MovieChat Forums > BMX Bandits (1983) Discussion > Aspect ratio

Aspect ratio

posted 14 years ago by annevejb
2 replies | jump to latest

This is an extract from my user comment for BMX Bandits:

The big problem with this DVD, for me, is the image quality. I have a PAL region 2 on the Contender label, 2005, and the sunnier scenes are a bit washed out. I can put up with that.

A bigger problem is that the aspect ratio is wrong. This is widescreen letterboxed in 1.78 and measures as 2.38 to 1, approx, but it looks squashed vertically.

To get it to look right depends on one’s player. On a computer with VLC 8.1 I set preferences/video/source aspect ratio to 16:10 and this played with the image looking about right. If I had a 1.78 screen I would need to use the 16:10 setting and also select the preferences/video/video filter module/crop module and use a manual crop to trim the top, bottom and maybe also the sides. preferences/ Modules/video filter/crop/crop geometry/720x476+0+50. Ie <width>x<height>+<left offset>+<top offset>. Practical, but thankfully one does not need to do that sort of thing too often.

[–] Woodyanders 13 years ago

The new DVD from Severin presents the film at its proper 2:35:1 widescreen ratio.

I'm a totally bitchin' bio writer from Mars!

[–] Stoshie 13 years ago

Buy the new Severin Films DVD or Blu-Ray. They fixed the aspect problem you speak of (and which I have seen myself). It is now in anamorphic widescreen, and looks very good for a film of that era.