"Dead Ringers" On Air - Region 2 - PAL vs. Holland Criterion/Video Film Express - Region 2 - PAl vs. Criterion (oop) - Region 0

(aka "Faux semblants" or "Blodbrødre" or "Die unzertrennlichen")

directed by David Cronenberg
Canada / USA 1988

In Dead Ringers, David Cronenberg tells the chilling story of identical twin gynecologists—suave Elliot and sensitive Beverly, bipolar sides of one personality—who share the same practice, the same apartment, the same women. When a new patient, glamorous actress Claire Niveau, challenges their eerie bond, they descend into a whirlpool of sexual confusion, drugs, and madness. Jeremy Irons’ tour-de-force performance—as both twins—raises disturbing questions about the nature of personal identity.

Posters

Theatrical Release: 8 September 1988, Canada - Toronto Film Festival

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

On Air - Region 2 - PAL vs. Holland Criterion/Video Film Express - Region 2 - PAl vs. Criterion (oop) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Ole Kofoed and Will Kelly for the Screen Caps!

(On Air - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Holland Criterion/Video Film Express - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
	NOTE: Purchases through DVDBeaver's links to Amazon help keep us afloat and advertisement free!
Distribution	On Air Region 2 - PAL	Holland Criterion/Video Film Express Region 2 - PAL	Criterion Collection - Spine # 21 Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:50:43 (4% PAL speedup)	1:50:44	1:55:32
Video	1.85:1 Cropped Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.10 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.89:1 Cropped Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.9 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.64 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.34 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: On Air
Bitrate: Holland Criterion
Bitrate: Criterion
Audio	English Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround	English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo English Dolby Digital 5.1 (384 kbps)	English Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Subtitles	Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish or none.	Dutch, none	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: On Air Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Trailer • Biographies of Cronenberg and Irons (In English) DVD Release Date: ? Keep Case Chapters 20	Release Information: Studio: Holland Criterion / Video Film Express Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.89 Edition Details: • Audio commentary by David Cronenberg, Jeremy Irons, editor Ron Sanders, production designer Carol Spier • The original designs for the opening title sequence • Twinning effect/motion control footage • The electronic press kit, including a trailer and a featurette DVD Release Date: unknown Amaray Case Chapters 42	Release Information: Studio: Criterion / Home Vision Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.64 Edition Details: • Audio commentary by David Cronenberg, Jeremy Irons, editor Ron Sanders, production designer Carol Sp • The original designs for the opening title sequence • Twinning effect/motion control footage • The electronic press kit, including a trailer and a featurette DVD Release Date: October 13, 1998 Keep Case Chapters 43

Comments

ADDITION - Criterion Holland - Video Film Express (Sept -04) - Although on the box it is stated as 1.66 it is actually around 1.89 and therefore not the original aspect ratio. It looks as though they have purchased the Criterion extra features which match to a 'T', except the color on the Cronenberg featurette has a green haze to it. The feature image is likewise distorted. It appears to be even more hazy than the 'On Air' PAL edition, but has the vibrant colors of the Criterion. Anyway, its a pass for the image and the aspect ratio. Don't bother.

**************

The out-of-print Criterion, in the proper aspect ratio of around 1.66, is showing much more image in the bottom of the frame than the "On Air, which has been cropped to 1.85. The non-anamorphic, early Criterion DVD is also sharper, brighter and has more vibrant colors. Contrast is also far better but skin tones do look a little reddish. Extras are kind of impossible to equal in the case of the Criterion. Stacked with a directors commentary, featurette etc. as per par for the course, we suggest the Criterion - at Amazon's Marketplace for almost $70 - Cronenberg fans will not be complete without it.

There is also a Dutch release with extras ported from the Criterion (see HERE). Certainly cheaper but has PAL speedup and we are unsure of the transfer quality.

- Gary W. Tooze

DVD Menus

(On Air - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Holland Criterion/Video Film Express - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)