NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray November 15': Well, there are obvious differences from the Masters of Cinema UK BD and the new Kino Lorber. The KL, as it does not include the 'Export version', has a higher bitrate but the image is much darker showing a few more 'marks' in spots as it has deeper and richer black levels that sometimes obscure detail more visible on the UK transfer. What I find most striking is how squished/stretched the ratios look beside each other. The MoC clocks in at about 1.32:1 and the Kino 1.27:1 - from, I believe, the same source (same speckles etc.). So either the MoC is horizontally stretched or the Kino Lorber is horizontally squished. It may be a bit of both but I lean to the latter being more noticeable. We were able to exactly match a few of the captures below so you can see the difference. I don't mind the more 'raw' KL appearance as a different representation, but I think the MoC would be considered the superior by most.

While MoC gave us 3 score options (Timothy Brock Orchestra, Stan Ambrose Harp or Javier Perez de Azpeitia piano) in linear PCM 24-bit, KL gives us two (also Javier Perez de Azpeitia piano and Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra) in linear PCM 16-bit. I think the KL tracks sound very good but for the extra option and more robust technical audio transfer - MoC (love Stan Ambrose harp track) wins out here, too. KL, thankfully, do include the original intertitles with optional English subtitles on their region 'A'-locked Blu-ray disc.

MoC have the valuable Ehrenstein and Krohn commentary and Kino have the same 53-minute German The Language of Shadows: Faust documentary as found on both the MoC BD and 2009 Kino DVD. They also include a dozen minutes of Marguerite and Faust: Screen Tests - also found in their own 2009 SD package. KL include a DVD with the Blu-ray.

As with BFI's Blu-ray of Nosferatu - I see plenty of value here as an alternative visual (and audio) presentation of a masterwork of cinema - a 'must see' work of cinema!   

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Gregory Meshman

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ADDITION: Eureka Masters of Cinema (2-disc) PAL 0 - June 06':

NOTE: DISC TWO of the new MoC edition is exactly the same film transfer as on the original Eureka disc (the previously available Export version of Faust). It has weaknesses and appears to have been taken from an NTSC source. It has new menus and extra features though.

Well, as we can disregard the original Eureka and Kino - it allows us to focus our comparison comments on the spectacular new Eureka - Masters of Cinema Edition beside to the Spanish Divisa Red. The Divisa has had some contrast boosting which hides some damage marks but brings others out with more prominence. The Eureka MoC is thicker with stronger black levels - I'd say detail and framing etc. are the same - or with negligible differences. NOTE: The Divisa's boosting can give the impression that it is sharper but in actuality it is not since this form of digital manipulation can bring out some detail that is hidden but it also obscure others - that were often meant to be represented in a minor fashion. While spot digital 'restoration' is far preferable the Divisa has had blanket alteration that is much less desirable.

It is a moot point now for many as the Divisa was not English language friendly (subtitles (although limited) and the extras). The Eureka is the best edition available at present. It improves upon every area of the previous DVDs.  

The David Ehrenstein and Bill Krohn commentary is one of the best - a real pleasure to hear such thoroughly prepared and organized discussion. They work extremely well together - almost finishing each other's sentences in many instances. Tony Rayns - it is always a pleasure to hear and his erudite dissemination of information - the best in the DVD supplement community. He discusses quite a lot in less than 40 minutes including topics divided into such areas as 'Murnau's Mise en scene'  and 'Weimar Culture' etc.

The entire Eureka package is so beautifully done with marvelous artwork and the included booklet. Again Master of Cinema have given DVD/cinema fans a real keepsake with such an interesting and historically significant film wonderfully presented with relevant extra features that further enhance appreciation.

P.S. The old commentary track that appeared on the original Eureka disc wasn't done very well - but the bulk of that information (spoken by an actor reading a script by Peter Spooner) has been reconstituted into the essay printed in the 28-page liner notes booklet.

We strongly recommend the Eureka 2-disc Masters of Cinema edition.

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The (original) Kino DVD is all-region NTSC, and was made from the restored print by David Shepard, the same print that was used for the 1996 laserdisc version. 

The Spanish DVD, made by a company named Divisa Red, is actually all-region, and in PAL. The video transfer was made from a restored print by the Spanish Murnau expert Luciano Berriatúa, whose restoration was done AFTER David Shepard's. Non-English viewers should note that this DVD is in German and Spanish only. An English edition of the Berriatúa restored version is yet to be made. The only online store I know that sells this DVD is the Spanish web store DVDGO.COM.

Also, director F.W. Murnau shot several versions of FAUST for domestic and international audiences. Each version has slight, sometimes big, differences in camera angles, actors' movements, etc., compared to other versions. The Kino and Divisa discs were apparently made from elements from different versions.  Luciano Berriatúa's version was supposedly closer to the original German version. An indication of that is the first screenshot below. The Divisa Red disc shows a real bear on the left, whereas the Kino disc shows what looks like a person wearing a bear suit. (Note: This is the reason I wasn't able to capture identical screenshots from the two discs.)