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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

directed by Terry Gilliam
UK 1985

Pitting the imagination of common man Sam Lowry (the brilliantly befuddled Jonathan Pryce) against the oppressive storm troopers of the Ministry of Information, Terry Gilliam's Brazil has come to be regarded as an anti-totalitarianism cautionary tale equal to the works of George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Gathering footage from both the European and American versions of this masterpiece, Gilliam has assembled the ultimate, 142-minute director’s cut of his most celebrated film.

***

Bureaucratic paper-pushers and massively obtrusive ductwork run amok in the story of a clerical error that leads to the imprisonment of a shoe-repairman named Buttle. It should have been Harry Tuttle, illegal renegade Heating Engineer. Daydreaming Sam Lowry, part of the bureaucratic cogs,  follows the face or a girl he loves and gets branded as a terrorist. He becomes hunted by the Big-Brother state while trying to correct the error.  out of  

Posters

Theatrical Release: February 20th, 1985 - France

Reviews        More Reviews         DVD Reviews

Comparison:

Criterion (RE-ISSUE - single disc) Region 1- NTSC vs. 20th Century Fox - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Universal - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Fox Video (Brazil) Region 4 - NTSC vs. Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Big Thanks to Pavel Borodin and his friend Akos Balazs for the 20th Century Region 2 DVD Screen captures.

(Criterion - REISSUE - single disc - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. 20th Century Fox (UK) Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

Box Covers

Distribution

Criterion Collection (REISSUE - Single Disc) Spine # 51

Region 1  - NTSC

20th Century Fox

Region 2 - PAL

Criterion Collection Spine # 51

Region 1  - NTSC

.

(Universal - Region 1 -NTSC LEFT - Fox Video (Brazil) Region 4 - NTSC - SECOND vs. Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT

 

 

 

 

 

Re-issued on Blu-ray by Universal in March 2022:

Universal Studios

Region 1  - NTSC

Fox Video (Brazil)
Region 4 - NTSC

Universal Studios

Region FREE  - Blu-ray

Criterion Spine # 51 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Distribution

Criterion Collection (REISSUE - single disc) Spine # 51

Region 1  - NTSC

20th Century Fox

Region 2 - PAL

Criterion Collection Spine # 51

Region 1  - NTSC

Universal Studios

Region 1  - NTSC

Fox Video (Brazil)
Region 4 - NTSC

Universal Studios

Region FREE  - Blu-ray

Criterion Spine # 51 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 2:23:10 2:16:45 (4% PAL speedup) 2:23:10 2:23:05 2:22:25 2:11:40.142 2:23:26.014

Video

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6 80
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.45
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.79:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 6.29 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

1.79:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate:4.0 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.70
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 39,779,865,109 bytes

Feature: 38,368,143,360 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 32.98 Mbps

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,901,212,195 bytes

Feature: 42,323,527,680 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps

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

Bitrate:

 Criterion REISSUE Single Disc

Bitrate:

20th Century Fox - UK

and Criterion

 

  

 

Bitrate:

Universal and Fox Video (Brazil)

  

 

Bitrate: Universal

Blu-ray

Bitrate: Criterion

Blu-ray

Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround) English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), DUB: German (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), DUB: Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround) English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround) English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)

English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)

DTS-HD Master Audio English 3449 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3449 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps /
24-bit)
DTS Audio French 384 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 384 kbps / 24-bit
DTS-HD Master Audio English 2115 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2115 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio Commentary: English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles English and none English, German, Spanish, none English and none Spanish, French, English (captions), None English, Spanish, Portuguese, none English, French, Spanish, none English and none
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Criterion

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Discographic Information:
Layers: Dual

Edition Details:
• Commentary by director Terry Gilliam
• Liner notes booklet with essay by Jack Mathews

DVD Release Date: September 5th, 2006
Transparent Keep Case

Chapters 35

Release Information:
Studio: 20th Century Fox (UK)

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Discographic Information:
Layers: Dual

Edition Details:

Theatrical Trailer

Featurette: "What is Brazil" - Rob Hedden's on-set documentary (30:00)

 

DVD Release Date: May 19th, 2003

Keep Case

Chapters 20

Release Information:
Studio:
Criterion

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterbox - 1.79:1

Edition Details:
• Commentary by director Terry Gilliam
• Production notes
• Theatrical trailer(s)
• Interview with co-writer Tom Stoppard
• Production and publicity stills
• "The Production Notebook", screenwriters Tom Stoppard and Charles McKeown illuminate the script's development through 3 drafts and 3 treatments. Production designer Norman Garwood displays his design's for Brazil's unique sets. Costume designer James Acheson explores the couture of fashion, fantasy and fascism. Terry Gilliam's original dream sequences, in storyboards, include hundreds of shots that never made it to the screen. Composer Michael Kames unveils the sources of his score. A study of the special effects includes footage of unused effects
• "What Is Brazil?", Rob Hedden's rare 30 minute witty on-set documentary features Terry Gilliam and other key members of the cast and crew
• "The Battle of Brazil: A Video History", Battle of "Brazil" author Jack Mathews reassembles the players in the famous battle of "Brazil"'s US Release in this original 1996 Criterion documentary. Terry Gilliam, producer Arnon Milchan, and several studio executives close the book on one of the noisiest, most unusual, and most instructive controversies in Hollywood history
• "Brazil: The Love Conquers All Version", with audio annotation by David Morgan, this 94 minute version of "Brazil", rearranged in the hope of making the film commercial, stands as a fascinating document of the power of editing to change a movie
• Number of discs: 3

DVD Release Date: July 13, 1999
Keep Case

Chapters 35

Release Information:
Studio: Universal Studios

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterbox - 1.79:1

Discographic Information:
Layers: Single

Edition Details:
• Production notes
• Theatrical trailer
• Widescreen letterbox format

DVD Release Date: April 1, 2003

Keep Case

Chapters 16

Release Information:
Studio: Fox Video (Brazil)- Regency

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Discographic Information:
Layers: Dual

Edition Details:

Theatrical Trailer

Featurette: "What is Brazil" - Rob Hedden's on-set documentary (30:00)

 

DVD Release Date: May 5th, 2003

Click Case

Chapters 20

Release Information:
Studio: Universal Studios

 

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 39,779,865,109 bytes

Feature: 38,368,143,360 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 32.98 Mbps

Edition Details:
• My Scenes

BD Live / D-Box enabled

 

Blu-ray Release Date: July 12th, 2011

Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 18

Release Information:
Studio:
Criterion

 

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,901,212,195 bytes

Feature: 42,323,527,680 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps

 

Edition Details:

Audio commentary by Gilliam
What Is “Brazil”?, Rob Hedden’s on-set documentary (29:07)
The Production Notebook, a collection of 6 interviews and video essays, featuring a trove of Brazil-iana from Gilliam’s personal collection

- We're all in it Together: the Brazil Screenwriter (10:42)

- Dreams Unfulfilled: Unfiled Storyboards of Brazil (9 parts)

- Designing Brazil Visual Essay (20:45)

Flights of Fantasy - Brazil's Special Effects (9:50)

- Fashion and Facism =- James Acheson on brazil's Costume Design (7:01)

- Brazil's Score (9:41)
The Battle of “Brazil,” a documentary about the film’s contentious release, hosted by Jack Mathews and based on his book of the same name (55:09)
“Love Conquers All” version, the studio’s 94-minute, happy-ending cut of Brazil, with commentary by Brazil expert David Morgan (1:33:37)
Trailer (2:37)
An essay by Jack Matthews on the DVD edition and a booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Sterritt on the Blu-ray edition

 

Blu-ray Release Date: December 4th, 2012

Transparent Blu-ray Case

Chapters 20

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' Blu-ray - November 2012: Firstly, this is Terry Gilliam’s 142-minute director’s cut (approved by Gilliam) in a strong 1080P transfer from Criterion. There are two Blu-ray discs in the package; the first as the 'Director's Cut' with optional Gilliam commentary. It is more robust than the previously released Universal image quality and I think the colors, for the most part, look superior and more realistic. As is the contrast. The Universal is 1.85:1 and the Criterion is 1.78:1. The Criterion image is brighter and shows a tad more information in the frame. The dream sequences are visibly more grainy. As well as being the preferred cut - I think it looks the best. Bravo! Fans should be very pleased!

The Criterion audio is stereo (2.0 channel) - NOTE: Not "Surround' as stated on the Criterion website. This is authentic and clear via the DTS-HD Master with notable depth and surprising punch at times. There are optional English subtitles on the Criterion Blu-ray and it is region 'A'-locked.

 As well as the Gilliam audio commentary on the feature disc we get a stacked second Blu-ray with What Is “Brazil”?, Rob Hedden’s 1/2 hour on-set documentary, The Production Notebook, a collection of 6 interviews and video essays, featuring a trove of Brazil-iana from Gilliam’s personal collection. As follows:
- We're all in it Together: the Brazil Screenwriter (10:42)
- Dreams Unfulfilled: Unfulfilled Storyboards of Brazil (9 parts)
- Designing Brazil Visual Essay (20:45)
- Flights of Fantasy - Brazil's Special Effects (9:50)
- Fashion and Fascism - James Acheson on brazil's Costume Design (7:01)
- Brazil's Score (9:41)
Also included is The Battle of “Brazil,” the 55-minute documentary about the film’s contentious release, hosted by Jack Mathews and based on his book of the same name and the “Love Conquers All” version - the studio’s 94-minute, happy-ending cut of Brazil, with commentary by Brazil expert David Morgan. There is a trailer and the package contains an essay by film critic David Sterritt.

***

ADDITION: Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray - July 11':  Firstly this is NOT the 142-minute Director's Cut that all of the compared DVD versions have transferred. It is the 132-minute theatrical cut of the film. This is a dual-layered Blu-ray with a strong bitrate and despite some niggling complaints (still has speckles and is notably dirty in spots) I suspect that it is the most accurate representation of the image. Generally colors are paler giving credence that some of the SD renderings were boosted. Contrast may be the area where it stands out as being the most definitive. It could come down to personal preference but this gave me quite a good viewing - and I don't suspect that Universal have done anything to enhance or enrich the image. Gilliam's Brazil can only end up looking so good - and without a thorough cleaning - this is probably it. The film's characteristic inventive art direction can be impressively pleasing in 1080P.

Audio has a solid bounce up to lossless via a DTS-HD Master 5.1 at 3449 kbps. I found it a definite increase from the DVDs but one is still at the mercy of the film's inherent production. The effects are more buoyant - there is a nice crispness at times and the wonderful music and score show great depth and separation. This area has advanced at the same level as the video. There is a French DUB and optional subtitles on the region FREE Blu-ray disc.

Criterion is still king of the castle when it comes to the supplements and the Blu-ray hasn't even tried to do battle - conceding to the mammoth package. There is nothing on the hi-def edition aside from the usual BD-Live, D-Box enablement and My Scenes features.

I suspect the biggest factor for many be that this is the theatrical and not the 10-minute longer director's cut. I love the film but am not going to gripe (whet good would it do?).  I won't be giving away my Criterion but the Universal Blu-ray gave me a splendid viewing of a film I was very keen to revisit. Brazil gets more charming each time you see it.   

***

ADDITION: Criterion (REISSUE) - Single Disc - Region 1- NTSC - Aug 06' - Criterion are continuing to improve past releases as restoration technology improves and/or better elements surface - recent examples include - Seven Samurai and Amarcord but they are also making their individual discs, from larger packages, available (ex. The 400 Blows, Jimi Plays Monterey). This single disc edition of Terry Gilliam's Brazil would hold true in both categories.

We hope to review this disc (and the REISSUE 3-disc edition HERE) more completely in time but just as a quick comparison to the existing releases we can see it is bright and sharp without the blue-ish haze of UK disc and the only other 16X9 NTSC disc - now 'unavailable' from Region 4 (yes Brazil!). I think the out-of-print Region 4 disc may be as sharp but it is significantly darker and we see no undo signs of brightness boosting on the new Criterion REISSUE.

The Gilliam commentary is the same as on the original - recorded for Criterion in 1996. The only other supplement is a liner notes booklet with an essay by Jack Matthews. The feature disc will be the same as the 'final cut' edition in the REISSUE 3-disc set.

NOTE: Although we couldn't get a screen capture of the REISSUE subtitles - they certainly do exist (optional English) and are the better rendered than any of the others.

BOTTOM LINE: It looks quite good and I know many DVD-o-philes will rejoice that it has not been pictureboxed. More to follow...

****

This is quite interesting. Region 4- Brazil (the country) has been producing some anamorphic Hollywood titles that are not available as 16X9 in Region 1 ! This is another example. I was expecting the worst with simple porting from their PAL counterparts, but check the times - they are accurate! The image quality for this comparison is not the most accurate as the region 4 DVD native resolution is so much larger that it loses some sharpness in the conversion down to meet the Region 1's graphic size. So I don't need to tell you that the anamorphic DVD from Region 4 will give a much superior image when shown through a widescreen TV or projection system.

The anamorphic images appear darker than the other two releases it appears and the Region 4 has the best (sharpest) image quality, just slightly ahead of the Region 2 Fox view the plastic surgery capture and typing capture below). Of the non-anamorphic the Universal is sharper than the Criterion.

I see minor cropping on all version on various sides.

There is a bluish tinge to the Region 4 and Region 2 editions.

To my eye it looks like the Criterion and Universal have had some slight contrast boosting. Sequences seem overly bright at times... the addition of the Fox Region 2 tends to substantiate that claim..

The 45 seconds missed by the Region 4 DVD seems right at the beginning and I would assume it to be the distribution company logs (The Region 4 has none and launches directly into the film). The Region 2 has 4% PAL speedup.

Some of the Region 4 English subtitles are not translated - which is very unimportant to me.

The extras, of course, go to Criterion, but the Region 4 and Region 2 include a nice documentary (30:00).

Bottom line: If you have a widescreen TV or projection system you will obviously want the Region 4 NTSC (which betters the PAL 16X9 Region 2 version as it has no speedup). If you are a big fan of the film, or a film buff in general then you MUST own the 3 disc Criterion Boxset for the extras. If you have a simple tube TV and anamorphic quality is not an issue with you you may as well get the Universal Region 1 which has a better image than the expensive Criterion set.

  - Gary W. Tooze





DVD Menus

(Criterion - REISSUE - single disc - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. 20th Century Fox (UK) Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

 

 

 

(Universal - Region 1 -NTSC LEFT - Fox Video (Brazil) Region 4 - NTSC - RIGHT)


 

Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

 

Disc 1 - Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

Disc 2 - Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


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

 

Subtitle sample

 

1) 20th Century Fox (UK) Region 2 - PAL TOP

2) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND -

3) Universal - Region 1 -NTSC THIRD

4) Fox Video (Brazil) Region 4 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray FIFTH

6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 



 

Screen Captures

 

1) 20th Century Fox (UK) Region 2 - PAL TOP

2) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND -

3) Universal - Region 1 -NTSC THIRD

4) Fox Video (Brazil) Region 4 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray FIFTH

6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) 20th Century Fox (UK) Region 2 - PAL TOP

2) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND -

3) Universal - Region 1 -NTSC THIRD

4) Fox Video (Brazil) Region 4 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray FIFTH

6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) 20th Century Fox (UK) Region 2 - PAL TOP

2) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND -

3) Universal - Region 1 -NTSC THIRD

4) Fox Video (Brazil) Region 4 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray FIFTH

6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) 20th Century Fox (UK) Region 2 - PAL TOP

2) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND -

3) Universal - Region 1 -NTSC THIRD

4) Fox Video (Brazil) Region 4 - NTSC - FOURTH

5) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray FIFTH

6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

More Blu-ray Captures

 

1) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


Hit Counter


Box Covers

Distribution

Criterion Collection (REISSUE - Single Disc) Spine # 51

Region 1  - NTSC

20th Century Fox

Region 2 - PAL

Criterion Collection Spine # 51

Region 1  - NTSC

.

 

 

 

 

Re-issued on Blu-ray by Universal in March 2022:

Universal Studios

Region 1  - NTSC

Fox Video (Brazil)
Region 4 - NTSC

Universal Studios

Region FREE  - Blu-ray

Criterion Spine # 51 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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