"The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)" Whirlwind vs. Laserlight vs Carlton R2 vs. Concorde R2

(aka 'Der Mann, der zuviel wußte' or 'L'Homme qui en savait trop')

UK 1934

Posters

Theatrical Release: December 1934 - UK

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DVD Comparison:

Whirlwind /RYKO Region 0 - NTSC vs. Laserlight - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Carlton - Region 2 - PAL vs. Concorde - Region 2- PAL

Big thanks to Rich Deming for the Whirlwind captures and Markus of ChiaroScuro for the Carlton Screen Captures and Pavel Borodin for Concorde screen captures!

(Whirlwind/RYKO - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Laserlight- Region 0 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Carlton - Region 2- PAL - 3rd vs. Concorde - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Whirlwind /RYKO Video Region 0 - NTSC	Laserlight Home Video Region 0 - NTSC	Carlton Visual Entertainment Region 2 - PAL	Concorde Home Entertainment (Germany) Region 2 - PAL
Runtime	1:15:30	1:15:42	1:12:09 (4% PAL speedup)	1:12:09 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio average Bitrate: 5.7 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio average Bitrate: 6.71 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.97 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.20 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Whirlwind /RYKO + Laserlight
Bitrate: Carlton and Concorde
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 1.0)	English (Dolby Digital 1.0)	English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono	English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Subtitles	None	Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, none	English (captions) and none	German and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Ryko Distribution - Video Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Young and Innocent • Newsreel Footage (1937) • Prest-O Change-O Cartoon DVD Release Date: July 25th, 2000 Keep Case Chapters 11	Release Information: Studio: Laserlight Video Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Introduction by Tony Curtis • Bonus clip of the original theatrical trailer for Saboteur (1942) • Menus in English, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese DVD Release Date: June 19, 1998 Snap Case Chapters 20	Release Information: Studio: Carlton Visual Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Trailer DVD Release Date: 31 January 2000 Keep Case Chapters: 15	Release Information: Studio: Concorde Home Entertainment (Germany) Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Edition Details: None DVD Release Date: October 20th, 2003 Digipack foldout with cardboard case Chapters 11 This disc is only available as part of the 6 disc pack Alfred Hitchcock - The Early Years, released in Germany by Concorde. The Early Years box set contains the following discs: The Lodger / Downhill, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Sabotage, Secret Agent, Young and Innocent and The Lady Vanishes.

Comments:

Firstly the Tony Curtis intro'ed Laserlight version can be thrown right out of the picture and although it is better we can do the same with the Whirlwind / RYKO edition, but it does win the Extras with Young and Innocent and a cartoon. Looks like Region 1 gets screwed with this film as the only real contenders are both in Region 2.

Looks like the Carlton and the Concorde have used the exact same print (same damage on capture #2 below), but the Concorde have done some obvious boosting in the brightness dept. Quite bad actually (look at the title captures below!). I don't know who in their organization is responsible, but it is quite a contrast to their "The Lady Vanishes" DVD. I was expecting the Concorde to be superior to the Carlton after seeing other examples in their Boxset and it being newer. Believe it or not the Laserlight wins the Extras as the other two have absolutely none - bear in mind the only way to get the Concorde is in their wonderful Boxset - but I don't consider that an "Extra". I think all three editions are single layered (not that it mans too much). Stick with the Carlton, but you may still wish to spring or the German Boxset. More comparisons and reviews from that will follow.

- Gary W. Tooze

DVD Menus

(Whirlwind/RYKO - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Laserlight- Region 0 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Carlton - Region 2- PAL - 3rd vs. Concorde - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)


		NOT AVAILABLE at time of posting

Screen Captures

(Whirlwind/RYKO - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Laserlight- Region 0 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Carlton - Region 2- PAL - 3rd vs. Concorde - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

(Whirlwind/RYKO - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Laserlight- Region 0 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Carlton - Region 2- PAL - 3rd vs. Concorde - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

(Whirlwind/RYKO - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Laserlight- Region 0 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Carlton - Region 2- PAL - 3rd vs. Concorde - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

(Whirlwind/RYKO - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Laserlight- Region 0 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Carlton - Region 2- PAL - 3rd vs. Concorde - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)