Here's one that has been cut for sure...and it's nothing to do with the BBFC because they let it through without any cuts. According to BBFC the run time for 'Blast From The Past' shown on F4 recently is 108m 38s. The worst video transfer is 98m 30s the best 107m 26s. So, allowing for 4% speed up, Film 4 seem to have lost some minutes of the film during broadcast :-/ The broadcasted film with ads cut out with a frame accurate editor runs at approx 95m 30s.

The BBFC appears to have passed the film at '12' for a couple of swear words and some 'brief sexual references', all of which (I'm assuming) were removed and/or toned-down for an early evening slot on Film 4. However, your research seems to indicate the absence of several minutes, which may be explained by a speeding-up of the closing credits (still an occasional problem, even on Film 4). Was there any speeding-up?

What I'd really like is for any of the mods to come on here and explain WHY several unsuitable films have been scheduled in an early evening slot, occasioning a series of edits, and why those same films have not been re-scheduled post-watershed, and keep being repeated at unsuitable times, complete with edits?

My posting prior to this one has been edited.

'Swear words' is not the phrase I used, because such a phrase encompasses everything from the mildest epithets to some of the 'harder' stuff. I specifically outlined the first letter of the word(s) in question, to clearly indicate why BLAST FROM THE PAST had been given a 12 certificate. While the rules state there is to be no swear words at all, I thought this abstract description would be OK. Seems not.

Worse still, the posting was given enough attention to scrub it clean of potential offence, but no one has bothered to answer the specific question I asked about edited versions of pre-watershed films...

Looks like we'll be getting all the Austin Powers films in cropped format only on Film 4, since last week's screening of International Man of Mystery was reduced to a 1.78:1 shadow of its former self. Or maybe the sequels will be properly framed at last. We'll see in due course.

Still, at least we had the return of Skins on E4 (cracking stuff!), and UK viewers got their first full-on glimpse of the US version of Big Brother. And as far as widescreen movies were concerned, C4 got it right more times than they got it wrong last week (9-15 Feb), as demonstrated by the following tally:

Scope films broadcast at the correct aspect ratio across the C4 spectrum:

"CROCODILE" DUNDEE II
THE ENGLISHMAN WHO WENT UP A HILL BUT CAME DOWN A MOUNTAIN
GOSFORD PARK
HIDE AND SEEK
THE HOLE (E4)
I, ROBOT (C4)
IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE
MAGNOLIA
MONSTER-IN-LAW (C4)
THE NOTEBOOK
PICNIC
RIDE WITH THE DEVIL
SHAFT (E4)
THE TRUE STORY OF JESSE JAMES (More 4)
UNDERWORLD

And those that weren't:

AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY
BLAST FROM THE PAST
THE LAST WAGON
THE LONG SHIPS (More 4)

The BBC's emphatic refusal to even consider screening some 2.35:1 titles at the original AR means we can look forward to even more cramped/cropped presentations next week, including the rare Australian horror-thriller THIRST, which looks awful cropped to 1.78:1. And as for their 1.78:1 presentation of THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (designed for ultra-wide 70mm presentation) - a complete and utter waste of everyone's time. They might just as well not bother...

Still, C4 to the rescue! From the following list of titles, I can probably predict which ones will be screened OAR - along with those that won't, of course! So take your pick from this little lot:



23 - 29 February



Film 4

AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER (Super 35)

BLACK BOOK [Zwartboek] (Super 35)

THE CELL (Super 35)

THE HUNTERS (CinemaScope)

JUDGE DREDD (Panavision)

LADY VENGEANCE [see: Sympathy for Lady Vengeance]

A MAN APART (Super 35)
MONSTER'S BALL (Super 35)

TIMELINE (Super 35)

SYMPATHY FOR LADY VENGEANCE [Chinjeolhan Geumjassi] (Super 35)

UNDERWORLD (Super 35)

THE WAY WEST (Panavision)
WEDDING CRASHERS (Super 35)



Channel 4 / E4 / More 4

ARLINGTON ROAD (Panavision)

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER (Panavision)
COLLATERAL (HD Scope / DV Widescreen / Super 35)

ESCAPE TO ATHENA (Panavision)

FORT MASSACRE (CinemaScope)

SIAM SUNSET (Panavision)
STORM OVER THE NILE (CinemaScope)



Terrestrial / Freeview

8 MILE (Super 35)

ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS (Panavision)

THE BOURNE IDENTITY (Super 35)

CONAN THE DESTROYER (J-D-C Scope)

DIE HARD (Panavision)
DIE HARD 2 (Panavision)

EXECUTIVE DECISION (Panavision)

THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (Ultra Panavision 70) [2.76:1]
FELICIA'S JOURNEY (Panavision)

THE GREAT WALDO PEPPER (Todd-AO 35)

HIGHLANDER: ENDGAME (Super 35)
HONDO (WarnerVision 3-D) [1.66:1]

PETER PAN [2003] (Panavision)
PRIMARY COLORS (Super 35)

RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II (Panavision)
RESERVOIR DOGS (Super 35)
THE ROCK (Super 35)
ROLLERBALL [2001] (Panavision)
ROOSTER COGBURN (Panavision)

THE SCORPION KING (Super 35)
SHAUN OF THE DEAD (Super 35)
SUPERBABIES: BABY GENIUSES 2 (Super 35)
SWEET HOME ALABAMA (Super 35)
SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON (Panavision)

THIRST (Panavision)
THUNDERBALL (Panavision)

ZEPPELIN (Panavision)



Next update: Tuesday 26 February

I'm waiting with interest to see how the More4 screening of Derek Jarman's Sebastiane on Thursday night is going to be handled.

Yes, that will be interesting to see, given the hoo-ha it caused when first aired on C4 many years ago. Truth be told, when I saw an, ahem... uncut version (cue the gags! ) much later, I really couldn't see what all the fuss was about.

Just the Blue Rinse Brigade getting its collective knickers in a twist, I suppose. Again.

It was partially reframed, I think.

It's been years since I saw the original (or rather, the clip of it screened in a documentary during Channel 4's 1991 Banned season) but I'm sure you could see the offending member as he turned round in slow motion.

In the version screened tonight, it was off the bottom of the screen as he turned, but you did see it after he had turned completely around.

I've recorded the film and will be watching it in due course. But if the image was reframed, there was no mention the film had been altered before the broadcast began.

I don't think there was any reframing. As arbitrary as C4 can be sometimes, given the potential repercussions of showing it on screen at all it seems highly unlikely that they would go to the bother of 'softening the impact' in such a way that merely reduces the length of on-screen exposure. (Sorry, I could find no way of expressing the last half of that without everything sounding like a pun.)

From what I understand it was always an incidental anyway, which Jarman didn't seek to deliberately include, as that portion of the screen would have been lost when projected cinematically. It does raise the question though of why TV prints of open-matte shot films tend to be shown that way too, and not masked the way they would be in a cinema...

From what I understand it was always an incidental anyway, which Jarman didn't seek to deliberately include, as that portion of the screen would have been lost when projected cinematically. It does raise the question though of why TV prints of open-matte shot films tend to be shown that way too, and not masked the way they would be in a cinema...

I still haven't watched the recording, but I was interested in this point. I always thought the film was shot in 16mm (1.33:1 AR) and blown-up to 35mm for a 1.37:1 projected AR. However, the online DVD Times review of the recent UK DVD confirms the film was intended for projection at anything between 1.66:1 and 1.75:1 (anything wider, and it would have caused severe cropping).

It was the actor himself who wanted to appear in this fashion and Jarman simply filmed what was in front of him, though it would have seemed rather pointless if the director had no intention of 'letting it all hang out' on-screen. Besides, James Ferman was always kinder to this kind of 'art-house' stuff, and I think Jarman was aware of the boundaries and was willing to push them as far as he could go.

PS. ClientFan, I know what you mean about the inadvertent - and unavoidable - double entendre factor. It's hard, but one must stiffen one's, er... resolve.

Well, slap me sideways with a wet haddock! I took a look at SEBASTIANE last night and it was, indeed, completely uncut (what was that I was saying earlier about unavoidable double entendres?). Mind you, since the gentleman in question was only flying at half mast, I still can't work out what all the fuss was about!!

An odd film. I still can't work out who Sebastian fancied! Was it Justin or the lecherous captain? He spent most of his time with the former, but waxed lyrical about the latter's 'golden hair', etc. That being the case, why didn't he just accept the captain's advances? It might have saved him a lot of trouble. Like being tied up and shot with arrows. That happened to me once - I was picking spelks out of me orifices for weeks afterward. Weeks!!

Ok, so I holds up me hands and confesses: I was wrong about all the Austin Powers films being cropped on Film 4 - the first sequel was properly framed last week (16-22 Feb), and very nice it looked, too. For a rubbishy Super 35 movie with no sense of widescreen composition, that is.

The Radio Times listed FIRST MEN IN THE MOON (Channel 4) as being screened in HD last week. Whether it was broadcast that way is immaterial, since the film was cropped to 1.78:1. This tends to happen quite a lot on US HD channels, and it's something we really don't need over here, thanks very much.

Still don't know what's going on with RAT RACE. I'm assuming C4 has access to two versions of the film - a cropped/censored 1.78:1 for pre-watershed slots, and an uncut 2.35:1 print - but they insist on running the film at inappropriate times, with no explanation as to why this is the case. Ask the mods about a bit of music on their ads, and they'll answer. Write something that might remotely be considered a 'rude word' and you'll be edited without your consent. But ask about fundamental issues pertaining to C4's output and you'll get... absolutely nothing at all.

'New' to C4 was the first 2.35:1 outing for indie drama HEAVEN, though it was marred by signing. A non-signed version would be nice, but it's anyone's guess as to when that will happen.

THE WIDOW OF SAINT-PIERRE was scrunched against the top of the screen (again!), but in this case, there was a tiny matte across the top of the image, which I found reasonably acceptable. In this case, the sense of a 'wide' image was retained, rather than it looking as if the whole thing was simply pushed into the top half of the screen. Mattes above and below are crucial, otherwise the whole thing looks dodgy in the extreme. Sadly, BLACK BOOK premiered with the whole thing crushed upwards and suffered as a consequence (for me, anyway).

So, last week's widescreen wonders across the C4 spectrum:

AMERICAN PSYCHO
AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME
BLACK BOOK
CATTLE EMPIRE
"CROCODILE" DUNDEE II
HEAVEN (C4)
THE HOLE (E4)
JUDGE DREDD
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (C4)
PATRIOT GAMES (C4)
PICNIC
RUSH HOUR 2
SUDDEN DEATH (E4)
WEDDING CRASHERS
THE WIDOW OF SAINT-PIERRE

And last week's full-screen follies:

THE CITY UNDER THE SEA (C4)
FIRST MEN IN THE MOON (C4)
RAT RACE
THE SCARLET BLADE (C4)
THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER (More4)
STORM OVER THE NILE (More4)

quote:

THE WIDOW OF SAINT-PIERRE was scrunched against the top of the screen (again!), but in this case, there was a tiny matte across the top of the image, which I found reasonably acceptable. In this case, the sense of a 'wide' image was retained, rather than it looking as if the whole thing was simply pushed into the top half of the screen. Mattes above and below are crucial, otherwise the whole thing looks dodgy in the extreme. Sadly, BLACK BOOK premiered with the whole thing crushed upwards and suffered as a consequence (for me, anyway).

I can't comment on THE WIDOW OF SAINT-PIERRE, which I didn't watch, because I already own it on R2 DVD. However, I recorded BLACK BOOK on HDD, dubbed it to DVD-R, and watched it (on DVD-R) on Saturday evening. There was a narrow but clearly visible black band across the top of the screen. Since last December, I've been able to watch DVDs using HDMI output to my "plasma" TV, so there is no overscan. However, I checked the RGB output , and the black band was still visible, but slightly narrower (and I also lost a bit of image at the sides). I enjoyed the film, BTW.

Yeah, I should have noted the issue of overscan on the upper matte, which is always going to be a problem. The one used for Widow must have been larger than usual, because it was still plainly visible on my standard-def TV. It's just a shame C4 couldn't take the overscan issue into account on all relevant films, though I'm sure there are technical reasons which prevent this.

By the way, Paul, I was fascinated to hear you describe a lack of overscan via HDMI cables. Overscan has always been an issue with me (huge chunks are missing at either sides of my screen), and it's a relief to know HDMI resolves that issue. I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere else, so your comment arrived like a bolt out of the blue! Do you have any further info, or know of anywhere online which elaborates further on this?

It was news to me, too. I'd already noticed that with component output in "squeeze" mode from my old DVD player (which didn't have HDMI) to the "plasma" TV, I was getting more image at the sides on 4:3 material than with RGB. However, I was still losing image at the sides on 16:9 movies (no difference between component and RGB).

When I bought the new DVD player, which had HDMI output, I switched to HDMI (from component) mainly to take advantage of 720p upscaling (the best I can do with my TV). I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was also getting more image at the sides on 16:9 movies, compared with RGB. For example, I can now see the left/right black bars on 1.66:1 DVDs, and the "nose job" joke on Spaceballs is fully visible!

I've also checked it with the overscan test charts on my DVE setup disc. With RGB, I lose about 5% left and right, and about 2.5% top and bottom. With HDMI, the charts are 100% visible.

However, I can't say whether all equipment is the same, and I haven't done any research on the web. FYI, I have a Panasonic Viera TH-42PX600B plasma TV and a Pioneer DV-989AVi-S DVD player.

Thanks for your response, Paul. Given everything you've noted, I'll have a look around the Net and see what else I can find on this issue. Stay tuned!!

Next week sees the welcome return of (ahem!) 'old favourite' THE LADY VANISHES (1979) on More 4. Yes, the old warhorse that's been on TV more times in the last two years than the BBC's 6 o'clock news bulletin is back! And if it's cropped to 1.78:1 for the umpteen-millionth time, then all the better!! Not...

Film 4's upcoming season of 'all-British' films seems like another excuse to trot out loads of familiar titles we've all seen a thousand times before, sprinkled with a handful of newish stuff (GOING OFF BIG TIME and YOU'RE DEAD... have both been added to the schedule, but if they aren't properly-framed, there's no point in viewing). However, all complaints aside, there's still enough diverting material showing next week to allay any disappointments, and I sincerely hope older films such as THE BLACK SHIELD OF FALWORTH and SIGN OF THE PAGAN finally are going to 'debut' on C4 at the original widescreen ratio. If not, the large 'Click!' you'll hear will be the sound of my TV being switched off in disgust. Same goes for everything else on the following list:



1 - 7 March



Film 4

GOING OFF BIG TIME (Panavision)

THE LAND GIRLS (Panavision)
THE LONG SHIPS (Super Technirama 70) [2.21:1]

THE NOTEBOOK (J-D-C Scope)
NOTTING HILL (Super 35)

OLIVER TWIST [2005] (Super 35)

THE RECKONING (Super 35)
RIDE WITH THE DEVIL (2.35 Research)

SEA WIFE (CinemaScope)
S1MØNE (Panavision)

YOU'RE DEAD... (Arriscope)



Channel 4 / E4 / More 4

THE 51st STATE (Super 35)

THE BLACK SHIELD OF FALWORTH (CinemaScope) [2.55:1]

DOGMA (Super 35)

G.I. JANE (Panavision)
THE GRASS IS GREENER (Technirama)

THE LADY VANISHES [1979] (Panavision)

RIVER OF NO RETURN (CinemaScope) [2.55:1]

SIGN OF THE PAGAN (CinemaScope) [2.55:1]



Terrestrial / Freeview

THE 6th DAY (Super 35)

BIG JAKE (Panavision)
BLACK KNIGHT (Super 35)
THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (Super 35)
THE BURNING HILLS (CinemaScope)

D.A.R.Y.L. (Panavision)

EMPIRE [2002] (Super 35)

THE FOG [1979] (Panavision)
FREE WILLY (Panavision)
FUNNY GIRL (Panavision)

GET CARTER [2000] (Super 35)
GIGLI (Super 35)
THE GRADUATE (Panavision)

HIDALGO (Panavision)

THE MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL (Panavision)
MISS SADIE THOMPSON (Columbia 3-D) [1.75:1]

PALE RIDER (Panavision)
THE PUNISHER [2004] (Super 35)

RAMBO III (J-D-C Scope)
RANCID ALUMINIUM (Super 35)

TWISTER (Panavision)

THE WILD AND THE INNOCENT (CinemaScope)
WINDTALKERS (Super 35)

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (Panavision)



Next update: Tuesday 4 March

Having scoured the Web for further info on the issue of overscan (or lack thereof) on HD monitors via HDMI cables, it turns out that many - though not all - HD TV's have a function whereby consumers can adjust the level of overscan for themselves. 'Pixel mapping' is the key, since it works like a computer monitor (which has no overscan at all) and arranges the entire image onto the screen (whether broadcast images, or material from HD optical discs).

Paul, does your TV have such a function for adjusting overscan?

Paul, does your TV have such a function for adjusting overscan?

My Panasonic "plasma" does not have a "customer" overscan adjustment function, AFAIK. (Probably there are "service" adjustment functions, but these wold not be intended for customer use, and I wouldn't risk it even if I knew how to access them!)

I also have a 26 inch Sony Bravia LCD TV (in my bedroom), which has a "display area" adjustment. According to the handbook, "Normal" displays the picture in the original size, and "-1" and "-2" enlarge the picture to hide the edge of the picture. I only use the Sony occasionally. It has HDMI and component inputs, but I only use RGB at present. I keep the display set on "Normal". I've never got round to checking it with my DVE set up disc.