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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

directed by Danny Boyle
UK 1996

Former alcoholics and drug abusers often report that they don't miss the substances nearly as much as the conditions under which they were used--the camaraderie of the true drinkers' bar, for example, where the standing joke is that the straight world just doesn't get it, doesn't understand that the disease is life and the treatment is another drink. The reason there is a fierce joy in ``Trainspotting'', despite the appalling things that happen in it, is that it's basically about friends in need.

Excerpt from Roger Ebert's review on the Chicago-Sun Times found HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: Feb. 23rd, 1996

Reviews           More Reviews         DVD Reviews

Incidental Reading (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

Trainspotting: The Ultimate Film Guide
by Martin Stollery
The A List: The National Society of Film Critics' 100 Essential Films
by Jay Carr (Editor)
Trainspotting (BFI Modern Classics)
by Murray Smith
British Cinema, Past and Present: Past and Present
by Justine Ashby, Andrew Higson
The British Cinema Book (BFI Film Classics (Paperback))
by Robert Murphy
Trainspotting
by Irvine Welsh
How to Read a Film: The World of Movies, Media, and Multimedia : Language, History, Theory
by James Monaco
All Our Yesterdays: 90 Years of British Cinema (British Film Institute)
by Charles Barr
Moving Places: A Life at the Movies
by Jonathan Rosenbaum

Check out more in "The Library"


DVD Comparison:

Universal (The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Alliance (Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Alliance (CAN.) - Region 'A' Blu-ray vs. Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' Blu-ray

Big thanks to Chris Gould  and Enrique B Chamorro for all the Screen Caps!

1) Universal (The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL TOP LEFT

2) Alliance (Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP ROW SECOND

3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP ROW THIRD

4) Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP ROW RIGHT

5) Alliance (Can.) - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - BOTTOM LEFT

6) Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - BOTTOM RIGHT

 

DVD Box Covers

 

 

    

 

Distribution

Universal

Region 2 - PAL

Alliance

Region 1 - NTSC

Miramax
Region 1 - NTSC
Miramax
Region 1 - NTSC

 

 

 

Alliance

Region 'A' - Blu-ray

LionsGate / MiraMax

Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

 

Distribution

Universal

Region 2 - PAL

Alliance

Region 1 - NTSC

Miramax
Region 1 - NTSC
Miramax
Region 1 - NTSC

Alliance

Region 'A' - Blu-ray

LionsGate / MiraMax

Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Runtime 01:30:0 (4% PAL speedup) 1:34:03 1:33:42 1:33:42 1:33:44.744 1:33:50.458
Video

1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 8.85 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.95 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.33 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 8.56 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

Disc Size: 14,342,801,025 bytes

Feature Size: 14,273,310,720 bytes

Average Bitrate: 20.30 Mbps

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

Disc Size: 41,312,539,631 bytes

Feature Size: 29,353,728,000 bytes

Average Bitrate: 35.00 Mbps

Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

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

Bitrate:

Universal PAL

and

Alliance (Can.)

   

Bitrate:

Miramax

and

Miramax (CE)

   

Bitrate: Alliance Blu-ray

 

 

 

Bitrate: Lionsgate / Miramax Blu-ray

 

 

 

Audio English Dolby Digital 5.1 (448Kbps), English DTS 5.1 (1536Kbps) English DD 5.1, French DD 2.0

English DD 5.1

English DD & DTS 5.1, DUB: French DD 5.1

DTS-HD Master Audio English 3466 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3466 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio English 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / Dolby Surround

DTS-HD Master Audio English 4244 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4244 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 224 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps / DN -4dB / Dolby Surround
Subtitles English and none English and none English and none English and none French and none English (SDH), Spanish, and none
Features Release Information:
Studio: Universal

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• 1996 Commentary Track with Danny Boyle, Ewan McGregor, Andrew Macdonald and John Hodge
• Nine Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary
• 'The Beginning' Featurette
• Look of the Film (Then/Now)
• Sound of the Film (Then/Now)
• Interviews: Irvine Welsh, John Hodge, Danny Boyle, Andrew Macdonald
• Behind the Needle
• Cannes
• Trailers
• Biographies
• Gallery

DVD Release Date: 16th of June 2003
Double Amaray with Slipcase

Chapters 20

 

Release Information:
Studio: Alliance

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• VOB File Date 04/04/98
• Static Slow Responding Menus & Single Page Insert
• Fairly accurate subtitles for the Scottish accent
• 12 min interviews with Dir. Boyle & Prod. MacDonald
• intercut with over 10 min. of 9 deleted scenes
• Early issues contained on side B 8 audio tracks of trains rushing by 55 min.

DVD Release Date: 07/02/98
Plastic Keepcase

Chapters 25

Release Information:
Studio: Miramax

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• VOB File Date 01/26/98
• Static Menu & Single Page Insert
• Fairly accurate subtitles for the Scottish accent

DVD Release Date: 03/24/98
Plastic Keepcase

Chapters 25

Release Information:
Studio: Miramax

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• VOB File Date 03/24/04
• Animated Menus & Single Page Insert
• Fairly accurate subtitles for the Scottish accent
• 1996 comm. track with Boyle, McGregor, MacDonald, & Hodge
• 9 deleted scenes with or without commentary 10:35 total time
• Disc 2 Bonus disc contains;
• The Look Of The Film: Then (1995 Kane Quinn 4:02) & Now (2003 Boyle 3:14)
• The Sound Of The Film: Then ('95 Boyle & MacDonald 7:41) & Now ('03 MacDonald 4:51)
• 4 Interviews;'95 Irvine Welsh (4:37), '03 John Hodge (7:58), '03 Boyle (14:32), '03 MacDonald (10:32)
• Behind The Needle (6:27) & '95 McGregor talking about Calton Athletic Boys (0:32)
• 4 short interviews during 1996 Cannes events & party footage
• Teaser & Theatrical Trailer 1:11 & 2:02
• 1996 Making Of Trainspotting 9:32
• 9 single page bio's & Photo gallery set to music 5:05
• Easter Egg Interview of Boyle, MacDonald & Hodge talk about the book Porno

DVD Release Date: 06/01/04
Plastic Slim Double Keepcase

Chapters 20

Release Information:
Studio:
Alliance

 

Disc Size: 14,342,801,025 bytes

Feature Size: 14,273,310,720 bytes

Average Bitrate: 20.30 Mbps

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• none

Blu-ray Release Date: April 7th, 2009
Standard Blu-ray case

Chapters 16

Release Information:
Studio:
LionsGate / MiraMax

 

Disc Size: 41,312,539,631 bytes

Feature Size: 29,353,728,000 bytes

Average Bitrate: 35.00 Mbps

Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• Audio commentary by Danny Boyle, Andrew MacDonald, John Hodge and Ewan McGregor
• 8 Deleted Scenes + montage (10:32) with optional commentary

• 'The Beginning' Featurette
• Look of the Film (Then/Now)
• Sound of the Film (Then/Now)
• Interviews: Irvine Welsh, John Hodge, Danny Boyle, Andrew Macdonald

• "Trainspotting Retrospective" featurette with interviews
• "The Making of Trainspotting" featurette (9:31)
• 4 Cannes Film Festival Interviews
• Gallery
• Theatrical Teaser (1:11) and Trailer (2:01)

Second disc digital copy included

Blu-ray Release Date: September 13th, 2011
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 16

 

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

ADDITION: Lionsgate Miramax Blu-ray - September 2011 - Well, colors are certainly different in spots with the overall Lionsgate image being darker but colors tend to be bolder and greener - where the Alliance Blu-ray is 'lighter'. Technically it is a slaughter by the US edition but I am not so familiar with the film to dispute the schemes - although my suspicions are that the Lionsgate 1080P is the most accurate of all editions. Noise still exists but it is less prevalent than on the Alliance hi-def. Hopefully people can judge for themselves which they prefer visually by looking at the captures below. Audio is more robust on the US with a DTS-HD Master 5.1 at 4244 kbps. The music exports some notable bass in the lossless transfer and there is a crispness to the high-end. There are optional subtitles on the dual-layered Region 'A' Lionsgate Miramax disc.

Extras are quite stacked with all the supplements from the 2004 MiraMax DVD release - the commentary, deleted scenes, interviews etc. - but all in SD. They even throw in a digital copy in the package but we lose the one page leaflet.

The substantial enticement for this package is the price at just over $10 US. It's hard to complain too much to see the film in its best-ever digital presentation - which I believe this is. I think it's an easy purchase.   

***

ADDITION: Alliance Blu-ray - March 2009 - This comparison remains somewhat unsatisfying despite its enormous HTML size. While there is an obvious improvement in the Alliance (Canada) Blu-ray it is still rather puny if actual file size at 15 Gig and we suspect better may be coming. Leonard has reviewed the pricier (more than 3X the price of this) Japanese Blu-ray release HERE but I don't know how it compares. There is also an upcoming UK edition HERE, but nothing scheduled for US release so far.

Truthfully though this Alliance is progressive (unlike some of their other offerings) and doesn't look too bad at all - less green than the Universal PAL and MiraMax DVDs and most visual attributes are easily superior. As with the other Canuck Blu-rays (From Dusk Till Dawn, Good Will Hunting, Cold Mountain etc.) this is single-layered and doesn't appear to be digitally manipulated (no edge-enhancement or DNR visible). It even exhibits some occasional depth. The DTS-HD is pretty good at over 3500 kpbs with an unexpected amount of range and aggression. It is really bare-bones though without even a menu - you pop it in and the film starts up - which can be somewhat of a positive with no intrusive adverts or 15 minutes of previews. I'd kinda like to reject this for something better - but I can't at this point and the price is excellent - especially with the Canadian dollar so low. $17.95 CAD = $14.2684 USD and this may be enticement enough for those who own supplements from the other packages to indulge. This certainly won't end up being the definitive but it will probably remain pretty solid value for what you are getting.    

****


 

ADDITION: PAL Definitive Edition - January - 2005 - The Miramax (Director's Cut) and the Universal PAL Definitive Edition are almost exact in image quality - both coming from the same transfer. The menus are the same and the extras very close (see Enrique's comments below). The Miramax offers and optional French DUB but the same 5.1 and DTS as well as the same superb high bitrate. Differences are in the extras and are very minor ex. still exclusive to the UK edition are an insert with liner notes by Irvine Welsh and a poster. I suggest buying the cheapest unless one extra option has personal interest for you.

***

The Canadian DVD has 2 small edits found on the US editions;
(locations on the new Collector's Edition)
27:17 Kelly MacDonald touching herself while atop Ewan McGregor
46:09 Close-up of the needle entering McGregor's arm

The US Criterion laserdisc, old US DVD and current US DVD are all the uncut version with the original English / Scottish audio track.

The US Collector's Edition is a port of UK Definitive Edition, notice the term is even retained on the disc menus along with the orange menu style.
Reading reviews of the UK Edition allows us to account for most of the features making into the US edition, sans an option during playback of the feature movie that would show a scissor icon and would allow the viewer to break away and view the cut scenes (much like the "white rabbit" feature in The Matrix), also left across the pond was an Easter Egg that allowed viewers to read the articles mentioned in Danny Boyle's main interview on disc 2.

Fortunately the key Easter Egg made its way over, on disc 2 back at the interview menu screen, toggle right to highlight the upward pointing arrow in the bottom right hand corner. Press up on the remote and you will then see an interview with director Danny Boyle, producer Andre Macdonald and screen writer John Hodge, talking about Irvine Welsh's sequel novel 'Porno' and their hopes of making it with the original Trainspotting cast.

Still exclusive to the UK edition are an insert with liner notes by Irvin
e Welsh and a poster.

The US and UK DVD's now exceed the old Criterion laserdisc. In fact some of the bonus material is an actual carryover, the commentary track during the movie and deleted scenes first appeared on the laserdisc as well as the interview with Irvine Welsh. The Canadian interviews that are intercut with the deleted scenes are not on the old laserdisc or on the new DVD's, so there is some residual value to the old Canadian DVD. The train sound effects on the Canadian DVD only work on some DVD players, so is of marginal benefit.

 - Enrique B Chamorro

 


DVD Menus

(Universal (The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL LEFT vs. Alliance (Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - 3rd vs. Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)


 

 

 

 

 

 

Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray

 


 

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

 

 

Screen Captures

 

1) Universal (The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Alliance (Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Alliance (Can.) - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - FIFTH

6) Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


1) Universal (The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Alliance (Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Alliance (Can.) - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - FIFTH

6) Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


 

1) Universal (The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Alliance (Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Alliance (Can.) - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - FIFTH

6) Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


1) Universal (The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Alliance (Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Alliance (Can.) - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - FIFTH

6) Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) Universal (The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Alliance (Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Alliance (Can.) - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - FIFTH

6) Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


1) Universal (The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Alliance (Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Alliance (Can.) - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - FIFTH

6) Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

More Blu-ray Captures

 

1) Alliance (Can.) - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - TOP

2) Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Alliance (Can.) - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - TOP

2) Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Alliance (Can.) - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - TOP

2) Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Alliance (Can.) - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - TOP

2) Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Alliance (Can.) - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - TOP

2) Lionsgate Miramax - Region 'A' -  Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


 

CLICK HERE to download a pdf scan of the insert sheet that came with the Criterion laser-disc. There was a single page glossary sheet that translated the local slang into more typical terms. The Canadian DVD (Alliance) lists the glossary of terms as a feature, but it was never included.

 

CLICK HERE for an archived link of the Irvine Welsh's liner notes for the Criterion LD that haven't made it onto the R1 edition.

 

 

DVD Box Covers

 

 

    

 

Distribution

Universal

Region 2 - PAL

Alliance

Region 1 - NTSC

Miramax
Region 1 - NTSC
Miramax
Region 1 - NTSC

 

 

 

Alliance

Region 'A' - Blu-ray

LionsGate / MiraMax

Region 'A' - Blu-ray


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