This film was not Hard Matted and shot On Technicolor 35mm 4 Perf film,any Ratio from 2.40:1 to 1.33:1 is an acceptable variation on the film if it is BOTH Director and Cinematographer approved,which it is.That said the change from 2.35:1 has not omitted or removed anything,so stop whining.You would have seen the film in 2.40:1 if you went to a 70mm equipped theatre.
Univisium = Super 35 2.0
@Jacob:
Your text is full of false infos:
“any Ratio from 2.40:1 to 1.33:1 is an acceptable variation on the film”
“The Last Emperor” was filmed via the anamorphic Technovision process with a ratio of 2.39:1. On every aspect ratio under 2.39:1 picture informations will be cut at the right and left sides.
“That said the change from 2.35:1 has not omitted or removed anything,so stop whining”
When you change the format to 2.00:1 you loose picture information.
“You would have seen the film in 2.40:1 if you went to a 70mm equipped theatre.”
When someone has seen the 70mm-Blow up it was in 2.21:1.
Even if Jacob is wrong, though, it still is true that both Storaro and Bertolucci approved the transfer. There’s no way to deny that. If they wanted it at that ratio, why is it so bad?
Savvy
Storaro knows more about filmmaking than anyone on this site combined. If you’ve ever read his books and heard him speak, he helped to define what modern cinematography is. He prefers 2.00:1, which is why he created it.
You can criticize him and Bertolucci all you want but I’ll take those masters of cinema over some jackass on the internet any day.
@Zachary Phillip Brailsford
“Even if Jacob is wrong, though, it still is true that both Storaro and Bertolucci approved the transfer. There’s no way to deny that. If they wanted it at that ratio, why is it so bad?”
and @Fredo:
“You can criticize him and Bertolucci all you want but I’ll take those masters of cinema over some jackass on the internet any day.”
Tell me both where I criticized the way Storaro handled this transfer? I just wrote that Jacob’s text was full of false technical infos and “There’s no way to deny that.” ;-)
@Fredo
You call me a “jackass”? I thought that the level of the members at TheAuteurs was above the level at other sides. You demonstrated that I was wrong.
I’ve just watched the Blu Ray and I don’t appreciate Storaro’s revisionism either. It is clear that the film was not originally framed for Univisum as there are definitely compositions where one is missing information on the edges. For instance a shot where the Emperor and his two wives sit in a car at night. There half the Emperor’s face is missing because he’s on the edge of the frame. There is no doubt that in the original composition his whole face was in shot.
Absolutely love The Last Emperor. In fact, had it been filmed in its native languages (partially to keep Pu-yi from having four different accents throughout), it would have become one of my all-time favorites. That being said, had I known that the Criterion release was cropped from its original ratio, I would have been on the lookout for frames that didn’t work effectively. But because I didn’t know at the time of viewing, I had no problems enjoying it.
It is very clear that the Blu-ray has been cropped on the sides. Numerous scenes awkwardly appear out of balance. For example, the scene where the young emperor and his new bride stand back to back to compare heights their faces are chopped off so that all we see is the tips of their noses. Funny, I pulled up Netflix’s streaming version of the movie and it is framed at 2.35:1. All the missing information is there, no longer are characters cropped out and the scene in question above perfectly captures the characters standing back to back with full views of their faces. What a freakin’ shame that Criterion did not realize that Storaro and Bertolucci were totally wrong. Anyone who compares the 2.0:1 frame to the 2.35:1 will instantly see that the 2.35:1 is much more valuable and artistic.
Ah, this old cinephile hobby horse again.
“It is clear that the film was not originally framed for Univisum as there are definitely compositions where one is missing information on the edges.”
It also wasn’t made to be watched on your television.
Oh well, that’s a good attitude. If it wasn’t made for home theaters, lets just not bother at all shall we?
-Anyone who compares the 2.0:1 frame to the 2.35:1 will instantly see that the 2.35:1 is much more valuable and artistic.-
You mean as it applied to The Last Emperor, right? It’s difficult to substantiate a claim that one aspect ratio is inherently superior to another, but I can to some degree appreciate many people’s consternation over what is essentially a reframing of the version they were accustomed to seeing becoming the “official version” of the film.
Amon
Originally envisioned The Last Emperor in 2.00:1 did we? Right…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Univisium. How does it feel sitting on pile of money while you crop and mutilate you great works and defecate on your fans for the sake of money? I hope it feels good. Criterion, you were swindled.