Kinowelt (Germany)

Region 2 - PAL

Kino

Region 0 - NTSC

Dreamix (South Korea)
Region 3 - NTSC

Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Kinowelt (Germany)

Region 2 - PAL

Kino

Region 0 - NTSC

Dreamix (South Korea)
Region 3 - NTSC

Region 'B' - Blu-ray

1.61:1 Slightly Cropped
Average Bitrate: 6.10 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.30
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Criterion

Kinowelt

Kino

Dreamix

Blu-ray

Blu-ray

German (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) director Volker Schlondorff English (Dolby Digital 1.0)

Edition Details:

• Theatrical trailer
• Audio commentary by director and cowriter Volker Schlondorff
• Isolated music track, featuring the score by Academy Award-winning composer Maurice Jarre
• Rare deleted scenes
• Volker Schlondorff Remembers The Tin Drum, a 21-minute audio/video montage
• An illuminating collection of video interviews, including Schlondorff
• "The Platform", a rare 1987 German recording of Grass reading an excerpt from his novel The Tin Drum
• Reprinted excerpt of the screenplay's original, unfilmed ending
• Banned in Oklahoma, a documentary by Gary D. Rhodes following the child pornography lawsuit revolving around The Tin Drum
• Production sketches, designs, and promotional art
• Widescreen anamorphic format
• Number of discs: 2

DVD Release Date: May 18th, 2004
Keep Case
Chapters: 23

Aspect Ratio:
Anamorphic Widescreen letterbox - 1.66:1

Edition Details:
• Trailer
• Commentary by Volker Schloendorff (alternate from Criterions)
• Documentary (see below comments)

DVD Release Date: November 20th, 2001
Keep Case

Chapters 18

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterbox - 1.61:1

Edition Details:
• Commentary with Volker Schlöndorff (In English).
• Color, Digital Video Transfer, Widescreen
• Isolated musical score
• Supplemental video section containing behind-the-scenes photos, storyboards and more (16:00)
• Widescreen letterbox format

DVD Release Date: August 13, 1999
Snap Case

Chapters 18

Aspect Ratio:
Anamorphic Widescreen letterbox - 1.66:1

Edition Details:
Commentary with Volker Schlöndorff (In English).
Trailer - Non-anamorphic (3:29).
About the book (In Korean).
Cast and Crew (In Korean).
Storyboard contra movie (2:06).

DVD Release Date: April 1, 2003
Keep Case

Chapters 18

Edition Details:
• New restoration of both the theatrical version and the brand new Director's Cut approved by director Volker Schlöndorff

• Audio commentary with director/co-screenwriter Volker Schlöndorff
• Brand new interview with Volker Schlöndorff (24:14 in 1080P)
• Comprehensive booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by George Lellis and Hans-Bernhard Moeller, authors of Volker Schlondorff's Cinema: Adaptation, Politics and the Movie-appropriate, as well as extracts from Volker Schlöndorff s diary, writing by Jean Claude Carrière and Günter Grass, illustrated with archival stills

• Artwork presentation packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork and three original posters

• DVD of the Theatrical version

• Making The Tin Drum, Volker Schlöndorff remembers making the film and his collaborators (2001) [DVD only].

• New interview with Schlöndorff about the making of the film and the creation of the complete version (1:07:25)
• New interview with film scholar Timothy Corrigan (20:12)

• The Platform (8:48)
• German audio recording of Günter Grass reading an excerpt from his novel The Tin Drum, illustrated with the corresponding scene from the film
• Television interview excerpts featuring Schlöndorff, Grass, actors David Bennent (4:13) and Mario Adorf, and cowriter Jean-Claude Carrière (4:24), On Location (3:24) and Post Palme (:40)
• Trailer (3:32)
• A booklet featuring an essay by critic Geoffrey Macnab and 1978 statements by Grass about the adaptation of his novel

Blu-ray Release Date: January 15th, 2013
Transparent Blu-ray Case
Chapters: 31

ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' Blu-ray - January 2013: The Criterion is only the 2 3/4 hour Director's Cut and has a significantly higher bitrate on their dual-layered Blu-ray disc. The Criterion is advertised as a 'new, restored high-definition digital transfer of the complete version, approved by director Volker Schlöndorff' and colors take some shifts from the Arrow 1080P rendering. The Criterion colors are bolder (reds) and better defined. This, and the improved contrast, make detail rise as well. Skin tones cool in comparison to the UK Blu-ray. The Criterion is brighter and looks smoother in-motion.

Audio is in the form of a DTS-HD Master 5.1 at 3617 kbps in original German with optional English subtitles. It is described as a 'newly remastered 5.1 surround soundtrack, approved by Schlöndorff'. So we can assume the lossless sound, like the video, on the Criterion Blu-ray is accurate to the filmmaker's vision.

The 2004 Criterion DVD was the shorter theatrical version and we lose the Volker Schlöndorff commentary but gain some new supplements. This includes a 2012 one hour seven-minute long interview with Schlöndorff about the making of the film, adaptations, and the creation of the complete version as well as a new 20-minute new interview with film scholar Timothy Corrigan (author of New German Film: The Displaced Image) who discusses themes and styles of The Tin Drum. Also included in 'The Platform' - a scene where Oskar disrupts a Nazi rally with his drumming and it is followed by a German audio recording of Günter Grass reading the corresponding scene from his novel (also found on the old DVD). There are television interview excerpts featuring Schlöndorff, Grass, actors David Bennent (4:13) and Mario Adorf, and cowriter Jean-Claude Carrière (4:24), On Location (3:24) and a Post Palme segment (:40). There is a trailer (3:32) and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Geoffrey MacNab and 1978 statements by Grass about the adaptation of his novel.

The Criterion package with its superior, and approved, Blu-ray transfer and extensive supplements makes it the definitive for the many fans of the film. A strong recommendation!  

***

ADDITION: Arrow Academy - Region 'B' Blu-ray - January 12': Arrow Academy's package contains the new restoration of both the theatrical version and the 21-minute longer Director's Cut approved by director Volker Schlöndorff (shown at Cannes 2010). These versions are NOT seamlessly-branched but separate transfers sharing the same dual-layered Blu-ray disc. This is a dual-format package that includes a DVD of the Theatrical version plus a supplement - Making The Tin Drum, Volker Schlöndorff remembers making the film and his collaborators (2001) - not on the Blu-ray.

With the 1080P disc not being seamlessly-branched - there are over 5 hours of 'feature' on the lone Blu-ray. So, the bitrate is smaller but the image quality is very impressive beside the SD-DVDs. The restored image is significantly sharper, tighter and colors are far more balanced. I don't see any strong difference between the visual quality of the two versions - both AVC at the same modest bitrate (between double and triple the SD version). There is noise but nothing overwhelming. Contrast is strong and it does have a bit of depth creeping in. The only negative I noticed was some contrast flickering that seemed more prevalent in the Director's Cut. It was brief, though. I don't see any cropping and it looks like the hi-def version shows a shade more in the frame. The last DVD release (Criterion) compared here was 7.5 years ago - so a fairly dramatic update was due and this is it.

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio at 1675 kbps is not dynamic with its separations but there are a few that rang through discreetly to rear speakers. There are only a few instances where the depth capability of the track is recognized but here too - it was rendering flawlessly. Legendary Maurice Jarre's score juxtaposes some of the scenes and adds a nice artistic touch to the ambience. It is certainly unique and sounds excellent here on the Blu-ray. There are optional English subtitles and my although my screener was Region FREE I have been told the commercially available ptroduct is actually 'Region 'B'' locked.

Supplement-wise we get the audio commentary with director/co-screenwriter Volker Schlöndorff, plus a brand new 25-minute interview with Volker Schlöndorff on the Blu-ray, plus the DVD (which has the Theatrical cut) has the 2001 Making The Tin Drum, Volker Schlöndorff remembers making the film and his collaborators. On the top that is a comprehensive booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by George Lellis and Hans-Bernhard Moeller, authors of Volker Schlondorff's Cinema: Adaptation, Politics and the Movie-appropriate, as well as extracts from Volker Schlöndorff s diary, writing by Jean Claude Carrière and Günter Grass, illustrated with archival stills. We should note that the Artwork presentation packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork and three original posters.

Being 5 hours worth of features (theatrical and DC) spread over the one Blu-ray makes this somewhat imperfect but the advancement on video is highly impressive, along with lossless audio, that we can easily recommend it. The director's fans will surely be keen to see the 21-minute longer cut and the new interview supplement with his opinion of it. Strongly recommended!

***

ADDITION (Criterion - July -04) - We can throw out the Kino and the Dreamix editions as they are below par. The Kinowelt and the Criterion match up very closely in color. I notice the Region 2 having slightly redder skin tones - almost a brownish/sepia hue tint over the entire film. perhaps it was meant to look this way - I don't know. If anything I suspect Criterion's superior contrast gives it the impression of being sharper, but I know the differences are negligible. In regards to cropping I see Criterion has a little off the bottom and the Kinowelt even less off the left edge. The Kinowelt has no English subtitles so the decision becomes easier for most. Kinowelt has a 5.1 audio track (in German) and Criterion includes a 5. as an option with the original mono track. Criterions extras are the best of the lot. We say take Criterion to the bank! (or rather 'go to the bank first and then get Criterion' ;) ).

RE: The Kinowelt Documentary (From Frank Meyer... Thanks Frank): The documentary is the same as the Audio/Video Montage "Volker Schlöndorff remembers the Tin Drum" which is on the Criterion, but it is spoken in German by Schlöndorff. The commentary by Schlöndorff is not identical, because it is spoken also in German (especially produced for the German DVD by Jörg Bauer). There are no subtitles for the commentary.

***

The anamorphic Kinowelt really blows away the other two when it comes to the image quality sharpness, color and contrast. The Dreamix may be sharper than the Kino and anamorphic but appears to have other issues. The 'Out of Print' Kino NTSC version has burned in yellow sub-titles which is a strong negative. The Dreamix shows some contrast boosting and edge enhancement (see beach scene below). The Kino has been slightly vertically cropped and appears to have been zoomed in to make up for it. All three have the Director Schlöndorff commentary. The Kinowelt has 5.1 audio which is nice, but no option for the original sound mix. It also has no English subs. As this film is not a favorite of mine, my suggestion would be to wait till a better edition comes out with English subtitles if you require them. the whole Dreamix "Tin Box" thing seems like a bit of scam now.     

- Gary W. Tooze