Aspect ratio
What is the deal with the aspect ratio of this movie? Why did Coppola choose 1.37 : 1 and why didn't he shoot it in wide screen? It seems a little odd for a movie that was made during the eighties.
shareProbably because he was trying to replicate the earlier musicals of the 40's and 50's which were usually shot in 1.37:1. Gene Kelly himself believed this aspect ratio was more appropriate for musicals over widescreen and did not like having to implement widescreen when he was involved in directing 'It's Always Fair Weather'.
shareI think Coppola stated why on the commentary track, but for the life of me I can't recall what he said.
shareI think Coppola stated why on the commentary track
This is true. He says it's the best ratio for shooting a musical. In 1.37: 1, you can frame the dancer from head to toe, meaning that you get the full performance. To achieve the same thing in a widescreen ratio you would have to put the dancer/actor in a long shot.
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That's right. I think he also went further to say that he didn't mind shooting in that ratio.
shareThat makes sense. I don't have any sort of bias against the full-frame ratio, but somehow while watching this I was itching for it to be in Cinemascope. A lot of the garish, Technicolor 50's films it's influenced by were certainly shot in that ratio, and I just feel like the films stylized, colorful unreality goes well with super-widescreen as opposed to 1.37.
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