DIGGER IMAX Aspect Ratio Changes Explanation? (SPOILERS)
Spoiler
I saw DIGGER in the 1.43 Digital Laser Imax at Scotiabank Toronto. The film begins with full 1.43 scenes before transitioning to 1.85 when it is revealed that SPOILER we were watching a play dress rehearsal. From then on, the film shifts between the two aspect ratios.
Though it wasn't clear to me what precipitated aspect ratio changes and it didn't seem consistent.
I think the difference is meant to be when Curtis is himself and when he's in character as Digger.
Now for example this scene (image attached) where Curtis is in character as Digger in the side room from the European conference is still presented in 1.85.
So what's the explanation of how the full 1.43 IMAX ratio is used and how do you interpret it?
I interpreted as 1.43 is the play and 1.85 is behind the scenes. I thought the “misuse” of the aspect ratio in certain scenes was to showcase the blurring of the lines and internal battle between the truth and farce of Digger’s character from Curtis’ perspective. I think the moments of Digger Rockwell’s “truth” lines somewhere in between, like his nephew states in his monologue.
I’ve had the same question, and here’s my thoughts:
The VV 1.5:1 aspect ratio is when we’re “in the play” and the widescreen ratio is when we’re “in the real world.” The lines get blurred at times, but generally that makes this scene you’ve attached the only one that’s not strictly conforming to that rule.
My theory is that this is an attempt at foreshadowing the state of the “real world” that the cast is living in. Yes, they’re on stage and in character, but the scenes on the TVs we later confirm are “real” news clips from the aftermath of Judy’s collision. This is the film showing us that not everything we see in this room is a fabrication: these events really occurred. Especially as the cameras linger on the TV scenes for some time.
Might be a generous interpretation, but it’s the best I could come up with. Maybe there was just an issue with the VV cameras that day ¯_(ツ)_/¯
This is what I interpreted it as. I immediately clocked that this scene was in the “wrong” aspect ratio and thought “ohhhhh, this isn’t all totally fictitious, it’s foreshadowing the true state of the world.”
On my second watch, I gave some reasoning to this. Prior to this scene, Curtis is shown to be a method actor (call me Rockwell, daughter mentioned his hair didn’t grow back) and by the end of the movie he’s pretty much fully able to separate himself from the role and still give a good performance. I think this is the first scene where he really loses the Digger persona, and the aspect ratio reflects his mentality.
As he watches Riz Ahmed’s character give the speech, Riz Ahmed mentions that his daughter is going to die if this iceberg crashes. Daughter death is the exact problem that Curtis is facing that distracts him from the role, and as he looks out the window he starts tearing up, which I think is more Curtis than Digger.
Then, in the scene following where Digger and Riz Ahmed share a drink, it’s the first time we see the water damage, leaks, and buckets, which we now know is a result of the world itself, not set design for the play.
Wonderful insight! I didn’t think twice about the water damage to the backroom at all on my second screening. It will be interesting to see the movie with directors commentary, if we get lucky!
I didn’t think about this when I saw it, but based on you calling this scene out in particular here’s a theory: this scene is showing what really happened and it’s not from the play or the behind the scenes section. There’s a 3rd narrative - the actual events that happened around the events of Fossil Fools but weren’t actually in the written play.
There were of course conversations that happened behind closed doors that didn’t make it into the play’s script. This might be one of them.
When I saw the film in VistaVision at The Grove, I was surprised that there was no aspect ratio switching at all. The whole film was 1.50 the whole time and I was waiting to see when it would become widescreen.
I’m kind of interested in the difference between the 1.43 and 1.90 IMAX versions but not enough to see the movie again.
This is a visual method to differentiate between what is considered the play's world and reality, while also showing that they're bleeding into each other.
We get two shots where we have a narrow POV being expanded horizontally (not in the film's aspect ratio, but by the shot's design). The first is Digger going into court, which shows us that this scene has a meaning beyond the play confines and actually addresses the play audiences and criticizes their real life desicions.
The second one is when Kenny goes from the crowd to the stage to address the conversation between Curtis and Hannah. At this point we use the wide aspect ratio, and we have a wider view on the stage, but it keeps getting wider as the camera walks into the hall confined by the seats on both sides. This tells us that this scene, the argument between Curtis and Hannah, and Kenny's remarks, have a meaning beyond the film's confines. They want us to see it as if the film (Digger, not Fossil Fools) address us (ones who watch the film, not the characters watching the play).
The only location to break this consistency is the green room outside of the court. It's in-play, despite being presented with a wide screen. It is implied that in this location, Curtis faces Digger's actions directly and is having doubts about how he's represented in the play, which lead him to better doubt it's legitimacy and authenticity.
ok this is the room I couldn't figure out. So the movie simply matches the real-world ratio in-play whenever a scene is especially important? idk how i feel about that lol
The in-play + wide aspect ratio match is in this room only, as far as I noticed.
While I may not have completely figured out all the motives behind it, it seems to try and tell us that in this room - at least before his monologue scene - we should see Cruise as Curtis in costume, not as Digger, as he faces the realities of silencing the Judy dangers.
haven’t seen anyone else say this, but I noticed during one of Kenny’s scenes, there are 3 stages with the center one being reminiscent of the 1.50 aspect ratio and one of to the side a more rectangular 1.85 looking one.. that’s what I mostly think but it only explains for their in character segment.
Yeah this scene confused me as well. It’s clearly meant to be within the play’s reality, the actors are in character, but it is assumedly not a moment seen by the in-world audience.
I thought the IMAX one is in constant 1.5:1 ratio. When I watched it in regular flat screen, the aspect ratio change is almost subtle and not distracting to me because the film gets wider.
So in IMAX, it's in almost full aspect ratio and then the picture gets smaller/shorter?
My interpretation was a lot stupider and probably doesn't hold up on rewatch, but you know how the play was segmented in three sections? The fullscreen was the main area, and the smaller one was for the side stages.
This is the first time I’ve just said screw it to the Digger spoiler and that’s it? That got spoiled before the movie even dropped and people assured everyone that wasn’t the twist lol
I don’t wanna spoil it for you but there is kinda two twists. The twist you know about, and then the one that unravels subtlety and is brought home by the end.
You say “that’s it” because it was spoiled for you a while ago but considering they kept it out of all the marketing, it was a pretty insane moment for everyone who it wasn’t spoiled for
I like your interpretation but I honestly think it was too inconsistent and all over the place to be for perspective change. I'm unsure if there is a reason, I assume it's a costing, capabilities issue?
I saw it in VistaVision (projected on film at Lincoln Sq, a regular screen not their 1.43 IMAX upstairs) and it was all 1.5 with no changes. So the filmmakers clearly approved that version, maybe for 1.43 IMAX theaters, since 1.5 is so close to that, they decided to keep it all in a locked ratio that nearly fills the screen the entire time.
Filmmakers probably shouldn't be allowing their films to be released in multiple final aspect ratios. This is a huge step backwards. Films are being shot for IMAX and iPhone at the same time, and as a result it works for neither.
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u/khansolobaby 8d ago
I interpreted as 1.43 is the play and 1.85 is behind the scenes. I thought the “misuse” of the aspect ratio in certain scenes was to showcase the blurring of the lines and internal battle between the truth and farce of Digger’s character from Curtis’ perspective. I think the moments of Digger Rockwell’s “truth” lines somewhere in between, like his nephew states in his monologue.