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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

directed by Charles Vidor
USA 1946

 

 “Gilda, are you decent?” Rita Hayworth tosses her hair back and slyly responds, “Me?” in one of the great star entrances in movie history. Gilda, directed by Charles Vidor, features a sultry Hayworth in her most iconic role, as the much-lusted-after wife of a criminal kingpin (George Macready), as well as the former flame of his bitter henchman (Glenn Ford), and she drives them both mad with desire and jealousy. An ever-shifting battle of the sexes set on a Buenos Aires casino’s glittering floor and in its shadowy back rooms, Gilda is among the most sensual of all Hollywood noirs.

***

"How much acting skill was involved in creating this effect? Who cares. It's not "acting," it's mythmaking. Hayworth could, as it happens, snap off sarcastic dialogue as well as Veronica Lake, but it's not the dialogue you're paying attention to. Her voice is like thick maple syrup, her huge lips wrap around every word with the studied enthusiasm of a Pentecostal zealot"

by Michael Atkinson
Excerpt taken from a review at MovieLine.com

Posters (Click on bottom row to enlarge)

Reviews                                                                         More Reviews                                                           DVD Reviews

Comparison:

Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC vs.  German - Region 2 - PAL vs. Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Criterion Region 'A' - Blu-ray

R2 DVD screenshots courtesy by Markus of ChiaroScuro

1) Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT

2) Columbia- Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion Collection - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT

 
Box Covers

 

 

  

Also coming to Blu-ray in the UK via Criterion in June 2016:

Distribution Columbia TriStar - Region 1 NTSC
Region 1 (US, Canada Only)

German - Region 2 - PAL

Region 2 ( Europe, Japan, Middle East ) 

 Sony
Region FREE - Blu-ray		 Criterion Collection - Spine #795 - Region 'A' Blu-ray
Runtime 1:50:00  minutes

1:45:40 minutes (PAL 4% speedup )

 1:50:08.602 1:50:23.658
Video 1.33:1.00 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.76 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s		 1.33:1.00 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.73 mb/s
 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s		 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 29,348,794,474 bytes

Feature: 26,397,794,304 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 27.91 Mbps

 		1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 46,361,289,362 bytes

Feature: 32,526,557,184 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 34.93 Mbps 

Bitrate: Region 1

Bitrate: Region 2 

Bitrate: Sony Blu-ray 

Bitrate: Criterion Blu-ray 

Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), Portuguese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), 

English ; French ; German ; Italian ; Spanish - Dolby Digital (1.0) Mono

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio French 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio German 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Italian 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Portuguese 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Japanese 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

Subtitles English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean Thai or None English ; French ; German ; Polish ; Czech ; Hungarian ; Hindi ; Turkish ; Arabic ; Danish ; Swedish ; Finnish ; Icelandic ; Dutch ; Norwegian ; Portuguese ; Greek ; Hebrew ; Spanish ; Italian English (SDH), English, Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Japanese, none  English (SDH), none
Features

Discographic Information:
DVD Encoding: Region 1

Edition Details:
• Production notes
• Theatrical trailer(s)
• Exclusive Documentary: "Rita Hayworth: The Columbia Lady"
• Photo gallery
• Vintage advertising
• Talent files

DVD Release Date: November 7th, 2000
Keep Case
Chapters: 28

Discographic Information:
DVD Encoding: Region 2 - PAL

Edition Details:

  • Filmographies, 
  • Theatrical Trailer, 
  • Excerpts: Rita Hayworth from 'The Lady with Torch'.

DVD Release Date: December 1999
Keep Case
Chapters: 24

 Release Information:
Studio: Sony

 

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 29,348,794,474 bytes

Feature: 26,397,794,304 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 27.91 Mbps

Edition Details:
• Martin Scorsese and Baz Luhrmamn on Gilda (16:06)
 

Blu-ray Release Date: April 3rd, 2014
Blu-ray box

Chapters 16

Release Information:
Studio: Criterion

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 46,361,289,362 bytes

Feature: 32,526,557,184 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 34.93 Mbps

Edition Details:

• Audio commentary from 2010 by film critic Richard Schickel
• New interview with film noir historian Eddie Muller (22:14)
• Piece from 2010 featuring filmmakers Martin Scorsese and Baz Luhrmann discussing their appreciation for Gilda (16:06)

• Hollywood and the Stars: The Odyssey of Rita Hayworth (25:11)
• Trailer (2:09)
• PLUS: An essay by critic Sheila O’Malley

 Blu-ray Release Date: January 19th, 2015
Transparent Keep case

Chapter: 23

 

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray January 16': Improvement in the technical transfer with a max'ed out bitrate - this shows only in the grain support which is marginally tighter and smoother. Otherwise another strong dual-layering. The Criterion looks better in-motion as well.

Criterion also advance on the audio (lossy on the Sony Blu-ray) with a linear PCM mono track. This uncompressed sound is superior and notable in Hugo Friedhofer's (Man in the Attic, Ace in the Hole, Body and Soul, The Young Lions) dynamic score and, of course, the hypnotic musical numbers by Rita Hayworth (dubbed by Anita Ellis) singing Amado Mio and Put the Blame on Mame. I've re-watched them five times already.

Criterion include the professional audio commentary from 2010 by film critic Richard Schickel (found on The Films of Rita Hayworth DVD boxset) as well as the 16-minute piece from 2010 featuring filmmakers Martin Scorsese and Baz Luhrmann discussing their appreciation for Gilda (as found on the Sony Blu-ray). I really enjoyed the Hollywood and the Stars: The Odyssey of Rita Hayworth running 25-minutes with many clips of Hayworth singing and acting. Many fans will adore the new 23-minute piece with film noir historian Eddie Muller discussing Gilda - its themes and and it's stars. There is also a trailer plus a liner notes booklet with an essay by critic Sheila O’Malley.

Alright - superior transfer - most notable in-motion - finally lossless audio (this is a big deal for me) and some new extras including the older commentary. No-brainer - the sexiest Noir ever made and it's we should be genuinely appreciative that Criterion took it on. Our highest recommendation!

***

ADDITION: Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray - April 14': Well, The Euro-Blu-ray of Gilda looks solid. The key factor appears to be the support of the film grain. This is a dual-layered transfer with a decent bitrate. Unfortunately the audio is lossy - only Dolby Digital. What with the musical numbers this is a bit of a letdown. I'd love to hear Put the Blame on Mame in uncompressed! (Anita Ellis vocal DUB and Rita dancing!) This is definitely the region FREE edition with plenty of subtitles and DUB options. Supplements include 16-minutes of Martin Scorsese and Baz Luhrmann (separately) talking, and frequently 'gushing', about Gilda.

I have no idea why this is delayed in North America - it is one of the all time greats - certainly Hayworth's most-memorable, IMO. Of course, now that I have bought it - it can be announced in the US. :(. Still, for the impatient - it is region FREE!

***

 ON THE DVD (March 2000): The R1 version is very sharp, and one of the clearest 50 year-old films released on DVD so far. The film was restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive, obviously using the original negative as the source for the restoration. The image is also very stable, with strong contrast and black levels. The R2 is much hazier and less defined although also taken from the restored version. If you look closely at shots with Hayworth's hair it is most noticeable. The sound and extras are superior on the R1. The only improvement by the R2 is the extensive subtitle selection.  Bottom line: Buy the R1.

Recommended Reading in Film Noir (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

 Menus
(Columbia Tri-Star Region 1 -Top, German Region 2 - Bottom)

 

 

Sony Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

 

Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

 CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

 

Screen Captures

 

1) Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Columbia- Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion Collection - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

The image above is captured from the Columbia Tri-Star R1 version. To compare it to the Region 2 DVD please simply place your mouse over the picture. Toggling back and forth will help with the comparison. * Does not work with all browsers. *

 

1) Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Columbia- Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion Collection - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Columbia- Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion Collection - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Columbia- Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion Collection - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Columbia- Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion Collection - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

More Blu-ray Captures

 

1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP

2) Criterion Collection - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 
 

 

1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP

2) Criterion Collection - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 
 

 

1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP

2) Criterion Collection - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 
 

 

1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP

2) Criterion Collection - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 
 

 

1) Sony - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP

2) Criterion Collection - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 
 

Hit Counter


 

Report Card:

 

Image:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sound:

Criterion Blu-ray
Extras: Criterion Blu-ray

Box Covers

 

 

  

Also coming to Blu-ray in the UK via Criterion in June 2016:

Distribution Columbia TriStar - Region 1 NTSC
Region 1 (US, Canada Only)

German - Region 2 - PAL

Region 2 ( Europe, Japan, Middle East ) 

 Sony
Region FREE - Blu-ray		 Criterion Collection - Spine #795 - Region 'A' Blu-ray

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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