ADDITION: (July 2018) Second Sight - Region 'B' - Blu-ray: Second Sight Films have brought Rainer Werner Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz to Blu-ray. The iconic TV mini-series - a 15-1/2 hour episodic exploration of the character of Franz BiberkopfIt is on 5, dual-layered Blu-rays with the the 13 segments spread over 4 Blu-rays and a fifth containing the supplements. This is the same situation as Krzysztof Kieslowski's Dekalog and how Arrow transferred it, accurately, in how it was broadcast in its premiere on television - in PAL. So the 1080i transfer is not interlaced (combing) - it was done with the correct forethought of replicating the presentation as it was seen when it was initially shown - and that is on TV in the PAL (25 fps) standard. The 16mm derived image looks solid in the HD format showing even more information in the frame than the Criterion SD, contrast has a more layered appearance and the rich grain textures are impressively prevalent. Detail rises and the colors gain some depth, flesh tones normalize and cool - losing the orange hue of the SDs. It appears to look as good as this modest technical-production can on digital video.

The audio is transferred via a linear PCM (mono) track in the original German language. Effects aren't demonstrative and the series is enhanced by the subtle score by Peer Raben (Fassbinder's Despair, Tenderness of the Wolves, The Marriage of Maria Braun, In a Year with 13 Moons). Liker the video, the audio is at the mercy of the production limitations but does sound clean and consistent with audible dialogue throughout.  Like Second Sight's DVD set, there are, unfortunately, non-removable English subtitles (not burned-in) - see samples - and my Oppo has identified the five discs in the set being region 'B'-locked Blu-rays.

Second Sight add new extras - all on the fifth Blu-ray, but also repeat the ones previously on DVD including the 45-minute Making of Berlin Alexanderplatz (in German with English subs), the 1-hour 4-minutes Berlin Alexanderplatz - a Meg Movie and Its Story (also in German with English subs), the 1/2 hour Notes About The Restoration along with The Restoration - Before and After with split-screen examples. Also includes are the 4-minutes of 'The Original Recaps' that started each new episode on TV plus a 2007 trailer. What is new on the final Blu-ray disc are the acclaimed 2015 feature length documentary, 'Fassbinder: Love Without Demands’, by Christian Braad Thomsen. As described on IMDb: Thomsen presents previously unseen interview footage recorded with Fassbinder throughout their fifteen-year friendship, which spans exactly the length of his career - their first encounter was at the Berlinale in 1969 where Fassbinder's debut was famously booed (you can hear the cries of "Awful!" and "Shame!" on the archive footage), and their last was just three weeks before his untimely death. It's very interesting for fans of the director. There is also an excellent 3/4 appreciation by writer and critic Tony Rayns discussing intricacies of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz. Lastly is Daniel Bird's visuals essay; Fassbinder's Phantasmagoria - that runs over 6-minutes. Excellent. Included is a 60 page perfect bound booklet featuring new essay by Cahiers Du Cinema’s Stephane du Mesnildot and archive material by Wim Wenders, Thomas Elsasser and Christian Braad Thomsen and this Blu-ray package is limited to only 2000 copies.

Berlin Alexanderplatz is so unique, unforgettable and impacting. The director's Magnum Opus gets a very fan-satisfying Blu-ray set. The PAL standard is important and the new extras;  Christian Braad Thomsen's documentary, Bird's visual enlightening essay, 3/4 of an hour of Tony Rayns and the extensive book make this one of the best packages of the year. It is very strongly recommended! 

  - Gary Tooze

ON THE DVDs: This colossal task of comparing the image quality (color, detail, contrast etc.) of 7 disc vs. 6, did not yield significant results. As the captures below will bear out - the restored image on both dual-layered DVD(s) editions looks almost exactly the same. This is a positive in one respect as each edition supports the other for accuracy. There appears to be no heavy digital manipulation to further enhance the appearance... in either release. Criterion may have some minor black/red boosting. I will list below the most important differences that I noted:

1) The Criterion is coded for region 1 in the NTSC standard. The Second Sight is coded for region 2 in the PAL standard. Both are progressive. Shot on 16mm - 25fps cameras - the Criterion NTSC is sped down 4% (slower), like "28 Days Later" (Thanks ManicSounds!) - see Criterion blog HERE (Thanks Jason!).

2) The Criterion transfer is pictureboxed (see our full description of 'pictureboxing' in our Kind Hearts and Coronets review). NOTE The Criterion captures below have been put in their own table to show the amount of pictureboxing (black bars circumventing the edge). Where this may benefit systems that produce overscan (ex. production cathode ray tubes) - it detracts from systems that do not requite it (ex. HTPC).

NOTE: '...And why has Criterion picture-boxed this TV film. Every professional DP has taken the overscan into account, because every TV set it was broadcasted in (at the time) had overscan.' (Thanks Per-Olaf!)

3) Criterion has the feature film over 6 discs with a 7th included solely for supplements, while the Second Sight has 6 discs for the feature and the supplements (final chapter, epilogue and extras all on the last disc). This will benefit the compression on the Criterion and I noticed digital artifacts being less visible on the NTSC edition - but not significantly so.

4) Framing - the Criterion shows minutely more information on all 4 edges - most notably the sides - but the amount appears negligible.

5) The Criterion has removable English subtitles where on the Second Sight I cannot find a way to eradicate them from the screen. (NOTE: I don't believe they are burned-in but they cannot be removed on any of my systems). Subtitles seem similarly well translated in both editions.

6) Package - the Criterion has some very nice artwork on a 4-teired digipak with 3 overlapping disc compartments where the Second Sight has 2 X 3-teired digipaks (single disc compartments). Both are housed in a large box - the Criterion includes an 80-page book. See images above.

7) Extras (see below) 

The image seems faithfully dark and grainy on both. I've tried to include many samples below for contrast and color - both seem similar if not exact. Both are fairly clean with no distracting damage marks. We conclude that both represent the restoration extremely well on SD DVD. Like Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut - the intensely heavy grain adds a thick prominent texture to the image.

Audio - My notes show no issues with the mono audio which sounds duplicated quality-wise - no noted pops, dropouts or hiss either. If I was forced to lean one way - I'll say Criterion may be marginally more consistent.

Supplements: This may be more of a significant division than the image for most people although two featurettes are duplicated. Both editions share Hans-Dieter Hartl's 45 minute, 4:3, 1980 Behind-the Scenes documentary entitled Notes on the Making of "Berlin Alexanderplatz" - it is in German with English subtitles. This is a valuable record of Fassbinder's working methods featuring interviews with cast and crew. Also on both is Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz - Notes About The Restoration - anamorphic - 30 minutes in German with English subtitles. In this director Juliane Lorenz talks with director of photography Xaver Schwarzenberger. Also on both is Berlin Alexanderplatz - a Mega Movie and Its Story is an hour long anamorphic (but interlaced on the Second Sight - progressive on the Criterion - on disc 6) documentary. It is in German with English subtitles and has input from many sources.

Criterion includes Phil Jutzi's 1931, ninety-minute film of Alfred Döblin’s novel, from a screenplay co-written by Döblin himself  - in German with English subtitles - it's in rough shape but watchable. There is a new video 25 minute interview with the very insightful Peter Jelavich, author of Berlin Alexanderplatz: Radio, Film, and the Death of Weimar Culture. It is anamorphic and in English. Finally the Criterion has a 70-page booklet with color photos, a listing of cast and credits, a 22-page essay by Tom Tykwer, a 12-page essay by Fassbinder entitles The Cities of Humanity and The Human Soul: Some Unorganized Thoughts on Alfred Doblin's novel Berlin Alexanderplatz., another essy (8-pages) by Thomas Steinfeld "You've No Right To exist, You Shall Not Be: On Alfred Doblin and his novel Berlin Alexanderplatz. Also included is Black and White in Color: A Conversation With Director of Photography Xaver Schwarzenberger - 10 pages.

The Second Sight have some unique supplements as well - the 7 minute The Restoration - Before and After 4:3 segment giving some great insight in the form of spilt screen samples as to how the re-mastered improved upon the previous un-restored version. There is also a poorly done, filler, photo gallery, The Original Recaps (4:18 of deleted scenes from the film in German with English subs), a credit listing of the restoration crew and the 2007 trailer.

Price: $81.99 US for the Second Sight after conversion - $87.49 US for the Criterion (at the time of this writing - this does not include shipping or Amazon.UK deduction for foreign order Value Added Tax - a 17% discount!).

Choice: Pick'em - dependant on issues stated above. With Criterion's 80-page liner notes booklet - supplements lean the package in their favor.

In no way could I convey the film experience in two or three sentences (not matter how many adjectives I 'stuff in'). Words like 'impacting', 'memorable' seem somehow understating my viewing(s). 'Life-altering'... or how about 'gimungous' as more appropriate terms. This will be a frontrunner in DVD of the Year 2007 balloting for both the film as well as the transfer/supplements - no matter which edition you end up buying. An essential purchase for cinephile and casual film fan alike - this is a towering monument to late 20th Century filmmaking and considered the director's Magnum Opus.   

Gary W. Tooze