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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka "Más allá de la duda" )
USA 1956
| Crusading publisher Austin Spenser (Sidney Blackmer) wants to prove a point about the insufficiency of circumstantial evidence. Spencer talks his prospective son-in-law Tom Garrett (Dana Andrews) into participating in a hoax, the better to expose the alleged ineptitude of conviction-happy DA (Philip Bourneuf). Tom will plant clues indicating that he is the murderer of a nightclub dancer, then stand trial for murder; just as the jury reaches its inevitable guilty verdict, Spencer will step forth to reveal the set-up and humiliate the DA. Somewhat surprisingly, Tom eagerly agrees to this subterfuge. Unfortunately, an unforeseen event renders their perfectly formed scheme useless. Beyond a Reasonable Doubt was the last American film of director Fritz Lang. |
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Theatrical Release: September 5th, 1956
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Warner (Spain) - Region 0 - PAL vs. Warner Archive Collection - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray
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1) Warner (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT 2) Warner Archive - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT |
Thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Warner Archive DVD captures!
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| Distribution |
Warner (Spain) Region 0 - PAL |
Warner Home Video Region 0 - NTSC |
Warner Archive Region FREE - Blu-ray |
| Runtime | 1:20:06 | 1:20:18 | 1:20:25.695 |
| Video |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
1.97:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
2.0:1 Disc Size: 24,540,183,627 bytes Feature Size: 23,447,740,416 bytes Total Bitrate: 34.99 MbpsSingle -layered Blu-ray MPEG4 - AVC |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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| Audio | Dolby Digital 1.0 (English or Spanish DUB) | Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (English) |
DTS-HD Master Audio
English 1801 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1801 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) |
| Subtitles | Spanish, None | None | English, None |
| Features |
Release Information: Studio: Warner Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 10 |
Release Information: Studio: Warner Home Video Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 25 |
Release
Information: Studio: Warner Archive
2.0:1 Disc Size: 24,540,183,627 bytes Feature Size: 23,447,740,416 bytes Total Bitrate: 34.99 MbpsSingle -layered Blu-ray MPEG4 - AVC
Edition Details: • Trailer (2:43)Blu-ray Release Date: March 13th, 2018Standard Blu-ray case Chapters: 13
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| Comments |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Warner Archive - Region FREE- Blu-ray - April 18': This Fritz Lang Noir is on another bare-bones release from Warner. Like While the City Sleeps, it remains in the 2.0:1 Superscope aspect ratio (labeled in the trailer as 'RKO-Scope') and also seems to show some inconsistencies. The 1080P shows grain but also some potential background artifacts or noise and it can be soft at certain times - while in others is tighter showing depth.
DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel mono for the audio (24-bit) and the more subtle orchestral score is by Herschel Burke Gilbert (While the City Sleeps, Witness to Murder, Riot in Cell Block 11, The Thief) and it has a pleasing tightness via the lossless. The presentation offers optional yellow, SHOUTING, English, subtitles (see sample below) and the Blu-ray disc is Region FREE. Only a trailer when this is another dark cinema mainstay that deserves at least a commentary if not visual essays or more being Lang's last US-made film. It's a delightful Noir but the HD underwhelms without some supplements. This Blu-ray release is 'it', for now, and the film remains a desirable part of any 'dark cinema' aficionado's digital library. *** ADDITION: Warner Archive - June 11': The Warner Archive is widescreen (close to SuperScope ratio) and is progressive and anamorphic, but single-layered - perhaps a tad softer and brighter. There is a letterboxed, not anamorphic trailer provided as extra. With the incorrect ratio and ghosting of the full-frame Spanish disc, we recommend the Warner Archive DVD to those who want to see Beyond a Reasonable Doubt via digital. ***
Firstly, IMDb lists this film as having a theatrical aspect ratio of 2.00:1 (SuperScope). This is similar to Lang's previous film (made a few months earlier), While the City Sleeps. Regarding that DVD production Exposure out of the UK made the case stating that they 'preserved the aspect ratio as shot by Lang and the compromised theatrical exhibition ratio was a concession to the 'trend' for Scope pictures.' I don't know if the same argument can hold as much water here but the composition in 1.33 doesn't look right to me. There are inordinate gaps and spaces all over the 'full' frame. Anyway, it's a fairly weak single-layered transfer looking like it may have been taken from an analog source. It appears to be progressive but from an unconverted NTSC master (hence the correct 80-minute running time) - however, the disc is in the PAL standard (see 'ghosting' in the last capture.) Contrast is muddy, there are a lot of digital artefacts and nothing is very detailed. The best I can say is that it is watchable - but certainly nothing beyond that.
The mono sound has audible dialogue but about as unremarkable as the image. There is a Spanish DUB and optional Spanish subtitles. With my remote I could watch with original English and no subtitles. There are no extras - not even a trailer. Obviously, I am disappointed that this isn't a better package but I am also not surprised - coming out of Spain - that this is so weak as we see similar quite often. Lang's last American film has a solid concept but doesn't seem long enough to establish anything concrete that the viewer can hang on to. The courtroom drama could have been more in-depth (my complaint about the remake). It is still better than that 2009 film with Michael Douglas though - reviewed HERE. I have wanted to see this Fritz Lang film for a long while and this Spanish DVD gave me that opportunity - that is it's only positive. Let's just hope it comes out 'properly' in widescreen, dual-layered, no heavy artifacting, with extras - sooner rather than later. Compared to this - the only available DVD edition - I'd be happier if it was even released via the Warner Archive. |
DVD Menus
Warner (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL LEFT vs. Warner Archive - Region 0 - NTSC
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Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray
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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Subtitle Sample Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray
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1) Warner (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP 2) Warner Archive - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Warner (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP 2) Warner Archive - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Warner (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP 2) Warner Archive - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Warner (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP 2) Warner Archive - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Warner (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP 2) Warner Archive - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Warner (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP 2) Warner Archive - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Warner (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP 2) Warner Archive - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Warner (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP 2) Warner Archive - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Warner (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP 2) Warner Archive - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Warner (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP 2) Warner Archive - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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Combing/Ghosting from Unconverted NTSC source on Warner (Spain)
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More Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray Captures
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| Box Covers |
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| Distribution |
Warner (Spain) Region 0 - PAL |
Warner Home Video Region 0 - NTSC |
Warner Archive Region FREE - Blu-ray |
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