City of God - Cidade de Deus

(aka "City of God" or "God's Town")

directed by Fernando Meirelles & Kátia Lund
Brazil 2002

A violent, thoroughly electrifying vision of Rio during the volatile 1970s, and possibly the first great crime film of the 21st century. There's nothing particularly heavenly about the "City of God," a housing development thrown up on Rio's outskirts during the 1960s to help alleviate the homeless overflow from the city's teeming slums. Over the next two decades, it'll become a breeding gang for some of Rio's most vicious gangs.

Excerpt from TV Guide located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: 18 May 2002 - Cannes Film Festival

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Buena Vista - Region 2 - PAL vs. Panorama Entertainment - Region 3 - NTSC

Big thanks to Peter Ax for all the screen captures!

(Buena Vista - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Panorama Entertainment - Region 3 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers		Thinking of buying from YesAsia? CLICK HERE and use THIS UPDATED BEAVER PAGE to source their very best...
Distribution	Buena Vista Region 2 - PAL	Panormama Entertainment Region 3 - NTSC
Runtime	2:04:24	2:04:00
Video	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.56 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 8.10 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes
Bitrate: Buena Vista .
Bitrate: Panormama Entertainment
Audio	Portuguese Dolby Digital 5.1	Portuguese Dolby Digital 2.0, 5.1 & DTS 5.1
Subtitles	English, English hard hearing & none	English, Chinese & none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Buena Vista Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • News from a Personal War (56:41) DVD Release Date: Sept. 9, 2003 Keepcase Chapters 26	Release Information: Studio: Panorama Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.85:1 Edition Details: None DVD Release Date: Sept. 22, 2003 Keepcase with slipcover Chapters 12

Comments

The UK region 2 disc have superior image. The Panorama is taken from a non-HD source tape. The Buena Vista presents nice details, colors and sharpness. The image on the r3 is not bad, although it is taken from an non-native source (PAL), has prevalent 'ghosting' and it can't compare with the R2.

The Hong Kong disc gives more options for the sound (3) and its DTS has an edge in details and presence over the DD 5.1 track on the UK release.

As for extras Panorama offers us nothing, really nothing. The Buena Vista disc at least have one, a documentary on police and dealers in the favella, clocking in just under an hour.

- Peter Ax

DVD Menus

(Buena Vista - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Panorama Entertainment - Region 3 - NTSC - RIGHT)

Screen Captures