If you have a chance rent or buy the original coma on vhs, you can see through out the entire movie the microphone coming from the top of the screen. They fixed it when the DVD came out. I wish the DVD has some behind the scenes or commentary on it about the movie. I drive by the holiday inn going into boston sometimes and I always think of this movie when I see it.
shareyou can also see the camera reflected back in the window when she is just going into the jefferson institute for the first time. Also in the recovery room you can see a reflection of the camera off the metal paper towel dispenser.
shareThe VHS version of COMA has been modified to conform to the aspect ratio -- that is, the proportions -- of your TV set. In other words, the more rectangular picture has been transformed into a "squarer" image. How is this done? Well, by panning and scanning the image, for one thing, and also by using MORE of the image at the top and the bottom of the negative than was originally seen when the movie was shown in theaters.
In other words, those irritating boom mikes that kept bobbing into frame from the top of your TV screen were NEVER ACTUALLY SEEN when COMA was shown in theaters, because the image was designed, and cropped, for theatrical exhibition.
And when COMA went to DVD, this aspect ratio was restored, which is why the "problem" appears to be "fixed".
Why does it say Panavision on the DVD, and posters, it's usually mentioned when a movie is filmed in Panavision, meaning 2.35:1? So why mention it? Incidentally, the same thing with Crichton's "Great Train Robbery".
sharePanavison lenses come in numerous types. Coma was filmed "open matte".
shareOkay, I guess that's why I prefer this film in full screen. But I still wonder why it would be mentioned at all, when it usually only is mentioned if it's 'Scope (the 'filmed in' bit).
shareHi,
A lot of films in the 70s were filmed that way (open)Even today there are a few. I never believe what I see on the DVD boxes or the info on this site-I judge by what I see. The best way with discs like Coma, is to look at a point at the top or bottom of the open version, and look at it on the "letterboxed" side. You will notice its covered up adding nothing to the sides. There is a decent website that used to mention the cropping/masking etc in reviews:
http://www.dvdlaser.com/
Read his review of Coma-you will see what I mean....Good luck!
BTW- quite a few people like to get hung up on the whole "directors intentions" "exposed boom mikes" blah blah..I can understand that, but I prefer to see as much as possible-and I truthfully have never seen wires, cables, microphones etc. 3 of my other favorites that are matted and framed poorly are "Ghost Ship", "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978) and "Willy Wonka" (1971)
Even today?
Pal, today it's the MOST common cinematographic process. The Super 35 is essentially the open matte concept driven to 2.35:1 aspect ratio.
Except that they don't do "open matte" anymore. The adjust the matte for whatever's needed.
Panavision is not only the name of the anamorphic process, they're also one of the two leading leasing companies for cameras and lenses, including standard, non-anamorphic ones (the other leasing company is the German Arri).
There are two standard phrases in credits:
"Filmed with Panavision Cameras and Lenses", meaning that Panavision provided the camera and lenses, but the movie was shot non-anamorphic (i.e., open-matte, Super 35 or fullscreen -- a lot of TV shows carry this credit, even when they were not widescreen at all).
"Filmed in Panavision", the other credit, means the use of anamorphic lenses provided by Panavision in 2.35:1.
Both credits typically feature the Panavision logo.
They usually never worried about the boom mike showing at the top of the frame because when it was projected in the theater it would be cut off due to the aspect ratio. I believe this term is called "masking".
Oh, and I'm pretty sure the person reflected in the paper towel holder just before Michael Douglas notices Tom Selleck on the respirator is Michael Crichton.