Widescreen version
Was this movie ever released in widescreen on DVD?
shareI'm not sure about the foreign releases, but the only DVD release that it's had in the US was in 2004... which is Full Screen.
I read somewhere that Synapse, who released Basket Case 2 to DVD, will also be releasing Basket Case 3... I'm almost certain they'll release it in Widescreen.
I know you are, but what am I?
Thanks for replying.
So Synapse released Basket Case 2 in widescreen? Or it was full screen, yet you still hope they'll give Basket Case 3 a different treatment?
They released Basket Case 2 is widescreen.
I know you are, but what am I?
Hmm, I only saw it in fullscreen (Basket Case II that is). Is it a "true" widescreen release, or that open matte type (I think that's the term) that only put black bars on the top and bottom to achieve the widescreen effect, and in fact the fullscreen is actually more complete? Or is it the other way around, and the fullscreen is cut on the sides?
shareThe film was shot open matte, meaning it's negative ratio is 4:3 full frame picture, but when displayed theatrically it was 1:85:1 widescreen. The UK Dvd has the open matte (ie, without black bars) of both 2 and 3, but Synapse is releasing only the 1:85:1 prints on DVD, which doesn't have black bars, but does lack the information making a full frame release. Preserving the theatrical exhibition.
sharestamklum, when displayed in the old TV aspect ratio of 1:33:1, you get more on the top and bottom of the frame, but you lose a little bit of information on the sides.
Here's a shot from the widescreen version of part 2:
http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll33/BDRecords/BasketCase2.jpg
Same shot from the full-screen version of part 3:
http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll33/BDRecords/BasketCase3.jpg
Notice that in the first shot, the way it's framed you can see all of the dolls as well as the edge of the toy chest -- clearly that's the way it was intended to be viewed, and personally I think the shot looks much better that way. While it's true you get more picture on the top and bottom with open-matte, filmmakers almost never plan for their movies to be seen that way (the first "Basket Case" is a rare exception that was both shot and projected 1:33:1), which is why microphones, cords on the floor and similar things are often visible in open-matte versions of movies.
And now that I've compared the Fox BC3 DVD side by side with the Synapse BC2 disc, I'm eagerly anticipating Synapse's release of 3. Drastic difference in picture quality.