Posted by def456 on 07/26/07 22:11

I've done some comparisons between the 4x3 and 16x9 versions when both are
offered on the same DVD, usually on the flip side, sometimes on the same
side via a menu selection. For example Annie Hall and Rocky 3. Look at
Woody's monolog at the start of the film. You can see 2-3 buttons on his
shirt with the 4x3 version, but barely 1 button with the 16x9 version. You
don't lose anything significant with the 4x3 version, which is slightly
cropped on the sides, but very little. Maybe only about 5-10% of the width
of the 4x3 version is cropped off. However the tops of people's heads are
typically cut off with the 16x9 versions. I estimate that at least 25% of
the vertical heighth is cropped to make it into a 16x9 image.

So the old adage and complaint about the blank/black areas at the top and
bottom of widescreen versions is a good one, because it's true. Those areas
were indeed cropped and removed from the film. You get a lot more real
content, and the picture looks more normal, with 4x3.

I think that what we have here is a big promotion to buy the new expensive
16x9 televisions that cost over $1,000. To provide them with something to
watch in the same size, films are being hacked to death to fit that size
artificially. It is actually the 16x9 version which is modified most to fit
the screen, not the 4x3 versions - contrary to the announcement at the
beginning of 4x3 films to that effect.

The 7:3 versions (usually called 2.35:1) are another ballgame entirely.

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