Carmen Jones Blu-ray - Dorothy Dandridge

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

directed by Otto Preminger
USA 1954

Unique Preminger offering with a super wide 2.55:1 aspect ratio. Songs from the Bizet opera with modernized lyrics and an all-black cast. Sweet Cindy Lou (Olga James) and soon-to-be pilot Joe (Harry Belafonte) plan to wed, but sexy and wanton Carmen Jones (Dorothy Dandridge) has her sights set on him. Everyone wants her... and she wants Joe. Wonderful use of the familiar Bizet music, this could be considered a classic in its own right. Preminger uses long takes with a sweeping camera and tons of choreographed staging. Superb! out of

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Theatrical Release: October 5th, 1954 - USA

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Comparison:

20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL vs. 20th Century Fox - Region FREE - Blu-ray

1) 20th Century Fox (Fox Studio Classics) - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT

2) BFI - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) 20th Century Fox - Region FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Covers
Distribution	20th Century Fox Region 1 - NTSC	BFI Video Publishing Region 2 - PAL	20th Century Fox Home Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:44:36	1:40:27 (4% PAL speedup)	1:44:44.278
Video	2.55:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.5 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	2.55:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.7 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	2.55:1 - 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 33,812,025,166 bytes Feature: 33,321,897,984 bytes Video Bitrate: 36.97 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Fox
Bitrate: BFI
Bitrate: Blu-ray
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 4.0), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dolby)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 2950 kbps 4.0 / 48 kHz / 2950 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 4.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	English, Spanish, and none	English, and none	English, Spanish, French, Japanese and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.55:1 Edition Details: • Theatrical trailer • Original One Sheet • Adverts for other Fox Flics on DVD DVD Release Date: January 13, 2004 Keep Case Chapters 30	Release Information: Studio: BFI Video Publishing Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 2.55:1 Edition Details: • Theatrical trailer • Preminger Bio • Dandridge Bio • Belafonte Bio • Saul Bass bio DVD Release Date: March 29th, 2004 Keep Case Chapters: 10	Release Information: Studio: 20th Century Fox Aspect Ratio: 2.55:1 - 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 33,812,025,166 bytes Feature: 33,321,897,984 bytes Video Bitrate: 36.97 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Trailer (2:47) Blu-ray Release Date: December 3rd, 2013 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters: 30

Comments:

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

ADDITION: 20th Century Fox - Region FREE - Blu-ray (November 2013): In short; a prime example of the improvement that the higher resolution over SD. Carmen Jones really benefits from 1080P. It looks marvelous in-motion - there is still softness exhibited by the thick film-like visuals but colors and detail tighten dramatically. The overall image is brighter although colors can occasionally soften to be more passive. The 2.55:1 frame has shifted left a shade and seems to exhibit a shade of CinemaScope mumps (horizontal stretching). Color-wise the DVDs are drab and flat by comparison. This Blu-ray looks quite fabulous.

The audio also advances handily. Georges Bizet's music and the signing numbers via a DTS-HD Master audio 4.0 channel - (original was a 4-Track Stereo -Western Electric Recording) - via 2950 kbps are lively, exciting and fills the room. An isolated score might have been a great addition. Brilliant. There is an option al Spanish DUB and subtitle choices. Like the other Fox Blu-rays being released at this time it is region FREE.

Only a trailer as s supplement but a great disc to own. Dandridge is on fire and the a/v greatly benefits from the HD transfer. Strongly recommended!

***

ON THE DVDs: Both editions are extremely well done and the image difference is negligible, but saying that, it is in slight favor of sharpness to Fox Region 1. No cropping on either DVD version to speak of. Colors are the exact same on both editions. The Fox gives and Extra audio option - but both are adequate.

I am giving the edge in the Extras to BFI as there Bio's section is quite well-done with pictures and a dissolving slideshow - certainly more informative for film fan than the Fox adverts on the Region 1. The BFI menu is live action, where the Fox is static. It's always nice to see BFI put some effort into their DVD productions regardless of the region source. This isn't one edition I would trade my old DVD player for an all-region. Excellent work by both!

- Gary W. Tooze

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(20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)