Widescreen and widerscreen

Aspect ratio question:

'Widescreen' as in TV's and movies on TV is 16:9 (I think), but this isn't cinema widescreen. Saw a bit of Crouching Tiger during Film4's free weekend and they appear to broadcast in 'proper' widescreen.

As I don't have a DVD, widescreen TV or any movie channels (yet) can someone tell me how this bit works?

 

From my experience of a widescreen telly - my Bro in laws - unsatisfactorily is how I'd describe how it works. With three different formats, you usually wind up with some compromise of gross distortion, bits of picture missing or swathes of black space.

 

You could take a gleg at http://www.projectorcentral.com/formats.htm

 

It's my understanding that some films today are still shot using 70mm film while others are in 35mm and while 70mm is obviously twice as wide it's only 25% taller so it's aspect ratios is far wider (used since the mid 50's for large screen cinema) as with all things the good thing about standards is there are so many to choose from, the link below is quite pictorial you might find it interesting


Stuart


http://members.shaw.ca/quadibloc/other/aspint.htm

 

Every once in a while it happens: you ask a question on a forum and you get exactly the information you were looking for (plus a bit more).

The above links were both useful and complimentary.

Thanks for that.