Is Anamorphic Always Better?
Dear Gary: I really like anamorphic images, but quality varies from disc to disc. In fact, I sometimes prefer standard letterbox presentations to the anamorphic versions. A good example of this is with Under Siege. Because I liked the LD so much, I decided to buy the DVD because the anamorphic image “had to be better.” But I was disappointed. The film on DVD had a very orange tone throughout, and some of the scenes were so dark I couldn’t see what was going on. The old LD version was better. I’ve noticed that a number of anamorphic presentations have been beset with this “oranging” quality. Have you got any thoughts on this?
Richard, Japan
Editor Gary Reber Comments:
When releasing in anamorphic widescreen, a completely new film-to-video transfer is required. It is during this transfer process that color fidelity is determined, shadow detail and black levels. As you know, some transfers are better than others. The reasons for this have to do with the excellence of source materials, the telecine facility’s machinery calibration and capability and the skill of the telecine operator and colorist. This all assumes that your display device is properly calibrated to be able to conduct a proper A/B comparison. If your display device does not have at least two independent sets of input memory, then you will not be able to do a proper comparison without expensive outboard equipment. If you have only one memory, you can use a Sony DVP-S7000 DVD-Video player, which provides for three independent output calibration memories. (Note that the new Sony DVP-S7700, while providing all the picture and sound performance of the DVP-S7000, does not have this memory feature.) This is because you will only be able to calibrate for one video memory on your display device and you will not be able to adjust or fine tune for the differences in DVD players and discs and LaserDisc players and discs. Given excellent telecine mastering on both anamorphic and non-anamorphic transfers, the anamorphic widescreen DVD will always be the better looking picture, simply due to dramatically more vertical and horizontal resolution, especially vertical resolution.
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