Exactly a week ago I posted a complaint piece about the apparent intention of Warner Home Video to release a forthcoming Bluray of Them!, the 1954 giant-ant movie, in a cleavered aspect ratio of 1.75:1 rather than the boxy, head-roomy, breathing-space aspect ratio of 1.33:1 (or 1.37:1…same difference). I argued that a cleavered a.r. will brutualize a film that looks perfectly fine with a boxier shape. To prove my point I bought the 1.37:1 standard-definition version of Them! on Vudu and grabbed a few captures. In many of the framings it’s clear that severing a little information at the top won’t ruin anything, but there are also several shots that will clearly suffer when chopped to fit a 1.75:1 aspect ratio. The eyes don’t lie. The proof is in the pudding. Where is the harm is leaving the boxier framings alone? I can’t wait for the tap-dancing responses to this unshakable visual evidence.

What exactly can be cut in this frame to create a 1.75:1 aspect ratio?

This is one of the shots that could stand a trim at the top and nothing would be lost.