BBC, ITV and others just consider these films to be afternoon fillers so they are unlikely to spend money on them.

They just say they don't have the staff to come in and people need to see to get in and out. Crazy. Just like my complaint with Vue about not moving the screen masking

That's a shame when they prove that they really just don't care

Worth making a vlog about it?

Not sure if it's the first time, but JUBAL screened OAR on BBC 2 this morning. It looked 2.55:1 to me, but it was produced in 1956 at a time when scope films were standardised at at 2.35:1. It could still be 2.55, having been produced early in the year before the changeover, but I can't be sure about that one.

Interestingly this film is listed on the IMDB database as 2.55:1 but with mono RCA sound. There were some odd combinations at that time, mag, mag/optical and optical only sound. Academy or Fox sprocket holes and a variety of similar aspect ratios that in theory were shown correctly in cinemas by means of a Varamorph lens. Reprints could easily be 2.35:1 as a result.

It's certainly possible. Incredibly, it turns out THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (produced the following year, well after the standardisation) was photographed 2.55 and recorded/released with mono sound! The image was cropped on the left hand side to produce 2.35 release prints, and it was only with the advent of home video that the full 2.55 version was restored. A 70mm blow-up was screened theatrically as part of a reissue, which is - presumably - when the film first acquired multi-channel audio.

JINDABYNE was shown in 16:9 last week on BBC1. Given that that's a Super 35 feature, it was most likely opened up rather than cropped.

(It also began with a caption saying that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders should be aware that it might contain images of or the voices of deceased persons. I've seen two other Australian feature films with such a warning: THE PROPOSITION and, in cinemas this year, TRACKS.)

Culturally it's not appropriate for Aboriginal people or Torres Strait Islanders to name the dead out of respect for the dead person(s) and in case it is too painful for the family. They would refer to them in a roundabout manner to avoid causing offence.

Apparently the use of a warning is common in Australian films and TV programmes...

(Unless otherwise indicated, all films in the following list were projected at 2.35:1 prior to 1971, and at 2.39:1 thereafter)

* = May not be screened in all areas (check your local listings).

Scope and 3-D movies across the Freeview platform for the coming week (31 May - 6 June):


Saturday (31 May)

• Carambola (movies4men)
• Fast & Furious (ITV 2)
• Ferris Bueller's Day Off (E4)
• Fire Down Below (BBC 2)
• Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (C4) [3-D]
• How to Train Your Dragon (BBC 1) [3-D]
• Keoma [Keoma il vendicatore] (movies4men)
• The Killer Inside Me (ITV 4)
• The Legend of Zorro (Film 4)
• Man of the House (Movie Mix)
• Monster House (5*) [3-D]
• Multiplicity (Movie Mix)
• Outlaw (5*)
• Raid on Rommel (C5)
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (BBC 1)
• Semi-Pro (C4)
• Silverado (5 USA)
• Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (Film 4) [3-D] [1.85:1]
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (ITV 2)
• A Time to Kill (Film 4)


Sunday (1 June)

• Blackie the Pirate [Il corsaro nero] (movies4men)
• The Change-Up (C4)
• Die Hard 4.0 [Live Free or Die Hard] (Film 4)
• Enemy Mine (Movie Mix)
• Hoffa (Movie Mix)
• Inkheart (Film 4)
• The Medallion (C5)
• Quantum of Solace (ITV 1)
• Resident Evil: Extinction (C5)
• Short Cuts (Viva)
• Stardust (E4)
• Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (ITV 2)
• Street Fighter (C5)
• TT3D: Closer to the Edge (ITV 4) [3-D] [1.85:1]
• Twister (ITV 2)
• The Victors (BBC 2)
• The Wedding Planner (Film 4)


Monday (2 June)

• Beowulf (5*) [3-D]
• Coast of Skeletons (movies4men)
• The Devil's Advocate (C5)
• Double Jeopardy (Film 4)
• The Fan (Movie Mix)
• Five Golden Dragons (movies4men)
• Haywire (Film 4)
• Hide and Seek (Movie Mix)
• K-PAX (Film 4)
• Merrill's Marauders (More 4)
• Shaun of the Dead (ITV 2)
• Sink the Bismarck! (Film 4)
• The Virgin Queen (Film 4) [2.55:1]


Tuesday (3 June)

• Black Swan (Film 4)
• Feast of Love (Film 4)
• Journey to the Center of the Earth (E4) [3-D] [1.85:1]
• Limitless (Film 4)
• Maximum Risk (5 USA)
• Proof (Movie Mix)


Wednesday (4 June)

• Abduction (5*)
• The American President (ITV 1)*
• The Bank Job: Based on a True Story (More 4)
• The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (Movie Mix)
• Drillbit Taylor (Film 4)
• Earth Girls Are Easy (Movie Mix)
• Hanna (Film 4)
• How to Steal a Million (C4)
• King Solomon's Mines (Film 4)
• Miss Potter (BBC 4)
• The Other Man (BBC 1)
• The Punisher (5 USA)


Thursday (5 June)

• The Charge at Feather River (5 USA) [3-D] [1.37:1]
• Code 7 Victim 5! [Victim Five] (movies4men)
• Die Hard 4.0 [Live Free or Die Hard] (Film 4)
• Enemy Mine (Movie Mix)
• Everything Must Go (Film 4)
• Hide and Seek (Movie Mix)
• TT3D: Closer to the Edge (ITV 4) [3-D] [1.85:1]
• Zookeeper (ITV 2)


Friday (6 June)

• Cape Fear (ITV 1)*
• Conan the Barbarian (5*) [3-D]
• Damn the Defiant! [HMS Defiant] (More 4)
• The Fan (Movie Mix)
• Fast & Furious (ITV 2)
• Ferris Bueller's Day Off (E4)
• The Hole (Film 4) [3-D] [1.85:1]
• The Killer Inside Me (ITV 4)
• The Legend of Zorro (Film 4)
• The Longest Day (Film 4)
• The Man From Snowy River (5 USA)
• The Omen (Movie Mix)
• Rush Hour 2 (5*)
• Short Cuts (Viva)
• The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (More 4)

Yep, it'll be opened up. I saw it in 2.35:1 on DVD, and the opening shot of the barbed wire loses any impact when 'stranded' onscreen like that, rather than inside the black bars.

Not a bad film, either, but not brilliant. I don't think it was in HD, either.

Fire Down Below (BBC 2)

Flicked this on for a few minutes, a gorgeous print. I love the warmth of classic three strip Technicolor film.

This one was OAR. It was another of many films shot in 2D and post-converted to 3D*, so I was happy to watch it in 2D, even though it wasn't a brilliant film. It was worth watching for the female lead and Ciaran Hinds, with everyone hamming it up loads.

(*another recent example being Godzilla - more info at http://realorfake3d.com)

ENEMY MINE and THE VICTORS screened OAR on their respective channels yesterday, while FIVE GOLDEN DRAGONS premiered OAR today.

THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE and HIDE AND SEEK both 'premiered' OAR on their respective channels yesterday.

LIberto its very obvious you put a lot of effort into this thread. Its possible for you to add a note to your listings if a film has been screened in its OAR or nearest approximation?

Ta for the kind words - much appreciated. Most times, people will come back to the thread to let everyone know when a film has been screened OAR, especially when it isn't guaranteed from the outset that a scheduled title would be shown that way (for instance, it's pot luck whether any scope film will be shown that way on ANY channel other than the C4 platform). So, best advice is jut to check back with the thread every couple of days, just to see what people have written.

By the way, I sat down to watch my recording of THE PLAGUE the other night, and it turned out that was cropped to buggery from 2.39:1. I didn't know in advance it was a scope title (I didn't check my own scope listings, and for some reason, I got the idea in my head that it was a TV movie), otherwise I wouldn't have bothered watching. On top of all that, it turned out to be a pretty poor film, so I switched it off halfway through.

Actually El Cid has been released at 2.35:1 from a 35mm print, the original ratio was actually 2.20:1 when printed on 70mm from Technirama negatives, but there is no negative in decent enough condition.

That is sad to hear, but miracles DO happen, so fingers crossed for the future. In the meantime, the 2.35:1 ratio from 35mm elements is perfectly viable, since that's what was captured on the original negative.

By the way, THE OTHER MAN screened OAR on BBC 1 last night.

(Unless otherwise indicated, all films in the following list were projected at 2.35:1 prior to 1971, and at 2.39:1 thereafter)

* = May not be screened in all areas (check your local listings).

Scope and 3-D movies across the Freeview platform for the coming week (7 - 13 June):


Saturday (7 June)

• Act of Valor (5 USA)
• Avalanche Express (5 USA)
• Black Knight (E4)
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Film 4)
• Deadly Pursuit [Shoot to Kill] (BBC 2)
• The Devil's Brigade (5 USA)
• Earth Girls Are Easy (Movie Mix)
• Enemy Mine (Movie Mix)
• My Sister's Keeper (C4)
• Poseidon (BBC 1)
• Priest (Film 4) [3-D]
• Shaun of the Dead (ITV 2)
• Silverado (5 USA)
• Sorority Row (Film 4)
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Film 4)
• Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (ITV 2)
• Them [Ils] (Film 4)
• The Towering Inferno (More 4)
• Twister (ITV 2)
• What a Girl Wants (5*)


Sunday (8 June)

• Age of Heroes (ITV 4)
• The Black Windmill (ITV 4)
• The Conspirator (C4)
• The Debt (C4)
• Double Jeopardy (Film 4)
• Ghost Busters (C5)
• Hide and Seek (Movie Mix)
• Journey to the Center of the Earth (E4) [3-D] [1.85:1]
• King Solomon's Mines (Film 4)
• Once Upon a Time in Anatolia [Bir zamanlar Andolu'da] (Film 4)
• Red Dragon (ITV 2)
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan [Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan] (Film 4)
• Zoolander (ITV 2)


Monday (9 June)

• Carry On Admiral (movies4men)
• The Charge at Feather River (5 USA) [3-D] [1.37:1]
• The Client (Film 4)
• The Conqueror of Corinth [Il conquistatore di Corinto] (movies4men)
• Damn the Defiant! [HMS Defiant] (More 4)
• The Entity (Movie Mix)
• Hanna (Film 4)


Tuesday (10 June)

• City of Angels (ITV 3)
• Conan the Barbarian (5*) [3-D]
• Earth Girls Are Easy (Movie Mix)
• First Blood (ITV 1)*
• The Plague (Movie Mix)
• The Ugly Truth (Film 4)


Wednesday (11 June)

• Bulletproof Monk (5*)
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Film 4)
• Death & Life of Charlie St. Cloud [Charlie St. Cloud] (E4)
• The Deep End (Movie Mix)
• Dragonfly Squadron (movies4men) [3-D] [1.66:1]
• The Man From Snowy River (5 USA)
• The Rare Breed (More 4)
• The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (More 4)
• Tobruk (Film 4)
• Watchmen (Film 4)


Thursday (12 June)

• Anna and the King (Movie Mix)
• Avalanche Express (5 USA)
• The Black Windmill (ITV 4)
• A Bullet for the General [El Chucho: Quien sabe?] (movies4men)
• The Grey (Film 4)
• Hobo With a Shotgun (Film 4)
• Into the Wild (Film 4)
• Keoma [Keoma il vendicatore] (movies4men)
• The Longest Day (Film 4)
• Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous (5*)
• Sleepers (ITV 4)
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Film 4)


Friday (13 June)

• Age of Heroes (ITV 4)
• The Battle of Sinai [La battaglia del Sinai] (movies4men)
• Black Knight (E4)
• The Conquest of Mycenae (Hercules Against Moloch) [Ercole contro Molock] (movies4men)
• The Departed (More 4)
• The Entity (Movie Mix)
• G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Film 4)
• A Good Year (Movie Mix)
• Priest (Film 4) [3-D]
• Spider-Man 3 (5*)
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan [Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan] (Film 4)
• The Towering Inferno (More 4)
• Wild at Heart (Film 4)

Just a note to say Somebody Killed Her Husband which was a point of discussion is on Movies4Men this afternoon.

Don't worry - I'm SO there!...

Yes, indeedie - SOMEBODY KILLED HER HUSBAND was broadcast in the scope ratio on TV for what appears to be the first time, in any country, ever. I can find no other reference to this outside the IMDb, and they don't count as a reliable source. The fact they got it right in this instance is a bonus.

But the main issue is that the film appears to have been shot in Super 35 - in 1978! That's a full five or six years before the format was resurrected in the early 1980's!! I discounted the idea of it being shot in 2-perf (Techniscope) by comparing the Movie Mix version with online 4:3 prints, and the cropping/reframing is typical of S35 origination - cropping from Techniscope would have been very different indeed.

Absolutely astonishing. A small bit of history rewritten.

(Unless otherwise indicated, all films in the following list were projected at 2.35:1 prior to 1971, and at 2.39:1 thereafter)

* = May not be screened in all areas (check your local listings).

Scope and 3-D movies across the Freeview platform for the coming week (14 - 20 June):


Saturday (14 June)

• Archer of Fire [L'arciere di fuoco] (movies4men)
• The Beach (C4)
• Escape to Victory [Victory] (More 4)
• Forrest Gump (C4)
• Ghost Busters (C5)
• The Green Berets (C5)
• He's Just Not That Into You (E4)
• Identity (Movie Mix)
• The Italian Job (Film 4)
• Red Dragon (ITV 2)
• Sightseers (Film 4)
• Spider-Man 3 (5*)


Sunday (15 June)

• 5 Days of War (movies4men)
• Anna and the King (Movie Mix)
• The Appaloosa (ITV 4)
• Arthur and the Great Adventure [Arthur 3: La guerre des deux mondes] (ITV 2)
• As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me [So weit die Füße tragen] (movies4men)
• Buffalo Soldiers (Film 4)
• Conqueror of Corinth [Il conquistatore di Corinto] (movies4men)
• Coraline (Film 4) [3-D] [1.85:1]
• Death & Life of Charlie St. Cloud [Charlie St. Cloud] (E4)
• Dragonball: Evolution (Film 4)
• Gosford Park (ITV 1)*
• Grounded [Unaccompanied Minors] (5*)
• Hitch (C5)
• Lost in Space (5*)
• The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (ITV 2)
• Nim's Island (C5)
• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (Film 4)
• Transporter 3 [Le transporteur 3] (Film 4)
• The Vow (C5)


Monday (16 June)

• The Andromeda Strain (Film 4)
• The Grey (Film 4)
• The Lake House (5*)
• The Magnificent Showman [Circus World] (BBC 2) [Super Technirama 70] [2.21:1]
• The Rare Breed (More 4)
• Red Hill (Film 4)
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (Film 4)
• Tobruk (Film 4)
• Underworld (ITV 2)
• The Wooden Horse of Troy [La guerra di Troia] (movies4men)


Tuesday (17 June)

• The Boston Strangler (Movie Mix)
• Bury Them Deep [All'ultimo sangue] (movies4men)
• Colombiana (Film 4)
• A Good Year (Movie Mix)
• Keoma [Keoma il vendicatore] (movies4men)
• Mamma Mia! (ITV 3)
• Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous (5*)
• Rambo: First Blood Part II (ITV 1)*
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (Film 4)
• Watchmen (Film 4)


Wednesday (18 June)

• The 300 Spartans (Film 4)
• 5 Days of War (movies4men)
• Anna Karenina (Movie Mix)
• The Battle of Sinai [La battaglia del Sinai] (movies4men)
• The Cowboys (More 4)
• G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Film 4)
• The Hindenburg (C4)
• Identity (Movie Mix)
• Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed (movies4men)
• Sleepers (ITV 4)
• Somebody Killed Her Husband (Movie Mix)
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Film 4)
• Sweet Home Alabama (5*)


Thursday (19 June)

• Anna and the King (Movie Mix)
• The Bone Collector (5*)
• Bury Them Deep [All'ultimo sangue] (movies4men)
• Demetrius and the Gladiators (Film 4) [2.55:1]
• D-Tox [Eye See You] (ITV 4)
• I Dreamed of Africa (Movie Mix)
• The Italian Job (Film 4)
• Runaway (Movie Mix)
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day (C4)
• Yojimbo [用心棒] (Film 4)


Friday (20 June)

• The Andromeda Strain (Film 4)
• Basic (ITV 3)
• Coraline (Film 4) [3-D] [1.85:1]
• Escape to Victory [Victory] (More 4)
• A Good Year (Movie Mix)
• He's Just Not That Into You (E4)
• Identity (Movie Mix)
• The International (Movie Mix)
• McLintock! (Film 4)
• A Place in Hell [Un posto all'inferno] (movies4men)
• The Switch (5*)
• Transporter 3 [Le transporteur 3] (Film 4)
• The War Lord (Film 4)

Much as I expected it would, ARTHUR AND THE GREAT ADVENTURE played OAR on ITV 2 over the weekend.

Also much as I expected, AS FAR AS MY FEET WILL CARRY ME was cropped/reframed on movies4men. Shot in Super 35 and screened theatrically at 2.39:1, it's been altered to 16:9 on most - if not all - home video versions worldwide at the behest of the producers themselves, for god knows what reason. Why they bothered framing for scope in the first place if they were going to do this in perpetuity (with no chance of the scope version being made available outside of theratrical screenings EVER), is beyond me...

Terminator 2: Judgement Day on Channel 4? Will it finally get a terrestrial OAR screening I wonder, and hopefully HD too?