(also know as 'Дерсу Узала')

by Akira Kurosawa
Japanese/Russian 1974


Spectrum Region 3 (3 Discs) vs. Image Entertainment NTSC  Region 0

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Film Reviews    R1 DVD Reviews

DVD Box Covers

Distribution Image Entertainment - Kino
Region 0 NTSC 		 Spectrum - 3 Discs 
Region 3/6 encoded  
Runtime 2:23:30 min 2:15:30 / American Version - 2:21min
Video Original Aspect Ratio, 2.35:1 Letterboxed WideScreen 
Average Bitrate: 6.43 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s		 2.20:1 widescreen Anamorphic versions on Disc 1 + 2 ,  a 2.35:1 Letterboxed  WideScreen version on Disc 3.
Average Bitrate: 6.33 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
Audio Russian (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)

Russian Dolby Digital 5.1, English Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles English or none Korean, Russian, English or none
Features

Edition Details:

• All Regions
• Color, Widescreen
• Widescreen letterbox format

  • Specs and Features
  • 140 mins
  • NR,
  • letterboxed widescreen (2.35:1)
  • single-sided
  • RSDL dual-layered (layer switch 1:16:54, in chapter 14)
  • Snapper case packaging
  • American theatrical release trailer
  • film-themed menu screens
  • scene access (27 chapters)

________________________

Disc 1: Movie (original version), part one 
Special features:
  • Vladimir Arseniev Archive Two pages of text, all in English.
  • Making the film: with ENGLISH SUBTITLES! (You’ll have to access them from your remote, though, not from a menu.) It clocks in as under 5 minutes.
  •  Photo Gallery
Disc 2: Movie, part two
(same audio and subtitle options)
Special Features
  • About the Writer Vladimir Arseniev (again, just under 5 minutes, but again, with English subtitles!)
  •  About the director Akira Kurosawa (this time 9 minutes and still with English subtitles)
  • About the movie (just under 7 minutes, with English subs.)
  • Cast & Crew (text screen bios and filmographies, but all in English)
Length of movie (Part 1 - Disc 1 ): 1 hour, 7.5 minutes

Length of movie (Part 2 - Disc 2 ): 1 hour, 8 minutes

_____________________________

 

Disc 3: American Version of the Film - Widescreen 2.35:1

  • Widescreen 2.35;1

  •  Audio: Russian mono, English Mono

  • Subtitles: Korean, English, none

                  (no special features)
Length of movie: 2 hours, 21 minutes

 

Alternate Version

NOTE: there is also another DVD version of this film from RusCiCo, The Russian Cinema Council:

 

Click to access

 

Audio: Russian, English, French

Subtitles: Russian, English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Portugese, Japanese, Herbew, Swedish, Chinese, Arabic

Special Features: 

  • Interview with actor Yuri Solomin.
  • Behind the scenes.
  • Biography of writer V.K. Arsenyev.
  • Cast and Crew Filmographies.
  • Photo Album.

NOTE: the first two discs are exactly the same as the Korean, except added subtitles.

Comments:

Image and Spectrum 3rd disc ( American version) are just about identical.  Disc 1 is cropped slightly (2.35 to 2.20), although I think it may be the brightest image quality.

 

Look at the clipping in the white snow ( captures #3, #4) in the Korean Disc 1 image (bottom pictures)!  They nuked all detail in their effort to make the snow appear more white. For shame.

 

I would buy the Image disc although the Spectrum has better extras, it has correct aspect ratio, colors and framing to my eye. Unfortunately all image discs are video-sourced.

 

Note: The Spectrum Disc One has an extremely bad shimmering problem. 

Jeroen

DVD Release Date: May 23, 2002
Keep Case
Chapters: 27		 DVD Release Date: September 3, 2002
Keep Case
Disc 1 + 2 - 22 Chapters: Disc 3 - 10 Chapters

 

NOTE: R3 details and screen caps courtesy of Kevin Parent

 

Recommended Reading for Japanese Film Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

 

Check out more in "The Library"


(Image Entertainment - Kino left, Spectrum Disc 3 right, Disc 1 bottom)

 

(Image Entertainment - Kino left, Spectrum Disc 3 right, Disc 1 bottom)


(Image Entertainment - Kino left, Spectrum Disc 3 right, Disc 1 bottom)


(Image Entertainment - Kino left, Spectrum Disc 3 right, Disc 1 bottom)

(Image Entertainment - Kino left, Spectrum Disc 3 right, Disc 1 bottom)


DVD Menu
(Image Entertainment - Kino left, Spectrum  right)

 

DVD Box Covers

Distribution Image Entertainment - Kino
Region 0 NTSC 		 Spectrum - 3 Discs 
Region 3/6 encoded  

 

Report Card:

Image:

Image

Sound:

-
Extras: Spectrum
Menu: Spectrum



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