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Trivia
Why are movie screens so wide?
In Japan, the New Year’s holidays have traditionally been a time when families often go to the movies together, and it has been said that this has been the busiest period for movie theaters. However, recently, more people are enjoying movies on demand, and the tradition of watching movies during the New Year’s holidays seems to be fading away.
Have you ever wondered why movie screens are wide? The currently mainstream aspect ratio (width-to-height ratio) for theatrical films is 2.39:1. In fact, long ago, when silent films began, the standard aspect ratio was 1.33:1. That ratio is roughly 4:3, the same as that of our old analog televisions.
In the 1950s, analog television emerged in the United States, suddenly posing a crisis for the film industry, which had been the king of entertainment until then. Movie theater attendance significantly decreased, and the film industry was forced to come up with new attractions. This led to the development of the widescreen format. People are once again captivated by movies that are more powerful and immersive than television.
Various theories exist as to how the 2.39:1 aspect ratio became standard, but it turns out that widescreen was developed to compete with television. If you haven’t seen a movie recently, consider visiting a theater for the uniquely immersive experience.