That Which Survives
Format Which Retains Original Aspect Ratio List

I've been comparing some titles and wanted to start a list for aspect ratios that were released on one format but not others. I don't think a list like this is around that I can find. Please list any you can think of. I need the title and each ratio of LD/DVD/BD add the year the movie released so I can check it. If it wasn't released on BD or DVD then put N/A next to the format, they need to be on LD and as least one other format. I'll update it as titles are added. I just have a few so far. This would be a good quick reference for anyone who is true to original aspect ratios. You can check the original ratios at IMDB.com, and Blu-ray and DVD formats can be checked at blu-ray.com. (There is a selection for those two at the top before you begin your search.) Obviously you can check LD here.

There's probably some titles that have numerous releases in one format with different ratios. I'm just interested in titles that don't have at least one release in the original aspect ratio for their respective format. For instance DVD never had anything other than P&S for The Shadow and LD retains 1.85 so it makes the list. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the DVD release is the only 1.85 while LD/BD were 1.78, the LD being the Japan release, US was only P&S.

Also I'm seeing that most films released in 2.35 were likely shot in 2.39. Most DVD and LD releases were 2.35. I don't know if the titles in the database here were all verified to be 2.35 and not 2.39. At any rate they would be very close and there'd be thousands to list because they probably are 2.35 and the DVD would likely be as well. Some of the Blu-rays are releasing as 2.40 which would make it the only release that's original, but I don't think I'm going to worry about these. If you have an LD that 2.35, it technically isn't the original ratio, so look at the BD and see if they opted for a 2.40, in most cases they do, but not all. Already I've found a couple that don't.

The Shadow has been released on Blu-Ray in Germany if I remember right.

That it has and Beaver has some captures p/s and early letterbox and later ones that shows a bit more framing.
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/shadow.htm

BATB was animated in 1.66:1 to maintain compatibility with the European markets, who at the time generally projected films at 1.66:1. It was matted into 1.85:1 for American theaters who were unable to show it in its original aspect ratio, so the LD is in fact the only way to view the OAR

It could be argued either way so I'm just looking at how it was originally filmed not how it was shown in different markets.

I'm updating The Shadow. I see you have to add all countries to the search at Blu-ray.com and then it will show other editions in the result. In case anyone else is searching, I'd look that way to cover all regions. I'm guessing you'll need a region free player to play it elsewhere though?

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, you can only get the 1.85:1 version on LD. On DVD it is slightly cropped to 1.78:1

Fierce Creatures has the OAR of 2.35:1. The R1 DVD is P&S, but the R2 DVD has the proper OAR.

An another note for Beauty and the Beast, beyond the aspect ratio argument (I believe the 1.66.1 version is the proper version, as that much was drawn and animated--1.85:1 cuts that artwork off as does any P&S version), the 1.85:1 version has a lot of retouched colors (made for the 2001 re-release) to make it brighter. So that's an annoyance as well.

Quote from: http://animatedviews.com/2010/beauty-and-the-beast-diamond-edition/

"The way Beauty And The Beast has been presented over the years has always been a matter for huge debate. Created at a 1.66:1 ratio, the original theatrical presentation would have cropped the top and bottom for a 1.85:1 frame. On VHS, the 1.33 frame cropped on the sides, but added some info top and bottom. LaserDisc provided the best source, offering a letterboxed 1.66 ratio as intended, along with a suitable color palette. Released to Imax screens, huge portions of the movie were reanimated to take the magnified image into account, with the Human Again sequence, featuring the cast cleaning up the castle, meaning that the second half of the film’s backgrounds had to be changed from dirty to clean.

When the film debuted on DVD, the return to 1.85:1 framing was obviously too tight, suggesting that a less-than 1.66 width had been used as a basis (the same, incidentally, that has happened with Mary Poppins on DVD). Worse still, the colors appeared washed out, or at least brightened up beyond the original version, looking more like a Disney direct-to-video title than an Oscar-nominated theatrical feature. That disc also offered the three different editions of the movie, but space demanded that, post the Human Again sequence, the rest of the movie, either in theatrical or special edition form, basically played the cleaned up version.

Thankfully, we get a bit of a hybrid here that at least more closely echoes the theatrical cut, even if the branching offers a hideous cut between the end of Something There and the Beast being washed for his night with Belle, meaning that the original Original Theatrical Cut is now a thing of memory, unless you are lucky enough to have retained a CAV LaserDisc edition! But now, instead of the cleaned up castle, the film does revert to how things looks originally, even if there are a few other tweaks, though the original end credit scroll has been inserted, with a bit of aged gateweave, as opposed to the “flat” credits. It’s still not, ultimately, a huge deal, but it’s not the Original Theatrical Edition, with all its non-reanimated Imaxed fixes and tweaks, either. So it seems the Imax Special Edition is to be the default option for the film from now on, which is backed up as being the automatically chosen option when the disc spins.

If you can live with that, then you’ll be pleased to know that at least the film looks marvellous, and brings the colors back down to a more acceptable level after the DVD washout. The colors are still more vibrant than I remember them on theatrical or Laser release, but overall the image is more contrasted and fitting for the often sombre tone of the film. There’s certainly more image information, too, presenting a 1.78:1 ratio that adds quite a bit around all four corners: I’d wager that, finally, we’re seeing the original 1.66 width again, with a little cropping top and bottom to fill the hi-def frame, which makes it less tight than before. Further changes to the Theatrical and Imax cuts include additional animation tweaks – most likely being added in from the upcoming 3D version – and the replacement of the blue Disney castle to the new Wonderful World Of Disney styled update along with the Steamboat Willie animation logo.

When it comes to the Work In Progress version previewed at the New York Film Festival, it’s frustratingly a different matter again! Presented as an unfinished film, the Studio wanted to start positive word of mouth, knowing that they had a quality film and were excited to share it. Much more of the film was finished than was shown, but Disney didn’t want to spill all of its magic too early, and the cut shown was actually an earlier version, completed in so far as sound, but presented as a combination of mostly concept, storyboard and pencil animation as well as only a several completed scenes. The film worked its magic, and a LaserDisc edition of that workprint was released, which those fans lucky enough to have snapped up will also want to retain."

[The last two paragraphs quoted I believe are in reference to the new Blu-ray release at 1.78]

They indicate here that the created ratio was 1.66 but everywhere else it shows 1.85. I can see the argument here which would give favor to 1.66. The 1.85 version on DVD would cut right/left of frame while possibly adding some image to top/bottom. The Blu-ray actually might be the best of both worlds at 1.78 thought not the original. Unless the sources showing 1.85 are wrong, which would make sense. (Why else would they need to add image to the top/bottom if it was already at 1.85?) There's also the added elements to the film in the DVD/BD that aren't original giving support to 1.66. I don't know on this one, but now I'm leaning towards 1.66.

Fierce Creatures wouldn't make the list since it has at least one DVD release in 2.35. I found it on Amazon, thanks for pointing out the R2, it's hard to search for other regions in one place.

A question on Seven Brides, is the entire LD in 1.85? The database shows 2.35 but comments suggest that it was 1.85. On a side note does anyone know if the ratios listed in the database here are the actual ratio on the LD or the original ratio for the title? Just wondering. So far in my collection at least, they've been right with what's on the disc.

Seven Brides is another one of those like Lady and the Tramp where two versions were shot for different projections. There's a 2.55:1 CinemaScope version of Seven Brides and also a "non-anamorphic" 1.85:1 version. I don't have the disc, but I read the reviews in both Widescreen Review and The DVD-Laserdisc Newsletter which both confirm the of the "non-anamorphic" version to be 1.85:1.

The 2 versions which I've seen comparison screenshots of are kind of funny to look at as they shoot the picture from slightly different angles.

This video here shows some screenshots from the LD, 2003 DVD and 2010 DVD (same transfer as the BR) to show the framing differences among the different versions of Beauty and the Beast.

how can something be argued if it's fact?
if it was filmed or shot, released overseas in a 1.66 then over matted on the top and bottom to 1.85
i don't know much about beauty, but if it was released as a 1.66 and over matted to compensate
for US theatres then you would really get more image in the 1.66 framing.

Yeah, why is OP listing it as 1.85 instead of 1.66? Wouldn't 1.85 be "(U.S.) theatrical," not "original"?

Screamers(1996) was released in 1.33:1 on LD and DVD in the US. It was released in 1.85:1 in UK/DE/JPN on LD and DVD. Some claim the US release is open-matte. I don't have it in widescreen edition so I can't compare it.

The DVD appears to have a wider angle but less at top and bottom, contrary to what I just read. I just ordered a CAV copy so I'm going to get some screen shots and compare. It's hard to determine on YouTube.

What is fact? That is was filmed in 1.66? Because I'm finding conflicting info on it everywhere. IMDB says:
1.66 : 1 (negative ratio)
1.50 : 1 (IMAX version)
1.85 : 1 (intended ratio)

Blu-ray.com for DVD and BD indicate 1.85 was original. If it was a US movie that had to be altered for overseas to 1.66 I would think that 1.85 is the correct ratio. Also from watching the YouTube it appears that the DVD is a wider angle than the LD, but I can't gather much from that it's just to hard to look at on there. But if they made a 1.66 version from US 1.85 then the sides would be cropped in 1.66. So actually you would get more image all around in 1.85. I'm going to compare it on my own and see. But the question is still, what is the original ratio?

how do you know it was really shot in 1.66?
it could have been shot in 1.33 and matted to whatever they wanted.

but what is the original frame of it? i don't own it, it's too new of a disney film for me.
i like the classic animation style not the newer junk that they made.

but there are lots of releases of films that are either 1.33 open matte, but you lose a little on the sides but get image on the top and bottom when it's matted.

so it's all about what version you own and what makes you happer.

i used to never want to buy P/S films but now i will get something if it's not too bad.

I just read some info on this one, wow they actually filmed it in two different formats. It's not on Blu-ray but there are several releases on DVD including 1.33, 1.77, 2.35 and 2.55. 2.35 and 2.55 are both cinemascope. The 1.77 is a transfer from the 2.55, and there doesn't appear to be a 1.85 from the original version of the non-widescreen 1.85. There's another LD release that uses the 2.55 cinemascope. So from what I can tell it makes the list because there isn't a DVD format with the original 1.85 non-cinemascope version. I'm just wondering, in the comments on that 1.85 LD it says disc two is 1.85. Is the rest 2.55? I don't know if it would count if they only used part of the non-cinemascope.

Info on IMDB:
Laboratory
Ansco Laboratory, USA (color by) (as Ansco)

Film negative format (mm/video inches)
35 mm

Cinematographic process
CinemaScope
Spherical (alternate spherical version)

Printed film format
35 mm
70 mm (blow-up) (re-issue)

Aspect ratio
2.20 : 1 (70 mm prints) (re-issue)
2.55 : 1 (CinemaScope version)

Perhaps the controversial ones should be taken off the list?

Right, it could have been filmed in open matte, but I don't think that's the case with Beauty and the Beast. Looking at the completed drawings on the Special Edition DVD appear to be in either 1.66 or 1.85. I can't tell which but I'm sure they're not 1.33. It wouldn't make sense to film it with the most restrictive matting. 1.85 would capture more available content. They likely reformatted to 1.66 for overseas. Not saying that is fact, just my logical conclusion.

Edit: After some more research it is very likely that it was done in the open matte as most 1.85 ratios in 35mm were done this way. But it was probably masked to 1.85 with an aperture mask while filming. They could then display the film in other regions with different projector lenses which would crop off the sides at 1.66. Using open matte would still capture the most content even though it was using a 1.33 full frame. Again, I still think it's intended ratio was 1.85. Unless they filmed it twice for overseas with 1.66 ratio.