"The English Patient" Alliance R0 NTSC vs Buena Vista R0 PAL

directed by Anthony Minghella
U.S.A. 1996

"The English Patient is a non-linear story that has an elliptical structure, beginning and ending with the same scene whilst delicately meandering back and forth from the late 30's Africa, to 1945 Italy... just as the amnesiac title character recalls the events that his memory is gradually regaining. Minghella is able to smooth over what ought to have been extremely confusing gaps and jumps in chronology with splintered structures and individual narratives about characters that are often never linked together. In the end he has created an extremely coherent story which is set against an backdrop of complex political, archaeological and love triangle vistas.

Is The English Patient melodramatic? Of course, but it' is so subtle and finely detailed that it simply warms its viewers as opposed to smothering them. Many of the scenes reflecting on the past without purpose can be quite lengthy, and for the uninitiated viewer are seen as unwanted interruptions. Today's cheap-thrill following has viewed this as boring. How unfortunate. There is no casual, filler dialogue. It is all rich with mystery and love, often following multiple storylines is difficult for many viewers and the characterizations perhaps far too subtle for most of today's modern audiences. This is a film for lovers of classic literature and sweeping epic love stories flowing ( but not overflowing ) with romance. It is not often made today. For what it attempted, it achieved perfection.

Regardless of enjoying the style of story or the story itself, from an analytical standpoint of superior production values it is a work of brilliance. It's well worth watching, several times even, for this is a rich, compelling motion picture, and you'll learn more from each viewing. The characters seem to blossom forth with each viewing as you cannot help but embrace them."

Excerpt from Gary Tooze's review found HERE

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Theatrical Release: November 15th, 1996 - USA

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DVD Comparison:

Alliance Atlantis - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Buena Vista - Region 0 - PAL

(Alliance - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Buena Vista - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
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Distribution	Alliance Atlantis (Canada) Region 0 - NTSC	Buena Vista Home Entertainment (UK) Region 0 - PAL
Runtime	2:41:40	2:35:00 (4%PAL speedup)
Video	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.21 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.30 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
Bitrate: Alliance NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: BV (R2)
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 5.1) , DUB: French (Dolby Digital 2.0)	English (Dolby Digital 5.1) , DUB: French (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles	English (close captioned) and none	English (close captioned), French and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Alliance Atlantis (Canada) Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterbox - 1.85:1 Discographic Information: Layers: Dual Edition Details: • none DVD Release Date: January 29th, 2000 Keep Case Chapters 32	Release Information: Studio: Buena Vista (UK) Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterbox - 1.85:1 Discographic Information: Layers: Dual Edition Details: • none DVD Release Date: 8 January, 2001 Keep Case Chapters 32
Comments:	I have quite q lot to say about these releases as I am such a huge fan of this particular film. The Alliance disc is much sharper than the Buena Vista UK. The skin tones seem to have an excess amount of red in them in the PAL version. Neither disc is anamorphic and neither have any Extra Features. The Buena Vista is darker and hazier. They both have 32 chapters which are named exactly the same. Alliance was given license to produce this DVD in Canada, most likely for the fact of adding the French audio dub. I expect the video is exactly the same on the US Miramax version. There are both German, Italian and other European DVD editions that are anamorphic and include Extras. In Region 1 I would prefer to watch my Criterion laserdisc for its wonderful image and extensive Extras. There really is no reason why this has not been re-released anamorphic and with some quality Extras in Region 1. - Gary W. Tooze
Alternate Versions:		There are other versions on DVD but the only other Region 1 is the Miramax: Still not anamorphic I believe it is the same release as the Alliance but without the French DUB. It includes Spanish subtitles as well as close captioned English.

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(Alliance - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Buena Vista - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)