Hope and Glory - what's the correct aspect ratio?

[Henry]

Does anyone know whether the 1.66:1 ratio of the R1 disc is correct? And is the picture quality any good? I can't find any reviews of the disc.

[sidebog7]

I've also been hunting for reviews of this title and the only one I can find is this (http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/showreview.php3?ID=1310) which doesn't inspire me with confidence about the aspect ratio. As I can get it for about £10.50 from dvdboxoffice I might go for it.

Edit - Having said that Mike's review here (http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=79) seems to suggest that the Danish R2 is possibly one to go for.

[Mike]

I assume, perhaps wrongly, that the film was shot open-matte and that Boorman prefers an aspect ratio of 1.66:1. The Danish R2 budget release which I reviewed is 1.85:1 and looks fine but so does the fullscreen video. None of which is much help.

[Gary Couzens]

Originally posted by Mike
I assume, perhaps wrongly, that the film was shot open-matte and that Boorman prefers an aspect ratio of 1.66:1. The Danish R2 budget release which I reviewed is 1.85:1 and looks fine but so does the fullscreen video. None of which is much help.

Boorman has gone on record as preferring 1.66:1 for his non-Scope films. I saw <i>Hope and Glory</i> at my local cinema on its release in 1.75:1 and it looked very tightly composed at that ratio.
<i>Leo the Last</i> is also in 1.66:1. If I remember rightly, <i>Excalibur</i> is intended for that ratio, but it's been so long since I saw it that I might be wrong.

[Henry]

Thanks for the replies. I really hope MGM will re-release the film in the future as a special edition with a Boorman commentary.