I suspect because it was shot at 25fps and there wasn't an alternative 24fps sound mix - it was simply just projected at 24 fps in cinemas. That would have added about 37 minutes to the running time. Most people (including me) didn't notice PAL speed-up when watching films on my television set, so most would not notice cinema/NTSC-slowdown either.domino harvey wrote:I'm confused on Heimat. If they're using a widescreen master for the full frame TV program due to its theatrical exhibitions, why then also use 1080i/50?
The BBFC cinema listing for Heimat from 1984 is something of a mystery as the running time matches the DVD certifications (the Tartan DVD, which I have, is definitely 25fps) and the footage count matches that running time if it were shown at 24fps. I didn't see Heimat in the cinema, but I wonder if the Glasisch recaps were intact in that version? Removing them would have shaved 35-40 minutes and the running times would then match.
That said, some London cinemas could show films at 25fps. I don't know if the Lumiere (where Heimat was shown) was one, but the Curzon Mayfair was - it was used for test-screening television material and commercials in the mornings and sometimes they didn't switch the projector back to 24fps before the public afternoon showings began. That happened at a couple of showings I went to, and I only found out because I'd stopwatched the film.
As for the Second Sight Blu-ray, I have checkdiscs here as I'll be reviewing it for The Digital Fix. It is 25fps and 1080i50.