Where do they get the rest of the scene?

I recorded Spiderman 2 on HBO HD and did a comparison with my Spiderman 2 DVD and HBO HD recording of Spiderman 2.

What I found was quite interesting, the HD recording is a "complete" 1.85:1 Anamorphic and the DVD of course is a 2.35:1. This was also publicized by the director. He chose to record the sequel in 2.35:1.

My question is, there are scenes where part of the top and bottom are cut off from the 2.35:1 but on the HD recording those parts/scenes are magically there. For example when Peter Parker goes to Aunt May's house for the surprise birthday party. The scene where Peter sits at the kitchen table and Aunt May awakens. There are flowers in front of the kitchen window. On the DVD you can only see the bottom parts. Recorded in a 2.35:1 format. But on the HD recording, YOU CAN SEE THE ENTIRE FLOWER POTS!

WTF

There are other scenes where the top of characters heads are cut off on the DVD recording, that's the 2.35:1 Anamorphic but on the 1.85:1 HD recording they are there.

Can anyone explain this?

I did the same comparison with the Terminator 3 DVD and HBO HD recording. In the scene where Claire Daines and Fiance are shopping in the mall and they are trying to scan a product. The price gun is cut off and so is her purse and the price gun's tag from the DVD recording but on the HD recording, it is magically there?!

I recorded Spiderman 2 on HBO HD and did a comparison with my Spiderman 2 DVD and HBO HD recording of Spiderman 2.

What I found was quite interesting, the HD recording is a "complete" 1.85:1 Anamorphic and the DVD of course is a 2.35:1. This was also publicized by the director. He chose to record the sequel in 2.35:1.

My question is, there are scenes where part of the top and bottom are cut off from the 2.35:1 but on the HD recording those parts/scenes are magically there. For example when Peter Parker goes to Aunt May's house for the surprise birthday party. The scene where Peter sits at the kitchen table and Aunt May awakens. There are flowers in front of the kitchen window. On the DVD you can only see the bottom parts. Recorded in a 2.35:1 format. But on the HD recording, YOU CAN SEE THE ENTIRE FLOWER POTS!

WTF

There are other scenes where the top of characters heads are cut off on the DVD recording, that's the 2.35:1 Anamorphic but on the 1.85:1 HD recording they are there.

Can anyone explain this?

I did the same comparison with the Terminator 3 DVD and HBO HD recording. In the scene where Claire Daines and Fiance are shopping in the mall and they are trying to scan a product. The price gun is cut off and so is her purse and the price gun's tag from the DVD recording but on the HD recording, it is magically there?!

Read this series:
http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Articles/WidescreenPrimer/WidescreenPrimer1.html
Be sure to read all of it, I think it will answer your questions. Part 2 discusses the matting of the original film frames.

Excellent read. :D

I think there was a thread somewhere here that had a comparison of the Matrix 4:3 full screen (dvd) vs 2.35:1 wide screen (dvd) vs 16:9 widescreen (HD), that showed you that you actually see more to the top and bottom on the full screen version, and the whole picture on the hd version :D.

Sorry I should have metioned I watched the DVD and the HD recording on a 16x9 widescreen television. The HD content was 1.85:1 and the DVD was 2.35:1.

If you do the comparison yourself, you will see and understand what I am describing.

I know the history of cropping, pan & scan and 4x3.

Unless I am completely missing the point.

If you get the chance, watch, record, DVR/PVR HBO's HD content of a DVD owned library copy and do the comparison by switching the inputs.

The TV dosen't matter. It depends on how the original source (digital tape or DVD) was mastered. That is where the difference in matting of the original film frames comes in to play.

Ahhh, I finished reading the entire explanation.

Now I get it, what a jip.

Thanks rbinck, you sure know your stuff.

in a nutshell, the term your looking for is 'open matte'
when using certain filming formats, directors/etc can choose to open up the frame to fill the screen. james cameron is known for preferring to do this on non-theatrical versions.

the major drawback to this is that often special effects shot are only done to the theaterical resolution, thus there is not extra picture to show, so they have to rig it any number of ways to work.

And also sometimes boom mics and other equipment will show if opened up.