'Last Temptation of Christ' DVD Comparison Criterion - R1 vs Columbia Tri-Star

directed by Martin Scorsese
U.S. 1988

"The Last Temptation of Christ" Martin Scorsese's provocative, punishing, weirdly brilliant adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis' novel, has a feverish intensity. Watching it, you feel as if you're trapped inside a hallucination, the meaning of which is only partly comprehensible. Yet you can sense Scorsese's commitment to his message and his passion for his art in every frame. He is working out of the center of his talents -- and his obsessions -- as a filmmaker. And undeniably, there's a prodigious greatness on display here."

Excerpt from Hal Hinson's Review at the Washington Post located HERE

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DVD Comparison:

Criterion Region 1 - NTSC - vs. Columbia Tri-Star (Australia) Region 2/4 - PAL

Big thanks to Ole of DVDBasen for the PAL Screen Caps!

(Criterion Region 1 Left vs. Columbia Region 2 - Right)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Criterion Collection ( spine # 70 ) Region 1 - NTSC	Columbia Tri-Star (Australia) Region 2/4 - PAL
Runtime	2:43:25	2:36:29 (PAL 4% Speedup)
Video	Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Average Bitrate: 5.26 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Average Bitrate: 6.47 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Criterion Region 1
Bitrate: Columbia Tri-Star Region 2
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 5.1),	English (Dolby Digital 5.1) , Dubs in German, Italian, French and Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles	English, None	English, French, Portuguese, Danish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Dutch, Czech, Polish, Turkish, Hungarian and Bulgarian and none.
Features	Release Information: Studio: Home Vision Entertainment Theatrical Release Date: August 12, 1988 Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Discographic Information: DVD Encoding: Region 1 Layers: Dual Edition Details: • Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only) • Commentary by director Martin Scorsese, star Willem Dafoe, screenwriter Paul Schrader and film critic Jay Cocks • Production notes • New widescreen digital transfer, approved by the filmmakers • New Dolby Digital 5.1 channel soundtrack by original supervising sound editor Skip Lievsay • An extensive collection of research materials, production stills and costume designs • Location production footage shot by Scorsese himself • Video interview with composer Peter Gabriel, plus! a stills gallery of the instruments used in the films DVD Release Date: April 25, 2000 Keep Case Chapters 30	Release Information: Studio: Columbia Tri-Star (Australia) Theatrical Release Date: February 19, 1955 Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.83:1 Discographic Information: DVD Encoding: Region 2 / 4 Layers: Dual Edition Details: • Theatrical Trailer (1.33:1, Dolby Digital 2.0) (1:38) • Region 2/4 encoding (Japan, Europe, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Central America, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean) DVD Release Date: January 9th, 2001 Keep Case Chapters 29
Comments:	This is a tough one. Obviously Criterion wins hands down on the Extras, and their skin tones are much better ( too much red in the Columbia), but in overall sharpness the Columbia images are just slightly more detailed. Enough to buy the Columbia and miss out on all those amazing Criterion extras?.. no, most definitely not. Fanatics may want to get both, but I am more than happy with my Criterion. *Gary W. Tooze*