directed by Anthony Asquith
U.K. 1952

Oscar Wilde’s comic jewel sparkles in Anthony Asquith’s film adaptation of The Importance of Being Earnest. Featuring brilliantly polished performances by Michael Redgrave, Joan Greenwood, and Dame Edith Evans, the enduringly hilarious story of two young women who think themselves engaged to the same nonexistent man is given the grand Technicolor treatment. Seldom has a classic stage comedy been so engagingly transferred to the screen. The Criterion Collection is proud to present The Importance of Being Earnest on DVD for the first time.

Posters

Theatrical Release Date: October 15th, 1952 - Denmark

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DVD Comparison:

Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Roadshow Entertainment (Australia) - Region 4 - PAL

Big thanks to Ole of DVDBasen for the PAL Screen Caps!

(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Roadshow Entertainment - Region 4 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers

 

      

 

Distribution

Criterion Collection - Spine #158

Region 0  - NTSC

Roadshow Entertainment 
Region 4 - PAL

(click titles for DVDBeaver reviews)

Criterion (without the extras) also available in The Essential Art House - 50 Years of Janus Films - a 50-disc celebration of international films collected under the auspices of the groundbreaking theatrical distributor. It contains Alexander Nevsky (1938), Ashes And Diamonds (1958), L'avventura (1960), Ballad Of A Soldier (1959), Beauty And The Beast (1946), Black Orpheus (1959), Brief Encounter (1945), The Fallen Idol (1948), Fires On The Plain (1959), Fists In The Pocket (1965), Floating Weeds (1959), Forbidden Games (1952), The 400 Blows (1959), Grand Illusion (1937), Häxan (1922), Ikiru (1952), The Importance Of Being Earnest (1952), Ivan The Terrible, Part II (1958), Le Jour Se Lève (1939), Jules And Jim (1962), Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949), Knife In The Water (1962), The Lady Vanishes (1938), The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp (1943), Loves Of A Blonde (1965), M (1931), M. Hulot's Holiday (1953), Miss Julie (1951), Pandora's Box (1929), Pépé Le Moko (1937), Il Posto (1961), Pygmalion (1938), Rashomon (1950), Richard III (1955), The Rules Of The Game (1939), Seven Samurai (1954), The Seventh Seal (1957), The Spirit Of The Beehive (1973), La Strada (1954), Summertime (1955), The Third Man (1949), The 39 Steps (1935), Ugetsu (1953), Umberto D. (1952), The Virgin Spring (1960), Viridiana (1961), The Wages Of Fear (1953), The White Sheik (1952), Wild Strawberries (1957), Three Documentaries By Saul J. Turell plus the hardcover, full color 240-page book.

Runtime 1:35:36 1:31:33 (4% PAL Speedup)
Video

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio 
Average Bitrate: 5.57 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio 
Average Bitrate: 4.75
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

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

Bitrate:

Criterion

 

Bitrate:

Roadshow

Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)

English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)

Subtitles English and none English and none
Features Release Information:
Studio: Home Vision Entertainment
 

Aspect Ratio:
Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
Images in Context is a section with extensive biographical notes about the director, the cast, and the crew, film posters and behind the scenes photography with notes by film historian Bruce Eder
• Theatrical trailer -restored - 2:41
• Three page insert write-up by Charles Dennis

DVD Release Date: June 25, 2002
Keep Case

Chapters 22

Release Information:
Studio: Roadshow Entertainment (Australia)

Aspect Ratio:
Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• Documentary (24:20).
• Trailer (2:37).
• 19 B/W behind the scenes photos.
• Poster, pressbook, lobbycards, program ect. (21 images).
• Biographies

DVD Release Date: April 1, 2003
Keep Case

Chapters 13

 

Comments: The Criterion really shines against this Australian PAL release. It show what the correct Technicolor colors should appear like... how sharp detail can get... and throw-in some occasional peeking film grain. Wonderful! The Roadshow has faded colors ( mostly unnoticeable except in comparison ): Purples turn to navy blue and reds to orange. The image is also quite hazy. The PAL does have a nice 20 minute documentary as an extra to the Criterions' static screen "images in Context". Go with the obvious, as if you didn't know: Criterion, Criterion, Criterion !  

 - Gary W. Tooze

NOTE: The Criterion again has some vertical cropping... this is becoming quite standard for Criterion and I have no idea why.

 





DVD Menus

(
Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Roadshow Entertainment - Region 4 - PAL - RIGHT)


 


Screen Captures

(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Roadshow Entertainment - Region 4 - PAL - BOTTOM)



(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Roadshow Entertainment - Region 4 - PAL - BOTTOM)


(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Roadshow Entertainment - Region 4 - PAL - BOTTOM)


(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Roadshow Entertainment - Region 4 - PAL - BOTTOM)


(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Roadshow Entertainment - Region 4 - PAL - BOTTOM)


Hit Counter


Report Card:

Image:

Criterion

Sound:

-

Extras: Roadshow
Menu: Roadshow
DVD Box Covers

 

      

 

Distribution

Criterion Collection - Spine #158

Region 0  - NTSC

Roadshow Entertainment 
Region 4 - PAL

(click titles for DVDBeaver reviews)

Criterion (without the extras) also available in The Essential Art House - 50 Years of Janus Films - a 50-disc celebration of international films collected under the auspices of the groundbreaking theatrical distributor. It contains Alexander Nevsky (1938), Ashes And Diamonds (1958), L'avventura (1960), Ballad Of A Soldier (1959), Beauty And The Beast (1946), Black Orpheus (1959), Brief Encounter (1945), The Fallen Idol (1948), Fires On The Plain (1959), Fists In The Pocket (1965), Floating Weeds (1959), Forbidden Games (1952), The 400 Blows (1959), Grand Illusion (1937), Häxan (1922), Ikiru (1952), The Importance Of Being Earnest (1952), Ivan The Terrible, Part II (1958), Le Jour Se Lève (1939), Jules And Jim (1962), Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949), Knife In The Water (1962), The Lady Vanishes (1938), The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp (1943), Loves Of A Blonde (1965), M (1931), M. Hulot's Holiday (1953), Miss Julie (1951), Pandora's Box (1929), Pépé Le Moko (1937), Il Posto (1961), Pygmalion (1938), Rashomon (1950), Richard III (1955), The Rules Of The Game (1939), Seven Samurai (1954), The Seventh Seal (1957), The Spirit Of The Beehive (1973), La Strada (1954), Summertime (1955), The Third Man (1949), The 39 Steps (1935), Ugetsu (1953), Umberto D. (1952), The Virgin Spring (1960), Viridiana (1961), The Wages Of Fear (1953), The White Sheik (1952), Wild Strawberries (1957), Three Documentaries By Saul J. Turell plus the hardcover, full color 240-page book.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gary Tooze

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