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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
directed
by Brian De Palma
USA 1984
De Palma's sleazfest (which I loved in my early twenties) is debatable whether it is an homage to the Master, or downright theft. Combining elements of both of Hitchcock's classic films Vertigo and Rear Window - it drums in a modern voyeur-complex with liberal doses of nudity, violence and sexuality to keep our attentions off the weak performances.
Jake (Craig Wasson) comes home to find his girlfriend with another man and has to find a new place. In between his acting workshops and his job in a vampire B-movie, he scans the paper looking for anything. He happens to meet a fellow actor, Sam (Gregg Henry) who needs a house sitter for a palatial pleasure-dome. Both are pleased with the arrangement that will have Jake staying in the house and for a sweetener, he is shown the 'favorite neighbor', a knockout who performs a self-absorbed foreplay ritual each night with the drapes wide open. Jake gets obsessed and becomes suspect one in her (Deborah Shelton) violent murder - with him as the only witness, spying through his telescope.
With attacks from dogs to power drills and investigations into the world of pornography - there isn't much exploitation De Palma leaves out. The absurdist plot can be enjoyed if not taken too seriously. Sophomoric fantasies aside, it has a modicum of intelligence, but lets just not get carried away with accolades on this one - cheap thrills are its strongest suit. |
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Theatrical Release: October 26th, 1984
Indicator (Powerhouse) initial slate of Blu-rays | |||||
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Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Columbia - Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC vs. Resen - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Carlotta - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Indicator (UK) - Region FREE - Blu-ray |
1) Columbia - Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP LEFT2) Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC - TOP RIGHT 3) Resen - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM LEFT 4) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM SECOND 5) Carlotta Region FREE - Blu-rays - BOTTOM THIRD 6) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM RIGHT
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Box Covers |
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Distribution |
Columbia Tri-Star Region 1 - NTSC |
Sony (Special Edition) Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC |
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It has come to our attention that this is an illegal bootleg and we discourage purchases.
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Resen Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Twilight Time Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Carlotta Films (4K Restoration) Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Indicator- Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Distribution |
Columbia Tri-Star Region 1 - NTSC |
Sony (Special Edition) Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC |
Resen Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Twilight Time Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Carlotta Films (4K Restoration) Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Indicator- Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:54:04 | 1:54:00 | 1:54:11.177 | 1:54:11.177 | 1:54:11.469 | 1:54:11.344 |
Video |
1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
Disc Size: 37,148,613,371 bytes Feature Size: 36,933,537,792 bytes Average Bitrate: 35.99 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video |
Disc Size: 40,258,274,139 bytes Feature Size: 37,936,773,120 bytes Average Bitrate: 35.99 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video |
Disc Size: 39,549,195,152 bytes Feature Size: 38,002,916,736 bytes Average Bitrate: 35.00 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video |
Disc Size: 46,214,435,830 bytes Feature Size: 39,190,121,856 bytes Average Bitrate: 34.78 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate : Columbia |
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Bitrate: Sony (Special Edition) |
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Bitrate: Resen Blu-ray |
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Bitrate: Twilight Time Blu-ray |
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Bitrate: Carlotta Blu-ray |
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Bitrate: Indicator Blu-ray |
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), DUB: French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo) | English (Dolby Digital 5.1 Stereo), DUB: French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo) |
DTS-HD Master Audio English 4030 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4030 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DUBs:
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB |
DTS-HD Master Audio English 4030 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4030 kbps / 24-bit
(DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 1860 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1860 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) |
DTS-HD Master Audio English 3891 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3891 kbps / 24-bit
(DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 2085 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2085 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio French 885 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 885 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit) |
LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit |
Subtitles | English, French, None | English, French, None | English, Spanish, Portuguese, None | English (SDH), None | French, None | English (SDH), None |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Columbia Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
NOTE: Pan and scan version on opposite side Chapters 16 |
Release Information: Studio: Sony (Special Edition) Aspect Ratio:
Edition
Details:
DVD
Release Date: October 3rd, 2006 Chapters 16 |
Release Information: Studio: Resen
1.85:1 aspect ratio Disc Size: 37,148,613,371 bytes Feature Size: 36,933,537,792 bytes Average Bitrate: 35.99 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 6 |
Release Information: Studio: Twilight Time
1.85:1 aspect ratio Disc Size: 40,258,274,139 bytes Feature Size: 37,936,773,120 bytes Average Bitrate: 35.99 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • The
Set-up (16:54) • The Controversy (5:31) • Isolated Score • Julie Kirgo Liner Notes
Chapters 12 |
Release Information: Studio: Carlotta
1.85:1 aspect ratio Disc Size: 39,549,195,152 bytes Feature Size: 38,002,916,736 bytes Average Bitrate: 35.00 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details:
Black Blu-ray Case Chapters 14 |
Release Information: Studio: Indicator Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Disc Size: 46,214,435,830 bytes Feature Size: 39,190,121,856 bytes Average Bitrate: 34.78 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details:
•
Pure Cinema (38:16): extensive
interview with first assistant director Joe Napolitano • Image Gallery • Booklet with new and archival contents (New Essay by Ashley Clark, 'Double Trouble interview with De Palms by Marcia Pally from 1986, Guilty Pleasure by De Palma, 'Body Double' essay - Richard Coombs from 1985) Dual format edition Blu-ray Release Date: October 24th, 2016 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 12 |
Comments |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were obtained directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray (October 2016): The Twilight Time is out-of-print, the new Indicator (Powerhouse Films) out of the UK is 4K restoration (supervised by Grover Crisp) Blu-ray. The improvement I noticed most was in the grain support. I suggest downloading the 3 large captures of Barbara Crampton in orgasmic bliss/surprise. You can see the more consistent and richer grain in her close-up via the 4K restoration. Sweet! It may not be huge for some - it is dependant on your system but we can state that it looks as good as the Carlotta. the Indicator is dual-layered with a max'ed out bitrate and with the 4K restoration can't look better (as proven with the comparison caps to the Carlotta.) Indicator gives the audio option of linear PCM Audio 2.0 channel (24-bit) or a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround at a whopping 4030 kbps (also 24-bit) - duplicating the excellent Twilight Time. You can hear depth in the memorable score by Pino Donaggio (Dressed to Kill, Don't Look Now, Blow Out, Carrie, Raising Cain), adds suspenseful layer to the film experience - plus lets' not forget Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Relax! Indicator add new subtitles (English SDH) and I can confirm that it is indeed a region FREE Blu-ray.
Indicator have all the 4 featurettes (The
Seduction, The Setup, The Mystery and The
Controversy) found on the Twilight Time but add two new; a
7.5-minute Craig Wasson Interview and a 2015
Fiction Factory piece entitled Pure Cinema - described as
38 minutes of first-hand information on the making of Body Double, Brian
De Palma’s cinematic study on voyeurism, eroticism and suspense, as
remembered by the film’s first assistant director, Joe Napolitano. They
include an isolated score track (ala Twilight Time), an original
theatrical trailer and cool image gallery with behind -the-scenes
photos. The package has a liner notes booklet, as well, with new and
archival contents (New essay by Ashley Clark, 'Double Trouble'
interview with De Palma by Marcia Pally (Film Comment, Sept/Oct 1984),
Guilty Pleasure by De Palma (Film Comment, May/June 1987), 'Body
Double' essay - Richard Coombs from 1985 from Monthly Film Bulletin
(Volume 52, So this looks like the definitive - equaling or bettering the existing Blu-rays in every category. 4K restored, lossless audio - old and new extras including the valuable Pure Cinema piece, Wasson interview, liner notes and DVD. The UK BD is limited to 5,000 copies. Our highest recommendation! ***
ADDITION: Carlotta (4K restoration)
Blu-ray
- April 16': Firstly, I had heard enough
of individuals bragging about this wonderful 4K release from Carlotta in
France. When I compared it to the other
Blu-rays - it has no appreciable differences
although it may be slightly superior in-motion.
I also watched them side by side - they are, more-or-less, the same on my 60" system
- colors, detail, marginally superior grain support in 4K.
You may click and compare the large captures toggling between the two -
I see no major differences to speak of although I may be marginally superior
in-motion. The surround audio is equally as robust as the Twilight Time
(via DTS-HD Master), it has only optional French subtitles (and a French
DUB) and is region FREE (despite the box saying 'B'). Its only real extra is the French only
introduction by Samuel Blumenfeld.
***
ADDITION: Twilight Time
Blu-ray
- August 14': Firstly, thanks to Gregory
for letting us obtain the Twilight Time
Blu-ray. Short story - the image and audio are
exactly the same - ditto for the running time to the 1/1000th of a
second and the bitrate (see graphs.) Essentially the Resen transfer is a
direct copy of the out-of-print Twilight Time.
Twilight Time don't have the foreign-language DUBs, but do have an
isolated score option, and only English subtitles. They add a 50-minute
featurette in 4 parts with De Palma discussing the production, the
casting, the film's initial controversy etc. (same as on the 'Special
Edition' DVD) and there are liner notes by Julie Kirgo.
Resen don't have a good reputation, and unless they
were granted them this worldwirde copyright - someone should take them
to task.
***
ADDITION: Resen
Blu-ray
- July 14': Once again, I am coming up, more-or-less, opinion-less. At times this BD looks far superior - more grain, skin tones cool to natural levels - and then other times it looks like it may not be accurate looking very dark and losing some detail in the less-lit sequences and I thought I noted a few artifacts. Actually, it played acceptably in-motion and was fairly consistent. It has some thickness but there is also a bit of depth. It may be a shade horizontally stretched, but I didn't find it intrusive on the presentation. Overall, I believe this is, easily, superior to the SD transfers and the higher resolution is notable for bringing out the film's textures. Audio comes in a very robust DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround at 4030 kbps. I didn't find any of the effects particularly impacting but the score by Pino Donaggio (Dressed to Kill, Don't Look Now, Blow Out, Carrie), almost Herrmann-esque in nature, 'makes' many of the scenes and adds a strong sense to the film experience. This has optional foreign-language DUBs and subtitles options and it region FREE - playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide. The only extra offered is a trailer. So the review is inconclusive - I don't know if this is positively a bootleg. It would seem odd for Resen to also hold the world rights to the film. If it is 'taken' from the Twilight Time - I'd need to obtain a copy of that to verify. And, while I was reasonably positive on the transfer - I don't know if this is theatrically accurate. It seems decent to me - dual-layered and progressive. We will research further. ***
ON THE DVDs: Any improvement in image is almost imperceptible. The SE is minimally brighter and skin tones less red, but it is a stretch to give it any real updating praise. It looks like a duplicate of the release from almost 4 years earlier. The improvement over the older edition is in the audio (a *fake* boost to 5.1) which I only really noticed intensity in a couple of instances... and of, course, the extras - 4 X 15+ minute featurettes with the cast and others discussing the production and other details. I've always had a thing for Melanie (more so for her mom) so I enjoyed her comments - De Palma had some interesting details to add as well. Subtitles are a little brighter and more defined. I wouldn't say this is worth the double-dip unless you are head-over-heels about the film. Pass. |
Menus
(Columbia - Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs.
Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC RIGHT)
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Resen - Region FREE - Blu-ray
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Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray
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Carlotta - Region FREE - Blu-ray
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Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray
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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Screen Captures
1) Columbia - Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP2) Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC - SECOND 3) Region FREE - Blu-rays - THIRD4 ) Carlotta Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
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1)
2) Sony Pictures
(Special Edition) - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC
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SECOND
3)
Region FREE -
Blu-rays
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4
5)
Indicator - Region
FREE
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Blu-ray
BOTTOM
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1) Columbia - Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP2) Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC - SECOND 3) Region FREE - Blu-rays - THIRD4 ) Carlotta Region FREE - Blu-ray - FOURTH5) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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1) Columbia - Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP2) Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC - SECOND 3) Region FREE - Blu-rays - THIRD4 ) Carlotta Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
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1) Columbia - Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP2) Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC - SECOND 3) Region FREE - Blu-rays - THIRD4 ) Carlotta Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
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1) Columbia - Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP2) Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Region FREE - Blu-rays - BOTTOM |
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1) Columbia - Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP2) Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Region FREE - Blu-rays - BOTTOM |
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1) Columbia - Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP2) Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Region FREE - Blu-rays - BOTTOM |
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1) Columbia - Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP2) Sony Pictures (Special Edition) - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) Region FREE - Blu-rays - BOTTOM |
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More Blu-ray Captures
Columbia Tri-Star
Region
1 - NTSC
Sony (Special Edition)
Region
1,2,3,4 - NTSC
It has come to our attention that
this is an illegal bootleg and we discourage purchases.
Spine #005
Box Covers
Distribution
Resen
Region
FREE -
Blu-ray
Twilight Time
Region
FREE -
Blu-ray
Carlotta Films (4K Restoration)
Region
FREE -
Blu-ray
Indicator- Region FREE - Blu-ray
Indicator (Powerhouse)
initial slate of Blu-rays
Spine #001
Spine #002
Spine #003
Spine #004
Spine #006
Spine #008
Spine #010
Spine #012
Spine #013
Spine #019
Spine #020