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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'Dial 'M' for Murder')

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/direct-chair/hitchcock.htm
USA 1954

Ex-tennis pro Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) makes a decision to murder his wife Margot (Grace Kelly) for her money and because she had indiscretions with Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings) as another driving motive. First he blackmails an old college associate to strangle her, but when things go awry he envisions a way to turn the circumstances to his advantage. Classic Hitchcock with superb cast! Note his occasional use of obtuse camera angles! out of

Gary W. Tooze

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 29th, 1954

Reviews                                                                        More Reviews                                                                     DVD Reviews

Comparison:

Warner Home Video - Region 2, 4, 5- PAL vs. Warner Home Video - Region 1- NTSC vs. Cine Korea - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Unknown company (Bootleg) 3D version - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Warner - Region FREE - Blu-ray

BIG thanks to Dave and Marco of the Alfred Hitchcock DVD Information Site located HERE

1) Warner - Region 2,4,5 - PAL LEFT

2) Warner - Region 1- NTSC SECOND

3) Cine Korea - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Unknown Bootleg - Region 0 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Warner  - Region FREE - Blu-ray RIGHT

 
Box Covers

 

    

 

 

 

 

Distribution Warner Home Video - Region 2,4,5 PAL Warner Home Video - Region 1- NTSC

Cine Korea

Region 0  - NTSC

Unknown Bootleg
Region 0 - NTSC		 Warner  - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:41:03 (4% PAL Speedup) 1:45:16 1:44:52 1:46:00 1:45:24.318
Video

1.85:1 Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.93 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

 1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.73 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 8.33 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.63 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,098,691,804 bytes

Feature: 27,980,519,424 bytes

Video Bitrate: 29.92 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:

Warner (PAL)

 

 

Bitrate:

Warner (NTSC)

 

Bitrate:

Cine Korea

Bitrate:

 

Unknown Bootleg

 

Bitrate:

 

Blu-ray

 

Audio English mono DD1.0, DUBS: French mono DD1.0, Italian mono DD1.0 English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dolby)  English (Dolby Digital 5.,1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0)

English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dolby) 

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1032 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1032 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio French 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio German 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Italian 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
* Dolby Digital Audio Japanese 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Portuguese 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Subtitles English, French, Italian, Dutch, Arabic, Bulgarian, none English, French, Spanish, None Korean, and none Japanese (burned in) English (SDH), Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, None
Features

Release Information:
Studio: Warner Home Video

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1

Edition Details:

• Featurette "Hitchcock and Dial M" (21:35)
• Featurette "3D: A Brief History" (7:07)
• Theatrical Trailer (2:29)

DVD Release Date: November 8th, 2004
Keep Case
Chapters: 28

Release Information:
Studio: Warner Home Video

Aspect Ratio:
Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Edition Details:

• Featurette "Hitchcock and Dial M" (21:32)
• Featurette "3D: A Brief History" (7:06)
• Theatrical Trailer (2:33)

DVD Release Date: October 28, 2003
Keep Case
Chapters: 28

Release Information:
Studio: Cine Korea

Aspect Ratio:
Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Edition Details:
•  Cast and Crew bios

DVD Release Date: 2003
Keep Case

Chapters 18

Release Information:
Studio: Unknown Bootleg

Aspect Ratio:
Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Edition Details:

• None 

DVD Release Date: ?
Keep Case
Chapters: 1

Release Information:
Studio: Warner Home Video

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,098,691,804 bytes

Feature: 27,980,519,424 bytes

Video Bitrate: 29.92 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Edition Details:

• Featurette "Hitchcock and Dial M" (21:37)
• Theatrical Trailer (2:38)

Blu-ray Release Date: October 9th, 2012
Standard Blu-ray Case
Chapters: 28

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

 

ADDITION: Warner - Region FREE - Blu-ray (September 2012): I've not yet adopted the 3-D format but this disc also allows the 2-D version - and this is where I obtained the captures below. The 1080P transfer creates a thick grain-soaked image with vibrant colors that look far more exuberant than the SD version. I think the 1.78:1 looks wonderful but those offended by the film-like appearance of gritty textures may fail to appreciate the authenticity of the visuals. This is dual-layered with a high bitrate and the resulting image is magnificent retaining the original thickness.

 

Audio is drawn from a DTS-HD Master mono track at 1032 kbps and likewise this produces and accurate, flat sound with some bass in the Dimitri Tiomkin score which mirrors the tension superbly via the lossless. The menu has the oddest syntho-style music along with a phone ringing. There are optional subtitles on the region FREE Blu-ray disc.

 

We lose the "3D: A Brief History" (at least on the 2-D format it isn't accessible) but retain the 21-minute "Hitchcock and Dial M" and the theatrical trailer. I wish I could critique the 3-D but am not 'there' yet. As for a 2-D representation - this is scrumptious. What an enjoyable viewing experience! Strongly recommended!

NOTE: Bob tells us in email "I just thought you'd like to know that the anaglyph images you have posted were taken from a bootleg copy made from a field-sequential Japanese laser disc. It might be good to mention that to your readers.
DIAL M was never released by WB in a red/blue anaglyph version." (thanks Bob!)  

***

ON THE DVDs:

ADDITION: PAL edition (November -04) - This is ONLY available in the PAL Boxset (cannot be bought individually in UK, but can be bought individually in Germany with a few optional subtitle and DUB changes).

Many Hitchcock films were composed for both framings and projected theatrically in the US at 1.85:1. As suspected this PAL edition is indeed cropped from 1.33 to 1.85:1, although it has slightly more horizontal information than the R1 transfer. Strange decision to transfer in opposition to the Region 1's!

The image quality is comparable to the Warner NTSC version, perhaps a little softer. The "Stage Fright" packaging lists the DVD as being 1.85:1, but thankfully it's actually 1.33:1. In fact, the DVD covers seem to contain numerous typos and incorrect info (e.g. the Bulgarian subtitles for "Dial M" are not listed). Obviously we still lean heavily toward the Region 1 Boxset.

***

The choice here in all categories (but audio for the 5.1 boost option in the Cine Korea) is obvious... BUT, Interesting stuff... I have been informed that the bootleg 3D edition DVD could in theory use interlaced field to generate left and right eyes frames, creating stereoscopic effect without mess color like 3D filter-glasses.

The wonderful restoration of the Warner brings one to look at the 3-D. If you compare the scenes, of the Warner with the 3D edition, you will find out the restoration sometimes use the right object-glass and others the left objective-glass... interesting.

 - Gary W. Tooz

 

 

Menus

(Warner - Region 2,4,5 - PAL LEFT vs. Warner - Region 1- NTSC RIGHT)

NOTE: NO menu on Bootleg version!


(Cine Korea - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Unknown Bootleg - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

NO MENUS

 
 
 

 

Warner  - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Screen Captures

 

1) Warner - Region 2,4,5 - PAL TOP

2) Warner - Region 1- NTSC SECOND

3) Cine Korea - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Unknown Bootleg - Region 0 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Warner  - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM


 

1) Warner - Region 2,4,5 - PAL TOP

2) Warner - Region 1- NTSC SECOND

3) Cine Korea - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Unknown Bootleg - Region 0 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Warner  - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Warner - Region 2,4,5 - PAL TOP

2) Warner - Region 1- NTSC SECOND

3) Cine Korea - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Unknown Bootleg - Region 0 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Warner  - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Warner - Region 2,4,5 - PAL TOP

2) Warner - Region 1- NTSC SECOND

3) Cine Korea - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Unknown Bootleg - Region 0 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Warner  - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Warner - Region 2,4,5 - PAL TOP

2) Warner - Region 1- NTSC SECOND

3) Cine Korea - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Unknown Bootleg - Region 0 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Warner  - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Warner - Region 2,4,5 - PAL TOP

2) Warner - Region 1- NTSC SECOND

3) Cine Korea - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Unknown Bootleg - Region 0 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Warner  - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

More Blu-ray Captures

Hit Counter

Report Card:

 

Image:

Blu-ray

Sound:

Blu-ray

Extras:

Warners (tie)

 

Box Covers

 

    

 

 

 

 

Distribution Warner Home Video - Region 2,4,5 PAL Warner Home Video - Region 1- NTSC

Cine Korea

Region 0  - NTSC

Unknown Bootleg
Region 0 - NTSC		 Warner  - Region FREE - Blu-ray


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gary Tooze

Many Thanks...