Still glad I have the LD . . .
Sooooooooo . . . Beauty and the Beast was re-released today.
What do I think?
I think we'll never get a newer transfer of the original camera negative framing of this wonderful film.
If you've read my disc_zombie review of this 1991 film, you might remember how I compared the framing of the 1993 LD vs the 2003 DVD. The framing on the LD is 1.66:1 (the original camera negative framing) and the DVD is 1.85:1 (the matted framing how it appeared in theaters on its 2000 special edition re-release.) So you get more picture on the top and bottom as opposed to the DVD; which appears wider, but you get no extra picture information on the sides. Just the top and bottom are masked on the DVD vs the LD.
This new HD transfer is 1.78:1 (in order to fill up an HDTV screen.) This adds a little more picture to the frame vs the old DVD, but you still lose some picture vs the LD. Take a look (don't use these caps to compare picture quality. LD doesn't always look all that well when being screencapped on a computer capture program) . . .
New DVD
New DVD
New DVD
New DVD
New DVD
I will say though, that the new transfer is much sharper, and has more vivid colors.
So yeah, I'm glad I have the LD(s.) Also glad I still have the old DVD too, as there are a few supplements didn't carry over to the new release!
What do I think?
I think we'll never get a newer transfer of the original camera negative framing of this wonderful film.
If you've read my disc_zombie review of this 1991 film, you might remember how I compared the framing of the 1993 LD vs the 2003 DVD. The framing on the LD is 1.66:1 (the original camera negative framing) and the DVD is 1.85:1 (the matted framing how it appeared in theaters on its 2000 special edition re-release.) So you get more picture on the top and bottom as opposed to the DVD; which appears wider, but you get no extra picture information on the sides. Just the top and bottom are masked on the DVD vs the LD.
This new HD transfer is 1.78:1 (in order to fill up an HDTV screen.) This adds a little more picture to the frame vs the old DVD, but you still lose some picture vs the LD. Take a look (don't use these caps to compare picture quality. LD doesn't always look all that well when being screencapped on a computer capture program) . . .
New DVD
New DVD
New DVD
New DVD
New DVD
I will say though, that the new transfer is much sharper, and has more vivid colors.
So yeah, I'm glad I have the LD(s.) Also glad I still have the old DVD too, as there are a few supplements didn't carry over to the new release!