The Verdict Blu-ray - Paul Newman

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

directed by Sidney Lumet
USA 1982

Nominated for five Academy Awardsr including Best Picture, Best director and Best Actor, The Verdict is 'stirring, entertaining cinema' (Us). This Blu-Ray release is packed with compelling special features including on-camera interviews with Oscarr winner Paul Newman* and legendary director Sidney Lumet and is the perfect way to experience 'one of the finest courtroom movies ever made' (New York). Frank Galvin (Newman) is a boozy washed-up attorney with a losing streak a mile long. so when he's handed a lucrative out-of-court settlement, everyone expects him to take the money and run. But Frank is tired of running. In a desperate bid to reclaim his self-respect, he recklessly brings the case to court - only to discover that if finding the whole truth is a little like trial and error, then finding real justice is a lot like trial by fire.

***

Newman as a washed-up lawyer, given one last chance to prove himself with a rather squalid medical malpractice suit. David Mamet has delivered a fast-paced, eloquent, and suspenseful screenplay which, like all the best genre movies, plunges its hero so far into the abyss that it seems impossible for him to climb out. And for once Lumet makes story rather than performance his first priority, with the paradoxical result - so familiar in American movies - that the acting sometimes reaches a near-invisible perfection. Admittedly this is a legal Rocky, convincing rather than realistic, witty rather than analytical, but it amounts to a far more effective indictment of the US legal system than ...and justice for all, and is the first courtroom drama in years to recapture the brilliance of the form.

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE

Poster

Theatrical Release: December 8th, 1982

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Comparison:

20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC vs. 20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. 20th Century Fox - Region FREE - Blu-ray

1) 20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT

2) 20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) 20th Century Fox - Region FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Covers
Distribution	20th Century Fox Region 1 - NTSC	20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Spine #31 Region 1 - NTSC	20th Century Fox Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	2:08:48	2:08:48	2:08:58.772
Video	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.97 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.9 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 45,456,320,366 bytes Feature: 39,201,712,128 bytes Video Bitrate: 28.85 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate : 20th Century Fox
Bitrate: 20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Bitrate: Blu-ray
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 2.0), English (Dolby Digital 1.0), DUB: French (Dolby Digital 1.0)	English (Dolby Digital 2.0), English (Dolby Digital 1.0), DUBs: French (Dolby Digital 1.0), Spanish (Dolby Digital 1.0)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 2434 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2434 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 1062 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1062 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit) Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps DTS Audio French 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit DTS-HD Master Audio Spanish 1049 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1049 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit) DTS Audio German 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit DTS-HD Master Audio Italian 1030 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1030 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit) DTS Audio Japanese 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	English, Spanish, None	English, Spanish, None	English, Spanish, French, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish, , Japanese, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: 20th Century Fox Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by: Sidney Lumet and Paul Newman • Making Of Featurette (8:03) • Stills gallery • Original theatrical trailer DVD Release Date: June 4th, 2002 Keep case Chapters 22	Release Information: Studio: 20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by: Sidney Lumet and Paul Newman • Making Of Featurette (8:03) • Featurette: Paul Newman: The Craft of Acting (8:45) • Featurette - Milestones in Cinema History - The Verdict (22:33) • Featurette - Hollywood Backstories - The Verdict (21:52) • Stills gallery • Original theatrical trailer DVD Release Date: June 12th, 2007 Standard Double Keep Case inside cardboard box Chapters 31	Release Information: Studio: 20th Century Fox Aspect Ratio:- 1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 45,456,320,366 bytes Feature: 39,201,712,128 bytes Video Bitrate: 28.85 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Commentary by: Sidney Lumet and Paul Newman • Making Of Featurette (8:15) • Featurette: Paul Newman: The Craft of Acting (8:44) • Sidney Lumet: The Craft of Directing (10:47) • Featurette - Milestones in Cinema History - The Verdict (23:14) • Featurette - Hollywood Backstories - The Verdict (22:09) • Original theatrical trailer (2:16) Blu-ray Release Date: May 7th, 2013 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 32

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Fox - Region FREE - Blu-ray (April 2013): This is a pretty big step forward. The 1080P resolution looks marvelous. You can see the rise in detail from the captures below. It follows the color scheme of the CE but contrast is significantly layered producing some impressive sharpness and depth in the visuals. The clarity shows distinct improvement. There is also a fine layer of grain texture and this 1.85:1 aspect ratio presentation looks wonderful in HD.

We get a DTS-HD Master in 5.1 surround at 2434 kbps that more than fits the bill in terms of handling the film's sound requirements. Almost exclusively dialogue driven The Verdict still has moments of moody bass via Johnny Mandel's (Deathtrap, M*A*S*H, That Cold Day in the Park, Heaven with a Gun etc.) subtle score. There are multiple foreign language DUBs and subtitle options signifying the disc as Region FREE.

Extras keep almost all from the CE including the commentary and supplements video pieces but lose the Stills Gallery and add an eleven minute Sidney Lumet: The Craft of Directing piece that has the director and others discussing his style.

I constantly forget what a masterfully made film this is - until, of course, I simply watch it again. I was marveling at the Blu-ray for both a/v and the beautifully realized cinema that it is. Magnificent performances, script, pace - a clinic in how to make a near perfect film. We can fully endorse and strongly recommend the Blu-ray!

***

ON THE DVDs: The new Collector's Edition is much improved, in every area, over Fox's original 2002 release. Image quality, although having occasional tendency to reddish skin tones, is significantly sharper, far better compression, raised detail, and less speckles. Frankly it is a dramatic improvement and looks as good as I would assume an HD edition of this film might. Subtitles options are the same but the CE has added a Spanish DUB to the original edition choices.

The supplements have likewise improved - the same excellent Lumet/Newman commentary is re-issued as is the 8 minute making of featurette and Stills gallery. But on top of that the new 2-disc DVD set includes three featurettes not available on the original - they are all directly related to The Verdict and together run almost an hour. Newman, Lumet and others discuss performances, production history and other pertinent details sometimes touched upon in the commentary - ex. Redford and Hoffman pursuing Newman's role of Frank Galvin.

I love this film - a great cast with a redemptive aura about it - yet wholly realistic about the monetary pitfalls of the justice system. I'm glad it was treated well in this new Collector's Edition. Very much recommended!

Gary W. Tooze

Menus

(20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. 20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)

20th Century Fox - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Extras

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Screen Captures

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Subtitle Sample: Not exact frame

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2) 20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE

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2) 20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) 20th Century Fox - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) 20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) 20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) 20th Century Fox - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) 20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) 20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) 20th Century Fox - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) 20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) 20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) 20th Century Fox - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) 20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) 20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) 20th Century Fox - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

More Blu-ray captures

Box Covers

Distribution
20th Century Fox

Region 1 - NTSC

20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Spine #31

Region 1 - NTSC

20th Century Fox

Region 'A' - Blu-ray