MovieChat Forums > Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin (1997) Discussion > Original Aspect Ratio??

Original Aspect Ratio??

posted 18 years ago by dwpollar
5 replies | jump to latest

I realize that I may be a little anal with this question but the fact of the matter is that I AM... Anyway, this movie was originally release on video in 1997 in the United States and the 1st DVD release was actually in the United Kingdom as "Winnie the Pooh's Most Grand Adventure" with a full-frame 1.33:1 aspect ratio. I have no clue what the aspect ratio on the video release was because nobody seemed to care about that in the old VHS world. The new Disney 2006 release on DVD is in widescreen 1.66:1, enhanced for 16x9 televisions according to the box. I guess my question is what was the film originally made in?? I can't find any technical specs on this site or the Disney site about this. Again, I don't know if I'll ever figure this out(because with this movie their isn't much concern in this area since it's essentially a kids movie) but at least I thought I should post the question. The bottom line is "does the UK DVD release have missing information because of it's aspect ratio used."??

[–] danafess2 18 years ago

Here is the answer to your question. I am hoping it makes sense. The bottom line is that NO version released shows ALL of the information on the screen. The DVD claims to be a 1.66:1 ratio, but it is in fact a 1.85:1 ratio (which is standard size for widescreen TVs. The VHS (and "fullscreen" DVDs) release was a 1.33:1 ratio. So with each release you are losing a bit of information. The DVD is missing a small about on the top and bottom, but the VHS was missing a significant amount on the sides.

It breaks down like this:

Film made in 1.66:1 ratio

VHS cropped the sides to fit a 1.33:1 ratio.

New DVD shows the missing sides, but slightly mats the top and bottom to create a 1.85:1 ratio.

There is no real definitive way to see everything in the movie at once. It's the same for the DVD release of "Beauty and the Beast." That film was created in 1.66:1 ratio, but cropped on the sides for the 1.33:1 VHS release and matted (or cropped, however you want to say it) to 1.85:1 for the DVD.

[–] dwpollar 18 years ago

How do you know the film was made in 1.66:1 ratio??
and how do you know the new release is actually 1.85:1??

[–] danafess2 18 years ago

Nearly all Disney movies from the last 25 years are made in 1.66:1, so this started out as an educated guess. However, I have taken screen grabs of the full screen and the wide screen, overlaid them, and measured them.

I was SLIGHTLY off for the actual numbers, but the basics of what I said are true. First off all, the DVD is not (as advertised) a 1.66:1 ratio, but a 1.78:1 ratio. Not quite the 1.85:1 i claimed. My apologies.

The originally made ratio is still approximately 1.66:1.

[–] happyreflex 12 years ago

My fiancée and I watched this film last night, and as a matter of fact, it was in the proper 1.66:1 aspect ratio, with pillarboxes on the sides of the screen.

Ere this night does wane, you will drink the black sperm of my vengeance!

[–] Wman1996 8 years ago

I don't know why this film wasn't made in 1.33:1 to begin with. It was direct-to-video during a time when 1.33:1 was the standard. Even the LaserDisc release of this film is in 1.33:1 during a time when plenty of LaserDiscs were in widescreen.

Bottom line, why make a film in a ratio that no consumer is going to see it in for the foreseeable future?

"My insecurities could eat me alive" - Marshall Mathers