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Licensor Information
United Film Enterprises
Directed by: Georg Wilhelm Pabst
The sly melodies of composer Kurt Weill and the daring of dramatist Bertolt Brecht come together on-screen under the direction of German auteur G. W. Pabst (Pandora’s Box) in this classic adaptation of the Weimar-era theatrical sensation. Set in the impoverished back alleys of Victorian London, The Threepenny Opera follows underworld antihero Mackie Messer (a.k.a. Mack the Knife) as he tries to woo Polly Peachum and elude the authorities. With its palpable evocation of corruption and dread, set to Weill’s irresistible score, The Threepenny Opera remains a benchmark of early sound cinema. It is presented here in both its celebrated German and rare French versions.
Streaming Options
12760.
+5748
Release Information:
Technical Specifications
Format:
DVD
Discs:
DVD-9 (2 Discs)
Total: 2 Discs
Regions:
1 (DVD)
Aspect Ratio:
1.19:1
Audio Options:
German Dolby Digital Mono 1.0
Resolution:
480p/29.97
Subtitles:
English
Supplements
Types of Supplements Included: Audio Commentary, Feature Film, Mulitimedia Essay, Archival Footage, Documentary, Interview, Gallery, Booklet
- Audio commentary by scholars David Bathrick and Eric Rentschler
- L'opéra de quat'sous, Pabst’s French-language version of the film, starring Albert Prejean and Florelle
- A multimedia presentation by film scholar Charles O'Brien on the differences between the German and French versions
- Archival introduction by Threepenny stars Fritz Rasp and Ernst Busch
- New exclusive documentary on Threepenny’s controversial journey from stage to screen
- Archival interview with Fritz Rasp
- Galleries of production photos by Hans Casparius and production sketches by art director Andre Andrejew
- Booklet featuring a new essay by film critic Tony Rayns
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Audio
Supplements
Artwork
Release Credits
Producer: Issa Clubb
Artwork: Sarah Habibi
Artwork: Natalie Ascenscios
Release Notes on Restoration
The Threepenny Opera
The Threepenny Opera is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.19:1, a European format that is narrower than 1.33:1 image. The black bars along the side of the screen, called “pillarboxing,” are normal for this format, and will be even more pronounced on a widescreen television. The narrowness of this format is due to the variable-density soundtrack, which was positioned to the left of the picture area. This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine from the 35mm restoration negative created by the Bundesarchiv in Berlin. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches were removed using the MTI Digital Restoration System. To maintain optimal image quality through the compression process, the picture on this dual-layer DVD-9 was encoded at the highest possible bit rate for the quantity of material included.
The soundtrack was mastered at 24-bit from the restored soundtrack negative, and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle. The Dolby Digital 1.0 signal will be directed to the center channel on 5.1-channel sound systems, but some viewers may prefer to switch to two-channel playback for a wider dispersal of the mono sound.
The soundtrack was mastered at 24-bit from the restored soundtrack negative, and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle. The Dolby Digital 1.0 signal will be directed to the center channel on 5.1-channel sound systems, but some viewers may prefer to switch to two-channel playback for a wider dispersal of the mono sound.