[Ralph Degenero]

'Apocalypse Now Redux'


The classic Vietnam War drama from director Francis Ford Coppola ("The Godfather") gets a makeover with this recut version that restores several vital, never-before-seen sequences. Included are a backstage adventure with some "Playboy" bunnies


Showtime 8:00pm est

 

[agtiny]

Hmm isn't this supposed to be 2.35 OAR? Showtime is following in HBO's footsteps...

 

[PTVDan]

What is the OAR for this movie? I checked Amazon, and its DVD details on Redux say it's 2.35:1. But then I checked imdb, and they said that the movie is in 2.00:1. 2.00:1 would be pretty close to what they're airing, anyone know for sure?


-Dan

 

[NightowlKY]

I found IMDB to show the original at 2.35:1. The DVD was 2.00:1, according to IMDB and the Laserdisc was 1.9:1


I don't have the DVD running concurrently so I can't tell if it's expanded/cropped or just opened up on the top/bottom.

 

[Frank]

The director changed the aspect ratio to 2.0:1 for this release.


Frank

 

[agtiny]

Interesting, I do notice a very small black bar at the bottom of the screen...

 

[Karnis]

I just compared the DVD, which itself is "reformatted for DVD" at 2:1, and it is slightly zoomed in at 1.78:1 for HDTV.

 

[Ralph Degenero]

Quote:

Originally posted by agtiny Interesting, I do notice a very small black bar at the bottom of the screen...

YEP I See it.

 

[Frank]

The good news is that it is a HD transfer.

The bad news is that the film is so faded that there isn't much resolution left and the aspect ratio is incorrect.


Frank

 

[harican]

Sho HD is disappointing


Why do I have a black bar at the top of the screen on Apocalypse Now Redux?


I shouldn't even call it a bar, but rather 1/4 of a bar with a slight curvature.


Why couldn't SHO HD be like HBO HD?

 

[NightowlKY]

harican,


Your overscan set to be too little or your geometry off? My screen is completely filled and the set's been calibrated and has about 3-4% overscan.


Who's your HD provider for Showtime?


I see the slight bar at the bottom but that's due to the film's 2.00:1 ratio (as on the DVD and OKed by the director of photography.

 

[wezar]

I like it so far. Frank is right the print they used is washed out. Showtime cannot change the fact that time fades the movies. Its a real problem for Hollywood. The added scenes and 5.1 audio are a bonus and I appreciate Showtime bringing this to us in HD.

 

[Ralph Degenero]

Included are a backstage adventure with some "Playboy" bunnies ???

 

[Frank]

I measured the image as displayed on my LCD monitor which has zero overscan and the Showtime aspect ratio is 1.85 to 1.

It should be 2.0 to 1.


Frank

 

[wezar]

Hey do I see a Playboy insignia on that copter? I think Bunnies are behind that curtain!

 

[ahro]

I have the same 1/4 bar at the top. Watching a Mits 46807

 

[Jerry G]

Quote:

Originally posted by Frank The good news is that it is a HD transfer. The bad news is that the film is so faded that there isn't much resolution left and the aspect ratio is incorrect. Frank

So what does this mean?


Apocalypse Now, more than any other movie I can think of, has gone through so many reincarnations, change in aspect ratio, alterations, additional footage, etc., that I doubt even Coppola knows what the aspect ratio is/should be. With this movie I can imagine all sorts of scenarios as to what ratio is/should be on the DVD or HD transfers.


I find it hard to make any kind of judgements about Showtime and aspect ratios based upon this one movie.

Quote:

harican said: Why couldn't SHO HD be like HBO HD?

Disregarding this movie (based upon what I said above), do you mean why doesn't Showtime butcher 2.35 movies to fill the 16:9 screen? If so, well this has been discussed well beyond ad nauseam. And all I can say at this point, is thank goodness Showtime HD isn't like HBO HD.


Rather than get into this ridiculous HBO vs Showtime OAR issue again for the 30th time, I refer you to the 30 (at a minimum) threads that will/won't answer your question.

 

[Frank]

Jerry, Coppola and his director of photography both stated on the record that their preferred aspect ratio for Redux was 2.1 to 1.


For this particular movie, I prefer my DVD version which is 2.1 to 1.


Frank

 

[Ken Ross]

Funny, all I ever read about Showtime HD was they ALWAYS showed OAR on their HD presentations. I guess that's not the case is it? I also have lip synch problems on this movie that I'm not seeing on the SD channel. I agree with Frank that the resolution on this movie is not great. I continue to be less than wowed with Showtime HD.

 

[jacmyoung]

"Included are a backstage adventure with some "Playboy" bunnies."


After your all done with the movie, please point out where this never before seen part is.


Ken, what do you think HBO would do? Zoom 2.35:1 version to 1.78:1? It may look like a home made video.