(aka "The Barbarian Invasions" or "Barbarian Invasion")

 

directed by Denys Arcand
Canada / France 2003

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 21, 2003 (Cannes Film Festival)

Reviews    More Reviews  DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Buena Vista / Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL

Big thanks to Paul Whitelock and Henrik Sylow for the Screen Caps!

(Buena Vista / Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers

 

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Distribution

Buena Vista / Miramax

Region 1 - NTSC

Artificial Eye
Region 2 - PAL
Runtime 1:38:45 1:35:00 (4% PAL speedup)
Video

1.78:1 Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.43 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

2.29:1 Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 7.82 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

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

Bitrate:

Buena Vista / Miramax

.

Bitrate:

 

Artificial Eye

 

Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital French, 5.1 Dolby Digital French

2.0 Dolby Digital French, 5.1 Dolby Digital French

Subtitles English (Yellow), English Closed Caption (White), None English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Buena Vista / Miramax

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1.78:1

Edition Details:
• Inside the Barbarian Invasions (50:48, 6.1 Mb/sec bit rate)
• Sneak Peaks:
• My Voyage to Italy
• Paper Clips
• Shall We Dance?
• People I know
• Miramax 25th Anniversary

DVD Release Date: July 13, 2004
Keep case

Chapters 14
 

Release Information:
Studio: Artificial Eye

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 2.29:1

Edition Details:
• Barbarian Invasion trailer (1.78:1 - 2:04)
• Decline of the American empire trailer (1.33:1 - 2:14)
• Two deleted scenes (1:43 and 3:13)
• Audio interviews (in English)
• by Francis Stock for Film Row BBC Radio 4 (6:04)
• by BFI at LIFF 2003 (15:12)
• Filmographies for Denys Arcand, Rémy Girard, Stéphane Rousseau, Marie-Josée Croze and Dorothée Berr

 

DVD Release Date: June 28, 2004
Keep Case

Chapters 12

Comments
The Region 1 has an incredible amount of unnecessary space on the bottom of the image that is not visible on the Region 2 Artificial Eye. The Miramax edition is far superior in sharpness. The AE has a greenish tinge to it. We are still investigating about the aspect ratio. I suspect the AE is correct and the Miramax looks similar to being pan and scanned to 1.78 from an Open Matte version of the film's super35. The same differences also is on the Terminator 2 full screen DVD. And I am being told, that it is the same with “Once Upon in Mexico”. Theatrically 2.35:1, DVD 1.78:1, also Super35. Bottom line with the Miramax you are not seeing what people saw theatrically. As Paul states below - don't believe the Miramax packaging which say 2.35. It's a lie.

Gary W. Tooze

The film was shot in Super35, which is an non-anamorphic 35mm format, with two aspect ratios 1.85:1 and 2.35:1. Both compositions are done at the same time by lines on the monitor.

The OAR is 2.35:1, but is heavily cropped in respect to the 1.78:1
image which appears almost like an Open Matte.

 - Henrik Sylow

On the Miramax:

A very good film with a very good (Region 1) transfer, but it does have a major flaw. The original aspect ratio of the film is 2.35:1 and while the back cover of the DVD states that the transfer is "Widescreen (2.35:1)," the DVD aspect ratio is in fact 16:9 (1.78:1). While fortunately there does not appear to be any major cropping problems, Miramax should have transferred the film at its original aspect ratio or at the least clearly stated that the film is not presented in its original aspect ratio.

The DVD also includes a television documentary titled "Inside the Barbarian Invasions." The documentary gathers together the cast of the film (but not the director) and records the conversation as the cast enjoys a meal together. This is actually a lot more interesting than it might sound, though they spend more time discussing life than the film. It's a very nice addition to the DVD.

Paul Whitelock

 



 

Recommended Reading in French Cinema (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

 

The Films in My Life
by Francois Truffaut, Leonard Mayhew

French Cinema: A Student's Guide
by Philip Powrie, Keith Reader
Agnes Varda by Alison Smith Godard on Godard : Critical Writings by Jean-Luc Godard Notes on the Cinematographer by Robert Bresson Robert Bresson (Cinematheque Ontario Monographs, No. 2)
by James Quandt
The Art of Cinema by Jean Cocteau French New Wave
by Jean Douchet, Robert Bonnono, Cedric Anger, Robert Bononno
French Cinema: From Its Beginnings to the Present
by Remi Fournier Lanzoni
Truffaut: A Biography by Antoine do Baecque and Serge Toubiana

 

 

Check out more in "The Library"




DVD Menus

(
Buena Vista / Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)


 

 


Title Scans

(Buena Vista / Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - VISIBLE vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - MOUSE OVER)

MOUSE OVER TO SEE DIFFERENCE !

NOTE: Notice how the letter V is placed on the woman's face. The 1.78:1 and the 2.35:1 appear to be two different versions of the same film.

 


 

Subtitle Samples

(Buena Vista / Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 


Screen Captures

(Buena Vista / Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 


 

(Buena Vista / Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

 


(Buena Vista / Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

 


 

(Buena Vista / Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

 


(Buena Vista / Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

 


 

(Buena Vista / Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

 


 

 

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Report Card:

Image:

Miramax for sharpness, but AE for correct aspect ratio

Sound:

tie

Extras: Miramax

Menu:

Miramax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gary Tooze

Many Thanks...