DivX Clásico

As many already know, MGM's new DVD of "Koyaanisqatsi" is incorrectly hard-matted to an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 which IS NOT, and I repeat, NOT the correct aspect ratio for the film. Shot in full-frame 4:3, the film was obviously intended to be seen in 4:3 and WAS theatrically shown in 1.33:1 - I personally saw the film 3 times theatrically in Los Angeles upon it's original theatrical release (twice at the Plitt in Century City (a premiere cinema at the time) and once at the Royal Theatre on the westside. All presentations were 1.33:1 and NOT 1.85:1. It was distinctly obvious that the presentation was 1.33:1 upon it's theatrical release with much head room and unusually open scope to top and bottom, not this atrocious fake matting that MGM has now decided to instigate on their new disc. It destroys many scenes that are WAY too cropped - and this is NOT the intended format of the director as many may think.

Godfrey Reggio oversaw the limited edition "members-only" DVD that IRE put out a couple of years ago to anyone who contributed $180+ to their cause to clear up the legal issues for the film. That disc was the original full-frame (no fake matting) version of the film and was identical to the way the film was originally theatrically presented. Reggio apparently oversaw the production of that disc and approved it - even personally signing the sleeve each one came in. Would he approve his own personally produced DVD with the wrong aspect ratio of his own film? I think not.

Who came up with this idea that the film was theatrically shown in 1.85:1? It wasn't shown that way in Los Angeles, that's for sure. I understand the whole "matting/not matting" issue as far as some films shot open but are intended to be seen matted, but this is not one of those cases. "Koyaanisqatsi" was shot and intended to be seen open and MGM's disc is an atrocity to Ron Fricke's cinematography, cropping out important information from top and bottom.

I am glad I didn't sell off my IRE disc of the film in anticipation of this new MGM release. The IRE disc will now be even more valuable to film fans and collectors - and any TRUE "Koyaanisqatsi" fan will most likely NEED to locate one of those IRE discs now if they want to have the film as it was INTENDED to be seen.

MGM should have put both versions of the film on the disc if they were so adamant about including a "widescreen" print just to appease fans who always think widescreen is "right". Well, in this case, they have basically released a pan-and-scan version of the film, but a vertical pan-and-scan instead of the usual horizontal. A true disappointment all around. Boo.

I don�t believe it was supposed to be widescreen in the first place. I watched Naqoyqatsi when it premiered in my city and the movie was projected in the academy aspect ratio.(1.37:1 or 4x3) The picture looked like it was formatted for that aspect ratio with no cropping. I think what we have here is Miramax being overzealous in releasing a widescreen version without regarding whether or not it was meant to be seen that way. I am a big fan of the Qatsi trilogy and I�m an advocate for widescreen and 16x9 enhancement. This is like stretching or cropping Citizen Cane just so it would fit on a widescreen TV. I will call Miramax at opportunity and hopefully the will correct this error ASAP.

Se ve de pm. Casi mejor que el DVD de MGM, que tengo en casa...

whats the difference to this release?

and please dont post screenshots from the 4:3 version. i nearly fell of the chair because i thought there was finally a rip of the original uncut ire-version that i'm searching for ages

for a quick comparison of what those bastards did to the beautifully filmed and mastered dvd compare these two pics. and no, the lower one is not a badly cropped divx copy with too much convolution3d applied, its the 16:9 dvd...

ire-edition:

fucked up mgm version:

Lo que no me queda claro, si esa captura es del divx o del VOB del DVD

and due to the extremely cheap mastering of the new dvd even the divx-rip is better (compare with the pic posted above):


original





mgm