Alec Baldwin in The Shadow - DVD Review DVD Comparison Alec Baldwin The Shadow DVD Review DVD Comparison Alec Baldwin The Shadow DVD Review DVD Comparison Alec Baldwin The Shadow DVD Review DVD Comparison Alec Baldwin The Shadow DVD Review DVD Comparison Alec Baldwin The Shadow DVD Review DVD Comparison Alec Baldwin The Shadow DVD Review DVD Comparison Alec Baldwin The Shadow DVD Review DVD Comparison Alec Baldwin The Shadow DVD Review DVD Comparison Alec Baldwin The Shadow DVD Review DVD Comparison

'The Shadow'

directed by Russell Mulcahy
U.S.A. 1994

Based on the radio and pulp-magazine series of the 1930s, 'The Shadow' never really had a chance at the box-office competing with the likes of comic book superstardom in 'Batman' or sexually appealing Madonna in 'Dick Tracy'. Alec Baldwin is his usual arrogant self in full bravado while playing Lamont Crantson and his alter-ego 'The Shadow'. I truly enjoyed this film with breath-taking and limited special effects, not attempting to overshadow (pun) with there existence. I was truly captivated, but it is probably showing my age so I won't recommend it to all, just those who like an innocent, young boys adventure story with mystery and a sci-fi element lurking behind every corner.

Gary W. Tooze

Posters

Theatrical Release Date: 1 July, 1994

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Universal - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Columbia Tri-Star - Region 2 - PAL

(Universal - R1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Columbia Tri-Star - R2 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Universal Region 1 - NTSC	Columbia Tri-star ( through Universal) Region 2 - PAL
Runtime	1:47:16	1:42:44 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	1.33:1 Cropped Average Bitrate: 4.27 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 9.4 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Universal
Bitrate: Columbia CTS R2
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)	English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles	Spanish, English (captions) and none	English, French, Portuguese, Danish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Turkish and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Universal Studios Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Color, Closed-captioned, Dolby • Full-screen format DVD Release Date: January 5, 1999 Keep Case Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Columbia Tri-Star Home Video Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Discographic Information: DVD Encoding: Region 2 Layers: Dual DVD Release Date: 21 August, 2000 Keep Case Chapters 16

Comments:

The R2 UK disc proves it was shown theatrically at 2.35:1. The disc starts out as 2.35 and once the credits are over switches to 1.85:1. I'm sure it's Open Matte and not cropped. Probably shot Super 35. (Thanks Mark)

*****

Well, even the widescreen has been cropped a shade. I know somewhere someone had doubt thinking this film may have been shot at 2.35:1, although Imdb says 1.85 matted from a 1.37 negative. Regardless, you are losing a heck of as lot of information with the R1. Looking at the last large capture as it seems to show the best how much is being cropped out of our vision. Someone has messed with the colors and my guess is the R2 which looks a little too sepia. Overall, I don't really need to look further than the aspect ratio but the R2 anamorphic dual-layered disc is obviously sharper than the single-layered R1. The R1 also had a release of DTS sound as opposed to 5.1, but it was also Pan and Scan. I understand the image quality is the same. No extras on these DVDs, but the Region 2 has more subtitle and language choices. Go with the Region 2 (UK) for this pulpy remake between these two, but I suspect there are better versions out there, perhaps in France.

- Gary W. Tooze

THE SHADOW – The ratio is absolutely 1.85 X 1 and Universal co-produced the film with a German company, and also used it as a way to further push and promote the then-new DTS format. The film did not fare well, but has more of a cult following than Universal realizes. Tragically, both of these DVDs lack DTS, and the only way to get DTS was on the old full screen DVD or the letterboxed 12” LaserDisc. This is a prime candidate for a Universal special edition with DTS (re-transferred/remastered) 5.1, a new anamorphic transfer (they support D-VHS, so why not?), and three short films featuring the character from their vaults several decades ago that the studio produced would beef up the supplements section. Alec Baldwin is now an Oscar-nominated actor and Sir Ian McKellan is on a roll with X-MEN and LORD OF THE RINGS, so why not?

Nicholas Sheffo from FulvueDrive-In.com

DVD Menus

(Universal - R1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Columbia Tri-Star - R2 - PAL - RIGHT)

Screen Captures