Page 1 of The Dark Knight on BD....Whats going on???

Ok...Im still relatively new to BD but could some explain this to me? I purchased The Dark Knight on BD and on the back of the box it states `1080p High Definition 16x9 2.4:1 and 1.78:1 (Imax Sequences)`. When playing the film the picture alternates between `full sceen` and `black bars`!?! I assume the full screen is the Imax sequence as it mostly happens in scenes where the camera spins round panoramic views of skyscrapers and such and dramatic action scenes. Normal dialogue scenes are portrayed in `black bars`!

I`ve tried messing round with the settings on my PS3 and on the BD menu page but am getting no joy in just getting a fixed picture.....

As I say Im still new to this BD lark so please be gentle if Im not doing anything blatantly obvious!!!

Thanks!!! :D



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This item was edited on Wednesday, 10th December 2008, 00:25

Nope, that`s how it is presented - there is no way to get a fixed aspect ratio for the whole film, aside from putting masking tape across the top and bottom of the screen for some rough cropping.

Really??? Bloody hell. Its annoying as f***!!!



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The DVD is the only way to get the film in the fixed aspect ratio of 2.35:1.

If it`s any consolation, you are seeing it closer to how it was intended on the BD than DVD (although Imax is actually 1.44:1 so even at 1.78:1 the Imax footage is slightly cropped). Taping it off isn`t wise because it won`t take in the `scanning` that the theatrical version did on some of the shots.

Intriguing. Got my TDK Blu-ray yesterday, and really interested in seeing how it plays. Having seen it on an IMAX in the first place, I know just how f***ing amazing this film looks.

If they really wanted to preserve the intended look of the IMAX version the ratio should have alternated between scope and 1.43:1 or whatever IMAX is. They could just as easily have pillarboxed it as letterboxing it. Now that really would have drawn the complaints in!

Im still awaiting mine to arrive! :(



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I find it incredible that this is happening on blu-ray and you can`t watch the version you saw at the cinema and on DVD. Whether people prefer the IMAX or widescreen or whatever, surely all of those versions could have been user-selectable using some sort of branching? Certainly at least the choice to watch the full `normal` film or the normal one with bits of IMAX???????

Ste

Quote:
I find it incredible that this is happening on blu-ray and you can`t watch the version you saw at the cinema and on DVD. Whether people prefer the IMAX or widescreen or whatever, surely all of those versions could have been user-selectable using some sort of branching? Certainly at least the choice to watch the full `normal` film or the normal one with bits of IMAX???????

Exactly! I found myself looking to see if the next scene was going to be fullscreen or letterboxed. Totally detracted my concentration from the film and am just happy that I originally watched this film in the cinema where I was able to follow the plot. It would indeed have been better to have an option of watching this film using branching. Its enough to put me off BD for life!!

I`m selling this BD on ebay and then going to get the DVD version with fixed aspect ratio.



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It is odd that the BD doesn`t have two versions of the film - one with IMAX scenes and one with a consistent aspect ratio that was shown in `normal` cinemas. I`m holding off getting it for the moment.