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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Il Cartaio" )

 

directed by Dario Argento
Italy 2004

 

One day, Detective Anna Mari (Stefania Rocca) receives an email challenging her to a video poker game. The stakes: the life of a British tourist who disappeared the day before. If she doesn't play or if she loses, her opponent will kill the victim. Her superiors order her not to play and soon they're fishing the tourist's body out of a lake. Just as Anna and British detective John Brennan (Liam Cunningham) start investigating on their own, the killer challenges Anna to another game with another victim and soon there's another body. The police procure the services of Remo (Silvio Muccino) a young video poker whiz when the chief's daughter Lucia (Fiore Argento, older sister of Asia Argento) becomes the stakes for the next game. One of Argento's more accessible films of lat, THE CARD PLAYER got mixed reviews at the time of its release. Some were of the opinion that it lacked character and seemed like a bland feature-length post-CSI television pilot (lots of crime scene business and attempts at black humor like a singing/dancing morgue tech). Rushed into production after Cecchi Gori's bankruptcy problems put another Argento script on the back burner, THE CARD PLAYER is very mainstream Argento with a shaky plot (that gives away the killer so clumsily - "I know everything about you!" - and so early on that it must be intentional). Benoit Debie's cinematography is always interesting with street lamps of night scenes giving the settings a golden hue and Claudio Simonetti's techno score nicely accompanies the action (although it is probably the least interesting on its own as a soundtrack CD). Sergio Stivaletti's corpses are less interesting but the CGI effects are more deftly applied than in his previous collaborations with Argento. Despite absurdities, it moves on at a nice clip and Argento still has some style to burn.

Eric Cotenas

Posters

Theatrical Release: 2 January 2004 (Italy)

Reviews      More Reviews      DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Arrow Entertainment (Arrow 2010 edition) - Region 0 - PAL vs. Hollywood Classic Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL vs. Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for all the Screen Caps!

1) Arrow Entertainment (Arrow 2010 edition) - Region 0 - PAL - LEFT

2) Hollywood Classic Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT

 
DVD Box Covers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Distribution

Arrow Entertainment

Region 0 - PAL

 Hollywood Classic Entertainment
Region 2 - PAL		 Anchor Bay Entertainment
Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime 1:39:18 (4% PAL speedup) 1:39:21 (4% PAL speedup) 1:43:42
Video

1.84:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.95 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 7.39 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.83:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 7.3 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:

Arrow Entertainment (Arrow 2010 edition)

 

Bitrate:

 

Hollywood Classic Entertainment

 

Bitrate:

 

Anchor Bay Entertainment

 

Audio English Dolby Digital 5.1; English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo; Italian Dolby Digital 5.1

English DTS 5.1; English Dolby Digital 5.1; Czech Dolby Digital 5.1 (overdub)

English Dolby Digital 5.1; English Dolby Digital 2.0 surround
Subtitles none Czech, none none (English Closed Captioning available)
Features Release Information:
Studio: Arrow Entertainment

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.84:1

Edition Details:
• THE CARD PLAYER Promo (4:3; 9:13; in Italian with English subtitles)
• Making THE CARD PLAYER (4:3; 5:20; in Italian with English subtitles)
• Theatrical Trailer (16:9; 2:06)
• Dario Argento Trailer Reel (16:9; 39:27)
• Reversible Cover Art
• Liner Notes Booklet by Alan Jones
• Full Size New Poster Art Insert

DVD Release Date: 22 March 2010
Amaray

Chapters 12

Release Information:
Studio: Hollywood Classic Entertainment

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• THE CARD PLAYER PROMO (4:3; 9:12)
• Photo Gallery
• Trailer for BEYOND REANIMATOR (4:3; 2:12)
 

DVD Release Date:
Amaray

Chapters 12

Release Information:
Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.83:1

Edition Details:
• Audio Commentary by Alan Jones
• PLAYING WITH DEATH interview with Dario Argento (16:9; 13:09; in Italian with English subtitles)
• MAESTRO OF FEAR interview with Claudio Simonetti (16:9; 16:57; in Italian with English subtitles)
• Theatrical Trailer (16:9; 2:08)
• THE CARD PLAYER Promo (4:3; 9:12; in Italian with English subtitles)
• Making THE CARD PLAYER (4:3; 5:25; in Italian with English subtitles)
• Dario Argento Biography
• Trailers for SUSPIRIA, OPERA, TRAUMA, DEEP RED, and DAY OF THE DEAD
• Insert booklet with translated Argento interview from La Repubblica
 

DVD Release Date: 23 August 2005
Amaray

Chapters 16

 

Comments

Arrow's new DVD adds an Italian 5.1 track to the English 5.1 and 2.0 stereo tracks originally included on Arrow's previous 2004 release. Regrettably, English subtitles are not included for the Italian track (although the English track features the voices of Stefania Rocca and Liam Cunningham in addition to a couple supporting cast members). In addition to the two featurettes (a promo and making-of), the trailer and a 39 minute Dario Argento Trailer Reel round out the extras.

A large reproduction of the newly commissioned poster art is included along with the booklet of liner notes. Anchor Bay's disc leads with the extras (including a commentary by Alan Jones who authored the booklet included with the Arrow disc as well as two new interviews in addition to the aforementioned promo and behind the scenes featurettes) but, while it lacks PAL speedup, the image is unfortunately interlaced. The Czech Hollywood Classic DVD wins audio-wise with the full bitrate DTS English track but may be hard to find now. A barebones HK disc is also listed as including DTS 6.1 and Dolby 5.1 EX tracks.

NOTE: From Arrow: "It has been brought to the attention of Arrow Video that incorrectly manufactured stock of The Stendhal Syndrome and The Card Player has been released onto the market. The one fault on both discs is the absence of English subtitles. This will not affect the enjoyment of fans who prefer the English dubs and otherwise the discs are as intended but for those of you who like to select the Italian tracks and don't have a grasp of the language you may find the English subtitles beneficial!

 

This is of course extremely annoying and Arrow Video would like to offer their apologies to all fans for the inconvenience this may cause.

 

If you don't need English subtitles your disc is fine but for those of you who are affected please hang onto the DVD packaging and poster and booklet inserts and post the DISC ONLY back to:

 

Arrow Video Returns

Orchard Villa

Porters Park Drive

Shenley

Herts

WD7 9DS

 

Arrow Video will mail back to you a correct replacement disc plus a bonus DVD to apologise for the inconvenience. Please ensure that you enclose a copy of your full name, address and postcode.

 

Please send any queries to - returns@arrowfilms.co.uk

 

New procedures are now being put in place to try to ensure there's not a repeat of this! "

 

 - Eric Cotenas

 


DVD Menus
 

1) Arrow Entertainment (Arrow 2010 edition) - Region 0 - PAL - LEFT

2) Hollywood Classic Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT

 

 

 

 

Screen Captures

 

1) Arrow Entertainment (Arrow 2010 edition) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP

2) Hollywood Classic Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Arrow Entertainment (Arrow 2010 edition) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP

2) Hollywood Classic Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Arrow Entertainment (Arrow 2010 edition) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP

2) Hollywood Classic Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Arrow Entertainment (Arrow 2010 edition) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP

2) Hollywood Classic Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Arrow Entertainment (Arrow 2010 edition) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP

2) Hollywood Classic Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Arrow Entertainment (Arrow 2010 edition) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP

2) Hollywood Classic Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Arrow Entertainment (Arrow 2010 edition) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP

2) Hollywood Classic Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM

 

 

 

 

Report Card:

 

Image:

Draw (Arrow/Hollywood Classic)

Sound:

Holllywood Classic
Extras: Anchor Bay
Menu: Draw (Arrow/Hollywood Classic)

 
DVD Box Covers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Distribution

Arrow Entertainment

Region 0 - PAL

 Hollywood Classic Entertainment
Region 2 - PAL		 Anchor Bay Entertainment
Region 1 - NTSC


 

 



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