You see more of the ship sinking. You see more of the grand staircase. You see the ocean spray above the characters' heads. It is a completely different visual experience—and for many, a superior one. Here is the modern conflict. Studios hate releasing Open Matte versions because they break the "framing." A director framed that close-up to put the actor’s eye exactly one third of the way down the screen. If you open the matte, suddenly the actor is in the middle of nowhere.
We’ve all been there.
You switch to the Blu-ray, and suddenly the picture is wider, but the top and bottom are clipped off. You feel claustrophobic. open matte
When James Cameron’s Titanic came to VHS, most people bought the widescreen version. But the standard Fullscreen VHS wasn't a Pan & Scan hack job. Because Cameron shot the film on Super 35 (a format designed to protect the top and bottom), the VHS actually revealed more information than the theatrical cut.
But , when a 4K Blu-ray is mastered, sometimes the studio is lazy. They take the Open Matte digital intermediate (the master file before the bars were added) and just slap black bars on it. You see more of the ship sinking
But movies are shown in theaters in wide formats like (2.39:1, that super skinny rectangle) or Flat (1.85:1, a mild rectangle).
Christopher Nolan loves this. When you watch The Dark Knight or Dune: Part Two in IMAX, the screen literally expands vertically. You aren't zooming in; you are unmasking the frame. You see the sweat on Batman’s brow and the floor beneath his feet. It is immersive. It is stunning. It is intentional Open Matte. It is a completely different visual experience—and for
You’re watching The Shining on cable TV. Jack Torrance is typing away at the Overlook Hotel. Suddenly, you notice something wrong —or rather, something right . There is more room above his head. You can see the top of the typewriter. The frame feels... taller.