Region 1 - NTSC 

20th Century Fox

Region 1 - NTSC

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.88 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

2.26:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.88 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

2.20:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.80 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

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

Bitrate:

20th Century Fox (2 disc SE Digipak and 5 Star Edition)

Bitrate:

20th Century Fox (40th Anniversary)

English (Dolby Digital 5.0), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), DUBS: French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), Spanish (Dolby Digital 1.0)

Chapters 61

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.26:1

Edition Details:
• Commentary by Director Robert Wise
• Original 1965 documentary: Salzburg Sight and Sound (14')
• The Sound of Music: From Fact to Phenomenon documentary (87')
• 6 Trailers
• 2 TV Spots
• 4 Radio Spots
• Audio supplements:
• 1973 Reissue Interview-Julie Andrews & Robert Wise (8')
• On Location Interviews with Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and Peggy Wood
• A Telegram from Daniel Truhitte (13')
• Ernest Lehman: Master Storyteller (35')
• Booklet
• Gallery (stills, storyboards and sketches)
• DVD ROM content
• THX Certified

DVD Release Date: October 14, 2003
Digipack

Chapters 61

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.20:1

Edition Details:
• Commentary by: director Robert Wise and isolated score
• Commentary by: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Charmian Carr, choreographer Dee Dee Wood, and Johannes Von Trapp
• Introduction by Julie Andrews on both discs
• Separate chapter list for songs only with Play All feature
• English, French, and Spanish sing-a-long subtitles
• A Few of My Favorite Things: A retrospective documentary
• Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer: A Reminiscence
• Charmian Carr on location with The Sound of Music
• From Liesl to Gretl: A 40th Anniversary Reunion
• When You Know the Notes to Sing: A Sing-Along Phenomenon
• Biography: The Von Trapp Family--• Harmony and Discord
• Restoration comparison
• Storyboard gallery
• Behind-the-scenes stills
• Lobby cards and one-sheets
• Screen test: Mia Farrow
• Trailers and TV spots: Theatrical teaser, Theatrical trailer, 1st • Anniversary trailer, Academy Award trailer, 1973 reissue trailer, testimonial trailer, TV trailer
 

Chapters 60

NOTE: The Anniversary edition has forced advertisements, a trailer and the Julie Andrews introduction - which almost made me throw this package in the garbage can. You cannot watch the film or any of the 1st disc extras without this almost 4 minute intrusion.

Firstly, the Fire Star cover and the Digipak are the same editions, only with different labeling. The first The Sound of Music was issued under the "Five Star" label with a sliver jacket and in a double disc plastic case. Although a nice name, the idea never "took off". Fox came back with reinventing the packaging in a two disc digipack and then adding a numbering system on the spine. Perhaps in the same fashion as Criterion's spine numbers or the Classic Fox movies. Okay now that matter is cleared up...

Well, the new 40th Anniversary release - we've been down this road before. In a nutshell - to remove the minor digital artifacts of the 5-star edition - the new release looks softer (black levels were slightly boosted in the old edition). The improvement in the new edition (and it is improved on many fronts) becomes most noticeable when projected larger than about 60-70 inches. It is at this juncture than the digital noise and artifacts of the 5-star release become more prevalent. The 40th has had manipulations and anamorphic molding (smoothing) and, possibly excessive, digitization. Brightness may have been slightly manipulated but it is very negligible and in most sequences colors are the very similar in both releases (see last capture for most prominent example). Occasionally skin tones look redder in the old 5-Star edition. The 5-star is slightly cropped on the left, top and even less so on the bottom edge.

Subtitles and chapter stops are the same.

Audio on the 40th Anniversary has a new 5.0 that sounds very nice. Both still have the 2.0. The new has also added a Spanish DUB along with the existing French one.

Extras on the new edition are relentlessly extensive. They go on and on and on. I'm a fan of the film but I can only imagine a The Sound of Music fanatic immersing themselves in all of them. Still it is nice to have a choice. I liked the old commentary (still included) but the new one (although less technical) is a unique slant on the production. 

BOTTOM LINE: If you own a tube or less than 60 inch system - upgrade only for the extras (and audio). If you have a higher end system, that can detect the flaws of the 5-star, upgrading makes more sense.

Interpolating these images on the web makes the new edition softer than it really is, or more accurately the 5-Star looks sharper and artifacts less invasive. Blown up and the differences seem to cross an axis - we noted it at around 60 inches. I suspect that the 40th anniversary may be a head of the times, but as system improve it will be the definitive until HD or BlueRay improves it beyond its present state.

Gary Tooze