DVDBeaver Comparisons

[Gary Tooze]

New....

Universal - Region 1 - NTSC "Winchester 73" vs. Universal (James Stewart - The Western Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC

Universal (Westerns Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC "Bend of the River" vs. Universal (James Stewart - The Western Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC

Universal (Universal Western Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC "The Far Country" vs. Universal (James Stewart - The Western Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Universal (Spanish Edition) - Region 2 - PAL

Winchester 73, surprinsgly, has a new transfer (2008 VOB files) with less damage and more information in the frame. Bend of the River is the same as the original (duplicate) and The Far Country is indeed widescreen now. I'll try to watch/make notes on the other three tonight and tomorrow and cover as soon as I can.

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Cheers,

[Gary Tooze]

Another duplicate and another upgrade. Will get to Night Passage tomorrow,

Universal (6-disc Marlene Dietrich Collection) - Region 2,4,5 - PAL "Destry Rides Again" vs. Universal (6-disc James Stewart - The Western Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC

Universal (Westerns Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC "Rare Breed" vs. Universal (James Stewart - The Western Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC

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Cheers,

[Gary Tooze]

New...

Optimum - Region 2 - PAL "La Chinoise" vs. Koch/Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Cheers,

[domino harvey]

Gary, I just checked my R4 Madman copy of La Chinoise and it doesn't have that "missing" end title card your reader mentions-- these are all different prints, I'm not sure how credible your source is on this when it appears on no known commercial copies of the film...

[cinemartin]

I've also heard of this title. I remember it being specifically mention in the McCabe book.

[Gary Tooze]

Gregory has added the newer (anamorphic) VCI captures...

VCI - Collector's Edition - Region 0 - NTSC "The Naked Kiss" vs. Criterion Collection - Spine # 13 - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Wild Side Vidéo (Coffret Fuller) - Region 2 - PAL vs. VCI - Region 1 - NTSC

....

New...

MGM (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC "Hour of the Wolf" vs. MGM - Region 2 - PAL

....

Bava (from Eric and Gregory)...

Raro - Region 2 - PAL "Baron of Blood" vs. Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection Volume 2) - Region 1 - NTSC

Raro - Region 2 - PAL "Bay of Blood" vs. Anchor Bay - Region 1 - NTSC

More Bava...

Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC "Lisa and the Devil" vs. Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection Volume 2) - Region 1 - NTSC

[Gary Tooze]

New...

Anchor Bay (16X9) - Region 1 - NTSC "Tenebre" vs. Anchor Bay - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Sazuma - Region 0 - NTSC

Anchor Bay (Anchor Bay Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC "Phenomena" vs. Medusa - Region 2 - PAL vs. Anchor Bay (Dario Argento Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC

[Gary Tooze]

New...

Using the same technique for both SD and Blu-ray Leonard has compared all 5 of the Fox War Blu-rays in his five reviews of Battle of Britain (1969), A Bridge Too Far (1977), The Longest Day (1962), Patton (1970), and The Sand Pebbles (1966). Examples:

The Longest Day

(dreadful) SD


Immensely improved Blu-ray


Patton

SD (Cinema Classics)


Blu-ray


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Cheers,

[jbeall]

Gary, any chance you'll get your hands on the R2 Optimum of Alphaville? Seems like it's at least got more extras than the bare-bones criterion.

[exte]

Lawrence of Arabia is going to look insane! When they get around to it...

[Gary Tooze]

domino harvey said:

Gary, I just checked my R4 Madman copy of La Chinoise and it doesn't have that "missing" end title card your reader mentions-- these are all different prints, I'm not sure how credible your source is on this when it appears on no known commercial copies of the film...

Koch/Lorber must have received many quiries about the missing intertitle and sent this in email to Ronald who forwarded it to me (Thanks Ronald!)
Koch Lorber's response "We have in fact had several inquiries about this missing title card at the every end of the film. While it evidently was included in the original theatrical of La Chinoise, no master since has included it. Evidently the controlling estate removed it from all subsequent master materials and we believe this was a creative choice not in our control."

Cheers,

[martin]

Gary, any chance you'll get your hands on the R2 Optimum of Alphaville? Seems like it's at least got more extras than the bare-bones criterion.

Captures from the R2 Optimum Godard Vol. 1 (including Alphaville) have been posted on this board (see this and the following posts).

Optimum's Alphaville is better than Criterion's and has some nice extras.

[Person]

Ah, the horrid pink skin tones on Patton are gone on the Blu-Ray and are now natural. The overall colour timing looks much, much better. I'm very happy with that. I avoided the 2-disc Cinema Classics and held on to the older 2-disc, which I feel has more natural skin tones. But I am glad that the Blu has been re-transfered or 're-colour-timed', if you will.

The Longest Day's transfer is gleaming, luminous. Holy fuck. Who said that substantial improvements to black and white films don't show in 1080p!
Bring on Last Year in Marienbad on Blu-Ray, Criterion!

[Gary Tooze]

One more. Great film...

Alliance Atlantis - Region 1 - NTSC "The Red Violin" vs. Universal/MCA - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Lions Gate (Meridian) Region 1 - NTSC

New from Eric...

Redemption USA - Region 0 - NTSC "The Nude Vampire" vs. Redemption UK - Region 0 - PAL

New...

Lions Gate (Meridian) Region 1 - NTSC "Diva" vs. Anchor Bay - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Fox Lorber - Region 1 - NTSC

Listen up - avoid buying this new Lions Gate release (or cancel your pre-order) - there are lots of extras (commentary etc.) but in French with no English subtitles. The menus are in French only and the image is manipulated (edge-enhancement and is cropped).

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Cheers,

[justeleblanc]

Wow. Let's hope they don't screw up the Melville as well.

[domino harvey]

Anyone who needs Un Flic should just buy the excellent R2 Optimum Delon box

[justeleblanc]

Anyone who needs Un Flic should just buy the excellent R2 Optimum Delon box

Waste of money for me. I just want the Melville.

[domino harvey]

Have you seen Flic Story or Shock Treatment though, they're really good.

[tojoed]

You can buy the Optimum Un flic as a stand alone disc.

[Cronenfly]

This DVD Talk review of the LG Diva suggests that the special features are overdubbed in English:

Beineix recorded the commentary in French, but an English translator speaks over the top of his monologue.

The interviews tend to be in French, but instead of subtitles, a translator speaks over the top of the audio (though a different speaker than the commentary translator)

[Gary Tooze]

So who are you going to believe? DVDBeaver or DVDTalk?

Beineix recorded the commentary in French, but an English translator speaks over the top of his monologue.

Not on my copy - No overdub - ONLY IN FRENCH (NO ENGLISH subs) and the film portions he is commentating on have no English subs either.

The interviews tend to be in French,

True

but instead of subtitles, a translator speaks over the top of the audio (though a different speaker than the commentary translator)

False. They either speak English or French - at least half are totally in French. (NO ENGLISH subs)

It's almost impossible to believe I have a different edition. Meaning what he (Jamie S. Rich) says is not true.

I see no option to enact DUBs or subs on the supplements and the menus are totally in French. Perhaps I am going crazy and only hearing and seeing only in French.

Perhaps they were meant to be overDubbed but I can guarantee they are not.... barring a severe, unrecognized, brain tumor on my part.

Hold on - the menu in his review is in English?!?!?!! Mine is not (see my comparison). ?!?!?!?!!?!?

....

Must be 2 diff editions - need someone else who has a copy to speak up. Weirdest event of my year.

His menu


My menu


Gary

[domino harvey]

Gary, you're Canadian right? Is it possible that Lionsgate put out a different edition for Canada without the language track... though I guess that would actually make even less sense wouldn't it, with the bi-lingual laws?

[Cronenfly]

It's strange, and I'm sure the copy you have has no overdub on the special features, Gary (I didn't post the DVD Talk link to doubt/criticize you); hopefully an explanation will turn up (from Lionsgate or elsewhere). Either way this looks like a disc to avoid, but I just thought I'd post the DVD Talk piece here, more in the hopes of getting to the bottom of the seeming discrepancy in discs sent out for review than anything else.

And domino could be right: I've had at least one Canadian disc that by all accounts is supposed to be in English come with French menus, features only in French, etc (versions of normally English discs presumably meant only for Quebec).

[Gary Tooze]

It's as good a guess as any Domino... but most Canadians do NOT speak French. Improbable they would put out two editions.
Hopefully someone who receives their copy will respond.
I actually bought mine and suspect DVDTalk either received a screener OR was sent the artwork, specs etc. - that is another possibility.
Cheers,
Gary

[stalker_ozu]

Gary, when are you going to put a review of the new dvd of Ballad of Narayama (Imamura)