Why Are PAL DVD's Anamorphic?

[wulf109]

Over the years I've noticed that U.S. DVD's that are released only in 4:3 or LTX are often available in anamorphic in the PAL release. Probably no answer to this question but any thoughts? Three movies I recently found this on were "Warlock" , "Rooster Cogburn" and "Warlord".

[jagabo]

Because Merikans can't stand seeing black borders on their 4:3 TV.

[yoda313]

On other possibility is that once bluray picked up steam the movie studios probably decided to wait for enough demand for a bluray version. Than they'd do a proper 16x9 widescreen enhanced version for the bluray edition.

Unfortunately like so many things that were on vhs that never saw the light of day on dvd I'm sure the same thing is happening with a lot of obscure dvd titles. The studios won't bother with a bluray release. Or worse yet a half botched port that might be no better than the letterboxed dvd.

Edit - just curious wulf109 - is the zoom button too much of a hassle for you?

Though I do know depending on the title and type of dvd player sometimes you can get a nasty green edge on the left or right side of the screen so the zoom trick doesn't always work properly - I've had this happen when using my xbox 360 on a letterboxed dvd. It looks ok letterboxed but zooming shows the green thing for some reason - oh and I'm connected via the vga cable for the xbox if that makes a difference - it does have an hdmi out but I never got around to using it. (not enough hdmi inputs and besides I'd have to run another cable and my entertainment system is such a jungle I don't know if I could do it easily - too lazy )

[johns0]

I found that buffy the vampire slayer season 6 and 7 were released in the U.S. at 4:3 but in England they were released in 16:9 anamorphic and didn't seem to lose any picture from the sides.Joss Whedon wanted to release it in the U.S in its native 4:3 format.

Maybe the same reasons for movies and their creators/directors.

[Noahtuck]

Because Merikans can't stand seeing black borders on their 4:3 TV.

LOL!!!

Now now, lets not lump all "Merikans" into the same Idjit group!!
LOL!!

Even decade('s) ago when my main TV was a 27" crt (and considered great by most) I craved anything widescreen, 16:9, 2.35:1, etc.

I remember over a decade ago Eyeon Video (do they even exist anymore ?) after being around for countless years in my area finally opened a rental store in my city/neighborhood.

I went in to check it out and every single movie they had was 4:3, I asked the manager what was up with that ?
And he said, most people complain when they get a widescreen movie so we don't carry them.


I never rented from them and they closed the store down within a year, yet the video store that was here before them is still here, and outlasted Blockbuster to this day by many years.....
They always rent both, full screen and wide screen, not that was the determining factor, but it is interesting.....

Idjit:
One of Yosemite Sam's Catchphrases used to describe a Stupid Idiot Dragon, Or Used To describe Bugs Bunny.

Example: Yosemity Sam to Bugs Bunny Bugs Lighting up a match in the gun powder room on the ship;
Why You Crazy Doggone Idjit, whatcha trying to do blow us to smithereens?!
I Hates Rabbits!

LOL!!

[Noahtuck]

I found that buffy the vampire slayer season 6 and 7 were released in the U.S. at 4:3 but in England they were released in 16:9 anamorphic and didn't seem to lose any picture from the sides.Joss Whedon wanted to release it in the U.S in its native 4:3 format.

Maybe the same reasons for movies and their creators/directors.

I don't trust overseas releases of films anymore.

I have the box set of Phantasm that was released in England only years ago, in 16:9, when I compared them to the original 4:3 releases it was very obvious they cropped off the top and bottom to make it 16:9
Yeah none of the picture was lost from the sides, and there was probably nothing meaningful lost from the top and bottom, but it was still removed to make a "fake" 16:9 DAR, in those cases I would rather watch it in 4:3 to see the entire image and live with the "black bars" (sic) on the sides on any of my 16:9 LED TV's.....

I have seen the same thing done with the old Jessica Alba show "Dark Angel".
I have both versions, the U.S. released 4:3 version and imported 16:9 version.

[johns0]

I meant to say that i compared pics from the pal buffy to the us buffy and didn't find any missing video from the top and bottom on the pal version,they could of done some scene filling but didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

[yoda313]

scene filling

What do you mean by this?

[netmask56]

What I found unusual the last time I was in New York was US digital TV standards = the SD channels were running 4:3 and only the HD channels 16:9. Whereas is Australia no distinction between SD or HD channels is made ie everything is 16:9. If the material is genuine 4:3 then it is pillarboxed with black bars either side. No automatic switching of aspect ratio so you could be watching a true Cinemascope movie with black bars top and bottom followed by a 4:3 commercial with black bars either side. No one seems to complain (why should they) except for a very small minority that the rest of us refer rudely as Bogans https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogan.

Analog TV will be turned off this year and flat screens have reached the second stage where you see throw out TV's on the nature strip. Not a CRT in sight.

[johns0]

scene filling

What do you mean by this?

Adding scenery to the sides so the top and bottom aren't cropped out.

[yoda313]

scene filling

What do you mean by this?

Adding scenery to the sides so the top and bottom aren't cropped out.

Is this digital cgi? Some kind of digital matte work?

I'd hope that this wasn't some static image. Not like those annoying station logos they put during some 4:3 commercials on some cable channels - where they'll have the station logo on the left and right side of the screen if the image is 4:3.

[johns0]

Not sure,just guessing,the pal buffy the vampire pal dvds are better quality at 16:9 anamorphic and don't seem to be missing any video comparing it to the us release which is 4:3(540x480)viewing where the pal is (1024x576)viewing.

[intracube]

I meant to say that i compared pics from the pal buffy to the us buffy and didn't find any missing video from the top and bottom on the pal version,they could of done some scene filling but didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

ISTR reading that Buffy was framed with an intended ratio of 4:3 but was protected for 16:9, so no picture content would need to be cropped for that version - the image on the negative extends beyond the 4:3 tv version.

EDIT: don't know if that applied to all seasons though.

Quite a lot of TV shows from the late 90s onward (that were shot on film) did this to futureproof for 16:9/HD.