Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2014 October 26

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October 26

Electroconvulsive therapy in Homeland

In the finale of series one, was Claire Danes really being subjected to the pulses or was that just acting? I tried searching but to no avail. Any help given is much appreciated! 213.106.130.210 (talk) 07:15, 26 October 2014 (UTC)

It was acting. No actor would undergo such treatment for real. --Viennese Waltz 08:03, 26 October 2014 (UTC)

Maybe the world's most dedicated Method actor. Clarityfiend (talk) 16:52, 26 October 2014 (UTC)

Frances Farmer did. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 19:20, 26 October 2014 (UTC)

We're talking about ECT being filmed as part of the making of a film. --Viennese Waltz 06:32, 27 October 2014 (UTC)

 :) -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 07:17, 27 October 2014 (UTC)

Okay, thanks, guys (we did wonder about method acting after watching it). And maybe that's why Frances wanted revenge on Seattle. 213.106.130.210 (talk) 06:50, 27 October 2014 (UTC)

Young Frankenstein aspect ratio

We got the DVD of Young Frankenstein a few days ago. I saw it in the theater when it came out, and several times since. The Internet Movie Database says that it is in 1:1.85 aspect ratio. The DVD is in something close that ratio, probably 1.78 (16:9). But the outtakes and deleted scenes are in 4:3.

I remember at the time that they were using the same type of film that was used in the days of the original Frankenstein movies, which would have been 4:3. So was the film originally cropped from 4:3 to 1.85, or was it cropped for the DVD? Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 19:52, 26 October 2014 (UTC)

Now my memory might be faulty on this but it wasn't the same film or cameras as was used in the 30's. Brook's did try to recreate the filming techniques and he bound all of the equipment in Frankenstein's laboratory that had been used in James Whale's films. I saw it three or four time when it came out in '64 '74 and it was always in the 1:1.85 aspect ration. That has also been used on the DVD and bluray releases (I wonder how many more formats will they make me buy before I go ten toes up :-)) that I have owned. Both the DVD and bluray have a "making of" documentary and the bluray includes a pop up notes feature so you might see if there is any info in those. As I say I am going from memory so other editors my find info that will show my post to be in error. Enjoy your Halloween week Bubba73. MarnetteD|Talk 20:59, 26 October 2014 (UTC)

It came out in '74, but Brooks said that they did use the same type of film, etc. That would have been 4:3. I can't remember the aspect ratio when I saw it originally, but if it is 1.85, then they must have cropped it originally. It is still great photography. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 21:46, 26 October 2014 (UTC)

D'oh - Thanks for the correction. I fixed my butterfingers typing. Amazing to note that Blazing Saddles was released earlier that year. Lots of laughs then and now. I now realize that you did listen to Mel's commentary so that takes care of that as well. Cheers. MarnetteD|Talk 22:04, 26 October 2014 (UTC)

I haven't listened to the commentary on the DVD we just got - I just remember what I heard years ago. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 23:41, 26 October 2014 (UTC)

"Brook's"? Is this the director formerly known as Mel? Clarityfiend (talk) 20:27, 28 October 2014 (UTC)

Most 1.85 aspect movies throughout the celluloid era were filmed with 1.37:1 frames, with the extra space either matted out during filming (hard matte) or during projection (soft matte). See Matte (filmmaking)#Mattes and widescreen filming. In many cases of soft matting the top and bottom of the frame were never meant to be seen (and might have visible boom mics and such), but in other cases the film was deliberately composed to look good either cropped or uncropped (open matte). That would have been the most logical way to film Young Frankenstein, as a compromise between historical accuracy and the need for a widescreen version for some theaters. If this page is to be believed, there was an open-matte laserdisc release of the film. On the other hand, IMDB used to say its intended aspect was 1.37:1, but now doesn't even mention 1.37:1 for some reason. -- BenRG (talk) 19:34, 27 October 2014 (UTC)

Many thanks for the info @BenRG:. It is good to learn this - especially since I grew older through these technology changes but was unaware of them. I appreciate the time you took to explain this. Cheers. MarnetteD|Talk 20:10, 27 October 2014 (UTC)

I saw it in a theater when it came out, again when it was re-released, and also at a college campus movie. It seems to me that it might have been 1.37, but I really can't place much confidence in my memory. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 21:03, 28 October 2014 (UTC)

When Snow White was re-released in the late 1980's, they cropped it (or butchered it) from the intended 1.37 to something like 1.85. I think the reason is that people expected widescreen or that many projectionists wouldn't know how to project it. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 21:07, 28 October 2014 (UTC)

CABARET SONG FROM DAS BOOT

IN THE MOVIE "DAS BOOT, THE CABARET SCENE AT THE BEGINNING HAS A WOMAN IN A RED DRESS SINGING A SONG WHICH SEEMS TO BE TITLED "LA VIE BAS" (THE LOW LIFE). THE SONG DOES NOT SEE TO BE INCLUDED IN ANY SOUNDTRACK ALBUM. DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THAT IS ACTUALLY THE SONG TITLE, AS I HAVE HAD NO LUCK FINDING THE LYRICS BASED ON THAT TITLE? ALSO, DOES ANYONE KNOW THE NAME OF THE SINGER/ACTRESS WHO SANG IT?

F. MARTIN — Preceding unsigned comment added by 23.240.140.72 (talk) 23:21, 26 October 2014 (UTC)

The singer is played by Rita Cadillac. If you mean the first song in this scene, it's titled "Mon gars" (My Boy) and was originally written for Das Boot by the movie's composer Klaus Doldinger. ---Sluzzelin talk 23:39, 26 October 2014 (UTC)