ADDITION: BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray (September 2015): The good news is that BFI have also included the 100-minute British version at 1080p / 23.976 fps (24.0 Mbps) as an option. It is described by them as "Brand new 4K restoration of the US version and 2k restoration of the previously unseen British version". And both match up well with their US BD production counterpart - the US film version looks exactly the same as the Criterion transfer (although BFI's are both more technically robust) - toggling back and forth I can't tell a difference (I presume it is from the same restored source as framing is also exact). However, the British version looks shade superior than the Criterion's and it has an almost 50% higher bitrate! BFI also supply duplicate linear PCM mono track (for both versions). NOTE: This advances on the Criterion that only has a lossy Dolby Digital for the British version - and the BFI offers subtitles on the UK version where the Criterion does not.

The BFI package also differs is it includes full commentaries for both - US version by Paul Duncan and a UK version audio commentary with Adrian Martin. BFI also add, on their stacked disc, a 1 1/4 hour onstage interview with Richard Widmark by Adrian Wootton at the National Film Theatre from 2002 and a 51-minute (audio only with stills) Guardian Lecture with Jules Dassin interviewed by Alexander Walker encompassing my highlights of his career and Night and the City. Lastly is an original theatrical trailer and the package contains an illustrated booklet with extensive credits and newly commissioned essays.

BFI sure cram a lot into their release (50 Gig full!) and it looks to surpass the Criterion in a few relevant areas (uncompressed audio, and optional subtitles on the British version and a commentary for both). It's an amazing, limited edition, Blu-ray package - one we can very strongly endorse. If you are keen, I wouldn't wait as it may be one that eventually becomes unavailable. Super job BFI!

ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray July 15': The Criterion 1080P is from a 4K digital restoration and it identifies the Pretty Gold as being horizontally stretched. The screen captures show the Criterion as brighter, cleaner,  a shade cropped and it is significantly smoother in-motion with a marginally higher bitrate than its German counterpart. Now, I do like the darker look of the Pretty Gold but, in comparison, the stretching is more noticeable now and, a bit, distracting.

NOTE: Unfortunately, it is not offered in current Barnes and Noble's current 50% OFF sale , but there is a pre-order discount (30%) at Amazon.

ADDITION: Pretty Gold - Region FREE - Blu-ray (August 14'): I don't know too much about "Pretty Gold Productions" (aka 'Intergroove') - we also reviewed their Pretty Poison Blu-ray, and this, also, definitely 1080p / 23.976 fps. It is competent - clean - plenty of grain textures - not as bright as the Criterion and not as dark as the BFI. There is some excessive grain at around the 1-hour mark with a bit of noise - but it was isolated to a minute or so. Contrast has some pleasing layers. DoP Mutz Greenbaum gives a clinic with the shadows in Night and the City. This aspect really benefits from the higher resolution. I liked the video - easily the best presentation of the three. What I noted as exceptionally appealing was the linear PCM audio - this is the US version with the Franz Waxman (Bride of Frankenstein, Rear Window, Sunset Boulevard) score. It sounds magical - Noir nirvana with the dramatic orchestrations. There are no subtitles but an optional German DUB and the disc is bare-bones with no supplements. It is region FREE! For me - this is irresistible; Richard Widmark, Gene Tierney, a 'dark cinema' mainstay and in 1080P? Easy decision.

ADDITION: BFI - Region - 2 - PAL (October 07'): Firstly, it was hoped that this would be the British version of the film but I understand the rights for that are tied up somewhere. It would have made a poignant companion to the Criterion US version. Both of these DVDs are the US version.

Surprisingly I feel the BFI dual-layered progressive image has a superior image (and feel) than the Criterion from 2005. This is only my opinion but I prefer the generally darker and sharper PAL edition in terms of image. Now it does exhibit more digital noise than the Criterion but I guess I am willing to acquiesce to that to see the DVD transfer that supports dark feel of the film more astutely (again my opinion). The BFI bitrate is higher.