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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "The Eighth Day" or "Gattaca - La porta dell'universo")

directed by Andrew Niccol
USA 1997

The Gattaca Blu-ray is also available and

reviewed with the 4K UHD disc HERE

 

Andrew Niccol was working as a commercials director in London when he wrote the script for Gattaca and was subsequently invited to direct. He later achieved critical acclaim for his work on The Truman Show but Gattaca entirely failed to meet with box-office success. This is a shame because it is probably the most intelligent and insightful science fiction film made in the 1990s. Like all the best serious science fiction it is really a study of the social consequences of a particular technological development, in this case instant automated DNA analysis. Since it appears that technology is developing very much along the lines predicted here, do not be surprised if this prophetic film achieves cult status in years to come. In the meanwhile, enjoy it for the languorous pace, the fine acting, the beautiful cinematography and the timeless 1950s look.

Conrad McDonnell

Poster

Theatrical Release: October 24, 1997

Reviews    More Reviews  DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Sony - REGION FREE - Blu-ray vs. Columbia Tristar (Superbit) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL vs. Columbia Tristar (Superbit) - Region 2 - PAL

Big thanks to Mark Newland and  Conrad McDonnell for the SD Screen Caps!

1) Sony - REGION FREE - Blu-ray  LEFT

2) Columbia Tristar (Superbit) - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd

3) Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL - 3rd

4) Columbia Tristar (Superbit) - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT

 

Box Covers

Reissued by Image Entertainment: July 8th, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

Distribution

Sony

Region FREE Blu-ray

Columbia Tristar

Region 1 - NTSC

Columbia Tristar

Region 2 - PAL

Columbia Tristar
Region 2 - PAL
Runtime

1:46:22

1:46:20 1:42:09 (4% PAL speedup) 1:42:03 (4% PAL speedup)
Video

2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 22-26 mb/s
1080P Dual-layered (50Gig)

2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 7.48 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 4.25 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 7.60 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

Bitrates:

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

Sony Blu-ray

NO BITRATE YET FOR BLU-RAY

Columbia Tristar - Superbit (R1)

 Columbia Tristar (R2)

 

 

 

Columbia Tristar (Superbit)

 

Audio

English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1, DUBs: French: Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Portuguese: Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

English (DTS), English (Dolby Digital 5.1) English DD 5.1, English DD 2.0, German DD 5.1

English DD 5.1 & DTS 5.1

Subtitles

English SDH, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, none

English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Thai, None English, German, Czech, Hungarian, Icelandic, Hindi, Hebrew, Polish, Turkish, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Greek, None English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Sony

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 2.4:1

1080P Dual-layered (50Gig)

Edition Details:
• Hi-def trailers for Close Encounters of the Third Kind, a Blu-ray Disc promo; The Company and others.
• Substance Test Outtake (0:30)
• Featurette: 'Original Featurette' (6:00)
• Featurette: Welcome to Gattaca (20:00)
• Featurette: Do Not Alter? (15:00)
• Six Deleted Scenes (10 minutes worth)

 

DVD Release Date: March 11th, 2008
Standard Blu-ray case

Chapters 28

Release Information:
Studio: Columbia/Tristar Studios

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1

Edition Details:
• Color, Closed-captioned, DTS Surround Sound, Widescreen, Dolby
• Generic superbit informative booklet with 1 sheet scene selection insert in the booklet that is title specific
• Widescreen anamorphic format

DVD Release Date: December 11, 2001
Keep case

Chapters 28

Release Information:
Studio: Columbia Tristar

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 2.35:1

Edition Details:
• 5 deleted / extended scenes
• 'Making of' documentary
• Filmographies
• Photo gallery
• Side B contains the full frame 1.33:1 transfer

DVD Release Date: 02/16/99
Crystal case

Chapters 28

Release Information:
Studio: Columbia Tristar

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 2.35:1

Edition Details:
• No extras (Superbit)

 

DVD Release Date: 10/14/02
Amaray ('Keep case')

Chapters 28

Comments:

The Gattaca Blu-ray is also available and

reviewed with the 4K UHD disc HERE

 

NOTEWe've removed the Region 4 - PAL SuperBit from this comparison (replacing it with the Blu-ray) as most of those captures weren't exact frame matches and it didn't demonstrate a demonstrative improvement over the Region 1 SD SuperBit anyway.

 

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

 

ADDITION: (Blu-ray REGION FREE July 08') -  Short story is once again the resized caps don't tell enough of the story. It's mostly about detail but colors finally appear more true with skin tones (see Uma's face) looking far less yellow/magenta. I toggled back and forth from the R1 Superbit and some scenes seem a shade brighter (warmer) - most others slightly darker (cooler) but, as with many Fox 1080P products, the sharpness and clarity were vast improvements. Ditto for noise in monochromatic darkness. Audio and extras both go the way of the Blu-ray and we've covered them in our view HERE.

 

Since it has everything else going for it - let's include the price - the Blu-ray is now $4 cheaper than the R1 SuperBit SD. Great film - great Blu-ray!

 

- Gary W. Tooze

****

 

ADDITION: (Superbit Region 1) - Colors appear muted and reddish/brown in all three releases. I still think the Region 2 SUPERBIT is the better image. It is slightly sharper and appears to have better balance although differences are quite negligible. It is so close that I wouldn't bother trading up.

- Gary W. Tooze

****

While the original Region 2 release represented astounding quality for its day, being among the very first DVDs released onto the UK market (some 9 months before The Matrix, for example), a comparison of the two Region 2 PAL versions showcases the improvements in transfer quality that the Superbit label signifies. The colour palette is virtually the same across both transfers, suggesting that both are derived from the same higher definition master, but the Superbit has additional detail in the image, a higher bitrate and less filtering, leading to less Gibbs Effect (also known as 'edge enhancement' or 'ringing'). Unless you require the minor extras or the full-frame transfer, the Superbit is the one to go for.

 - Conrad McDonnell



DVD Menus

Sony - REGION FREE - Blu-ray (caps taken with digicam)

 

 

(Columbia Tristar (Superbit) - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Columbia Tristar (Superbit) - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

 

 

 

 

 


 

Screen Captures

 

1) Sony - REGION FREE - Blu-ray  TOP

2) Columbia Tristar (Superbit) - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd

3) Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL - 3rd

4) Columbia Tristar (Superbit) - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) Sony - REGION FREE - Blu-ray  TOP

2) Columbia Tristar (Superbit) - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd

3) Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL - 3rd

4) Columbia Tristar (Superbit) - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM

 

 

 


 

1) Sony - REGION FREE - Blu-ray  TOP

2) Columbia Tristar (Superbit) - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd

3) Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL - 3rd

4) Columbia Tristar (Superbit) - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM

 

 

 

More Blu-ray Screen Captures

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hit Counter


Report Card:

 

Image:

Blu-ray

Sound:

Blu-ray

Extras: Blu-ray

Menu:

Blu-ray

 

Box Covers

Reissued by Image Entertainment: July 8th, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

Distribution

Sony

Region FREE Blu-ray

Columbia Tristar

Region 1 - NTSC

Columbia Tristar

Region 2 - PAL

Columbia Tristar
Region 2 - PAL


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gary Tooze

Many Thanks...