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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. |
The Universal is on the list of TOP 100 DVDs!
Posters
Theatrical Release: December 25th, 1962
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
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 LEFT2) 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
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Box Covers |
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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 |
1.85:1
Original Aspect Ratio |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 43,843,551,710 bytesFeature: 33,984,811,008 bytes Video Bitrate: 28.74 MbpsCodec: VC-1 Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate:
Universal - Region 1 - Legacy) |
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Bitrate:
Universal - Region 1 - NTSC (Collector's Edition) |
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Bitrate:
Columbia Tri-Star / Universal (CE)
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Bitrate:
Universal Blu-ray
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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:
Edition Details: 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 Chapters 39 |
Release Information: Studio: Universal - Region 1 - NTSC Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 30 |
Release Information: Studio: Columbia Tri-Star / Universal Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
DVD
Release Date: April 10, 2003 Chapters 30 |
Release Information: Studio: Universal Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 43,843,551,710 bytesFeature: 33,984,811,008 bytes Video Bitrate: 28.74 MbpsCodec: VC-1 Video
Edition Details: • Fearful Symmetry: The
Making of To Kill a Mockingbird (1:30:13 feature) • Academy
Award Best Actor Acceptance Speech (1:31) • 100 Years of Restoring Universal Classics (9:12) • My
Scenes 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 -
DVD Menus
(Universal - Region 1 - NTSC (2-DISC LEGACY
SERIES) - Region 1 - NTSC BELOW) - Disc 1
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(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)
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Universal (Anniversary) - Region FREE - Blu-ray
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Blu-ray Subtitle Sample
S
creen Captures
1 ) Universal - (2-DISC LEGACY SERIES) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2) 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
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1 ) Universal - (2-DISC LEGACY SERIES) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2) 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
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1 ) Universal - (2-DISC LEGACY SERIES) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2) 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
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Report Card:
Image: |
Blu-ray |
Sound: |
Blu-ray |
Extras: | Legacy / Blu-ray |
Box Covers |
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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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Many Thanks...