ADDITION: Criterion DVD and Blu-ray July 09': The Koch Vision travesty is easily dismissible. the Anchor Bay is not too bad considering its age although it is in the wrong aspect ratio (1.78 as opposed to 1.66) with more digital noise artifacts, hazier, and is darker than the Criterion editions which are advertised as 'New, restored high-definition digital transfer(s), approved by director Roman Polanski'. The Blu-ray advances over its DVD counterpart with more prominent grain visible in backgrounds. It is also has better detail and slightly superior contrast as well. Everything is, expectantly, a bit tighter. Presently on Amazon the Blu-ray is one dollar cheaper than the DVD.  

The Blu-ray edition has an uncompressed monaural soundtrack but I couldn't distinguish extravagant differences between that and the new DVD. Both are exceptionally clean without pops, hiss or other flaws. Both Criterions offer optional English subtitles. The DVD is coded for region 1 in the NTSC standard and the Blu-ray is region 'A'-locked as verified by my Momitsu.

Extras are the same on both Criterion editions, excepting on the Blu-ray the video supplements are in 1080P. The audio commentary featuring Polanski and actress Catherine Deneuve is stated as being recorded for the Criterion Collection in 1994 (for the Laserdisc) and appears to be the same one on the Anchor Bay (UK) DVD from 2003. It seems both parties were recorded separately as they never interact. It's a slow pace but has solid information - Polanski offers a lot of the ideas that help evolve the story ,as well as many things he would do differently today (or, rather, in 94'), and Deneuve discusses more of production from her standpoint - ex. how others sometimes found Polanski difficult. She didn't seem appreciative of the director's encouragement for her to pose in Playboy magazine. A British Horror Film (2003), a documentary on the making of Repulsion, featuring interviews with Polanski, producer Gene Gutowski, and cinematographer Gil Taylor, among others. It is the same 24-minute one, made by Blue Underground, as found on the Anchor Bay DVD. There is a 21-minute 1964 television documentary, directed by Claude Chaboud for Ecran in 1964 (French television), filmed on the set of Repulsion, with rare footage of Polanski and Deneuve at work. There is two trailers that run together for over 3-minutes and a 16-page liner notes booklet featuring an essay by film scholar and curator Bill Horrigan.

This is another masterpiece by Polanski and a pleasure to own in the ultra-clearer resolution of Blu-ray. Looking at the Koch Visions is astounding to see how far we have come for this film in digital home presentation in about 10-years (although the 15-year old Criterion Laserdisc was also superior to that first DVD). The Blu-ray exports all of Repulsion's subtle attributes, beyond a intensely creepy horror, to a more personal level. We strongly recommend this hi-def package. After watching the Blu-ray I consider it an essential purchase. Please Criterion - keep em' coming!   

- Gary Tooze 

***


 

ON THE ANCHOR BAY DVD (written 2005):

PICTURE: The picture suffers from print damage and negative scratches, but you can live with them. There are two minor problems:

The picture is slightly out of focus. It disturbs a little, but the picture itself has many variations on the black color and are reasonably rich.

The other problem is that ANCHOR BAY has used some kind of data program to enhance the sharpness and contrasts. For me the program functions like there was some kind of field (veil, or draperies) between the viewer and the film. It disturbs me a lot. In the 23 min documentary there are some clips from the film without the data program. They look much better.  out of  

The inside world of CAROLE in the apartment are quite dark, but it functions very well to the contrast of the light subjective street pictures.

SOUND:
The mono sound (on the menu page 2.0 stereo) is narrow, as it was from a film made in 1940'. The only option is the DTS track. The re-mix is made with prestige, the dialog is only on the center speaker, and the music and some minor effects are on the other speakers. Still, why couldn't they make a precious mono mix instead! out of     

THE FILM:
It's hard to believe that this film is soon 40 years old. It looks very modern and very skillfully directed. A masterpiece.

When I told for a friend that I am going to view REPULSION he told, that do you remember that the film starts with an eye. He suggested that the film (as in The Death and the Maiden) can be understand as a dream / nightmare, and it's upon the viewer what to believe. In fact the film could be a impression that the young girl, in the conclusion, has been abused... out of

- Per-Olof Strandberg