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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
directed
by David Cronenberg
Canada 1991
“Exterminate all rational thought.” Naked Lunch, William S. Burroughs’ hallucinatory, “unfilmable” novel is finally realized on-screen by director David Cronenberg. Part-time exterminator and full-time drug addict Bill Lee (Peter Weller) plunges into the nightmarish netherworld of the Interzone, pursuing a mysterious project that leads him to confront sinister cabals and giant talking bugs. The fruit of an unholy union between two masters of the hilarious and the macabre, Naked Lunch mingles aspects of Burroughs’ novel with incidents from his own life, resulting in a compendium of paranoid fantasies and a searching investigation into the mysteries of the writing process. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: December 27th, 1991 - USA (limited)
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Optimum - Region 2- PAL vs. Criterion (2 disc) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. GCTHV (2 disc) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Big thanks to Vincent BOUCHÉ for the GCTHV DVD Screen caps and Henrik Sylow for the Optimum Releasing DVD Captures!!
Box Covers |
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Coming to 4K UHD from Arrow in the UK in April 2023: | |
Distribution |
Optimum Releasing Region 2- PAL |
Criterion Collection - Spine # 220 Region 0 - NTSC |
Gaumont - Columbia Tri-Star Home Video Region 2 - PAL | Criterion Collection - Spine # 220 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:50:24 (4% PAL speedup) | 1:55:24 | 1:50:28 (4% PAL speedup) | 1:55:40.350 |
Video |
1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,177,079,437 bytes Feature: 32,635,883,520 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 33.40 Mbps |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate:
Optimum
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Bitrate:
Criterion
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Bitrate:
GCTHV
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Bitrate:
Blu-ray
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo) | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo) |
English DD2.0 Surround and DUB: French DD2.0 Surround |
DTS-HD Master Audio English
2072 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2072 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz /
1509 kbps / 24-bit) Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps |
Subtitles | English, and none | English, and none | French, and none | English, and none |
Features |
Release Information:
Aspect Ratio:
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Release Information: Studio: Criterion Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 1.78:1
Edition Details:
DVD Release Date: November 11th, 2003
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Release Information:
Aspect Ratio: |
Release Information: Studio: Criterion Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 1.78:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,177,079,437 bytes Feature: 32,635,883,520 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 33.40 Mbps Edition Details:
Blu-ray
Release Date: April 8th, 2013
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Comments: |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Criterion Region 'A' Blu-ray - (March 2013) - I think the 1080P improvement is quite impressive from the Criterion DVD of nearly a decade ago. Colors are tighter, detail rises, contrast is nicely layered. It even show a sense of depth. All good in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio. It still has the 'transfer approved by director David Cronenberg ' endorsement.Audio comes in a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel stereo at 2072 kbps. It exports the dialogue and effects with some punch. The high-end is noticeably superior to the SD standard Dolby. There are optional English subtitles and the disc is region 'A'-locked. Supplements duplicate Criterion's older DVD with the commentary, Making of etc.
What I did note was that the effects appear much more
'graphic' in the higher resolution - pretty gross at times. I don't
think I appreciated the film's 'weirdness' any more in HD (although it
is certainly more 'film-like') but just seeing it again had me
reconsidering my opinion of the narrative. Really this is quite a unique
viewing expereinece. Recommended!
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ON THE DVDs: Colors are different on the GCTHV and the other 2 editions. The Optimum is hazy and has the same reddish skin tones as the Criterion (I suspect the same D1 Master). The Criterion is cropped slightly in comparison to the other 2. I am going with the Gaumont as the best image as it appears slightly sharper and the colors appear more true to me. I like the softer palette. |
Menus
(Optimum
Releasing - Region 2- PAL LEFT vs. Criterion
- Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. GCTHV - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)
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Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Screen Captures
1) Optimum Releasing - Region 2- PAL TOP 2) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND3) GCTHV - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Optimum Releasing - Region 2- PAL TOP 2) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND3) GCTHV - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Optimum Releasing - Region 2- PAL TOP 2) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND3) GCTHV - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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Report Card:
Image: |
Blu-ray |
Sound: |
Blu-ray |
Extras: |
Criterion Blu-ray |
Box Covers |
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Coming to 4K UHD from Arrow in the UK in April 2023: | |
Distribution |
Optimum Releasing Region 2- PAL |
Criterion Collection - Spine # 220 Region 0 - NTSC |
Gaumont - Columbia Tri-Star Home Video Region 2 - PAL | Criterion Collection - Spine # 220 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
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Gary Tooze |
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Many Thanks...