Garden of Evil Blu-ray Gary Cooper

directed by Henry Hathaway
USA 1954

Stranded in Mexico, three gold diggers are hired by woman in distress to help her wounded husband. They road is long and full of dangers, both from the Indians and themselves.

A routine western, very predictable, which seems more like a vehicle for the scope format, than its stars. Widmark is cock-sure as always, Cooper is wise as always, Hayward looks damn good and Bernard Herrmann made a great score.

Henrik Sylow

Posters

Theatrical Release: July 9, 1954

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Recommended Reading for Western Genre Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)


The Crowded Prairie: American National Identity in the Hollywood Western (Cinema and Society) by Michael Coyne	The Invention of the Western Film : A Cultural History of the Genre's First Half Century (Genres in American Cinema S.) by Scott Simmon	The Searchers (Bfi Film Classics) by Edward Buscombe	The Western Genre by John Saunders	Westerns: Films through History (AFI Film Readers) by Janet Walker	The Encyclopedia of Westerns (The Facts on File Film Reference Library) by Herb Fagen, Tom Selleck	Gunfighter Nation: The Myth of the Frontier in Twentieth-Century America by Richard Slotkin	The Western (Inside Film) by David Lusted	Red River (Bfi Film Classics) by Suzanne Liandrat-Guigues

Check out more in "The Library"

Comparison:

Optimum Classics (Western Classics) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Sidonis - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Henrik Sylow for the Review!

1) Optimum - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT

2) Sidonis - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Cover

Distribution	Optimum Classics Region 2 - PAL	Sidonis Region 'B' - Blu-ray
	See *HERE* for a comparison with the Region 1 edition in the Fox Western Classics BOXSET
Runtime	1:36:05 (4% PAL speedup)	1:40:08.919
Video	2.56:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.10 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 29,932,764,634 bytes Feature: 26,801,412,096 bytes Video Bitrate: 30.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Bitrate Blu-ray
Audio	2.0 Dolby Digital Mono	DTS-HD Master Audio English 2072 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2072 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio French 1600 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1600 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Subtitles	None	French, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Optimum Classics Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.56:1 Edition Details: • None DVD Release Date: February 21, 2005 Keep case Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Sidonis Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 29,932,764,634 bytes Feature: 26,801,412,096 bytes Video Bitrate: 30.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Patrick Brion (8:50) B. Tavernier (15:17) Blu-ray Release Date: April 24th, 2012 Standard Blu-ray case inside cardboard slipcase Chapters 12

Comments

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

ADDITION: Sidonis - Region 'B' Blu-ray - May 2012: Shameful... as Bill informs us - some of these new French Blu-rays (like Pork Chop Hill) - on many players - will NOT remove the French subtitles when the original English audio is chosen. We've seen this in the past from some DVDs out of France. In a word 'silly'. As opposed to making a list of Blu-ray machines that will play the film in its original theatrical state (English language without forced subtitles) - we only confirm that HTPC software may be the most reliable method for viewing. If you know you player is capable of removing subtitles both 'on the fly' and when 'forced' with a specific language option - you will probably be safe. The menu screens do not allow this option - which we can now presume means many players will be ineffectual at desired viewing.

The image is a massive leap beyond the SD. Detail, contrast, colors all leap to an improved appearance. Extras include Patrick Brion and Tavernier talking about the film - in French.

Lossless original audio - with the optional French DUB - the Bernard Herrmann score sounds great - typically for the composer - very intense. The subtitle issue is discussed above - and it is probably enough of a reason to, unfortunately, 'pass'. Let's hope an edition arrives without the forced subtitle issue.

Gary W Tooze

***

ON THE DVD: The source is the complete 100-minute version in its original 2.55:1 cinemascope OAR. While lacking detail and sharpness, and with occasional halos, this is quiet a nice transfer for a DVD-5.

Sound is the original mono, from the optical print. Dialogue is clear and there is no noise.

- Henrik Sylow

Menus

1) Optimum - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT

2) Sidonis - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

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

Screen Captures