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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

directed by Franklin J. Schaffner
U.S.A. 1978

This film of Ira Levin's novel The Boys from Brazil wastes no time in establishing the fact that several seemingly unrelated men have been mysteriously murdered. Elderly Jewish Nazi hunter Ezra Lieberman (Laurence Olivier), brought into the case when the clues seem to point to a neo-fascist plot, traces the trail of evidence to Paraguay. Here he finds an unregenerate Auschwitz doctor, patterned on Joseph Mengele and played by -- of all people -- Gregory Peck. Lieberman discovers that the murdered men had all fathered sons who were identical -- the results of a cloning experiment, designed to create a race of incipient Hitlers.

Excerpt from B+N HERE


Based on Ira Levin's best-selling novel, The Boys from Brazil concerns itself with the fictional post-War activities of Mengele, who in real life was alive and hiding in Sao Paolo, Brazil when the film was produced. Mengele, of course, was the sadistic physician who performed unfathomably hideous experiments on thousands of unwilling subjects who were under his "care" at Auschwitz. (In one of the 20th century's cruelest twists of fate, The Angel of Death was never captured and tried for his horrendous crimes.)

Excerpt from Turner Classic Film located HERE

 

Posters

Theatrical Release: October 5th, 1978 - NYC, NY, USA

Reviews                                                                                      More Reviews                                                                           DVD Reviews

 

 Comparison:

Artisan - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Carlton - *2 Disc - Region 0 - PAL vs. ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray vs. Shout! Factory - Region 'A'- Blu-ray vs. Koch Media - Region 'B'- Blu-ray

* set includes another DVD as well: "The Medusa Touch"

 

1) Artisan - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT

2) Carlton - Region 0 - PAL - SECOND

3) ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray THIRD

4) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Koch - Region 'B' Blu-ray RIGHT

 
Box Covers

 

 

 

 

 

Distribution

Artisan Entertainment

Region 0  - NTSC

Carlton Entertainment
Region 0 - PAL		 ITV DVD
Region FREE Blu-ray		 Shout! Factory
Region 'A' - Blu-ray		 Koch
Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 2:04:44 1:59:32 (4% PAL speedup) 2:04:58.000 2:04:50.791 2:04:49.857
Video

1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.26 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

 1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.14
 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 21,121,531,508 bytes

Feature: 20,364,146,688 bytes

Video Bitrate: 20.02 Mbps

Codec: VC-1 Video

1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 21,394,773,508 bytes

Feature: 20,923,502,592 bytes

Video Bitrate: 18.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 48,766,631,182 bytes

Feature: 32,293,294,080 bytes

Video Bitrate: 29.85 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

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

Artisan

 

Bitrate:

Carlton

Bitrate:

ITV Blu-ray

Bitrate:

Shout! Factory Blu-ray

Bitrate:

Koch Blu-ray

Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)

Dolby Digital Audio English 640 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps

 DTS-HD Master Audio English 2056 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2056 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)

DTS-HD Master Audio English 719 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 719 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 384 kbps / 16-bit)

DUBS:

DTS-HD Master Audio German 767 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 767 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 384 kbps / 16-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio German 690 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 690 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 384 kbps / 16-bit)
Isolated Score:

DTS-HD Master Audio  423 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 423 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 256 kbps / 16-bit)

Subtitles None English, and none English, and none English, and none German, English, and none
Features Release Information:
Studio: Artisan Entertainment

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterbox - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• Production notes
• 2 Widescreen non-anamorphic theatrical trailers (2:44), (2:48)

DVD Release Date: April 23, 2000
Keep Case

Chapters 33

Release Information:
Studio: Carlton Visual Entertainment Ltd

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterbox - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• Widescreen non-anamorphic trailers for Carlton DVDs (:38)

DVD Release Date: 17 March, 2003
Keep Case

Chapters 15

Release Information:
Studio: ITV

 

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
 

1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 21,121,531,508 bytes

Feature: 20,364,146,688 bytes

Video Bitrate: 20.02 Mbps

Codec: VC-1 Video

Edition Details:
• Trailer (2:46)

Blu-ray Release Date: June 23rd, 2008
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 15

Release Information:
Studio: Shout! Factory

 

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
 

1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 21,394,773,508 bytes

Feature: 20,923,502,592 bytes

Video Bitrate: 18.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• Trailer (2:45)
 

Blu-ray Release Date: January 6th, 2015
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 8

 Release Information:
Studio: Koch

 

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
 

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 48,766,631,182 bytes

Feature: 32,293,294,080 bytes

Video Bitrate: 29.85 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• 2 German dubbed versions
• Isolated soundtrack with music by Jerry Goldsmith
• Super-8 amended (18:25)
• Promo featurette (07:47)
• 2 English trailers (02:46) (02:50)
• Picture Gallery
 

Blu-ray Release Date: November 8th, 2018
Black Blu-ray Case

Chapters 13

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Koch - Region 'B' Blu-ray - May 2019: The Koch Media transfer is dual-layered and a notch ahead of the other two Blu-rays with a 50% higher bitrate. It looks a shade crisper and is, presumably, from the same source. The more robust rendering has, certainly, benefitted the video image - if to less perceptual degrees.

NOTE: While this is touted as the 'German' version of the film but I think because that only means that includes German DUBs. It is the same film with the same running time.

The audio though is lossless and offers both English or two German DUBs - it is 16-bit although the score by Jerry Goldsmith (Link, Breakout, The Salamander, The Mephisto Waltz, Seconds, Hoosiers, The Blue Max, Breakheart Pass, The Omen) still sounds impressive like a sweeping waltz throughout. It is available as an isolated option! The Koch offers optional English or German subtitles on their Region 'B' - Blu-ray.

Koch advances on the supplements with a 19-minute English Super8 version of the film, the aforementioned isolated score, a short promotional featurette and two trailers.

One of my personal more 're-watchable' films - I LOVE the concept and the over-the-top performances from Peck and Olivier. This Koch Media Blu-ray is the one to own with superior video and more extras. 

***

ADDITION: Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray - December 2014: Firstly, I have redone captures for both Blu-rays. The Shout! Factory starts with the ITV logo and aside from it being a different encode (AVC as opposed to VC-1) it looks exactly the same in-motion. The US release does however offer a lossless audio track - DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel - notable in the robust score by Jerry Goldsmith. Both offer English subtitles and only a trailer as an extra but while the ITV is region FREE - the Shout! Factory is locked to region 'A'. I still get a kick out of this film.

 

***

ADDITION: ITV DVD Blu-ray (June 08'): Firstly, the great news - despite rumors to the contrary this release, like Black Narcissus, is REGION FREE and will play on Blu-ray players world-wide.

 

The improvement in detail is significant. Granted neither SD edition was even anamorphic so the Blu-ray didn't have far to go, but I'm thoroughly impressed with the sharpness and have added further Blu-ray captures at the bottom (clickable to full resolution) to give you an idea how strong this new ITV DVD looks. We should note that contrast is a shade paler and we've been told this is due to our capture method which may need to be expanded from video levels (16-235) to PC levels (0-255). Regardless, the improvement is so immense that anyone can judge simply by looking at the comparison captures.

 

There is only a trailer on the Blu-ray as an extra and the disc is single-layered with it taking up about 19 Gig. Audio is clear but unremarkable (thought I noted one dropout) and there are English subtitles offered in a respectable white font.

 

I think this looks even better than another Lew Grade flick - Capricorn One reviewed on REGION-FREE Blu-ray HERE and I've always had a soft sport for the film even though 'critics' bash it. I love it and so recommend this Blu-ray as the absolute best image quality for viewing this at home. 

****

ON THE SD EDITIONS: The Artisan NTSC version is slightly horizontally cropped and the picture quality is inferior to the Carlton PAL DVD. The Carlton shows a bit of film grain. Colors are about equal in both. Actually both non-anamorphic DVDs are very weak. Neither edition has any extras worth mentioning, but buy the Carlton and get "The Medusa Touch" as well. Easy decision.  

- Gary W. Tooze

Menus

(Artisan - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Carlton - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)

 

ITV - Region FREE - Blu-ray LEFT vs. Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray  RIGHT

 

 

Koch - Region 'B' Blu-ray

 

Screen Captures

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920 X 1080 RESOLUTION

 

1) ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray TOP

2) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Koch - Region 'B' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

 

 

1) Artisan - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Carlton - Region 0 - PAL - SECOND

3) ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray THIRD

4) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Koch - Region 'B' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Artisan - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Carlton - Region 0 - PAL - SECOND

3) ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray THIRD

4) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Koch - Region 'B' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Artisan - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Carlton - Region 0 - PAL - SECOND

3) ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray THIRD

4) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Koch - Region 'B' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Artisan - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Carlton - Region 0 - PAL - SECOND

3) ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray THIRD

4) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Koch - Region 'B' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Artisan - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Carlton - Region 0 - PAL - SECOND

3) ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray THIRD

4) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Koch - Region 'B' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

More Blu-ray captures

 

1) ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray TOP

2) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray TOP

2) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray TOP

2) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray TOP

2) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray TOP

2) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) ITV DVD - Region FREE Blu-ray TOP

2) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

Hit Counter

Report Card:

 

Image:

Koch Blu-ray

Sound:

Shout! Factory Blu-ray

Extras:

Koch Blu-ray

 
Box Covers

 

 

 

 

 
Distribution

Artisan Entertainment

Region 0  - NTSC

Carlton Entertainment
Region 0 - PAL		 ITV DVD
Region FREE Blu-ray		 Shout! Factory
Region 'A' - Blu-ray		 Koch
Region 'B' - Blu-ray



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gary Tooze

Many Thanks...