Arrow Films have announced the UK Region 2 DVD release of two films by Italian director Vittorio De Sica for 20th February 2006. Priced at £17.99 each are...

The Bicycle Thieves is Vittorio de Sica's remarkable 1947 drama of desperation and survival in Italy's post-war depression which earned a special Oscar for its affecting power.

Features include:

* Full Frame Presentation
* Italian DD2.0
* Optional English subtitles
* Timeless Cinema: A Documentary on Vittorio De Sica (54:35mins)
* Poster Artwork and Lobby Stills
* Trailer


Miracle in Milan illustrates the frustration of innocence in the face of life's harsh realities and is another award-winning masterpiece from De Sica representing one of the watershed films of the Italian cinema renaissance.

Features include:

* Full Frame Presentation
* Italian DD2.0
* Optional English subtitles
* Premiere in Milan (2:38mins)
* Interview with Manuel De Sica (6:52mins)
* Interview with Brunella Bovo (5:18mins)
* Poster Artwork and Lobby Stills
* Trailer

The Disc

Gaining a release in the UK from Arrow, Miracle in Milan's DVD handling is generally fine. The picture quality is somewhat variable – one scene will present superb clarity and cleanliness, the next a barrage of scratches – but on the whole watchable. The disc itself handles this somewhat erratic print well – there are no technical flaws worth speaking of and original Academy ratio is maintained – though some may find the shifts in quality a little distracting. That said, this does appear to be a restored print as supervised by Vittorio De Sica's son, Manuel, and as such this may very well be the best available. As said, it remains watchable and if approached in the right spirit shouldn't disappoint.

The original Italian soundtrack (here present with optional English subtitles) is in much the same condition. Damage is notable from time to time in the form of an underlying crackle – and some may find this moderately distracting – but for the most part it remains listenable and shouldn't disappoint if approached in the correct manner.

As for extra features, the disc does well with a handful of interesting additions. There's a newsreel piece on the film's original Milan premiere (which also includes a specially filmed segment in which De Sica discusses his work). A pair of interviews – with Manuel De Sica and one of the leads, Brunella Bovo – fill us in the film's context and offer on-set anecdotes. A gallery presents a brief, if welcome, look at various poster and lobby card designs. And the original theatrical trailer is a lengthy specially filmed piece in which lead Francesco Golisano discusses De Sica's previous efforts (with specific mention, of course, to his previous venture Bicycle Thieves) and how this latest effort fits in with those. Moreover, it's also in surprisingly good condition, easily the match of the film itself.

All extras were applicable come in the original Italian with optional English subtitles.

The Disc

As with Arrow's release of Miracle in Milan, Bicycle Thieves presentation is generally fine if a little erratic. For one scene we'll find superb clarity and a spotless print, for the next we'll find prominent tramlining and a host of scratches. Again, as with Miracle in Milan this appears to be a restored print, though of the two it is perhaps the lesser offering. The overall clarity isn't perhaps quite as sharp as we'd like, whilst the contrast levels are likewise a little darker. The soundtrack is in much the same position – ultimately watchable, though still host to instances of damage – and thankfully comes with optional English subtitles. However, the subtitling doesn't always cover every word, especially during the more heavily populated scenes. Indeed, some sequences abandon subtitles altogether, though it must be said that this shouldn't really be classed as a problem given that the gist can easily be discerned.

Anthony, both your reviews are great but we need some screen captures!