Imagica

Region 2 - NTSC

1.63:1 Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.33 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.57 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1:61:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 8.23 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.

Imagica

Masters of Cinema (Spine # 31)

Criterion (Spine # 288)

English (Dolby Digital 2.0)

English (Dolby Digital 2.0)

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.63:1

Edition Details:
• Theatrical trailer
• Production Notes / Staff and Cast (Japanese text screens)

DVD Release Date: 2000

Chapters 14
 

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.66:1

Edition Details:
• Exclusive audio commentary by the film’s cinematographer Gary Graver and Bill Krohn
• Jonathan Rosenbaum on F For Fake – a 28 minute video piece
• 40-page booklet featuring the writing of Fred Camper, Jean Cocteau, Craig Keller, Joseph McBride, &
 

Chapters 18

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1:61:1

Edition Details:
• Video introduction by director Peter Bogdanovich
• Audio commentary featuring star Oja Kodar and director of photography Gary Graver
• Orson Welles: One-Man Band (1988), a feature-length investigation of Welles’s unfinished projects
• Almost True, a 1992 Norwegian Film Institute documentary on art forger Elmyr de Hory
• 9-minute trailer
• 60 Minutes interviews with Clifford Irving
• 16-page liner notes booklet with new essay by critic Jonathan Rosenbaum
 

Chapters 19

Addition: Thanks to MoC for another wonderful package! First, the image is virtually identical to the Criterion. The HD master was sourced from them, but the transfer is in PAL (coded for region 2), and thus slightly higher resolution than their NTSC disc. Although I don't have my copy of the Criterion disc, I assume that the sound (crystal clear by the way), is identical as well. While the two discs have none of the same extras, both provide us with commentaries by a production member of the film (Graver and Kodar, respectively) that offer valuable insights into the 'making of...'. Additionally, the MoC provides us with one of their typically extensive and indispensable booklets, and this one is no exception. Finally, there is an interview with Jonathon Rosenbaum that is nearly half an hour in length and of the quality that we would expect from the producers and participant, providing us insight into the nature of duplicity in the film itself as well as the critical misunderstanding that it received upon release.

So, obviously you should ignore the Imagica release, but between Criterion and MoC which is the better buy? You really can't go wrong with either set and fans of the film may simply want to double dip and pick up both as the MoC covers enough new ground to make the purchase well worth the price. At the writing of this review the MoC is significantly cheaper.
 

ON the IMAGICA: The Imagica disc is very poor - contrast boosting has manipulated the colors to be often unrecognizable from their original state. It is non-progressively transferred and has prevalent 'combing' throughout. I also suspect it is from analog. Because of all that and more the non-anamorphic Imagica DVD is inferior in every way. For more on the Criterion and the extensive extras see our review HERE.

The Imagica disc includes an opening credit screen for Les Films d'Astrophore production company, attached with some unusually strong music - this runs for about 30 seconds and contains the title "F For Fake" which is not on the Criterion or Masters of Cinema DVD.

 - Brian Montgomery