"Malena" Spectrum Region 0 NTSC vs. Miramax R1 NTSC vs Medusa R2 PAL

directed by Giuseppe Tornatore
Italy 2000

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Theatrical Release: October 27th, 2000 - Italy

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DVD Comparison:

Spectrum - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Medusa (Italy) - LE - Region 2 - PAL

Big thanks to Markus Mathis for the Medusa R2 screen captures and big thanks to Ole of DVDBasen for the Spectrum Screen Caps!

(Spectrum - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Medusa - LE - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Spectrum ( Korea ) Region 0 - NTSC	Miramax Region 1 - NTSC	Medusa Entertainment Region 2 - PAL
Runtime	1:43:12	1:31:48	1:43:24
Video	240:1 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.23 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	2.28 :1 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.56 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	2.40:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.38 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Spectrum
Bitrate: Miramax
Bitrate: Medusa
Audio	Italian (Dolby Digital 5.1), Italian (DTS 5.1) Italian (Dolby Digital 2.0)	Italian (Dolby Digital 5.1), DUB: French (Dolby Digital 2.0)	Italian (Dolby Digital 5.1), Italian (DTS 5.1)
Subtitles	English, Korean and none	English, Spanish and none	Italian and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Spectrum Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.40:1 Edition Details: • Extras (Only subtitled in Korean): Life & dream of Giuseppe Torantore (52:53) Behind the scenes (46:00) Making of (in English langauge) (12:31) Interview with Guiseppe Tornatore (9:14) Interview with Guiseppe Tornatore & Ennio Morricone (22:28) In Studio (From the recording of the music) (21:51) Italian and US trailer 3 US TV spots DVD Release Date: August 2003 SlipCase (digi-pak) Chapters 30	Release Information: Studio: Miramax Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2:28:1 Edition Details: • Widescreen • Theatrical trailers - 5 Italian films • The Making of Malena (10:00) • TV Spots • Widescreen anamorphic format DVD Release Date: July 10, 2001 Keep Case Chapters 26	Release Information: Studio: Medusa Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.40:1 Edition Details: • Disc 1: Film with anamorphic picture Disc 2: Backstage: La casa di malena Interview with Guiseppe Tornatore Da Nuovo cinema Paradiso a Malena (Tornatore e Ennio Morricone) Prove Orchestra (Ennio Morricone) Trailer Italiano Filmografie e note biografiche Disc 3: Ennio Morricone's Soundtrack CD DVD Release Date: ? Keep Case Chapters 20

Comments:

Well, what we learn from this comparison is that the R1 version has been shortened (see times above) by almost 15 minutes, and from what I have been able to determine is that it is mostly some nudity and sexual content with Malena and the young boy that have been cut. My advice to the censors would have been keep the sex and nudity and remove the extensive graphic violence of the towns-women beating Malena publicly.

No real reason to get the Medusa R2 PAL version unless you are over-the-moon about the film and speak Italian. The extras and film on the R2 Medusa DVD have no English subtitles. The inclusion of the Morricone CD is a nice touch, but the limitation of 3000 copies smells like a bit of a scam to me. All glitz in the packaging as this edition certainly does not deliver on the image quality front. Very hazy and poorly transferred make the Region 1 look extremely sharp in comparison. The Medusa version has fiddled with the contrast in some parts and the colors in others, hence we have a hazy, dark and over saturated look at times. Yeah, we all wouldn't mind seeing more of Monica Belluci nude, but stick with the cut R1 until the full version with a decent image comes out... which may be never.

ADDITION (Spectrum) - The new Spectrum disc looks like a direct port from the Limited Edition Region 2. In fact I think the picture may be slightly inferior. It has the same darkness and saturation with slim faced characters. We are still recommending the cut ( censored ) Region 1 release from Miramax. Again, those huge fans of the film may wish to pick this up as opposed to the Region 2 which has no subs.

- Gary W. Tooze

NOTE: The Miramax is cropped substantially on the vertical and slightly on the horizontal.

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(Spectrum - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Medusa - LE - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)