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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

directed by Tim Burton
USA 1994

The movie's black and white photography convincingly recaptures the look and feel of 1950s sleaze, including some of the least convincing special effects in movie history. There are also running gags involving Wood's ability to write almost any piece of stock footage into almost any script.

At the heart of the movie is Wood's friendship with Lugosi, a man he truly adores, and who comes to depend on him. We see Lugosi alone and lonely in a flimsy little tract house, inhabiting the deepening gloom of his obscurity and addiction (his first scene in the movie shows him trying on a coffin for size), and Wood is able to lift the gloom, if only briefly, in a final series of roles which gave him double immortality: As the star of some of the best horror movies ever made, and then of some of the worst.

Excerpt from Roger Ebert at the Chicago Sun-Times located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 28th, 1994

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Comparison:

Touchstone (Korea) - Region 3 - NTSC vs. Buena Vista / Disney - Region 2 - PAL vs. Buena Vista / Disney (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Disney - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Mark Wilson of NicheFlix.com for Region 3 and JK for the Region 1 captures and Enrique for the hidden Easter Egg!

1) Touchstone (Korea) Region 3 - NTSC LEFT

2) Buena Vista / Disney - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Buena Vista / Disney (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Disney - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

 

Box Covers

 

 

   

Coming out in the UK is Feb 2016:

Distribution

Touchstone (Korea)

Region 3 - NTSC

Buena Vista / Disney

Region 2 - PAL

Buena Vista / Disney
Region 1 - NTSC
Disney - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 2:06:20 2:01:16 (4% PAL speedup) 2:06:20 2:06:33.586
Video

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.89 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.68 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.76 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 46,645,658,312 bytes

Feature: 40,882,249,728 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 35.42 Mbps

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

Bitrate:

Touchstone R3 - NTSC

 

Bitrate:

Buena Vista R2

Bitrate:

Buena Vista  (Special Edition)

 

Bitrate:

Blu-ray

 

Audio English (Dolby Digital 5.1 ) , DUB: Thai English (Dolby Digital 5.1 ) , DUB: Spanish

English (Dolby Digital 5.1 )

DTS-HD Master Audio English 3700 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3700 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio French 640 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps / Dolby Surround
Subtitles English , Thai, Korean and none English , Spanish, ,Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish and none English (Close captioned), Spanish, none English (Close captioned), French, Portuguese, Spanish, none
Features Release Information:
Studio: Touchstone (Korea)

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1.78:1

Edition Details:
• Commentary by director Tim Burton and actor Martin Landau
• Music Video
• Lets' Shoot This...
• The Theremin
• Making Bela
• Pie Plates Over Hollywood
• Theatrical trailer

 

DVD Release Date: November 19th, 2002
Keep Case

Chapters : 28

Release Information:
Studio: Buena Vista / Disney

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1.78:1

Edition Details:
• Commentary by director Tim Burton and actor Martin Landau
• Music Video
• Lets' Shoot This...
• The Theremin
• Making Bela
• Pie Plates Over Hollywood
• Theatrical trailer

DVD Release Date: Oct 14th, 2002
Transparent Keep case

Chapters 28

Release Information:
Studio: Buena Vista / Disney

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1.78:1

Edition Details:
• Commentary by director Tim Burton and actor Martin Landau
• Deleted scenes
• Behind-the-scenes footage hosted by Johnny Depp
• Production design featurette and more

 

DVD Release Date: October 19th, 2004
Keep Case

Chapters : 28

Release Information:
Studio:
Touchstone / Disney

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 46,645,658,312 bytes

Feature: 40,882,249,728 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 35.42 Mbps

Edition Details:
• Commentary by director Tim Burton and actor Martin Landau
• 
Music video composed by Howard Shore (3:27)
• Let's Shoot This F#*%@r! (13:55)
• The Theremin (7:24)
• Making Bela (8:14)
• Pie Plates Over Hollywood (13:49)
• Theatrical trailer (2:18)
• 5 Deleted scenes (7:39)
 

Blu-ray Release Date: September 18th, 2012
Standard
Blu-ray Case

Chapters : 28

Comments

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

ADDITION: Disney - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - September 12': My favorite Tim Burton film - and I am very pleased with the 1080P appearance. It is represented in the original 1.85;1 aspect ratio. Contrast significantly tightens and black levels are pitch. Detail escalates and there is some textured grain visible. There are frequent instances of depth and no noise or gloss. Howard Shore's score sounds great via a DTS-HD Master 5.1 at a healthy 3700 kbps. The high-end is crisp and depth is apparent. Separations punch to the rear speakers. In short the transfer looks and sounds wonderful!

Supplements duplicate the previous DVDs with the commentary and 50+ minutes of video extras. There are optional English subtitles.

I love this film every time I see it - as well as being brilliantly conceived and expertly researched - the performers genuinely seem to be having a lot of fun. This is an easy Blu-ray to strongly recommend! Enjoy!  

***

ON THE DVDs - ADDITION: The Region 3 has the same menu's and Extras as the Region 2- but poorer picture quality than both the Region 1 and Region 2. It would only be for those who desire the Thai DUB, or the Thai and Korean subtitles. If you don't require those stick with the Region 2- until the Region 1 is reissued.

Okay, so the Region 1 DVD was cancelled, but it came out in some locations anyway. I know one chap who has two copies. He claims that you may be able to obtain one from the following in the US: Coconuts Music & Movies, Sam Goody and Suncoast and Borders. Also some may be found in Blockbuster.

There is not a lot of difference between the two anamorphic Region releases of this film. The Region 2 is slightly cropped has a minimal green tint of the image, but other than that any difference are negligible. Sometimes the Region 2 image looks sharper to me, but then again it may be my eyes. The Extra Features have slight variation, but they both offer the Burton, Landau commentary - the Region 1 has more deleted scenes (see below) - this may be the source of the controversy. The Region 2 release offers a few more subtitle choice and a Spanish DUB. The menus are almost duplicates with a few minor differences. If you can't get a hold of a Region 1 copy, I see no reason in not buying the Region 2 release, although it does have 4% PAL speedup if you are sensitive to that.

NOTE: I did have one problem with my Region 2 release. I couldn't seem to get the Chapter Menu options to appear. It remained extremely dark with a 'flying saucer" light appearing as the cursor (see below). This could be my own user error and I didn't find it particularly debilitating anyway.  ADDITION: I have been told the same thing happens on the Region 1 DVD - you must wait about 20 seconds for the chapter stops to appear.

 Gary Tooze


Menus

(Touchstone (Korea) Region 3 - NTSC LEFT vs. Buena Vista / Disney - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Buena Vista / Disney (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)
 

 

 

Disney - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Screen Captures

 

 

1) Touchstone (Korea) Region 3 - NTSC TOP

2) Buena Vista / Disney - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Buena Vista / Disney (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Disney - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Touchstone (Korea) Region 3 - NTSC TOP

2) Buena Vista / Disney - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Buena Vista / Disney (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Disney - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Touchstone (Korea) Region 3 - NTSC TOP

2) Buena Vista / Disney - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Buena Vista / Disney (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Disney - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Touchstone (Korea) Region 3 - NTSC TOP

2) Buena Vista / Disney - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Buena Vista / Disney (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Disney - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Touchstone (Korea) Region 3 - NTSC TOP

2) Buena Vista / Disney - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Buena Vista / Disney (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Disney - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Touchstone (Korea) Region 3 - NTSC TOP

2) Buena Vista / Disney - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Buena Vista / Disney (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Disney - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


 

Extra Easter Egg Deleted Scene from the Region 1 DVD

 

 

More Blu-ray Captures

 


Hit Counter


Report Card:

 

Image:

Blu-ray

Sound:

Blu-ray

Extras: Tie

 
Box Covers

 

 

   

Coming out in the UK is Feb 2016:

Distribution

Touchstone (Korea)

Region 3 - NTSC

Buena Vista / Disney

Region 2 - PAL

Buena Vista / Disney
Region 1 - NTSC
Disney - Region 'A' - Blu-ray



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gary Tooze