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The only difference with the Arrow Blu-ray worth noting is in the supplements. Both offer the audio commentary from 1997 featuring Jordan and actor Bob Hoskins, and both include the interviews from 2015 with screenwriter David Leland and, separately, with producer Stephen Woolley. Criterion include a new 1/2 hour conversation with writer-director Neil Jordan and actor Cathy Tyson was moderated by critic Ryan Gilbey and conducted by Criterion via Zoom from Ireland and London in spring 2021. Also on the Criterion Blu-ray (repeated from the 2002 Anchor Bay DVD) is 10-minutes worth of interviews with writer-director Neil Jordan and actor Bob Hoskins that took place at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival on the eve of the premiere of Mona Lisa. The film would go on to receive a nomination for that year's Palme d'Or and a win for Hoskins, for best actor. The Criterion package has a liner notes booklet with an essay by Gilbey.

So the Criterion Blu-ray validates the Arrow image and both have 'the best' home theatre a/v for Mona Lisa. Criterion advances with the extras and wonderful cover. The Criterion is the best and the one to own. Mona Lisa seems to get better each time I watch it and is very strongly recommended viewing!

ADDITION: Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray July 2015: No contest, the Arrow is like another film beside the poor Image Entertainment that is hazy, soft, out-of-ratio where the Arrow has supports the film textures, has superior contrast and is a much more film-like appearance. The Arrow presentation starts with these text screens:

ADDITION: (August 2010) Image Entertainment Region 'A' - Blu-ray: This isn't much of a Blu-ray at all. It's barely 16 Gig of space on the single-layered disc and while the image is probably the best of the three - it is not demonstratively so. Colors and black levels do improve. The bitrate is between double and triple that of the DVDs. Unlike Time Bandits, Image Entertainment have given this Blu-ray rendering a progressive transfer.

The audio surround bump may be a larger improvement than the video with the musical track, in HD lossless, being notable for the superiority. This Blu-ray does have optional English subtitles but the only extra is a trailer - both DVDs have the fine commentary. My Momitsu has identified it as being a region 'A'-locked.

I'd forgotten what a good film this is and fine performance by Hoskins. The positive side of this new release is the price but I probably wouldn't bother upgrading if you already owned the Criterion. That's my opinion.

ON THE DVDs: The Anchor Bay looks to have been vertically compressed a bit making Mr. Hoskins look even fatter and shorter. The Criterion may not be anamorphic but the picture is clearer. The commentary appears to be the same with the Anchor Bay adding a few more features including bumping the sound to 5.1. The Criterion is film sourced and shows some good film grain.