(aka "Knife in the Water" )

 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/direct-chair/polanski.htm

Poland 1962

 

 

Roman Polanski's first feature immediately established him as a filmmaker to be reckoned with, winning top honors at the Venice Film Festival, a Best Foreign Film Oscar nomination, and a place on the cover of Time in conjunction with the first New York Film Festival. Polanski's career-long fascination with human cruelty and violence is already evident, as is his intense interest in exploring the complex tensions involved in close relations.


When Andrzej (Niemczyk), a successful sportswriter on holiday with his wife, Christine (Umecka), picks up a hitchhiker (Malanowicz), the couple asks the young man (nameless throughout) to join them on a short boating excursion. Jealous of the blonde boy's youth and looks, Andrzej boasts of his physical prowess, faulting his guest's inexperience at sea. Tension between the men intensifies, with the pocket knife that represents the hitchhiker's particular skills lending a continual suggestion of violence and sexuality to the goings-on. Things eventually do get violent.

Filmed in black and white, this film is extremely assured, concise, and telling in its characterizations. KNIFE IN THE WATER is also notable in the career of another Polish filmmaker, co-scenarist Jerzy Skolimowski, who had already begun to direct, but emerged internationally in 1982 with the offbeat MOONLIGHTING. Some would argue that KNIFE IN THE WATER is a more interesting movie than any Polanski made in the west after leaving his native land. Brilliantly told and well-acted, Polanski's half tongue-in-cheek, lugubrious and sinister filmic style seemed quite refreshing at the time.

Posters

 

Theatrical Release: March 9th, 1962 - Poland

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DVD Comparison:

Criterion- Region 0 - NTSC vs. DVDY Films - Region 2- PAL vs. Anchor Bay - Region 0 - PAL

Thanks to Gregory Meshman, Bill McAlpine and Kevin Tran for the Screen Captures!

(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. DVDY Films - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Anchor Bay - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers

     

      

 

Distribution Criterion
Region 1 - NTSC

DVDY Films (France)

Region 2  - PAL

Anchor Bay
Region 2 - PAL
Runtime 1:34:22 approx. 1:30:00 (4% PAL speedup) 1:30:22 (4% PAL speedup)
Video 1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: ? mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.33:1.00 Original aspect ratio
Average Bitrate: 7.12 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

Audio Polish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) Polish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)

Polish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) , Polish (Dolby Digital 5.1) , Polish (DTS) 

Subtitles English, None French (non-removable) English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Criterion / Home Vision

Aspect Ratio:
Original 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• New high-definition digital transfer with restored image and sound
• Video interview with director Roman Polanski and co-screenwriter Jerzy Skolimowski
• A collection of rare publicity and production stills
• English subtitle translation by Roman Polanski
• A collection of Roman Polanski's short films from 1957-1962 including:
• Teethful Smile
• Two Men and a Wardrobe
• The Lamp
• The Fat and the Thin Man
• Mammals
• Let's Break Up the Ball
• When the Angels Fall
• Murder
• Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition


DVD Release Date: September 30th, 2003
Keep Case

Chapters 14

Release Information:
Distribution: DVDY Films

Aspect Ratio:
Original 1.33:1

Single Layered

No extras


DVD Release Date: July 1, 2002
Keep Case

Chapters 12

Release Information:
Studio: Anchor Bay Home Entertainment

Aspect Ratio:
Original 1.33:1

Edition Details:


Original 4:3 full frame version
Original Polish Mono, DTS & Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio Options
English Subtitles
'A Ticket to the West' - An all-new featurette
Theatrical Trailer
Poster and Stills Gallery
Collector's Booklet

 

DVD Release Date: August 25th, 2003
Keep Case

Chapters 18

Comments:

Well most can quickly discount the DVDY edition as it has no English subtitles. Its picture quality is also much poorer compared to the other two version. The DVDY has some visible contrast boosting and is not as sharp as the Criterion or the Anchor Bay. 

The brighter and sharper Criterion appears to be the winner in picture quality with a nice grain-filled perfectly contrasted image. Anchor Bay's quality is pretty good and if you are keen on the other two films (and shorts) in the Boxset (Cul-de-sac and Repulsion) there is no crime in owning it and not the Criterion. Personally I think Knife in the Water is the best film so some aficionados may want to splurge for the Criterion (and shorts). Bottom line: For this film Criterion has the best image.

Interesting to note that the Criterion and Anchor Bay are slightly cropped on the top edge and the DVDY is cropped on the bottom.               

- Gary W. Tooze




DVD Menus


(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. DVDY Films - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Anchor Bay - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)


 

 

 

 

 

Screen Captures

(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. DVDY Films - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Anchor Bay - Region 0 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. DVDY Films - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Anchor Bay - Region 0 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. DVDY Films - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Anchor Bay - Region 0 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. DVDY Films - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Anchor Bay - Region 0 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

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Report Card:

Image:

Criterion

Sound:

-
Extras: Criterion
Menu: Criterion
DVD Box Covers

     

      

 

Distribution Criterion
Region 1 - NTSC

DVDY Films (France)

Region 2  - PAL

Anchor Bay
Region 2 - PAL

 

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L4W 4V3    CANADA

Many Thanks...

 

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