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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka "Woman in the Moon" or "By Rocket to the Moon" or "Girl in the Moon" )
Germany 1929
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Frau im Mond is: (a) The first
feature-length film to portray space-exploration in a serious
manner, paying close attention to the science involved in launching
a vessel from the surface of the earth to the valleys of the moon.
(b) A tri-polar potboiler of a picture that manages to combine
espionage tale, serial melodrama, and comic-book sci-fi into a
storyline that is by turns delirious, hushed, and deranged. (c) A
movie so rife with narrative contradiction and visual ingenuity that
it could only be the work of one filmmaker: Fritz Lang. In this, Lang’s final Silent epic, the legendary filmmaker spins a tale involving a wicked cartel of spies who co-opt an experimental mission to the moon in the hope of plundering the satellite’s vast (and highly theoretical) stores of gold. When the crew, helmed by Willy Fritsch and Gerda Maurus (both of whom had previously starred in Lang’s Spione), finally reach their impossible destination, they find themselves stranded in a lunar labyrinth without walls — where emotions run scattershot, and the new goal becomes survival. A modern Daedalus tale which uncannily foretold Germany’s wartime push into rocket-science, Frau im Mond is as much a warning-sign against human hubris as it is a hopeful depiction of mankind’s potential. |
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Theatrical Release: unknown
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Comparison:
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Kino - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL vs. Divisa Red - Region 2 - PAL vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Big thanks to Bram Blijleven for the Divisa Red DVD screen captures!
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1) Kino - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT 2) Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL SECOND 3) Divisa Red - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - RIGHT
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| Box Covers |
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| Distribution | Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC |
Eureka - Masters of Cinema
- Spine # 41 Region 0 - PAL |
Divisa Red Region 2 - PAL |
Masters of Cinema - Spine# 91 - Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Kino Lorber Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
| Runtime | 2:49:15 | 2:42:30 (4% PAL speedup) | 2:42:00 (4% PAL speedup) | 2:49:55.685 | 2:49:44.507 |
| Video |
1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.75 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.44 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s |
1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 48,144,697,843 bytesFeature: 46,351,678,848 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 32.42 Mbps |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 45,902,188,175 bytesFeature: 42,317,647,872 bytesCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps |
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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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| Bitrate:
Kino |
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| Bitrate:
Eureka MoC |
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| Bitrate:
Divisa Red |
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| Bitrate:
MoC
Blu-ray |
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| Bitrate:
Kino
Blu-ray |
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| Audio | Music (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dolby) | Music (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dolby) |
Piano score by Javier Pérez Azpeitia (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dolby) |
LPCM Audio German 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit | LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit |
| Intertitles | English (non-changeable) | English, or none | Original German, or Spanish translation | English, or none | English, or none |
| Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: • Gallery
of Images (33 in click through fashion) |
Release Information:
Aspect Ratio: Edition Details:
• Documentary (14:02) |
Release Information:
Aspect Ratio: Edition Details:
• Gallery of images |
Release Information: 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 48,144,697,843 bytesFeature: 46,351,678,848 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 32.42 Mbps
Edition Details: • The First Scientific Science-Fiction Film a German documentary about Frau im Mond. made by Gabriele Jacobi [14:39] • 22-page booklet which includes a revised analysis by Michael E. Grost on the film, and a Frau im Mond casebook! DVD Blu-ray Release Date: August 25th, 2014 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters: 24 |
Release Information: Studio: Kino Lorber
1.28:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 45,902,188,175 bytesFeature: 42,317,647,872 bytesCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps
Standard Blu-ray case Blu-ray Release Date: February 23rd, 2016 Chapters: 8 |
| Comments: |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were obtained directly from the Blu-ray disc.
ADDITION: Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray February 16': This also appears to be from the same 2K Digital Restoration by the F.W. Murnau Stiftung, with this opening text screen:
The most notable difference with the Masters of Cinema is - like Kino's Blu-ray of Fritz Lang's Spione (Spies) - the aspect ratio is 1.28:1 where the UK 1080P is 1.33:1. I think the Kino, on both, in this regard looks more correct - the MoC appears horizontally stretched to me (abnormally fatter faces.) They are both dual-layered with a very high bitrate but the MoC looks, pleasingly, darker. Both are wonderful in-motion.
Both have the Piano score by Javier Pérez de Azpeitia in linear PCM 2.0 channel stereo (but MoC's is 24-bit to Kino's 16-bit), German Intertitles (carried out by L'immagine Ritrovata in Bologna) with translated, optional, English subtitles (bolder font in the Kino) - and the same 1/4 hour Woman in the Moon: The First Scientific Science Fiction Film supplement - but MoC include one of their impressive liner notes booklets. The Kino Blu-ray disc is region 'A'-locked.
MoC get the nod as the superior package but overall, Region 'A' fans should be pleased with the HD presentation. It's a must-own film and this get a very strong recommendation! *** ADDITION: Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' Blu-ray - July 2014 - Using the same 2K restoration by F. W. Murnau-Stiftung, The Masters of Cinema have released Fritz Lang's Woman in the Moon (Frau im Mond) on Blu-ray. Wow - does it ever look good. It's amazing to see how far we have come from the greenish, interlaced Kino SD 10-years ago. This new 1080P supports the film's grain looking rich with extensively layered contrast. When you raise the resolution you also bring up detail - including damage - or, in this case, vertical scratches. I certainly don't mind the, expected imperfections, as the overall image tightens. I do find it strange in the example below where we show the Kino 'combing' (it is an exact frame) how prevalent the vertical scratches are on the Blu-ray. Regardless, the almost 3-hour film flew by I was so impressed with the image quality. I only wish it was longer. Audio (music) goes lossless with a linear PCM audio track at 2304 kbps and Javier Pérez de Azpeitia's 2005 piano-based accompaniment sounds wonderfully clean. The MoC uses the original German intertitles (carried out by L'immagine Ritrovata in Bologna) with translated, optional, English subtitles. The Blu-ray disc is region 'B'-locked. Supplements include the 15-minute German documentary by Gabriele Jacobi entitled The First Scientific Science-Fiction Film - specifically about Frau im Mond, and a liner notes booklet which includes a revised analysis by Michael E. Grost on the film, and 'a Frau im Mond casebook'! The Dual-Format package includes a DVD of the film with the same extras as the Blu-ray. I was enthralled by the HD presentation and give this Blu-ray our highest recommendation! *** ADDITION: Eureka Masters of Cinema - January 08': The Eureka use the brand new film restoration by F. W. Murnau-Stiftung based on the camera negative from the Bundesarchiv-filmarchiv in Berlin... but beyond that they have competently, progressively, transferred it to a dual-layered PAL DVD. It improves over both releases in all areas - it is sharper, far better contrast/greyscale. The Kino is interlaced and the visible combing (see last captures) is annoying and irritating. The MoC uses the original German intertitles with newly-translated optional English subtitles. The Kino shows some chroma - the Divisa has boosted contrast. No contest visually. The Eureka also includes a 15 minute featurette: The First Scientific Science-Fiction Film – German made documentary (with English subtitles) about Frau im Mond made by Gabriele Jacobi. Plus we have another of MoC's wonderful liner notes booklets - 36-pages worth which includes a newly revised analysis by Michael E. Grost on the film, and on Fritz Lang’s body of work as a whole.
ON THE KINO vs. the DIVISA: To me the Divisa Red looks to have extensive brightness boosting. I think it does have a sharper picture, but one really needs the English translation of the intertitles (well, I do anyway). Gary Tooze *** This Divisa Red version has the original German intertitles and is a Transit Film restored print, like more of the German films released by Kino recently. The film runs 2hours 42 mins, so the Kino version may not be a PAL-NTSC conversion because the Kino disc seems to run a bit longer. Maybe the difference is caused by the title cards. The Spanish DVD lacks the usual intro title cards at the beginning of the film telling us about the restoration. There is a piano score by Javier Pérez Azpeitia which is quite nice. Extra's are some text cards in Spanish and a gallery of 38 photo's. Since I do not speak Spanish I have no idea what is on the cards... |
Menus
(Kino - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs.
Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)
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Divisa Red - Region 2 - PAL
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Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
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Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Screen Captures
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1) Kino - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP 2) Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL SECOND 3) Divisa Red - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Kino - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP 2) Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL SECOND 3) Divisa Red - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Kino - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP 2) Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL SECOND 3) Divisa Red - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Kino - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP 2) Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL SECOND 3) Divisa Red - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Kino - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP 2) Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL SECOND 3) Divisa Red - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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See Chroma bug on the Kino!
BOTTOM: Example of intertitles translated to Spanish on the Divisa Red
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1) Kino - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP 2) Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL SECOND 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
NOTE: Very visible combing (interlacing) on the Kino
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More Blu-ray Captures
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1) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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More Masters of Cinema Blu-ray Captures
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Report Card:
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Image: |
Blu-ray |
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Sound: |
MoC Blu-ray |
| Extras: | MoC Blu-ray |
| Box Covers |
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| Distribution | Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC |
Eureka - Masters of Cinema
- Spine # 41 Region 0 - PAL |
Divisa Red Region 2 - PAL |
Masters of Cinema - Spine# 91 - Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Kino Lorber Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
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Gary Tooze
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Many Thanks...