"Down By Law" Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Kinowelt Home Entertainment (Germany) - Region 2

directed by Jim Jarmusch
USA / West Germany 1986

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Theatrical Release: October 1986

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DVD Comparison:

Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Kinowelt Home Entertainment (Germany) - Region 2 - PAL

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman and Pavel Borodin for the Screen Caps!

(Home Vision Entertainment / The Criterion Collection (USA) - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Kinowelt Home Entertainment (Germany) - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

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Distribution	Home Vision Entertainment / The Criterion Collection (USA) Region 1 - NTSC	Kinowelt Home Entertainment (Germany) Region 2 - PAL
Runtime	1:46:44	1:42:15 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.93 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.79 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Home Vision Entertainment / The Criterion Collection (USA)
Bitrate: Kinowelt Home Entertainment (Germany)
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono), French DUB (Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono)	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
Subtitles	English, French, none	German, Dutch, French, none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Home Vision Entertainment / The Criterion Collection (USA) Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Thoughts & reflections by Jim Jarmusch • 2002 video interview with director of photography Robby Müller • 1986 Cannes Film Festival press conference • 1986 John Lurie interview with commentary • Outtakes • Music video of Tom Waits singing Cole Porter's • Q&A with Jarmusch • Jarmusch's phone calls with Waits, Benigni, and Lurie • Isolated music track • Production Polaroids and Location stills • Original theatrical trailer • Optional French dub track, featuring Roberto Benigni • 2 DVDs DVD Release Date: October 22, 2002 Keep Case Chapters 36	Release Information: Studio: Kinowelt Home Entertainment (Germany) Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Regions 2 & 8 • Robby Müller on 'Down by Law' • Isolated music track • Jim Jarmusch's phone calls to Tom Waits, Roberto Benigni and John Lurie • Music Video 'It's Alright With Me' • Trailers for 'Down by Law' and 'Night on Earth' DVD Release Date: February 25, 2003 Keep Case Chapters 21
Comments	The Kinowelt image is slightly sharper and has a little bit more contrast. The Criterion picture is slightly cropped on top, on the left and on the right. Both discs have very strong image quality, but Kinowelt is slightly better. I suppose that the English soundtracks are the same quality. Criterion includes also the French dub, but I'm not sure if it's an important addition. Criterion has a choise of English or French subtitles. Kinowelt offers German, Dutch or French subtitles. I don't understand why they haven't included English subtitles. The Kinowelt DVD includes very good special features (especially the outtakes and very interesting lenghty interview with cameraman Robby Müller), but it's only a part of the amount offered by Criterion. Here, Criterion obviously wins. - Pavel Borodin

DVD Menus

(Home Vision Entertainment / The Criterion Collection (USA) - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Kinowelt Home Entertainment (Germany) - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

Screen Captures

(Home Vision Entertainment / The Criterion Collection (USA) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Kinowelt Home Entertainment (Germany) - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)