MovieChat Forums > The Fastest Gun Alive (1956) Discussion > Beware the Australian DVD release!

Beware the Australian DVD release!

posted 16 years ago by The_Romantic
3 replies | jump to latest

Hello all,

This is just to let you know that the Australian DVD version of this movie is to be avoided at all costs!

The Fastest Gun Alive was originally framed with a 1.37:1 aspect ratio as stated in the 'technical specs' page, but the DVD is being sold as a 'widescreen edition'!! On the Australian DVD, black bars have been used to cover up the top and bottom of the movie to give the illusion of a 1.85:1 aspcet ratio. Both the sound and picture quality are inferior to my VHS edition.

If someone offers you this DVD, even as a gift, you should be rather offended!

Martin

[–] depositjunkmailhere 16 years ago

It's quite possible the film was shown this way in theatres, using a 1.85:1 aperture plate to achieve "cheap and dirty" widescreen. The first example of this was Shane (1953), shot in 1.37:1, but by the time it was released The Robe had come out in CinemaScope, so Paramount instructed theatre managers to mask Shane to 1.66:1 and advertise it as widescreen. Then of course there was the butchery of Gone With The Wind to create a "widescreen" 70mm version by simply chopping off the top and bottom of the frame with the consequent loss of actors' heads and feet. So don't blame the Australians. They are simply following an established Hollywood tradition.

[–] janig22 15 years ago

DVD-R copy available from www.freemoviesondvd.com at reasonable price also many other films not available commercially on DVD.

[–] aventer-1 13 years ago

The film was shown in 1.66, 1.85 or even 2 to 1 ratio in most theaters. It was filmed in 1.33 but the action was framed so that cropping would not spoil the composition. This was very common in the mid to late fifties and was not "cheap and dirty widescreen" but rather the intended format for theatrical exhibition. Since the film did exist in a projectable 1.33 format it could be shown in those few locations that had not yet converted to widescreen as well as on tv. The amount of cropping was left to the individual exhibitor and varied greatly, but none of the films from major studios in the '50's were expected to be shown as 1.33 aspect ratio. "Shane" was one of the last major releases not actually composed for cropping and did suffer from even a modest amount. But because 1.33 films looked old fashioned by 1954 it was usually shown cropped anyway. By the 60's, wide frame lines were beginning to appear on release prints as it became obvious that 1.33 would never be used again.