Open Matte -

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.

If you love movies, you need to know about this. Because once you see an Open Matte version of a film, you might never want to watch the "official" version again. Let’s do a quick science lesson. When a director shoots a movie, the camera sensor captures a massive square-ish image (usually a ratio of 1.33:1 or 1.37:1—basically, the shape of an old CRT television). open matte

But other times? It feels like you’ve taken a step into the movie. You stop watching a framed painting and start watching a window. You see more of the ship sinking

You switch to the Blu-ray, and suddenly the picture is wider, but the top and bottom are clipped off. You feel claustrophobic. It is a completely different visual experience—and for

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.

To fix this, the projectionist puts a physical or digital (a black bar) over the top and bottom of the film strip. They "mask" the image. You only see the slice in the middle.

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.