Spectrum Entertainment

Region 3 - NTSC ( Korea )

Image Entertainment/ RuCiCo

Region 0 - NTSC ( North America )

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 6.83+7.8 mb/s = avg 7.32 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

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

Spectrum d1

Spectrum d2

Image d1

Image d2

AE d1

AE d2

Russian (Dolby Digital 5.1), Russian (Dolby Digital 1.0 - Mono)  , 

DVD Release Date:  May 25th, 2005
Slim digipak with no sleeve
Chapters: Six in Part 1, Seven in Part 2 - total = 13 Chapters

Edition Details:
• Disk One: Andrei Tarkovsky Introduction, Director's Biography,; Short Film: "The Streamroller and Violon",; Invitation to Tarkovsky's House, Photo Gallery;

• Disk 2: Cast & Crews, Interviews with Crews; Camera Man; Production Designer

DVD Release Date:  October 15, 2002
Keep Case
Chapters: Six in Part 1, Seven in Part 2 - total = 13 Chapters

DVD Animated Menu's available in Russian, French and English

Edition Details:
• Theatrical trailer
• Interviews with Cinematographer Aleksandr Knyazhinsky ( 5:42 ) and Production Designer R. Safiullin (14:12)
• Excerpts from "The Steamroller and the Violin," Tarkovsky's Diploma Film (4:58)
• "Memory," a Documentary about Tarkovsky's Home ( 5:34 )
• Stills Gallery ( 14 images )
• Filmography ( static screen )
• Number of discs: 2

DVD Release Date:  October 15, 2002
Keep Case
Chapters: Six in Part 1, Seven in Part 2 - total = 13 Chapters

DVD Animated Menu's available in Russian, French and English

Edition Details:
• Theatrical trailer
• Interviews with Cinematographer Aleksandr Knyazhinsky ( 5:42 ) and Production Designer R. Safiullin (14:12 )
• Excerpts from "The Steamroller and the Violin," Tarkovsky's Diploma Film ( 4:58 )
• "Memory," a Documentary about Tarkovsky's Home ( 5:34 )
• Stills Gallery ( 14 images )
• Filmography ( static screen )
• Number of discs: 2

DVD Release Date:  April 22nd, 2002
Transparent Keep Case
Chapters: Six in Part 1, Seven in Part 2 - total = 13 Chapters

ADDITION: MK2 (May 2005) - The MK2 is an exact duplicate of the AE/RusCiCo. It comes in a slim digipak without sleeve. At present this is the definitive edition - so buy the AE or the MK2 - whichever you find least expensive.

****

ADDITION: Spectrum (October 2004) - Not much to say, the Spectrum is NTSC and has the same problems as the Image Entertainment. It also has the same extras, but its big failing is only having the 5.1 audio and no option for the original mono. The Spectrum may have slightly better contrast than the Image Entertainment. It differs in that it offers Korean subtitles and some pretty cool appearing menus. In actuality they are not as nice as the animated RusCiCo ones.  Stick with the PAL edition. 

The image quality of these DVDs is by no means perfect, but in my opinion it is very good and blows away my VHS copy. I love journeying through the extras. I was especially fond of the manner in which the short film, "Memory" on Disc 1 was developed. It is EXTREMELY "Stalker"- like in its camera and sound, moving between black + white and color images.

All three (MK2, AE and Image) issues are identical to the second Ruscico (with optional mono) release in every way apart from the DVD labels and box artwork (and two are PAL and the other unconverted NTSC). As mentioned the first Ruscico release should be avoided as it lacks the original mono soundtrack.

Looking at the times, once again the NTSC version has not been properly converted from its PAL source. The PAL editions are slightly sharper and less cropped and is the choice for best image. All other aspects of the discs are the same. 

 - Gary W. Tooze