<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joseph DeMartino:
Thus the open matte CGI in B5 isn't "better" than the matted version, anymore than a full-frame video release of a 1.85:1 theatrical film is "better" because it "has more picture". In your examples I would say that the Vorlon ship approach is much better composed and better focused in the widescreen version than in full frame.
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I like the Laserdisc version better because I like to see more of the ship coming directly out of the upper right corner. It just feels more "dynamic" that way to me.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joseph DeMartino:
This is true of most of the widescreen vs. full-frame screen shots I've seen, as well as my own comparison of the two versions of In the Beginning.
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Initially, that was the comparison I was going to make, ItB Laserdisc to DVD, but I didn't know if the DVD and the Sci-Fi aired version of ItB would have "exactly" the same cropping. So, I decided to try
The Summoning(SVHS to Laserdisc comparison). It had some nice Comp. shots. However, after making several screen caps, I was wondering if this SVHS copy (made 12/2000) might have been back when they were still airing the top & bottom cropped 4:3 episodes (false widescreen). So, I decided to go with an SVHS copy of
Secrets of the Soul that I made from Sci-Fi a couple of days ago.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joseph DeMartino:
The other CGI and composite shots are at least the equal of the full frame shots.
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Yeah, except for the top and bottoms. Look at Lyta's hands when Ulkesh frags her.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joseph DeMartino:
And the final live action shot in medlab shows the more "theatrical" look of the widescreen frame extracted from the Super35 original.
I'm looking forward to those widescreen DVDs.
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Yeah, but after looking at the Laserdiscs, the widescreen versions on Sci-Fi feel kind of claustrophobic to me, like Galen must have felt when he walked into Dureena's quarters that one time. Just look at the scene of the tubes on the Vorlon Homeworld.
Look at the scene of Lyta in the tube. I like it when she's not cropped so close at the top. You get more of a feel for the space around her.
One thing I'll say for Sci-Fi and the upcoming WHV DVDs, if everybody gets used to seeing just the Sci-Fi Widescreen versions, they won't get the feeling they're missing anything when they watch the DVDs. It's only those of us who have the Laserdiscs or TNT-era tapes that will miss the look of the 1.33:1 version.
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KoshN
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Vorlon Empire
Crusade (reruns) starting 03/26/2002 at 1PM EST on the Sci-Fi Channel
http://www.scifi.com/b5rangers/