Criterion Collection - Spine # 13

Region 1 - NTSC

1:66:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 6.6 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1:33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 8.27 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1:33:1 Open Matte format
Average Bitrate: 4.81 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

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

Criterion Collection - Spine # 13

Wild Side Vidéo (Coffret Fuller)

VCI

English Dolby Digital 2.0, French Dolby Digital 2.0

English Dolby Digital 1.0

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1:66:1

Edition Details:
• Trailer
• Color bars

DVD Release Date: 25 August 1998
Keep Case

Chapters
 

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1:33:1

Edition Details:
• Disc 1 : Shock Corridor (1963)
• Disc 2 : The Naked Kiss (1964)
• Same extras for both discs/movies :
• Picture gallery, internet links and filmographies
• DVD-ROM bonus : posters
• Disc 3 : Extras
• Documentaries :
• Play it around Sam (French, 25:21) (Wild Side Vidéo documentary by Olivier Serrano about Fuller)
• La machine à écrire, le fusil et le cinéaste (English, 27:26)
• (excerpts from Adam Simon's 1996 documentary The Typewriter, The Rifle and the Movie Camera)
• A 12-page booklet by Samuel Blumenfeld about Fuller, Shock Corridor and The Naked Kiss (in French)
 

Chapters 12

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1:33:1

Edition Details:
• Photo gallery
• Short biographies
• Featurette: TV episode from

 

Chapters 18

ADDITION: VCI (CE) - May 2008': Even though the new VCI DVD is anamorphic, it's still doesn't improve much on the image. The picture has higher resolution compared to previous releases, but it's still non-progressive and has the same damage spots (see the last capture). Where VCI does improve is in the provided extras although original trailer is still missing from VCI disc. We get nice interviews with a widow and a daughter of Samuel Fuller and with 2 leading actors (Anthony Eisley who plays Capt. Griff passed away in 2003), although Constance Towers interview is only audio and too short. Criterion unofficially announced plans to revisit this film and Shock Corridor in the near future, so until that time we recommend either new VCI disc if you can find cheap or French Wild Side Vidéo for open matte picture.

 - Gregory Meshman

*****

The Region 2 looks very good, it is much sharper and has less artifacts (and damage too) than the Criterion. The Wild-Side has two major drawbacks though: non removable (but not very intrusive) white French subtitles. These subs are player generated and can be removed by some enterprising individual. On most computers you can watch both movies without subtitles. 

Here is a translation of what Manuel Chiche, Director of Wild Side Vidéo, wrote in a French DVD forum about their Fuller boxset :

"Both Shock Corridor and The Naked Kiss have been originally shot in the 1:37:1 aspect ratio. Blacks bars have subsequently been added for the theatrical releases. We present both films in their original aspect ratios."

Well, lots of stuff is originally shot in 4:3 but theatrically presented at a widescreen ratio - this is common. Cutting to the chase - It appears as though both the Wild Side and VCI editions are the 'Open Matte' version of the film.

For extras, the PAL edition's are obviously superior. Wild Side's DVD has a 3rd disc containing documentaries. The first one is entitled "Play it again Sam" and is in French. IMPORTANT ! : the second one is in English and consists of excerpts (ONLY excerpts) from the documentary "The Typewriter, the Rifle and the Movie Camera". Some movie excerpts appearing in the original documentary couldn't be shown because of rights issues (the British Film Institute hasn't given its authorization).

Lastly the Wild Side has some nice animated menus.
 

- Alain Dupont and Gary Tooze