MovieChat Forums > The Boogens (1981) Discussion > IFC channel version is not a true widesc...

IFC channel version is not a true widescreen picture

posted 17 years ago by mazinz
4 replies | jump to latest

just giving a heads up to those that may try and track down the alleged widescreen version that aired on the IFC channel. It is not a true widescreen picture, but a matted one. This points then that like the film the burning, the boogens was probably shot open matte. Below (link at the bottom) is a picture comparing the matted ifc and the full screen original vhs version

The only thing the IFC version has going for it is the remastered picture and that does make it worth the time to track down:

http://www.box.net/shared/static/o682a2n40p.jpg

[–] dnhjr 17 years ago

sorry but you are wrong. this film and the burning and tons of other films shot in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1 are shot with the top and bottom in mind to be matted for the theatrical release. So the matted version is the correct way to see the movie as it was shown this why is the theater. And yes this film was shot open matte (the full frame of the 35mm film), but to get the shape of the 1.85:1 screen at the theater the top and bottom must be matted off at the projector. I know because I worked a projector at a theater when I was younger.

hope this helped. If not check out this great site and it tells all about this stuff.

http://www.widescreen.org/widescreen_matte.shtml

[–] mazinz 17 years ago

actually you just only proved my point further, it is not a TRUE widescreen film. It was NOT shot in 1:85:1 and it is matted to match that aspect without actually being filmed with that aspect ratio.

the burning and others were shot with a full frame ratio (more in the lines of 1:33:1) and had the picture matted to resemble a widescreen pic

use my comparison pic I listed in my above post as further proof. Had the boogens been a true 1:85:1 picture you would see quite a bit more on either side of the film. You don't and that is because it was shot as a full frame feature and not 1:85:1. The burning is like this as well

so I stand corrected, it is not a true widescreen film and unless some print surfaces to prove otherwise, the boogens was shot full frame but matted to a fake 1:85:1 ratio.

and for all intent purposes we have no proof that the boogens was released theatrically in a matted ratio at all (or that if it was, that it used a 1:85:1 and not something smaller like 1:77:1)

[–] KryptoniteCornCob 17 years ago

Open-matte movies do not have more image on the sides. Only the top and bottom, thus the matting. You can't matte the sides.

http://widescreen.org/examples.shtml

[–] mazinz 17 years ago

Exactly. I cannot count the number of how many people I come across on these boards who do not understand the concept of matted widescreen films. It is all about passing onto them the correct information