Arrow Video

Region 0 - PAL

Region 1 - NTSC

1.77:1 Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.33 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.9 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.77:1 Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.21 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 4.92 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.

Arrow Video (Disc 1 - Widescreen Version)

Arrow Video (Disc 1 - Fullscreen Edition)

Arrow Video (Disc 2 - Italian Version)

LionsGate

English Dolby Digital 5.1; English Dolby Digital stereo

Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 mono

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.77:1

Edition Details:
• DISC ONE:
• Audio Commentary by George A. Romero, Richard Rubinstein, Michael Gornick, Donald Rubinstein, and Tom Savini

DVD Release Date: 21 June 2010
Amaray

Chapters 12

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• DISC ONE:
• Audio Commentary by George A. Romero, Richard Rubinstein, Michael Gornick, Donald Rubinstein, and Tom Savini
 

Chapters 12

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.77:1

Edition Details:
• DISC TWO:
• Making Martin: A Recounting (4:3; 9:29)
• Documentary on George A. Romero (4:3; 23:30; in German with English subtitles)
• TV Spot (4:3; 0:32)
• Radio Spot 1
• Radio Spot 2
• U.S. Trailer (4:3; 2:32)
• Photo Gallery
• Four sleeve art options
• Double-sided poster
• Collector's Booklet
• Six Poster Art Postcards
 

Chapters 8

Chapters 16

The 16:9 version on disc 1 of the Arrow set appears to be the same HD-mastered edition released by LionsGate in the US and Arrow in the UK a couple years ago with the same 5.1 and stereo downmix track and the director, producer, cinematographer, composer, make-up artist track that accompanied that version (Arrow also released a fullscreen version prior to that). The OOP Anchor Bay R1 release included a different track with George Romero, Tom Savini, and actor John Amplas. The 16:9 framing is ruinous throughout, cutting off hairlines as well as mouths in close ups. A 1.66:1 aspect ratio would have been better. Fortunately, Arrow has also included a 4:3 version on the same disc. Neither version looks great but the same can be said of every other DVD release of the film (both the HD-mastered source and the older SD master sport degrees of edge enhancement).

On Arrow's disc the 5.1 track is out of sync on the fullscreen version during Martin's attack on a woman and her lover in her home but the 2.0 track is in sync. Sync on the 5.1 resumes after the murders (the 5.1 track is in sync on the 16:9 version).

The Italian cut of the film is reconstructed using the 16:9 master so the framing is just as ruinous but the Italian 2.0 mono sound is clear and English subtitles are provided (since the Goblin score is the primary reason for the inclusion of this version, there was no point in synchronizing the English track to this shorter version). The image is interlaced (unlike the English versions on disc 1). There seem to be some differences in the dialogue between the English and Italian versions. In the English version he says "first I will save your soul, and then I will destroy you" whereas in the Italian version he says "I will save your soul. If not, I will destroy you." It is certainly a worthwhile extra for Goblin and Romero fans even if the fantastic prog-rock score doesn't really fit the mood of the film. The editing of this version is bizarre with the opening train murder placed later on as a flashback, continuous scenes split apart and used in different parts of the film, etc. Perhaps the effect is not quite as jarring to viewers not familiar with the original version. That said, the subtitled Italian dialogue lends more of a gothic horror feel (though at the expense of the original performances and little character bits los tto trimming).

Extras consist of the aforementioned commentary track, a short documentary on the film (ported over from the LionsGate edition), an English-subtitled German language documentary on Romero featuring behind the scenes footage from MARTIN and DAWN OF THE DEAD), the US trailer, TV spot and radio spots.

 - Eric Cotenas