directed by Stanley Donen
U.S.A. 1963

Donen's typically slick comedy thriller, ingeniously scripted by Peter Stone, is a mammoth audience teaser, with a small cast of characters, bursting with multiple identities, caught up in a complicated hunt for a fortune in gold coins seemingly secreted by Hepburn's murdered husband. Grant imparts his ineffable charm, Kennedy (with metal hand) provides comic brutality, while Hepburn is elegantly fraught. There are also smart Parisian settings and smart Mancini music. The result has a chic rating of at least 180; and while hardly as sturdy or provoking an entertainment as North by Northwest, say, it remains an entertainment.

Excerpt from Time Out Film Guide located HERE

Posters

Reviews    More Reviews  DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Sanctuary Region 0 - PAL vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Universal - Region 1 - NTSC

NOTE: A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW CRITERION IS HERE

Thanks to Enrique B Chamorro for the PAL screen caps!

NOTE: 'Charade' is on the flip side of "The Truth About Charlie" - Universal DVD (2003)

(Sanctuary Region 0 - PAL vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - Left vs. Universal Region 1 - NTSC - Right)

DVD Box Covers

Distribution

Sanctuary Digital Entertainment

Region 0 - PAL

Criterion

Region 1  - NTSC

Universal 
Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime 1:53:12 1:53:12 1:53:16
Video 1.85 Original Aspect Ratio 
Average Bitrate: 4.91 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.85 Original Aspect Ratio 
Average Bitrate: 7.43 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.15
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

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

Sanctuary

.

Bitrate:

Criterion

 

Bitrate:

Universal

 
Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)

English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) 

Subtitles English, and none English, French and none Spanish, French and none (Close captioned for the hearing impaired.)
Features

Release Information:
Studio: Home Vision Entertainment
Theatrical Release Date: December 5, 1963

 

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterbox - 1.85:1

Edition Details:

• Commentary by film historian Ken Barnes with audio

clips from Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer.

• Production Background text screens (9)

• Cast & Crew Profiles text screens

• Original Theatrical Trailer

• Trailers for "Funny Face" and "Notorious"

• 1 min 23 sec excerpt from Audrey Hepburn's debut screen

appearance in "Laughter in Paradise" 1951

• 2 min 38 sec excerpt from Cary Grant's debut screen

appearance in "Singapore Sue" 1931

• "The JFK Factor" is a 1 min 26 sec comparisons of the film

at the 1 hr 10 min mark when the producers first released the

film with the words "eliminated" / "eliminate" (in color) in the

place of "assassinated" / "assassinate" (in black and white).

The film was going to be release around Christmas 1963,

but with President Kennedy being assassinated 11/22/63,

they had the words dubbed by Hepburn and Grant.

This issue is covered in Stanley Donen's commentary and Ken

Barnes commentary. NOTE: The UK edition still has the words

"eliminated" while the Criterion edition has "assassinated"

restored.

 

DVD Release Date: March 5th, 2001
Keep Case

Chapters 20

Release Information:
Studio: Home Vision Entertainment
Theatrical Release Date: December 5, 1963

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterbox - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• Color, Widescreen, Dolby
• Commentary by director Stanley Donen and screenwriter Peter Stone
• Theatrical trailer
• The Films of Stanley Donen: a selected filmography with an introduction by Donen biographer Stephen M. Silverman, plus Peter Stone career highlights
• Original aspect ratio for the first time ever
• Widescreen letterbox format

DVD Release Date: November 2, 1999
Keep Case

Chapters 22

Release Information:
Studio: Universal Studios
Theatrical Release Date: October 25, 2002

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1

Edition Details:

None

DVD Release Date: April 1, 2003
Keep Case

Chapters 18

 

Comments: NOTE: A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW CRITERION IS HERE

As far as the UK edition goes, it is brighter, but not as sharp as the Criterion. It has extensive extras too. Another example of how the better source material beats out poorer even though it is anamorphic in regards to the Universal. Criterion wins with better contrast and sharper (look at the mountains in the distance in the first capture).  Even though the Criterion and the Sanctuary are 'Out Of Print', you can find them on EBay, and for fans they may want to get both versions for all the extras. Both the Universal and Sanctuary are slightly horizontally cropped.

NOTE: Beware the many public domain print DVDs of this film out there in Region 1!... most are total crap!

 - Gary W. Tooze

CHARADE, I do not know what to expect from the anamorphic Criterion version due, but it better not be a recycling of that TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE flip-side.  That is no improvement.  Though out of print for now, and despite fading and some transfer troubles in a few spots, the non-anamorphic VCI CHARADE is the best looking version of the film I have seen to date.  The reason is because they somehow got a real; three-strip dye-transfer imbibition print and when it is at its best, wow is it awesome.  It is worth your time to track down.

Nicholas Sheffo of http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/




DVD Menus

(Sanctuary Region 0 - PAL LEFT vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Universal Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

 

Screen Captures

 

(Sanctuary Region 0 - PAL - TOP vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Universal Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

(Sanctuary Region 0 - PAL - TOP vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Universal Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

(Sanctuary Region 0 - PAL - TOP vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Universal Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)


(Sanctuary Region 0 - PAL - TOP vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Universal Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

Hit Counter

Report Card:

 

Image:

Criterion

Sound:

-
Extras: Sanctuary
Menu: Criterion/Sanctuary (tie)

 

DVD Box Covers

Distribution

Sanctuary Digital Entertainment

Region 0 - PAL

Criterion

Region 1  - NTSC

Universal 
Region 1 - NTSC




 

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