Alliance

Region 1 - NTSC

Region 'A' - Blu-ray

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

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

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.

Miramax

and

Miramax (CE)

English 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

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

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

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

Edition Details:
• none

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

Chapters 16

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 Irvine 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