digital Bits, proudly presents his everyperson's bible to DVD's most important video quality feature. - Video Myths Debunked
Tired of consumer complaints, the folks at Edmonton's own Alternative Video have put up this page so they can point their customers to it. - What Is Widescreen? All About Aspect Ratios
A concise explanation about picture shapes and sizes from Reel Classics. - Why Do Movies Always Say This Film Has Been Formatted To Fit Your Screen?
Ask Yahoo! has the answer. - Widescreen Advocate
Want to get involved in the widescreen movement? The Advocate is an invaluable resource to spread the word that widescreen/OAR is the only proper way to watch movies at home. - Widescreen Information Page
Even more side-by-side comparisons of your favourite movies, from John Stone. - Widescreen Resources and Information
Aspect ratios, film processes, anamorphic DVD and widescreen benefits -- Scott Moran's comprehensive site has got it covered. - Widescreen Unravelled
A series of four articles from the DVD Times explaining the subject of widescreen DVDs, TVs and how they work together. - World's Easiest Explanation of Anamorphic 16:9 Widescreen Enhancement in DVDs
Greg Lovern's attempt to simplify things.
Also Of Interest
- Anamorphic DVD List
- Anamorphic DVD-Video Explained
- Buena Vista & 16x9: The Good, The Bad & The Unenhanced
- What The Heck Is Anamorphic?
- What The Heck Is 3:2 Pulldown?
Related Pages