Angel not Widescreen

[Daz]

Just got this e-mail from fox:

Hi Daz

Unfortunately we are quite far down the line in the production of Angel to
make this a Widescreen release.

Kind regards.
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

[Desk]

Originally posted by Daz
Just got this e-mail from fox:

Hi Daz

Unfortunately we are quite far down the line in the production of Angel to
make this a Widescreen release.

Kind regards.
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

If this is the case, then from the way it's worded it seems clear that a widescreen release WAS possible, but they're just not bothering themselves.

A really shoddy way to treat the first release in what I'm sure they hope is going to be a profitable DVD series.

A shame then that I for one won't be buying it. I don't intend to get burned if they subsequently release a Special Widescreen Edition, and I've still got hopes that in America (where the show's broadcast in widescreen!) they'll eventually get it with the proper ratio.

Desk

[Chris]

Originally posted by Desk


If this is the case, then from the way it's worded it seems clear that a widescreen release WAS possible, but they're just not bothering themselves.

A really shoddy way to treat the first release in what I'm sure they hope is going to be a profitable DVD series.

A shame then that I for one won't be buying it. I don't intend to get burned if they subsequently release a Special Widescreen Edition, and I've still got hopes that in America (where the show's broadcast in widescreen!) they'll eventually get it with the proper ratio.

Desk

Yes. seems like an admission that widescreen masters existed,

I won't be buying the pan&scam version.

[Michael Mackenzie]

Originally posted by Chris


Yes. seems like an admission that widescreen masters existed,

I won't be buying the pan&scam version. Me neither.

[Richie]

Are you SURE that season 1 of Angel was shot and broadcast in widescreen in the US?
AFAIK season 2 (and I guess now 3) are shown letterbox in the US. Can anyone confirm this?
Is it possible that Season 1 wasn't ever in widescreen? Did Channel 4 show it widescreen through the digital service?
(remember "ER" only went to widescreen part way through the last season, both in the US and then subsequently here)

Anyway, if anyone knows...

[Desk]

Angel Co-executive Producer Tim Minear has confirmed that Angel is filmed in widescreen, and as of the new third season that's also the way its broadcast in the US.

Angel's first season was filmed at the same time and using the same equipment as Buffy's fourth, which was broadcast in anamorphic widescreen by the BBC.

Desk

[Richie]

Thanks Desk
in which case the DVD should really be in widescreen then, but...

(and I'm just playing devil's advocate here!) Season 1 was not broadcast in widescreen either here or in the US, so it stands to reason that the 4:3 version was indeed the intended framing for the programme at the time of Season 1 (I am guessing that it was shot 16:9 to make sure it was still transmittable in the future when HDTV is the norm across the US?).

[Desk]

Richie,

I can understand trying to justify it - I really want Angel on DVD.

But what it comes down to is that the series was filmed in anamorphic widescreen, anticipating HDTV and DVD, and to accept anything other on this format is to be played for a fool by Fox.

Personally, I'm not going to spend all that money just to see Fox release a Special Widescreen Edition a few months down the line, or to see US audiences get the proper version on DVD.

DVD ought to present material in the best possible version. With this release, it's not even up to the same standard as the TV broadcasts.

I'm just going to have a little patience, and keep repeating the mantra, "no widescreen, no sale."

Desk

[Michael Mackenzie]

Originally posted by Desk
I'm just going to have a little patience, and keep repeating the mantra, "no widescreen, no sale."That's a dangerous route to go down. Repeat it too often and we'll see companies artificially matting 4:3 images to 16:9.

[Desk]

Originally posted by Whiggles
That's a dangerous route to go down. Repeat it too often and we'll see companies artificially matting 4:3 images to 16:9.

I was specifically referring to the Angel box-set.

Obviously I don't expect 4x3 material to be matted for 16x9, but where it was filmed and prepared in widescreen that's the way I expect to see it.

Surely not too unreasonable?

Desk

[Michael Mackenzie]

Yeah, I see what you mean. However, many DVD publishers probably don't see it that way. Seriously, to many of the marketing chaps, the fact that people don't always want the exact same aspect ratio to be used is beyond them. :rolleyes: