Lou Lumenick gets the scoop that the outcry from fans has resulted in Warner Home Video scrapping a 1.66:1 aspect ratio bastardization of Paramount's Shane in favor of the correct original aspect ratio of 1.37:1.
"Shane'' was shot in the then-prevailing classic, squarish "Academy'' ratio by director George Stevens and cinematographer Loyal Griggs in 1951. But by the time it was ready for release in early 1953, Hollywood was gearing up for widescreen presentations to compete with TV. "Shane'' thus became the first Hollywood film of this era -- there had been experiments with 70mm for early talkies -- to be released in 1:66, shown that way at Radio City Music Hall and for other premiere engagements. But for most of the past 60 years, "Shane'' has been exhibite[d] -- theatrically, on TV and on home video -- the way Stevens shot it, in 1:37.
The film was shown in 1:66 in 1953 when the projectionist masked off a portion of the tops and/or bottoms of the picture. For the film's recent restoration, Paramount reportedly decided to create video masters of both versions. The cropping of 1:66 version, TCM says, was personally supervised by George Stevens Jr. -- the director's son, a filmmaker himself who was on location when the film was shot -- and he decided the framing on a shot by shot basis.
He goes on to mention the full-blooded crusade of my friend Jeffrey Wells to get the 1.66 version axed:
Wells' crusade was supported by Woody Allen , whose office faxed a letter indicating that he "wanted to add my strenuous objection to putting out an edition of Shane in any format other than the precise original.'
Like Lumenick and many, many others, I do not support Wells' insistence on 1.78:1 movies being cropped to 1.66:1 (which seems to conflict with his holy war on Modified Aspect Ratios), and especially Wells' ardor in favor of massive levels of DNR. I am, however, happy to have been there with him on this one. George Stevens Jr., who authorized the 1.66-ization, has since cancelled his appearance to present the movie at the upcoming TCM Festival. Shocker.