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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

directed by Robert Mulligan
USA 1962

It is not without reason that the documentary on “To Kill a Mockingbird” is called “Fearful Symmetry”. The phrase comes from the poem “Tyger” by William Blake from his book “Songs of Innocence” and just as Blake, in this collection of his poems, deal with innocence and loss thereof, so is that the central motif of “To Kill a Mockingbird” – and few, if any other film, comes close to this motif thru the eyes of a child than this.

Taking place during the depression in the south, the story is about the year, when two children lost their innocence. Jem and Scout live with their father, Atticus, who is a lawyer in a small southern town. Having lost their mother years back, Atticus is raising his children, always to be respectful and thoughtful. “You do not know a man until you have been in his shoes and walked around in them”, says Atticus.

As a black man is accused of the rape of a white woman, Atticus is appointed to defend him. He tries to keep his children away from the court and case. “There is things a father would like to shield his children from,” says Atticus. Things like racism, hatred and sickness. But their naïve curiosity draws them into it and soon they are exposed to the shadow side of man.

Where other tales about loss of innocence fade with age, the universal message of kindness and respect in “To Kill a Mockingbird” will never become aged, nor will the poetic beauty of childhood memories. It is and will always remain a classic.   out of

Henrik Sylow

The Universal is on the list of TOP 100 DVDs!

Posters

Theatrical Release: December 25th, 1962

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Comparison:

Universal - (2-disc Legacy Series) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Universal - (Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Columbia Tri-Star / Universal (CE) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

Big thanks to Maarten de Haas for the Columbia Tri-Star / Universal (CE) Screen Caps!

 

1) Universal - (2-DISC LEGACY SERIES) - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT

2) Universal - Region 1 - NTSC (Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Columbia Tri-Star / Universal (CE) - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD

4) Universal (Anniversary) - Region FREE - Blu-ray -  RIGHT

 

Box Covers

Also a more expensive Collector's Series Blu-ray editions available HERE:

Reissued on Blu-ray in October 2018

Distribution

Universal (Legacy Series)

Region 1 - NTSC

Universal Studios

Region 1 - NTSC

Columbia Tri-Star / Universal
Region 2 - PAL

Universal Studios

Region FREE -

Runtime 2:09:00 2:09:07 2:03:53 (4% PAL speedup) 2:09:10.7847
Video 1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 6.95 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.80:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.72 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4,80 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 43,843,551,710 bytes

Feature: 33,984,811,008 bytes

Video Bitrate: 28.74 Mbps

Codec: VC-1 Video

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

Bitrate:

 

Universal - Region 1 - Legacy)

Bitrate:

 

Universal - Region 1 - NTSC (Collector's Edition)

Bitrate:

 

Columbia Tri-Star / Universal (CE)

 

Bitrate:

 

Universal Blu-ray

 

Audio English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English (DTS 5.1) , DUB: 2.0 Dolby Digital French

Directors comments in 2.0

2.0 Dolby Digital English, 2.0 Dolby Digital French

English Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono, French Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono, German Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono, Italian Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono, Spanish Dolby Digital 1.

DTS-HD Master Audio English 2086 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2086 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS Audio English 448 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps / 24-bit
DTS Audio French 448 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps / 24-bit
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Commentary: DTS Express English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles English, Spanish, French, None English, Spanish, None Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish and none English (SDH), Spanish, French, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Universal (Legacy)

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• Feature Commentary with Director Robert Mulligan and Producer Alan Pakula
• Academy Award Best Actor Acceptance Speech
• American Film Institute Life Achievement Award
• Excerpt from Academy Tribute to Gregory Peck
• Scout Remembers
• Theatrical Trailer

Disc 2

Fearful Symmetry: The Making of To Kill a Mockingbird (1:30:00 feature)

• A Conversation with Gregory Peck

 

• Package of postcards with various posters of the film
• Number of discs: 2

DVD Release Date: September 6th, 2005
Very thick book style 3-tiered digipak case

Chapters 39

Release Information:
Studio: Universal - Region 1 - NTSC

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1.80:1

Edition Details:
• Audio commentary by director Robert Mulligan and producer Alan J. Pakula
• Fearful Symmetry: The Making of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' - a 35th anniversary documentary featuring interviews with Gregory Peck, Robert Duvall, director Robert Mulligan and producer Alan J. Pakula (1:30:11)
• Original theatrical trailer (2:56)
• Cast and crew biography

DVD Release Date: January 2, 2002
Keep Case

Chapters 30

Release Information:
Studio: Columbia Tri-Star / Universal

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• Commentary with director Robert Mulligan & Producer Alan Pakula
• 90 Minute Making Of - 'Fearful Symmetry'
• Theatrical Trailer
• Production Notes
• Cast & Crew Bios

 

DVD Release Date: April 10, 2003
Keep case

Chapters 30

Release Information:
Studio: Universal

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 43,843,551,710 bytes

Feature: 33,984,811,008 bytes

Video Bitrate: 28.74 Mbps

Codec: VC-1 Video

Edition Details:
• Feature Commentary with Director Robert Mulligan and Producer Alan Pakula

Fearful Symmetry: The Making of To Kill a Mockingbird (1:30:13 feature)
• A Conversation with Gregory Peck (1:37:37)

• Academy Award Best Actor Acceptance Speech (1:31)
• American Film Institute Life Achievement Award (10:01)
• Excerpt from Academy Tribute to Gregory Peck (10:09)
• Scout Remembers (12:01)
• Theatrical Trailer (2:52)

• 100 Years of Restoring Universal Classics (9:12)

• My Scenes
• Number of discs: 2 (DVD of Feature included)

Blu-ray Release Date: January 31st, 2012
Standard Blu-ray case inside cardboard slipcase

Chapters 39

 

Comments

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

 

ADDITION: Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray (January 12'): I am reviewing the more reasonably priced Universal Blu-ray package of To Kill a Mockingbird. I know the 'Collector's Series' Blu-ray available HERE for about $8 more contains such extraneous add-ons as 44-page book with Gregory Peck's Script Pages, Personal Letters, Storyboards etc., but the transfer, both audio and video, will be the exact same.

 

The new VC-1 encoded 1080P transfer improves over the 2005 SD rendering - but, often, in subtle ways. I am less comfortable with the occasional waxiness of the image and lack of supportive grain - which appears fairly clunky in the background. This may have had some digital scrubbing and I'd prefer the more raw film-like appearance. Contrast adds a few more layers but doesn't export demonstrative levels. There is some sneaking depth and we may have reached the zenith of how the film can appear with the dual-layered transfer - although some fans may have anticipated more from the video. Detail and sharpness do rise and the thick image is generally pleasing in-motion.

 

We get the options of a lossless surround bump - a DTS-HD Master 5.1 at 2086 kbps 5.1 or the more basic, and authentic, DTS 2.0 channel mono option. Elmer Bernstein's original score sounds wonderful via the uncompressed track. Not as notable, or as innocent, as the composer's The Magnificent Seven or The Ten Commandments - it adds another important bonding layer to the film.  There are moments of separation in the 5.1 although never dynamically crisp. I sampled both audio transfers and think the mono track is an appreciated option - especially for purists. the music is a big part of the viewing experience, in my opinion. There are optional subtitles and like all Universal Blu-rays to-date, the disc is region FREE.   

 

Digital extras on this 50th Anniversary Blu-ray mimic the 2005 Legacy DVD with the, sometimes revealing, commentary with director Mulligan and producer Pakula, the 1.5-hour Fearful Symmetry: The Making of To Kill a Mockingbird feature, the 1.5-hour 'Conversation with Gregory Peck', a trailer, Scout Remembers for a dozen minutes and the various Tribute speeches. The Blu-ray has 'My Scenes' and 'U-Control' capabilities and a new, 10-minute, 100 Years of Restoring Universal Classics piece. The package also includes a second disc - a DVD of the feature (Nov 2011 VOB files with commentary and most extras). 

Despite reservations on the image quality - under $20 - this still gets an endorsement. Such and important and memorable film - advancing to the 1080P status - seems reason enough for recommendation. Those with expectations of a grainer image should carefully peruse the screen captures to assist in their judgment. I love the film and my viewing. 

***

ADDITION: - LEGACY SERIES - this is very good. The new 'Legacy' edition is anamorphic (without the noted softening) and is stacked with bountiful extra features. Image-wise it is slightly darker and we can see that one of these 3 releases has had some frame transfer movement but the new issue clocks in an accurate 1.85. There may be a slight loss of shadow detail in the 'Legacy', but the contrast appears equivalent to its older counterpart.

I'm not a fan of boosted audio from original elements but the 5.1 and DTS did sound good if mostly untested in the context of the film.

The packaging is beautiful - like a thick volume hard cover book it opens to contain a heavy package of postcards (or just cards) of very nice posters (many shown above) of the film and also a poem.

The extras are a wonderful touch especially for fans of Gregory Peck.

We applaud this updated version and look forward to more from the 'Legacy' series. This stands to be a must own DVD as far as we are concerned.  

***

Good gracious! I never imagined the Region 2 Columbia Tri-Star image would be so awful in comparison. It's quite shocking. Just on the massive sharpness issue we will recommend the Region 1 Universal DVD. Most of the other factors are quite similar - same extras, covers, chapter stops, menus etc. The PAL edition does offer a pile of DUBS and subtitle options, but seemingly at the cost of the image sharpness. I guess it wasn't worth it to create different editions for different county's language preferences - so they piled them into one. Money talks. We obviously whole heartedly recommend the Universal Region 1.

- Gary Tooze

 



2-DISC LEGACY SERIES - Packaging -
CLICK TO ENLARGE


 

DVD Menus

(Universal - Region 1 - NTSC (2-DISC LEGACY SERIES) - Region 1 - NTSC BELOW) - Disc 1
 

 

(Universal - Region 1 - NTSC (2-DISC LEGACY SERIES) - Region 1 - NTSC BELOW) - Disc 2
 

 

DVD Menus (ORIGINAL EDITIONS)

(Universal - Region 1 - NTSC (Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Columbia Tri-Star / Universal (CE) - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)
 

 

 

Universal (Anniversary) - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 


 

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

 

Blu-ray Subtitle Sample

 

Screen Captures

 

1) Universal - (2-DISC LEGACY SERIES) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Universal - Region 1 - NTSC (Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Columbia Tri-Star / Universal (CE) - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD

4) Universal (Anniversary) - Region FREE - Blu-ray -  BOTTOM

 


1) Universal - (2-DISC LEGACY SERIES) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Universal - Region 1 - NTSC (Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Columbia Tri-Star / Universal (CE) - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD

4) Universal (Anniversary) - Region FREE - Blu-ray -  BOTTOM

 

 


1) Universal - (2-DISC LEGACY SERIES) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Universal - Region 1 - NTSC (Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Columbia Tri-Star / Universal (CE) - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD

4) Universal (Anniversary) - Region FREE - Blu-ray -  BOTTOM

 

 


1) Universal - (2-DISC LEGACY SERIES) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Universal - Region 1 - NTSC (Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Columbia Tri-Star / Universal (CE) - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD

4) Universal (Anniversary) - Region FREE - Blu-ray -  BOTTOM

 

 


1) Universal - (2-DISC LEGACY SERIES) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Universal - Region 1 - NTSC (Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Columbia Tri-Star / Universal (CE) - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD

4) Universal (Anniversary) - Region FREE - Blu-ray -  BOTTOM

 

 

More Blu-ray Captures

 


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Sound:

Blu-ray

Extras: Legacy / Blu-ray
Box Covers

Also a more expensive Collector's Series Blu-ray editions available HERE:

Reissued on Blu-ray in October 2018





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gary Tooze

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