Turner Classic Movies: Letterbox

Credibility score: 78/100 — Mostly Credible. Mixed credibility - some claims are solid, others need verification.

Claims analyzed

All films from 1953 onward made in widescreen format — Solid (85/100)

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Sources: Early widescreen feature filmography - Wikipedia, List of 35mm features released in 1.37 after 1953 - Sprocket School, Academy ratio - Wikipedia

Films past 50 years made in widescreen formats like 70mm, CinemaScope, Panavision — Solid (85/100)

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Pan and scan crops sides of widescreen films to fit square TV screens — Verified (95/100)

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Pan-scan Ben-Hur chariot scene shows only 2 of 4 horses, ruins stunt effect — Solid (80/100)

Spot on 👌

David Lean spent two years making Lawrence of Arabia for vast desert compositions — Solid (85/100)

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Sources: Lawrence of Arabia (1962) - David Lean

Pan-scan violates artistic composition like repainting a masterpiece; loses Lawrence desert — Opinion (50/100)

Painter analogy slaps — defends letterbox perfectly 🎨

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers composed for widescreen choreography — Verified (95/100)

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Sources: The Barn-Raising Dance in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) | cinema cities

See the full analysis with sources and timestamps →