How many more aspect ratios?

[petefletch]

I thought we had enough with the standard 4:3, widescreen 1.85:1, 2.35:1, and Ben Hur's 2.76:1.
I've just come across my first dvd's that are supposedly 2.20:1.

I assume this is an original aspect ratio, because why would anyone crop a dvd to an odd size.
How many more "standard" aspect ratios can there be?

[Tsargrad]

I think Tomorrow Never Dies is 2.44:1 and M originally was 1.17:1

[snapper]

Original El Mirache aspect ratio is 1.66:1 there is also 1.78:1
The widescreen standard allows for up to 3:1 AFAIK. Ive never come accross a movie that used that though

[andw]

Check out http://www.widescreen.org/aspect_ratios.shtml for all your aspect ratio needs (or worst nightmares!!).

[KeithT]

...I assume this is an original aspect ratio, because why would anyone crop a dvd to an odd size. How many more "standard" aspect ratios can there be?petefletch - the aspect ratio is more to do with the actual film used in shooting the movie than it has to do with dvd.

If you're up for some reading on film aspect ratios and the associated companies that made the film stock, have a look at The American Widescreen Museum (http://www.widescreenmuseum.com) - specifically their page on film dimensions (http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/filmdims.htm). Have a read of the history of film, it answers your question, and also makes for interesting reading.

Also, the Letterbox and Widescreen Advocacy Page (http://www.widescreen.org/aspect_ratios.shtml) has a good summary of the various film types and subsequent aspect ratios.

Also, when you read these pages, remember that the term "anamorphic" refers to different things when talking about film as opposed to DVD.

Hope that helps some.

[petefletch]

Thanks for those links, some interesting stuff there.
And more variations in aspect ratios than you could poke a stick at (or even several sticks). Although a lot are apparently no longer used.

I have been thinking of trying to set up some sort of movable masking system on my 4:3 projector screen, and had thought I would only need to set it for two spots (1.85 and 2.35) until I bought a dvd that was 2.2.
Now I'm not so sure what to do with it.
Although I guess there won't be that many movies that aren't 1.85 or 2.35 and those ones will just have reasonably small grey bars compared to no screen masking at all.

[easyrider]

Page xvii in my copy of Leonard Maltin's 2003 Movie Guide has a Widescreen Glossary ...... from Actionscope 2.35:1 to Warwickscope 2.35:1. 80 different "scopes" in all.

Some really wide ratios include Cinerama 2.8:1. MGM Camera 65 2.75:1, Ultra Panavision 70 2.76:1

2001: A Space Odyssey was shot in the earlier mentioned 2.20:1 Super Panavision 70 (70 mm)