ADDITION: Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray (December 2013): Firstly, great title for Masters of Cinema to release in 1080P. There are notable advantages over both SDs. We get the longer Italian cut with no PAL speed-up and the image is clear of many of the artifacts and weaknesses of the lesser format. The Blu-ray improvement is more distinct in-motion. It shows more information in the frame (side edges), has more layered contrast and a higher level of detail. There are some grain textures visible. Audio gets the lossless treatment with a linear PCM in original mono. Nino Rota's (8 1/2, I Clowns, Purple Noon, The Leopard etc.) score seems to benefit from the lossless rendering with some prevalent depth unnoticeable on the DVDs. There are optional subtitles on the region 'B' Blu-ray. We get the same 40-minute interview with Dominique Delouche as found on the BFI, plus an original theatrical trailer and the package contains a 36-page booklet featuring the words of Federico Fellini, rare imagery etc.

With Fellini's oeuvre being so strong, this title seems to have been unjustly forgotten and is very much deserved of this definitive digital release from MoC. I'm so glad to have it in the newer format and strongly endorse this film and Blu-ray.

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ADDITION: BFI - PAL (August 05) : They've blown out contrast and poor subtitles of the Image DVD are very apparent next to the BFI. The good news is that this BFI DVD contains the longer Italian cut, the American (Image) release running some 17 minutes shorter. Everything is superior in the BFI edition and is presently the definitive to own. The extensive interview with Dominique Delouche is wonderful with a lot of good information being imparted. We recommend the BFI to Fellini and cinema fans alike.

***

Image Entertainment: A fairly weak DVD production - the chroma-filled image is not its worst failing - non-removable subtitles (and awful yellow) and no extras, with barely even a menu. Now, to be fair it did come out almost 5 years ago. The images tell the story of the DVD folks (sporadic sharpness and slightly boosted contrast), but this is the type of Image Entertainment DVD that can go out of print and not return (fetching bucks on EBay), so for Fellini fans - I recommend picking up a copy. There are no alternatives that I can find. It is quite suitable to watch in order between "La Strada" and "Night of Cabiria" on a rainy weekend. out of

Gary W. Tooze