What's the original aspet ratio of Full Metal Jacket ?

[sonnyJIM]

My R2 copy is 1.33:1 full screen.

[Michael Brooke]

It depends on what you mean by "original"!

The original negative area was composed for 4:3, the film was shown in cinemas cropped to 1.85:1 (or 1.66:1 in Europe), and all video releases went back to 4:3, at Kubrick's request.

There seems little doubt that 4:3 is his preferred ratio - it's just that most cinemas can't show it any more, so he had to compromise.

[wide_inside]

I think you'll probably know.
Why is this called an academy print?

wide

[gZa]

'coz 1.33 / 1.37:1 used to be (pre 1953) the preferred film ratio of the <u>Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences</u>.

[Brian F]

I don't know if it was the "prefered" ratio or just a standard set up. I think it was originaly a standard for the actual aperture size (in mm) of the silent film projector gate, so that they could guarentee all film would project.
Matin Hart's American Widescreen Museum website would give the details.