NOTE: These Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

 

ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' Blu-ray (November 11'):  Well - we move from looking simply 'better' to looking incredibly superior. This is far beyond was I was expecting. The Criterion 1.66:1 1080P image is rife with beautifully consistent grain and improves significantly in detail and contrast over the much flatter SD renderings. There may be a shade of black boosting. This Blu-ray looks... amazing. Huge thumbs up on the appearance. I am really impressed.

 

Audio is a linear PCM mono track that seems like an authentic representation of the original - very clean and Kenyon Hopkins' sparsely utilized, simple, score is piercing and crisp. There are optional English subtitles on the region 'A'-locked Blu-ray disc.

 

Supplements include Frank Schaffner’s television version of 12 Angry Men, with an introduction by Ron Simon. It runs 50-minutes and was written for the series Westinghouse Presents by Reginald Rose. It first aired September 26th, 1954 and is shown here in 1080i. There is a 25-minute interview, conducted by Criterion - from August 2011 - with film scholar Vance Kepley who looks at 12 Angry Men's evolution from teleplay to film. Presented are a compilation of Sidney Lumet interviews from various stages of his career with Lumet friend and collaborator Walter Bernstein. It runs in two parts over 30-minutes in total. There is a new interview with Simon about writer Reginald Rose who was one of the most renowned figures of televisions' 'Golden Age'. He was know for work that explored controversial social and political issues. In the 15-minuite piece included here Ron Simon, curator at the Paley Center for Media, examines Rose's importance. Also featured is Tragedy in a Temporary Town, written by Rose and directed by Sidney Lumet. It premiered as part of The Alcoa Hour on NBC, February 19th, 1956. There is a wonderful new interview with cinematographer John Bailey in which he discusses cinematographer Boris Kaufman (filmmaker Dziga Vertov's younger brother. He photographed some of the most beloved films of all time, including Jean Vigo's Zero de conduite, Elia Kazan's On the Waterfront and Baby Doll and Sidney Lumet's 12 Angry Men and The Fugitive Kind. In this 40-minute piece cinematographer John Bailey discusses Kaufman's overall visual style and his work with Lumet. We also get a original theatrical trailer in HD and the package contains a liner booklet featuring an essay by writer and law professor Thane Rosenbaum.

 

Giving this beloved film such a complete package with sterling image and extensive extras - is almost more than film fans could have hoped. It has our highest recommendation and will be noted in our Year End Poll. Buy this Blu-ray with extreme confidence!

***

ADDITION: MGM (50th Anniversary Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - February 08': The short story is that this is now anamorphic, retains the same strong contrast and sharpness (perhaps a notch higher) and is a wonderful treatment. It has VOB files dated for Oct 07'. The mono audio is clean and clear and there are still optional yellow subtitles (see sample below). Bottom line is that it looks great in the 16X9 1.66 ratio, it is progressive, dual-layered, coded for region 1 in the NTSC standard. Greytones are excellent and the package is a ridiculously essential one at about $13.   

In the commentary historian Drew Casper hardly seems to take a breath, with a few short gaps, - he eloquently narrates at times but also inputs vast extraneous details about Lumet, Fonda and much of the cast (shot in 20 days for a mere $250,000). I suspect he is reading at times, from notes (so many specific dates mentioned), but it is still a very good commentary. There are two, relatively weak featurettes - Beyond a Reasonable Doubt - the Making of 12 Angry Men and Inside the Jury Room. They run respectively 23 and 15 minutes long and input comes from some left-field resources with even George Wendt ('Normie') giving some comments (he played a juror in the updated theatrical version). Also included are Klugman, Robert Osborne and Patricia King Hanson and many others. Anyway, I preferred Casper's commentary and his enthusiasm about blocking and staging of one early scene. This package has wonderful value for cost. The transfer looks great - there are some relevant supplements and the price sure is right. Thanks goodness MGM didn't mess this up. Strongly recommended!  

***

About the Old vs. the PAL: The MGM Region 1 NTSC is marginally superior with the image being sharper, greater detail, and better contrast. The Region 2 PAL version is slightly brighter (probably boosted) and marginally cropped on the left and top edges. The higher bitrate of the Region 2 is no doubt die to the extensive Audio dubs available (remember our bitrate reader reads audio as well as video). It also includes 12 subtitle options. There are no valuable extras on either edition. Unless you require the language or subtitle options of the Region 2 DVD, obviously the NTSC version is the top choice.

It would be reasonable to se this anamorphized one day in an SE version with possible commentary and some decent extra features, but I don't suspect it will happen soon. 

 - Gary W. Tooze