[In progress] Lethal Weapon (1987) in Scope 2.35:1

[Plissken1138]

This is something along the lines of Stamper's reframing of The Dead Pool few years back. Who knows, I maybe conjure LW5 along the way 
I recently rewatched LW with fixed 2.35 cropping to see how it moves and a lot of it fits nicely in Scope but a lot is pretty tight and needs a bit of massaging, being this wasn't initially framed for Scope, like a lot of WB titles from mid to late 80's. 

[Beber]

How about trying a 2.20:1 AR as if it was a scope film but presented in 70mm? You'd crop less for better composition when it looks too tight. Plus maybe the credits would no longer require these black pilars left and right.

[Plissken1138]

I was toying with 2:20 idea but really want to bring it closer to rest of the LWs.

[Beber]

Or maybe start in 2.20:1, then progressively going 2.35:1 near the end of the opening credits to get rid of the pilars. You know, like in some IMAX presentations, such as "Mission: Impossible - Fallout", when they go progressively from 2.39:1 to 1.90:1. Since 2.20:1 and 2.35:1 are closer to each other, the change would go smoother and could virtually go unnoticed.

Also, are you using the Blu-ray or the UHD? It's the Blu-ray, right? Know that the UHD has a much closer color grading to an actual print. They only missed the mark in the climax where blues should be more cyan.

[Plissken1138]

Yes, using the Blu, as that version I already have. My PC rig is an old bucket that won't handle UHD or 265 and I haven't found a 264 1080p with new grading.

Still mulling over that part of credits. I'd really like to keep it old school, no variable AR. Have an idea to gradualy squeeze that part of credits vertically and bring it back after, haven't tried it yet.

[Beber]

I haven't found a 264 1080p with new grading.

Do you want one? I can make a high bitrate Rec.709 SDR RipBot264 conversion from the UHD.

[Plissken1138]

I haven't found a 264 1080p with new grading.

Do you want one? I can make a high bitrate Rec.709 SDR RipBot264 conversion from the UHD.

Very kind offer, thanks a bunch. I can't say no to that 

Only about 15-20 minutes are done so far, I can wait for your encode and swap the file in the project. Do you know if it's a new scan or just a further color correction of previous scan? Are they in sync?

[Beber]

New scan, color grading much more faithful to a 35mm print, in sync with previous master. Maybe an initial delay required, I don't remember. The one thing that might not help you is the framing is a bit tighter: we see a little bit less left and right and it's 1.85:1, so we see a little bit less top and bottom, too. And I noticed one shot where digital erasing was involved to remove a handful of crew members on the right side during the wake when Riggs waits in the yard while Murtaugh is speaking to his old Vietnam buddy.

Currently encoding. I set my brightness and contrast in RipBot264 to look as close as I could to the screen captures on Blu-ray.com that they took from the bonus documentary that uses the new transfer for illustration. So the result should be about on par with an official Rec.709 SDR version.

[Plissken1138]

The one thing that might not help you is the framing is a bit tighter:

The great surprise is that opening credits framing is in fact less tight so it doesnt cut off music credits at all !

[Nfsfan83]

This same situation with Aliens 1986 I will be love it in 4:3 or 2.35:1 LW1 also will be great in open matte 4:3 like on this trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FP_E-8ClGvI