Super Panavision 70

David Lean's original composition. Clutter, clutter, clutter. This guy won an Academy Award? There must not have been any more competition than when Jim Cameron won for that sinking boat picture. Distractions from the actors abound in this scene. Half the audience will spend all their time reading those Roman numerals on the side of the armored car trying to figure out what they come to. Is this the appropriate place for an arithmetic test? Those that can either read the Roman numerals or simply don't care will be just as distracted by that laundry hanging behind news correspondent Bentley. Hey is that some sort of joke? Lawrence is sitting on a Rolls talking to a Bentley.

Pan & Scan

Pan & Scan offers a whimsical version of this scene. In the frame at left it appears that Lawrence is being questioned by a hat brim. In the frame on the right it looks like Bentley is interviewing a fender. No wonder some people find this film confusing. The distracting Roman numerals and flapping laundry still distract from the drama.

Letterbox

Letterboxing causes loss of detail, making it harder to read the Roman numerals. Viewers will have to concentrate more to be able to figure them out. The all important action of camels walking off in the distance has now become almost impossible to recognize. Those Arabs could be riding hippos from all we can tell here.

The Digital Solution

The FlikFX digital recomposition system to the rescue! No more worrying about Roman numerals. The storyline is improved by showing the close relationship between desert warrior and globe trotting news correspondent. As a matter of fact, in this recomposited version it appears that Mr. Bentley is showing a keen interest in Lawrence's notes. Antique car buffs get a really swell view of the Rolls engine. Lean's work gets a much needed improvement through the digital magic of FlikFX.