HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1995-06-21, Page 22v4Poetige MiX
By John Schedler
You may be aware of this or you may not, but the shape of your
television screen is incompatible with all of the widescreen movies
released between the early 1950s and present day. Versions of these films
regularly shown on your home screen are only pale shadows of what
audiences in theatres viewed.
The widespread introduction of movies touting processes like
Cinemascope, Superscope, Cinerama, Vistavision, Panavision and Todd-
AD was brought about by Hollywood's need to combat the plunge in
attendance as a result of stiff competition from television.
Movies originally made in one of these widescreen formats are usually
presented on video in what is called full screen pan and scan, which gives
you an image, the full height, but cuts off the other two thirds of the
picture width.
Modern computer controlled scanning can re-frame most of these
images into an acceptable presentation, but the film's original scene
compositions are all but destroyed.
Even with the advent of new widescreen televisions the width difference
is marginal and the only way to view these movies properly is in a theatre
or by using the letterbox format which reduces the image. This process
gives a true widescreen presentation, but also results in a picture two
thirds the normal TV size with black bars at the top and botti4n of the
screen, something many people dislike.
While a few home video companies have released both letterbox and
pan and scan version of some films, many more continue to shy away
from doing so. Usually letterbox is only used for laserdisc versions
because it is perceived to be a film buff format. Of course, many more
film fans remain happy with videocassettes which thanks to new digital
technology narrows the gap in picture quality. .
Over the past year Columbia/Tristar has issued excellent widescreen
cassette versions of David' Lean's Lawrence of Arabia, Bridge on The
River Kwai, Jay Lee Thompson's Guns of Navarone, and Mike Nichols'
The Graduate, while MCA/Universal did likewise with Spartacus,
Backdraft, Far And Away and Paramount re-issued Cecil B. DeMille's
epic The Ten Commandments.
Now MGM/UA has taken four of their most popular widescreen
laserdisc releases and is offering them on tape. The 35th Anniversary
Edition of Ben-Hur (Picture ****/Presentation **) (MGM/UA - $39.95)
promises much, but ends up delivering a mixed bag. The best part of this
two cassette package is a wonderfully informative and entertaining
making of documentary, but the film's unnecessarily extreme, almost three
to one letterbox presentation, will do more harm than good to the cause of
releasing films in this format. This is such a shame because the obvious
source of this tape is the original 65 mm negative which delivers superior
picture and sound.
Unfortunately Billy Wilder's wonderful The Apartment (Picture
****/Presentation "1/2) (MGM/UA - $19.95) also suffers from extreme
letterbox syndrome as well as a grainy film transfer.
Coming off best are West Side Story (Picture ****/Presentation ****)
(MGM/UA - $19.95) transferred from a 65mm negative under the
supervision of its director Robert Wise. The letterboxing is quite
watchable even on smaller TVs and best of all the integrity of the film's
original framing is retained.
The same also applies to Vincente Minnelli's Gigi (Picture
****/Presentation ****) (MGM/UA - $19.95) which after years of terrible
pan and scan prints finally allows Maurice Chevalier and Hermione
Gingold to sing I Remember It Well together in the same scene.
All four titles are also available in pan and scan versions.
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Graduation
Leslie Peter Phillips, son of
Emily and Ernie Phillips,
R.R. #2, Blyth graduated
from Brock University, St.
Catharines, Ont. on June 8,
1995.
Les received a Bachelor of
Business Administration
Degree, majoring in Human
Resource Management and
Financial Control.
He is currently working on
his "first million" via
Reinink's Renovations.
Graduation
Ben Barnes, son of Jim and
Pat Barnes of R.R. #5,
Brussels, received his
Bachelor of Arts degree with
first class honours at the
spring convocation of
Queen's University in
Kingston. He graduated
with a double major in
political studies and history.
He is working for the
summer as a research
assistant for the political
studies department at
Queen's and, beginning in
the fall, he will study law at
the University of Toronto.
Congratulations Ben.
Love, Mom, Dad, Aaron and
Amy.
PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1995.
Brussels PS news
Grade 8s plan graduation
Taking a closer look
The junior students from Blyth Public School got a close
look at nature Friday afternoon when they ventured
through the trails at Wawanosh Nature Centre. Eyeing the
fish are, from left, Kayla Durie, Alicia Marshall, Melissa
Black (with hat), Tasha Cook
By Mike Cooper and Kevin Mutter
On June 6 Brussels Public School
had an outdoor spring performance.
The theme for the performance was
"0 Canada."
The choir and band sang and
played songs from all across
Canada.
Thanks to Katie Harrison and
Justin Ruttan who were our MC's
for the night. We hope everyone
enjoyed the presentation.
Mr. Neil Schade visited the
Grade 7/8 class to share his
knowledge about the Lancaster
airplane. This is so the class would
know more about it before they
went on their Urban Studies trip to
Hamilton to the Royal Canadian
Aircraft Museum.
By Stephanie Patch
and Judi Bondi
As the end of the school year
draws nearer and nearer, schedules
are becoming more cramped. The
Grade 8s are busy preparing for
their graduation, so the Grade 7s
are doing The. Citizen report for
The last few days of school at
Grey Central have been very busy!
Many pupils have extended their
educational experiences outside the
classroom with class trips.
Grade 7 visited. Eastern Ontario
and Quebec while the Grade 8 class
visited Toronto.
The Early Years class and Grade
1 also learned all about sheep at the
Lismore Sheep farm near Gorrie.
Ms Doig's class is planning an
afternoon with their penpals from
Howick in the near future.
Orientation days for Grade
students attending F. E. Madill and
Seaforth Secondary School Will be
held during the last few days of
June.
On Monday, June 27, Grade 8
pupils will have their graduation
ceremony while an awards
assembly for Grades-4 to 8 will be
held on Tuesday at 10:45 and, at
12:45, the pupils in the Early Years
to Grade 3 class will hold a
"Celebration of Learning".
FEATURING
them.
Last Friday the kindergartens met
their penpals from Grey Central for
the first time. They had a picnic in
the Brussels conservation area and
then played games.
This year's Spring Concert was
held outside because of renova-
tions. The theme was 0 Canada.
The choir sang, the band played,
poems were recited, people did
dances and the weather was great!
It was a pleasant evening for
everyone.
On June 9, the Grade 8s went on
an urban studies trip. They visited
the Hamilton Wentworth Police
Station, Hamilton Harbour and the
Warplane Heritage Museum.
Tracy Goodland, when helping us
write about the Grade 8 trip, said,
"Hamilton was great! We all
enjoyed the police station. The
harbour was a bit chilly but fun.
The airport was interesting,
especially the rebuilt Lancaster. On
the way home we relaxed at Sports
World. I think everyone enjoyed the
day. We would all like to thank the
MRS. STARKEY'S CLASS
It's hard to believe our school
year together is almost over. We've
had a super time.
One interesting activity we did
this term was Muffin Making. On
Wednesdays six of us planned
which muffins we wished to
prepare the next day. We doubled
each recipe and made enough for
the school staff to purchase. The
money we received was counted
and recorded. We, kept business
records.
:Next week, we'll decide how
we'll spend our profits. It was an
opportunity for development in
Language Arts, Science and
Technology and Self and Society.
We had to read, follow directions,
add, subtract, multiply, understand
fractions, count money, measure,
mix solutions, co-operate.
We wish all a safe and happy
summer.
people that made this trip happen."
Also on June 9, Grades 5 to 7
attended a play called West Side
Story at Grand Bend. The theatre
was built in a barn. The play was
well acted and we think everyone
had fun!
Amanda Van Beek says "The
theatre was really cool! The point
of the play was that fighting doesn't
solve anything."
On Friday, June 16 in the
afternoon, kindergarten to Grade 3
had a play day, organized by four
students in Mr. Wanless's class,
Sarah Little, Shannon White, Betty
Bodfield and Sarah Seeds. They
had eight activity areas and each
group rotated every 10 minutes.
Face painting added a new look as
the children started the weekend.
Cold drinks and cookies made a
refreshing stop.
We would like to thank JR's for
Pizza Day this year. Your pizza is
delicious! Thanks to the Parents'
Association and Dining Out for
Seniors for making our swimming
day possible.
Forthcoming
Marriage
Robert and Donelda Charter
are pleased to announce
the forthcoming marriage
of their daughter
Lori Norine
to
Stephen Cecil Jones
son of
Leonard and Frances Jones
of Aurora
The wedding to take place
at their home, Lot 26
Con. 4 of Culross Township
July 8, 1995
Open reception 8:30
Graduation
LORI ANN GORDON
On June 9, 1995 Lorl
Gordon graduated with
distinction from the
University of Guelph. She
received a Bachelor of
Science in Agriculture
(Honours Program) with a
minor in Natural Resource
Management. Lorl Is the
daughter of Fred and Ruth
Armstrong, Auburn, the
wife of Robert Gordon, and
the granddaughter of Jack
and Elva Armstrong,
Auburn and Mary Warwick,
Blyth. Lori is currently
employed at the Grand
River Conservation
Authority in Cambridge,
Ont.
Congratulations with love
from your family.
Grey Central Echo