Back to the future DVD review - Wrong Widescreen format

BTTF Trilogy DVDs review

Here the review translated from http://www.zidz.com , courteously and friendly allowed by Andreas Winkler, the WebMaster of ZidZ.com (Back To the Future in German is Zurück in die Zukunft) and partially modified by me.

Wrong Widescreen format with BTTF DVDs

O.k., I admits, that already is not a straight "new of the day" and since longer in the discussion, but I imagined, I show times on the basis examples, how the "Widescreen" format of the BTTF DVDs covers whole details of the movie.

We begin times with the bases. There are different display formats, which are used when the rotation motion picture films:

The 1 is thereby the image height (independently of it, like largely the picture will become), the other value indicates the display width in relation to the image height. 1.33:1 meant thus that the display width is so broad 1,33 times, like the image height are high...

On a 4:3 television the whole looks then in such a way:

If a film were thus turned in a broader format, as 1.33:1, then one has black bars at the upper and lower contour on a 4:3-Television. Since some people disturb themselves to it, many films in the TV in the "pan & Scan" format are radiated. That means it that at the edges something becomes "cut off" of the picture, so that one sees no more black bars. The spectator misses thus details, which are completely on the left of or completely right in the picture.
The better that DVDs are often offered in the original cinema format.

The indicated format of the BTTF DVDs is 1.85:1 (corresponds 16:9). The problem thereby is that the films were originally turned not at all in this format, but in the actual TV format 1.33:1 (aka 4:3, aka Pan&Scan). Probably one assumes the Cineastic fans have all a 16:9-Television and therefore such a format more like cinema than after TV film look anyway. Which the whole is, is me a mystery. Finally we miss now details, which take place completely above and/or completely down at the contour! The strange is that with the Laserdiscs to the film also a 16:9-Format occurred, one here however still more saw, than on the DVDs!

Here a few examples:

In the part I:

On Italian VHS are good tree points and edge of way to recognize.	On the Laserdiscs conclusion is above the sign lighting.	On the DVDs the format is as above with the Laserdiscs, however somewhat further...
On RTL (a german TV channel) are good Clocktower point and park bench to recognize.	On the Laserdiscs is are missing these two little things perfectly. Also the clock is only to the half in the picture.	On the DVDs this time somewhat more is to be seen: The clock is drauf - however the park bench is missing also here...
With part of II the differences between Laserdisc and DVDs are already larger. Thus escape the spectator with the DVDs whole details, e.g. when Doc pushing the button on Marty's jacket, and also show the cuffs 'shrinking' :
On VHS one sees the sidewalk under the DeLorean.	On the DVD V2 one sees again the sidewalk and also half of azure car on the left.	On the DVD V1 one do not see the sidewalk and sees only a part of the azure car on the left.
On VHS one sees the flashing Button and the entire lattice in the background.	On the Laserdiscs a part of the lattice was already cut off.	On the DVDs one sees neither the entire lattice still another flashing Button at Marty's jacket! Strangely: Also at the left contour is missing somewhat!
On RTL one sees the flashing Button and above a wall row over the windows.	On the Laserdiscs the wall row was cut off.	On the DVDs one sees absolutely no flashing button at Marty's jacket!
On VHS one sees still Marty's back and the Hoverboard.	On the Laserdiscs the back was already cut off, the Hoverboard is to be still seen.	On the DVDs one sees the backs, but the Hoverboard is missing.
On VHS one sees whole DeLorean but zoomed.	On DVD V2 one sees the whole DeLorean with correct zoom.	On DVD V1 the DeLorean is zoomed and cut off!
With part of III then again as with part of I - with Laserdisc and DVDs so rather the same is missing, but the DVD cuts more:
On RTL elbow sees the range over the lamp screen and Doc's.	On the Laserdiscs these ranges were cut off.	On the DVDs one still continued: already at the lower edge of the standing lamp foot is conclusion! Strangely: also at the lefthand side is missing somewhat!
On VHS one sees most of parking lot and boackground.	On the DVD V2 one sees more background but less DeLorean's back.	On the DVD V1 either the parking lot or the background was cut off!
On RTL sees the range over the red line and underneath the map.	On the Laserdiscs above a part is missing, but one sees still the edge of map.	On the DVD the edge of map no more is not to be seen!
On Italian VHS one sees the whole clock indicate 10.04 (do you remember...?) and the most of Marty's and Doc's dresses.	On Laserdisc one sees the whole clock but not the whole dresses.	On DVD half of clock was cut off!
On VHS one sees the whole road but not the whole billboard.	On the DVD V2 one sees the whole billboard but not the whole road.	On the DVD V1 one sees less!
But there are also exceptions! Since the format is with Special Effects already longer 16:9, one gets in these cases in the frame to see less:
On italian VHS car antenna is missing and the shoulder of the old Biffs.	On the Laserdiscs one sees there already somewhat more.	On the DVDs also, but again somewhat less than with the Laserdiscs.

On italian VHS one sees only the central part of the image..

On the DVDs one sees more.

In summary one can say that the 16:9-Format goes with BTTF debited to the completeness of the picture, what every now and then whole details go down lets. The differences between Laserdiscs and DVDs are unexplainable, since both different ranges of the picture cut off, although both has 16:9-Format. Stands firmly: Even if still another Special edition DVD in the Widescreen and frame format appears here sometime, white I for which I decide...

The R1-DVDs of "Back To The Future" in the USA are already in both formats available.