Apologies all round: It turns out that a 2.35:1 version of EQUILIBRIUM
was released on BR, though I coulda swore it was released in 16:9, since I recall some controversy online over the decision. Maybe it was recalled and replaced by the OAR version?
Originally Posted by DVDfever:
“Given that the distributor would have to pay extra to have a different ratio version of the same film rated by the BBFC (half the original cost, IIRC), then it doesn't make any sense to do it.”
I'm not sure this is entirely true. The BBFC doesn't need to see a film again if the 'widescreen' version is achieved by simply cropping a 4:3 print to 1.85:1, though I'm not sure if this policy applies to Super 35 films first released on VHS at 1.33:1 before being rendered at 2.35:1 for DVD and/or Blu-ray.
Also, the BBFC makes no mention of the aspect ratio for each film they classify, and some distributors use this as licence to provide different versions for different platforms. My DVD rental service has sent me a number of discs - featuring films released theatrically at 2.35:1 - marked 'Rental Copy', which are cropped to 16:9, while the retail version is 2.35:1. Lions Gate is particularly fond of this nasty little 'wheeze', though they're not alone. Affected titles I've rented so far:
AFTER DUSK THEY COME [
The Forgotten Ones] (Metrodome)
AN AMERICAN HAUNTING (Lions Gate)
CHAOS (Lions Gate)
WAR (Lions Gate)
I doubt very much the owners felt the need to get both versions classified by the BBFC (and there's no record of double-submissions for these titles at the BBFC database), since they probably felt the difference was 'minimal' enough to get away with it. In fact, I might just drop a line to the BBFC in an effort to clarify this particular point...