Some tuning into Netflix’s highly-anticipated series adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s comic magnum opus “The Sandman” have reportedly been confused over some creative choices with the show’s aspect ratio.
The series delves into fantasy realms where dreams hold sway, and the makers of the series play with that by using slightly distorted cinematography at times. The result makes the cast seem to have slightly elongated faces and gives locations a surreal stretched look.
Some viewers, however, have mistaken it for a technical issue with Netflix’s stream. There’s been enough confusion that a spokesperson for Netflix has issued a statement (via Variety) having to confirm the image distortion is a deliberate creative choice: “As you’ll note many of the environments are surreal in the series, and we often say it’s quite what a dream would feel like.”
The statement comes as reviews for the series have been very good, with criticisms mostly being about the series being possibly too slavishly loyal to the comic at the cost of some not quite gelling with the material’s inherent strangeness.
“The Sandman” is currently streaming worldwide on Netflix.