8mm Forum: Disney's The Jungle Book

This is topic Disney's The Jungle Book in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=001088

Posted by Christopher P Quinn (Member # 1294) on November 11, 2008, 11:13 AM:

Can anyone tell me the original aspect of this Disney classic. Was it 4:3 academy or was there a widescreen version?

Cheers,
Chris.

Posted by peter booth (Member # 242) on November 11, 2008, 11:47 AM:

Hi Chris,
I have the Platinum Edition DVD and this has an aspect ratio of 1.75.1 Widescreen,which I believe to be the correct ratio for the cinema release.
If I'm wrong then another forum member will put me right,
Regards,Peter.

Posted by Paul Tivy (Member # 836) on November 11, 2008, 11:48 AM:

Disney aspect ratios are a thorny issue. As far as the Jungle Book goes, the latest widescreen dvd is clearly missing information from the top and bottom the picture compared to all previous home video releases, which were in 4:3. This shows that the animators used the whole Academy frame. However, like other non-anamorphic widescreen films, it would have been cropped for the cinema on its original release in 1967.

Best wishes,

Tiv

Posted by Chip Carpenter (Member # 1330) on November 11, 2008, 02:10 PM:

Here's some additional discussion re: Disney and aspect ratios - although a little dated . . .
Link

Chip

Posted by Christopher P Quinn (Member # 1294) on November 11, 2008, 05:32 PM:

Thanks for the link Chip.
So, I can watch this in 4:3 on my original DVD and Super 8 flat version and it's correct. and i can also watch in 1.75.1 version on the newer platinum dvd version. Although this would come out as 16:9 and not be correct as the original release. [Confused]

Chris.

Posted by Paul Tivy (Member # 836) on November 11, 2008, 06:09 PM:

Not quite Chris. Your newer 1.175:1 platinum dvd is replicating the original cinema release. It's just that the older home video versions actually show more picture information than was in that original cinema release. Are we clear now?

Best wishes,

Tiv

Posted by Christopher P Quinn (Member # 1294) on November 11, 2008, 11:34 PM:

Thanks Paul, It's me having a blond moment, i have them quite a lot. [Big Grin]

OK, So the 4:3 is a pan & scan? as the film was never shot in this aspect even though the full hight of academy was used by the animators. Is that right? I can't remember what shape the screen was when i first went to see it at the cinema.

Chris.

Posted by Paul Tivy (Member # 836) on November 12, 2008, 12:18 AM:

The 4:3 is the whole frame. The widescreen is cropped from that.

Best wishes,

Tiv

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on November 12, 2008, 03:02 AM:

As an interesting aside to this I went to a re-release of the film in the 1990's. The cinema couldn't cope with the 4x3 (1.33:1) aspect ratio of the print and therefore had areas of white screen showing down the edges. It became apparent this was a general problem around the world and caused Disney to abandon their policy of re-releasing their films in the original aspect ratios. Henceforth all Disney releases were butchered!

Thankfully the Super 8 print is the correct format and on top of that it's one of the best all-time Super 8 prints.

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2