American Cinematographer - January 1994 - 24

The Chicken and The

Egg

by John Hora, ASC
Recently I attended a demonstration of
of the new digital sound systems
currently being promoted and used for
theatrical motion pictures. During the
presentation, the likelihood of this sys¬
tem being directly compatible with home
theater and video presentation was em¬
phasized. Achieving good, loud sound in
the home is much cheaper and easier
than achieving a big, sharp picture.
Since this system's sound

devised in 1953. The screen width for
HDTV projection demonstrations is usu¬

Thirty years ago the motion
picture industry reacted to the threat of

one

*

IN A CLOSET

track is contained on a CD-ROM separate
from the film, we asked about plans to

*

IN A TAXI

use
in 70mm release.

BEHIND A DOOR

*

IN BED

*

HAND HELD

*

UNDER A DIVING BOARD

*

IN JAIL

*

AT A ROCK CONCERT

*

ON A STAGECOACH

*

AT A FASHION SHOW

*

UNDER A LUNCH COUNTER

It will make your lighting more
effective wherever you need to
conceal a small compact light
source.

Stik-up, ideal for film, TV, stills.
Up to 200W. Also 12V for
battery operation. Weighs only
with cord. Stick it any¬
where. Kit available.
ozs.

Write

or

call for info.

StiK'UD
tmH

developed rather quickly as a way to
existing finished 1.33 produc¬
tions to wide screen after the wildly suc¬
cessful introduction of Cinemascope in
1953. In terms of quality it is near the
very bottom of all the formats in the use
of negative area. In 1953 they just
cropped off the top and bottom of the
frame along with heads, feet and even
was

"convert"

titles and sold it as the "Giant Panoramic
Screen."
Yet it is this 30-year-old format
to which HDTV is most often

^AMERICAN
MARKET

hope someday to equal. The 16:9

in any film in the world as far as I know)
is very close to the 1.85 ratio so hastily

HOLLYWOOD CA 90038

TELEPHONE 213/461-0200

*

TWX 910 494 1233

©1984

22

compared

in demonstration. Its level of quality is
considered the goal that the HDTV sys¬

aspect ratio of HDTV (a ratio never used

826 N.COLE AVENUE

sound, would

we not be describing the
"Home Theater"? What would cinemas
offer that will not be available in the
home? Why go out and buy a ticket at all?

Today, much of the
development is guided by
those interested in selling
equipment to consumers.

"This will kill 70,"
the man said.
"There's no need
for 70 anymore!"
The implication
was that the only
reason for 70mm
release would be to secure a better
sound track. But what about the picture?
No need for 70mm? Is there any need for
a better picture at all?
The film shown as a demon¬
stration was a 1.85 release. It is good to
remember that the 1.85 presentation

tems

THE

GREAT

and of limited resolution but with terrific

implement its

*

8

ally quite moderate, sort of good for the
home. If theatrical presentations them¬
selves were allowed to consist of only a
moderately wide screen of limited size

January 1994

television in the home with very large
and very wide screens. Cinemascope,

Todd-AO, and
be shown

even

1.85

were meant to

large screens. Theaters
ripped out rows of seats and placed the
screen forward of the old proscenium.
They hung new curtains to accommodate
the dramatically larger presentations.
Cinemascope, at 2.55:1, was not only
nearly twice as wide in aspect ratio as
the traditional screens, it also was physi¬
cally much wider and taller than the 1.33
screens

on

very

it obliterated. It used

areas

of

the

negative and print that had been
wasted since the acceptance of the stan¬
dard Academy aperture concurrent with
the introduction of optical sound on film.
At a time when most people had never
heard any stereo at all, Cinemascope
was accompanied by discrete four-chan¬
nel stereophonic sound recorded live
with multiple channels on the set.
Cinemascope films were originally shot
with relatively wide angle optics and
with action
a

spread across the
panoramic vista.

screen

like
American Cinematographer - January 1994

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