MovieChat Forums > The Canary Murder Case Discussion > Odd aspect-ratio. What's with that?!

Odd aspect-ratio. What's with that?!

posted 11 years ago by MyMovieTVRomance
2 replies | jump to latest

Does anyone know if the aspect-ratio of 1:20:1 was intentional, or if it is just the result of deterioration over the years? I ask b/c in looking on this page at the technical aspects for this film, I was struck by the fact that the aspect-ratio was not the typical 1:37:1.

The reasons I began watching this were 3-fold: 1, to see Lulu in a talkie. 2, to see early Jean Arthur, and 3, to see a very, very early example of a talkie---made in the 1920s! I must say, it has aged badly and is barely viewable in parts. This is a film that is in desperate need of restoration before it is completely unenviable! But, I'm glad that it's still around. There is something almost magical about watching a film from that long ago and seeing the incredible contrasts to now.

Anything that any of you can tell me about the aspect-ratio would be greatly appreciated.

Please excuse typos/funny wording; I use speech-recognition that doesn't always recognize!

[–] EliotTempleton 8 years ago

I just saw it, and

A) the aspect ratio was not 1:20:1, and

B) standard aspect ratio is actually 1:33:1. I don't know where you got 1:37 from.

[–] MyMovieTVRomance 8 years ago

A) the aspect ratio was not 1:20:1, and

Well, all I can say is that the version you saw must have been stretched or something, because the version I saw was not standard aspect ratio---it was noticeably narrower. And the technical info listed here for the film seems to confirm that, listing it as 1:20:1

B) standard aspect ratio is actually 1:33:1. I don't know where you got 1:37 from.

http://widescreen.org/aspect_ratios.shtml
"Academy - 1.37:1 (current) or 1.33:1 (before the soundtrack was added)

The Academy ratio (1.33:1 before a soundtrack was incorporated onto the film) was the primary original aspect ratio. Most movies (if not all) that were released before The Robe (the first movie to be shown in widescreen) were shown in this ratio.

When televisions first came on the scene, they were (and still are) designed with an aspect ratio matching the Academy ratio so that movies would be shown in the same way as in the theatres. Movies that were filmed in an Academy ratio will not have a "widescreen" version because they fit perfectly on the TV. Such movies include The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Citizen Kane, and many, many others.

Although the soundtrack ended up slightly narrowing the visible frame, a hard-matte aperture of 1.37:1 became a standard in 1930. It is called the "Academy Ratio" because it was agreed upon by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences."

Please excuse typos/funny wording; I use speech-recognition that doesn't always recognize!