Region 2 - PAL

MGM

Region 1 - NTSC

2.30:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.49 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

2.69:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.12 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

2.35:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: na mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

2.30:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.14 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

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

Criterion (Laserdisc)

NOT AVAILABLE

MGM (SE)

MGM Blu-ray

English DD 2.0

English DD 5.1 & 2.0, French & Spanish 2.0

Chapters 32

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 2.69:1

Edition Details:
• VOB File Date 02/26/98
• 8 Page booklet
• Return to The Great Escape doc. 24:06
• Theatrical Trailer 3:08 (very worn with voice over)

DVD Release Date: 03/31/98
Plastic Keepcase

Chapters 32
 

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 2.35:1

Edition Details:
• Jacket notes by John Sturges & pencil map of Stalag Luft
• Film historian Bruce Eder hosts the comm. by dir. Sturges, Reylea, Bernstein, stuntman Ekins
• 1963 Theatrical Trailer
• Planning an escape photos with Sturges audio track
• Publicity photos
• Production photo gallery
• From script to screen text & photos
• Continuity photos
• The real Stalag Luft III photos

 

CLICK HERE for a scan of the inside of the Criterion laserdisc jacket. It is a sketch of the camp used by Sturges during the filming

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.30:1

Edition Details:
• VOB File Date 02/10/04
• 8 Page booklet (same text, new layout)
• War film expert Steven J. Rubin hosts the comm. with audio by Director, Cast, & Crew
• Info. based subtitle text track
• Bonus material on disc 2;
• The Great Escape doc in 4 parts 46 min.
• The Untold Story doc. 50 min.
• The Untold Story additional interviews 9 min.
• The Real Virgil Hilts: A Man Called Jones 25 min.
• Return to The Great Escape doc. 24 min.
•  1963 Theatrical Trailer (diff. from the prev.) 2:43
• Photo Gallery
• Trailers from The Good The Bad & The Ugly, Escape from NY, Windtalkers
 

Chapters 32

ADDITION: MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray (May 2013): A little heavy on the teal - but otherwise certainly improves over the other digital editions. More information in the 2.35:1 frame on most - except the original 2.69:1 aspect ratio DVD from 1998. There remains a touch of grain and some heaviness - the film never looked ultra-crisp (it will never be impressive in that regard) but detail does move up a notch with some of the digging scenes showing previously hidden background information. I toggled back and forth between the SE - and it's quite evident that the 1080P - even with a low-ish bitrate due to the almost 3-hour length of the film - is a pleasing improvement. My only complaint was the way blue is rendered but overall this is better than I was anticipating from MGM.

Fans will love how Elmer Bernstein's score, along with the iconic Colonel Bogey March (or Bernstein variation of), sounds in DTS-HD Master lossless. The bump is a 5.1 at a whopping 3990 kbps. A beautiful high-end. Separations aren't crisp but there are a few that sneakily make it to the rear speakers. Sound effects used to mask the digging show depth and range. There are multiple foreign language DUBs and subtitle options signifying the Blu-ray as being Region FREE.

The Blu-ray includes most of the supplements found on the previous digital editions. We get the Steven J. Rubin hosted commentary with John Sturges, cast and crew - the six part featurette (The Great Escape: Bringing Fact to Fiction, Preparations For Freedom, The Flight to, A Standing Ovation, The Untold Story and The Untold Story - Additional Interviews.) We get the 25-minute Real Virgil Hilts: A Man Called Jones piece and the equal-length'ed Return to The Great Escape. Lastly there is a trailer in 1080P - everything else is in 480i.

***

ON THE DVDs: The history of the LD transfers may bare light on the differences between the DVD transfers. The Criterion edition of The Great Escape was transferred digitally from a 35mm inter-positive in its correct wide-screen aspect ratio of around 2.35:1, and released with the approval of director John Sturges who states that the (approx.) 2.30:1 framing is the proper one. The first MGM LD aspect ratio was too wide (about 2.59:1) because The Great Escape was initially filmed that way so that Sturges could make framing adjustments later, also the original print used for the MGM LD did not contain soundtrack information thereby displaying a wider image. The soundtrack was mastered digitally from a 35mm magnetic track afterward.  MGM may have used the same methodology for the original DVD transfer. Notice that the old DVD has more image on the left and right vs. the old LD has more info mostly on the left only.

The Region 2 release is in the correct aspect ratio and superior to the original Region 1 release (and is anamorphic!) but is not as sharp as the New SE (which can tend to look saturated. I see some edge enhancement). The colors are also not a vibrant. The old Region 1 release shows some damage marks. Colors match closest to the Region 2 and the new SE, where the original Region 1 looked a little washed out. Contrast and shadow detail are best on the new SE as is the audio. Extras look to be almost exactly the same in the R2 and SE, but I think the Region 1 SE has thrown in some extra trailers and a photo gallery (looks to be the same booklet). Glad to see this film finally done correctly although it has too much digital manipulation (any is usually too much!)! It's a been a long wait in Region 1 - Region 2 has had the correct aspect ratio and a 2nd disc of extras for over 2 years!

 - Gary W. Tooze