The Other Blu-ray - Uta Hagen

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Robert Mulligan
USA 1972

Scripted by Tom Tryon from his own novel, Mulligan's supernatural foray into the troubled world of childhood mercifully avoids the gory excesses of superficially similar films like The Exorcist, made the following year. It might have been mere mumbo-jumbo: his already fertile imagination further stimulated by the promptings of a wise old Russian-born grandmother (Hagen), who teaches him how to empathise totally with other creatures (human and animal), a young boy refuses to believe in the death of his twin brother, whom he blames for a series of mysterious killings. If the level of suspense is lowered by the fact that we soon realise who is responsible, Mulligan none the less produces a genuinely unsettling atmosphere, undermining the idyllic veneer of his '30s pastoral setting by refusing to romanticise his characters and stressing the claustrophobic elements of living in a close-knit community. As so often with this director's work, the film is craftsmanlike rather than brilliant, but the performances, Robert Surtees' lush camerawork, and Mulligan's solid psychological insights make for thoughtful, sometimes even chilling, entertainment.

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE

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Theatrical Release: May 23rd, 1972

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Comparison:

20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Eureka Entertainment - Region 'B'- Blu-ray

Box Covers
Distribution	20th Century Fox Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC	Twilight Time Region FREE - Blu-ray	Eureka Entertainment Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:39:45	1:39:55.906	1:39:54.738
Video	1.85:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 8.46 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	Disc Size: 31,145,856,425 bytes Feature Size: 30,815,582,208 bytes Average Bitrate: 35.99 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video	Disc Size: 30,686,620,880 bytes Feature Size: 29,587,548,864 bytes Average Bitrate: 35.38 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Bitrate: Twilight Time Blu-ray
Bitrate: Eureka Entertainment Blu-ray
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 1.0), English (Dolby Digital 2.0), DUBs: Spanish (Dolby Digital 1.0), French (Dolby Digital 1.0)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1063 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1063 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit) Isolated Score: DTS-HD Master Audio English 1816 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1816 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)	LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles	English, Spanish, None	English, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Video Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Trailer DVD Release Date: October 17th, 2006 Keep Case Chapters: 24	Release Information: Studio: Twilight Time 1.85:1 aspect ratio Disc Size: 31,145,856,425 bytes Feature Size: 30,815,582,208 bytes Average Bitrate: 35.99 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Original Theatrical Trailer (3:11) • Liner Notes by Julie Kirgo • Limited to 3,000 copies! Blu-ray Release Date: December 2013 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Eureka Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Disc Size: 30,686,620,880 bytes Feature Size: 29,587,548,864 bytes Average Bitrate: 35.38 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Original theatrical trailer (3:16) • 24-PAGE BOOK with a new essay by Aaron Hills, and more DVD of the Feature Blu-ray Release Date: February 23rd, 2015 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 24

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Eureka Entertainment - Region 'B' Blu-ray - January 2015: The Blu-rays are quite similar releases. I'll be brief; I give a very slight edge to the Eureka video - both are 1080P but there are a few, minor, artifacts on the Twilight Time - most systems won't notice any difference at all. Audio; The UK disc uses a linear PCM which sounds very tight and minutely tinny as compared to the DTS-HD master of the Twilight Time. Again, negligible differences. Both have optional English subtitles (see samples below) and the Eureka Blu-ray is region 'B'-locked where the Twilight Time is region FREE, but limited to 3,000 copies.

Extras both offer a trailer, the Twilight Time has the option of an isolated score and some liner notes by Julie Kirgo where Eureka also include a, more substantial, booklet (24-pages) and a DVD.

In regards to the film: it gets more interesting each time I view it. Strange, haunting and definitely a keeper. Either Blu-ray release is recommended!

***

ON THE DVD: Excellente image on this Fox DVD. Colors are very bright and detail is crystal clear. One of the better transfers of the year to date. It looks exceptionally good.

No extras but for a trailer for the film (and some other trailers).

Interesting and downright creepy film - certainly worth a viewing or two and the price is right - even for a bare bones effort. Recommended!

Gary W. Tooze

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