Will they cut parts out from Titanic when it comes out on video?

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For some movies when they come out on video they cut parts out. Like Jurassic Park. I remember it was like 3 hours in the movie theatres but when it came out on video it was only like 2 or 2 1/2. Do you think they'll do this with Titanic? I hope not.

-- Jennifer (foo@bar.com), February 15, 1998

Answers

hey jennifer,

I don't think they could get away with it. I mean I really think that if they did that all of us who love Titanic the way it is, would complain like hell and force them to relase the original to us. I think they realise what we're going to want to see in our homes and I think they'll give it to us. I also think it won't be much of a problem since James Cameron has already said this is the best it's going to get and also that he may release a directors cut that's only a half hour longer. I know that's a little contradictory but that's what was in one net interview that i read.

-- Miranda Swearingen (Kylen1@hotmail.com), February 15, 1998.


Thanks Miranda. I was just wondering. All movies say "This has been formatted to fit your screen. It has been modified from it's original version." So I thought they cut parts out from all or most movies. I've noticed it on more movies than Jurassic Park but no one else seems to notice when they do cut stuff out. But I guess they wouldn't it to Titanic since it's so popular.

-- Jennifer (foo@bar.com), February 15, 1998.

The formatting for the screen size refers more to the width of the picture. They cut the original picture on the sides and then you get the two dark bands (at the top + bottom of the screen). They should not cut scenes. If they do, with people seeing the movie and memorizing it line by line they could be in trouble...They should rather add some more scenes in the end. There will be plenty of space because they will need at least two tapes...

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@ccs.carleton.ca), February 15, 1998.

Jennifer, keep in mind that movies released on video are also subject to something called "pan and scan," where those widescreen shots are often re-edited to fit on your TV screen. This is especially true of scenes where two people are talking in close-up, and that image on TV would result in one of them having half his or her head cut off!! So expect to see changes like that in the video version as well. Bottom line--if a letterboxed version is offered, get that. That will have the exact movie image.

ml

-- Mary Lynne Nielsen (m.nielsen@ieee.org), February 16, 1998.


The good news is that Titanic was shot on Super 35; although there will *probably* be a letter-box edition, the 4:3 edition (which fully fits a regular TV screen) may include all of the original theatrical image, as well as the image masked-off and unseen, top and bottom.

For an idea of what I'm talking about, there's a previously unseen scene in the _Titanic: Breaking New Ground_ TV special, just before the first commercial break, that has two transitions: one from the wreck of Titanic to the sun-lit Titanic in 1912 (with Kate Winslet walking down the starboard boat deck, looking for Jack), followed by one from letter-box to 4:3 (the masking goes away at the end of the shot).

I doubt that you'll see a 'pan and scan' in any video release of Titanic; just the full frame, as it was shot.

-e1a-

-- Thomas M. Terashima (titanicshack@yahoo.com), February 16, 1998.



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