ArrowDrome

Region 0 - NTSC

1.71:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.26 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

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

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1718 kbps 1.0 / 96 kHz / 1718 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentaries:

Dolby Digital Audio English 128 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 128 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio English 128 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 128 kbps / DN -4dB

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1.71:1

Edition Details:
• Audio Commentary by director Jamaa Fanaka
• Theatrical Trailer (4:3; 4:13)
• Bonus Featuret: PENITENTIARY II (see below)
• Trailer for PENITENTIARY II (4:3; 2:29)
• Liner Notes Booklet by Calum Waddell
• Reversible Cover

DVD Release Date: February 13th 2012
Amaray

Chapters 12

ADDITION: Vinegar Syndrome - Region FREE - Blu-ray (February 2018): Vinegar Syndrome's new Blu-ray is advertised as 'newly scanned and restored in 4k from the 35mm original camera negative'. The image quality towers above the 2012 DVD looking far sharper, less damage and more information in the frame. Colors are deeper and richer and the 4K is a dramatic bump in video quality.

Vinegar Syndrome transfer the audio in a faithful linear PCM mono track (24-bit) and it sounds, imperfectly, akin to its production roots with a tinnyness in the high end but dialogue is always clear. The score is credited to William Anderson, Andre Douglas and Frankie Gaye and is of the era. English SDH subtitles are also provided on the Region FREE Blu-ray disc.

Presented is an archival commentary track with writer / producer / director, Jamaa Fanaka (previously available on the Xenon DVD release.) Fanaka was one of the leading directors of the L.A. Rebellion film movement and his commentary here is filled with interesting tidbits. He clearly has a good sense of humor and this is a great listen, though listeners should be warned that there are multiple moments of dead air. Vinegar Syndrome also provide a commentary track with Sergio Mims (second assistant director) Mims' track is a great listen for fans of the film. He has many fond memories of this film, though he does mention his displeasure at having his last name misspelled in the final credits (Mimms.) Mims, like the rest of us, is blown away at the new 4k transfer of the film. He is able to provide some history as to the ‘L.A. Rebellion Film Movement’ as well. "Too Sweet for Penitentiary" is a long and detailed interview with Leon Isaac Kennedy (star of the Penitentiary trilogy, as well as many other Action films) Kennedy spends a fair amount of time reminiscing about the great bond he shared with director Jamaa Fanaka. Clocking in around 21 minutes is "Filming Penitentiary" an interview with Marty Ollstein. The cinematographer discusses how he came to be a part of the production. Ollstein talks about the various challenges present when shooting in a jail. "Producing Penitentiary" is an interview with producer, Alicia Dhanifu (who also acted in the film, New Years Evil) Dhanifu also spends time during her half-hour talk, discussing how she came to be a part of the production and recalls her time working on the film. Vinegar syndrome has also provided the original theatrical trailer which runs over four minutes. There is a second disc DVD of the feature.

Vinegar Syndrome time and time again prove themselves to be a valuable curator of exploitation cinema, giving beautiful transfers (in this case, 4k) to often overlooked or forgotten films. Though this film was a success and is considered an important milestone in black cinema, it is still nice to see it treated with such respect. The extras alone make this a worthy purchase, let alone the gorgeous transfer. I eagerly await the releases of the following films of the Penitentiary trilogy on Blu-ray.
 

***

ON THE DVD: ArrowDrome have utilized the interlaced, non-anamorphic widescreen NTSC master that Xenon Video created for their US DVD. The feature is accompanied by an intermittent but interesting audio commentary by the director, who made the film while he was still a student at UCLA and was reluctant to graduate since his student status afforded him free equipment, locations (the UCLA cinema department buildings and exteriors were used for certain scenes), and grants (the film was funded by AFI, the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, UCLA's own student grant program, and Fanaka's parents). This commentary was ported over from the US DVD; however, the sequel's commentary has not been ported over (although the sequel features two audio tracks here which appear to be the same). The sequel also utilizes Xenon's interlaced, non-anamorphic, widescreen master.

  - Eric Cotenas

ArrowDrome

Region 0 - NTSC

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ArrowDrome

Region 0 - NTSC