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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
directed
by Mike Nichols
U.S. 1967
Director Mike Nichols's THE GRADUATE is the satirical coming-of-age comedy that became an emotional touchstone for an entire generation. In the late 1960s, Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), a confused college graduate, is pulled in myriad directions by family, friends, and associates just days after receiving his degree. Seduced by Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), an older friend of the family, Ben carries on an affair with the married woman even as he falls for her daughter, Elaine (Katharine Ross). However, Ben and Elaine's attempts at romance are threatened by the spiteful rage of Mrs. Robinson, who proceeds to hastily arrange Elaine's marriage to another boy, leading up to one of the most memorable endings in cinema history.
*** A
social force of cinema that influenced the generation gap, THE GRADUATE
was a tour de force for newcomer Hoffman and made him an overnight sensation.
Hoffman plays Ben Braddock, a pensive and somewhat shy youth of wealthy Southern
California suburbia. Upon completion of his college studies, he's pressured by
family and friends to "get going" with his life, encouraged at every turn to
find a job, marry, and become a clone of his parents. Bancroft seduces Hoffman
who cannot believe the older, married woman--she and her husband Hamilton are
his parents' best friends--is pursuing him. Hoffman falls in love with her
daughter Ross, and is put in the exhausting position of maintaining
relationships with mother and daughter. He finally decides that Ross will be his
wife, although Bancroft is wholly opposed to the union. |
Posters
Theatrical Release Date: December 21, 1967
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
MGM (2-disc - 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. MGM - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Momentum (SE) - Region 2 - PAL vs. MGM (2-disc) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Criterion Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Big thanks to Enrique B Chamorro for the original MGM and Momentum DVD screen captures.
1) MGM - 40th Anniversary - Region 1 - NTSC TOP LEFT2 ) MGM - R1 - NTSC - TOP MIDDLE3) Momentum - R2 - PAL - TOP RIGHT 4) MGM - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM LEFT 5) Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE Blu-ray - BOTTOM MIDDLE 6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM RIGHT
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DVD Box Covers |
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Distribution |
MGM (40th Anniversary Collector's Edition) Region 1 - NTSC |
MGM Region 1 - NTSC |
Momentum
Region 2 - PAL |
Blu-ray Box Covers |
Optimum on September 13th, 2010
Kinowelt on September 16th, 2010
Studio Canal on September 14th, 2010 |
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Distribution |
MGM Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Studio Canal Collection Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Criterion Collection - Spine #800 - Region 'A' Blu-ray |
Distribution |
MGM (40th Anniversary Collector's Edition) Region 1 - NTSC |
MGM Region 1 - NTSC |
Momentum
Region 2 - PAL |
MGM Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Studio Canal Collection Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Criterion Collection - Spine #800 - Region 'A' Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:45:48 | 1:45:28 | 1:41:18 (4% PAL speedup) | 1:45:55.349 | 1:45:56.350 | 1:46:03.190 |
Video |
2.35:1
Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.69 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s |
2.35 Original Aspect Ratio |
2.35:1
Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced |
1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 21,403,381,704 bytesFeature: 19,734,417,408 bytes Codec: MPEG-2 Video Total Bitrate: 16.84 Mbps |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 34,813,801,655 bytes Feature: 26,475,294,720 bytes Codec: MPEG4 AVC Video Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps |
1080P Dual-layered
Blu-ray
Disc Size: 49,281,254,594 bytesFeature: 30,709,309,440 bytes bytesVideo Bitrate: 30.42 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes |
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Bitrate:
MGM (40th Anniversary)
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Momentum |
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Studio Canal Blu-ray |
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Bitrate:
Criterion Blu-ray |
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital DTS), English Mono DUB: French Mono | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround) |
English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), DUBS: German Mono, Italian Mono, Spanish Mono |
DTS-HD Master Audio English 3279 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3279 kbps / 24-bit (DTS
Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Dolby Digital Audio English 224 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps Dolby Digital Audio French 224 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps |
DTS-HD Master Audio German 1807 kbps 5.1 / 48
kHz / 1807 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 1007 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1007 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio French 934 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 934 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio German 872 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 872 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) Commentary: DTS-HD Master Audio German 986 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 986 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio Spanish 895 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 895 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) |
LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps
1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
Dolby Digital Audio English
192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps |
Subtitles | English, Spanish, French and none | English, French and none | English, German, Italian, Spanish, None | English, Spanish, French and none | English, Danish, Finnish, French, German , Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish and none | English (SDH) and none |
Features |
Release Information:
Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: • Commentary by director Mike Nichols and Steven Soderbergh • Featurette: Students of the Graduate (25:56) • Featurette: The Seduction (8:49) • Featurette: 'One on One With Dustin Hoffman' (22:39) • Featurette: The Graduate at 25 (22:35) • Original Theatrical trailer (3:45) • Oscar trailer - many films (1:15) Disc 2 - CD • 4 Songs from the soundtrack • The Sound of Silence • Mrs. Robinson • Scarborough Fair/ Canticle
• April Come She Will
. DVD
Release Date: September 11th, 200 Chapters 24 |
Release Information: Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios
Aspect Ratio: DVD
Release Date: December 7, 1999
Chapters 19
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Release Information:
Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: •'One on One With Dustin Hoffman' (4:38) •The Graduate at 25 (4:3 - 22:00) •Photo Gallery (14)
•Trailer DVD
Release Date: March 26th, 2001 Chapters 24 |
Release Information:
1080P
Single-layered Blu-ray
Disc Size:
Feature: 19,734,417,408 bytes Codec: MPEG-2 Video Total Bitrate: 16.84 Mbps
Edition Details:
. Blu-ray
Release Date: Chapters 24
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Release Information: 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 34,813,801,655 bytes Feature: 26,475,294,720 bytes Codec: MPEG4 AVC Video Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps
Edition Details: • Audio Commentary by professor Thomas Koebner (in German with optional subtitles) •
Original Trailer (3:23 in
HD!) • Song Selection - choose immediate access to four songs from the film - Mrs. Robinson, The Sound of Silence, April Come She Will + Scarborough fair / Canticle
Chapters: 12 |
Release Information: Disc Size: 49,281,254,594 bytesFeature: 30,709,309,440 bytes bytesVideo Bitrate: 30.42 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details:
• New 4K digital restoration Chapter: 14 |
Comments: |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray February 16': Firstly - apologies for the size of this webpage - it may be our biggest yet - I hope you all can access it. I'll keep this short as I can - the Criterion screen captures speak for themselves. This is a "new 4K digital restoration" and it towers over the other lackluster 1080P visuals. It's unreal how colors gain vibrancy and richness (greens and blues) - it is, generally, darker and that is presumably more accurate and grain textures return! The only other thing I'll mention is that there is a difference in the ratio with the Criterion looking a shade horizontally stretched (slightly fatter faces) and/or the others looking vertically stretched (thinner faces). The Criterion also has much more information in the frame than the StudioCanal and, generally, shifts a shade right against the MGM. It looks absolutely unbelievable in-motion - the film looks brand new - and I have never seen it so beautiful.Criterion give the option of a linear PCM in the original mono at 1152 kbps (24-bit) OR a robust surround bump via a DTS-HD Master 5.1 at a healthy 3407 kbps (24-bit). The latter is very impressive notably in the iconic Simon & Garfunkel songs (written by Dave Grusin) like The Sounds of Silence, Scarborough Fair/Canticle, Mrs. Robinson etc. If you can believe it - it sounds (crisp guitar, pristine vocals) as good as the video! It's so appropriate to give the original option but I suspect many will gravitate to the 5.1 although the separation/effects in the film are modest. It's all in the depth of the music. The Blu-ray disc has optional English (SDH) subtitles and is region 'A'-locked.As predicted, Criterion stack the disc with wonderful supplements including two audio commentaries - one from 2007 featuring Nichols in conversation with filmmaker Steven Soderbergh and another from 1987 featuring film scholar Howard Suber. Neither are new but they have plenty of value when reheard with this incredible 4K video. Criterion add a new 40-minute interview with actor Dustin Hoffman as well as a new, 25-minute, conversation between producer Lawrence Turman and screenwriter Buck Henry and an interesting piece with film writer and historian Bobbie O’Steen about editor Sam O’Steen’s work on The Graduate. It runs juts over 26-minutes. Students of “The Graduate,” a 26-minute documentary from 2007 on the film’s influence. “The Graduate” at 25, a 1992 featurette on the making of the film - seen on previous DVDs and runs 25+ minutes. I enjoyed the interview with Nichols by Barbara Walters, from a 1966 episode of NBC’s Today show lasting a 1/4 of an hour and an excerpt from a 1970 appearance by singer-songwriter Paul Simon on The Dick Cavett Show (only 5-minutes). There are three screen test clips (about 13-minutes worth in total including one with Hoffmann and Ross), a trailer and the package has a liner notes booklet with an essay by journalist and critic Frank Rich. I am just blown away by this package - 4K is really living up it is capabilities. This is a must-own - absolutely our highest recommendation!
**** ADDITION: (August 2010) Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE - Blu-ray: Firstly, this is the region FREE Blu-ray edition of Nichols' film. It will be the exact same disc (transfer, menus, extras) used in the UK (Optimum), Germany (Kinowelt) and in France (Studio Canal) under the umbrella of The Studio Canal Collection. Packaging will differ due to the country language it is sold in September 2010 but all digital features will be the same. Accordingly Lions Gate should release this in North America although I have no scheduled release date yet.
Firstly, this is a second kick at the can for this film in 1080P - on both sides of the pond (Universal Studio Canal Video in France released their 1080P edition in June 2009). The disc asks you immediately to choose; a country of which the United Kingdom defaulted for me. Then the menus are in the appropriate language.
I have a suspicion that there is a European source for The Graduate that Studio Canal have utilized here - it looks closer to the UK DVD than any of the US transfers - in terms of color and the marginal cropping. I can't speak with any authority on the palette variance - or even if there was a theatrical difference (color-wise and framing) from Europe to North America. I can however state that the AVC encoded Studio Canal edition looks much more impressive in terms of detail, depth, smoothness in-motion and less artifacts/noise benefiting with the higher bitrate. You can plainly see in reference to color that the European Blu-ray is much brighter (yellow/green/brown/beige - this heightens details in the frame in many instances - see Mrs. Robinson's dress in the captures below the subtitled DVD image) and skin tones seems truer. I have to throw up my hands as to this aspect of the appearance - I never saw The Graduate theatrically - what tends to be more important is consistency and not radically deviating from an established color scheme. It's amazing how quickly your visions gets used to image quality.
I also can't speak to the cropping (notably on the bottom edge) but we will leave the captures below for you to make your own decisions on which is more correct but certainly in-motion it is hands down for the European Blu-ray. Previously while I may have preferred the richer contrast of the MGM - overall on my system the Studio Canal looks exceptionally superior.
Audio-wise - while the Studio Canal Blu-ray has a stereo 2.0 channel lossless track for original English and French, and Spanish DUBs as well as a German 5.1 DTS-HD track. Now, technically the English HD is not as dynamic as the 5.1 MGM Blu-ray (3279 kbps vs. 1007 kbps) but I prefer the stereo sound. The Simon + Garfunkel / Dave Grusin songs still sound wonderfully clean and crisp. The European disc appears to be their world-wide release with many subtitle options and, to my surprise, my Momitsu has identified it as being a region FREE disc (I didn't verify region 'C'!) playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide.
Supplements are quite strong with a new (new to me anyway) audio commentary by professor Dr. Thomas Koebner - this is excellent - it is in German with optional subtitles. There are some short featurettes found on the Anniversary DVD - The Graduate at 25 (22:21) and The Graduate: Looking back (12:57) - Hoffman relating the story of Pauline Kael - there is also a 20 minute good interview with the author of the book Charles Webb (under Meet the Author) and two more German language scholastic pieces (both in HD) - a 12-minute analysis of the seduction sequence by Dr. Koebner and 8-minutes on The Role of Music in the Film by Professor Helga de la Motte (University of Berlin) who finds it curious that the songs were written prior to the film. There is an original trailer in HD and a Song Selection feature where you can choose immediate access to four songs from the film - Mrs. Robinson, The Sound of Silence, April Come She Will + Scarborough Fair / Canticle. Ohhh... while I remember - all these extras played fine on my Region 'A'-locked Oppo player.
This is a good edition and I hope we hear from others in regards to the colors. I was very impressed with the appearance on my system. **** ADDITION: MGM - Region 'A' Blu-ray - May 09': Well, it's better in terms of color and a bit in the detail but overall this is a shabby way to treat such a classic. This single-layered Blu-ray is MPEG-2 transferred and suffers from that lesser encode's compression. There is not an abundance of grain. Perhaps superior to the image is the DTS-HD audio at over 3000 Kpbs. The Simon + Garfunkel / Dave Grusin songs sounds wonderfully clean and crisp. Extras on the Blu-ray consist of a trailer for the film and 3 others (Pink Panther, Hoosiers, Rocky) but included is the first disc of the Anniversary DVD (with 2007 VOB files) with all of those extras including the commentaries and featurettes. So the bottom line is that the Blu-ray has the best transfer currently available but MGM really appear to have scrimped. I suspect that, although confirmed Region 'A'-locked by my Momitsu, we've been told (Thanks Michael) the French Blu-ray (HERE) is the VC-1 and looks quite good. It's disappointing that they don't seem to value this title - a beautiful and witty comedy that is impossible to believe it's over 40-years old now. Trying to look positively about the hi-def edition package - it's a great price especially considering the first disc of the Anniversary DVD (which is offered individually at the exact same price!) is included. Maybe MGM/Fox could wise-up here and do The Graduate some deserved justice and although it, really, has improved the presentation - we know it could be better. *** ADDITION: 40th Anniversary DVD - September 07': First off - apologies - although the same method was utilized for screen captures we shrunk the anamorphic Momentum caps down to 720 (this is from a very early comparison). We don't do that anymore - we actually shrink to only 800 pixels wide. I don't think the points we make will be missed by this deviation from our standard format. The new 40th Anniversary DVD is finally coming to an anamorphic transfer for region 1 (what a delay!) and it looks quite strong. Anything would have been an improvement over the widescreen letterboxed and heavy green color of the old MGM from 1999. The new NTSC version appears to have the most faithful image. NOTE: Studio Canal logos are all over this DVD and we suspect this is from the same transfer possibly used on the French HD DVD (forced French subs) that was scheduled - where did it go? Anyway - wherever it came from it looks strong - FINALLY! The Momentum always looked boosted to me with awkward manipulated colors (overly bright and also red skin tones). Bottom line on the image is that the new version is quite acceptable and it shows a lot more in the frame (both edges). Audio gives us the original mono - a 5.1 bump and another untested DTS track (no reason for this MGM!). There is also a French mono DUB. Audio is supported by optional French, English or Spanish subtitles.
Where the Anniversary editions shines is in the supplements -
there are two optional audio commentaries - the first with Dustin
Hoffman and Katherine Ross (pretty laid-back - lots of gaps - Dustin
does most of the talking) and the second with director Mike Nichols and
Steven Soderbergh (this is quite good - Nichols does most of the talking
responding at length to occasional queries from Soderbergh). On top of
that there are 4 featurettes: Students of the Graduate runs
almost 30 minutes and has input from many journalists, film professors
and critics mostly discussing Nichols interpretation and groundbreaking
use of music in the film. The Seduction (8:49) has many of the
same participants but they look quite deeply at the multi-cut seduction
sequences; 'One on One With Dustin Hoffman' (also on the old MGM)
is the full 22:39 interview with Hoffman and although dated is rewarding
to listen to and finally The Graduate at 25 is the same 22 minute
featurette found on the Momentum PAL disc. Also included are the
original Theatrical trailer (3:45) There is a second disc - a CD - with 4 songs from the film; The
Sound of Silence, Mrs. Robinson, Scarborough Fair/
Canticle and April Come She Will. Bottom line is that this is an amazing deal at less than $17. One
we strongly recommend for a timeless classic comedy film that delivers
on many levels. |
DVD Menus
MGM (40th Anniversary Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - Disc 1 (Disc 2 is a CD)
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(MGM
- R1 - NTSC - Left vs. Momentum - R2 - PAL - Right)
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Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE BELOW TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Screen Captures
1) MGM - 40th Anniversary - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2) MGM - Region 'A' - Blu-ray SECOND 3) Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE Blu-ray - THIRD4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
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1) MGM - 40th Anniversary - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2 ) MGM - R1 - NTSC - SECOND3) Momentum - R2 - PAL - THIRD 4) MGM - Region 'A' - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE Blu-ray - FIFTH6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) MGM - 40th Anniversary - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2 ) MGM - R1 - NTSC - SECOND3) Momentum - R2 - PAL - THIRD 4) MGM - Region 'A' - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE Blu-ray - FIFTH6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) MGM - 40th Anniversary - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2 ) MGM - R1 - NTSC - SECOND3) Momentum - R2 - PAL - THIRD 4) MGM - Region 'A' - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE Blu-ray - FIFTH6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
NOTE: cue blip on the old region 1 DVD!
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1) MGM - 40th Anniversary - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2 ) MGM - R1 - NTSC - SECOND3) Momentum - R2 - PAL - THIRD 4) MGM - Region 'A' - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE Blu-ray - FIFTH6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) MGM - 40th Anniversary - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2 ) MGM - R1 - NTSC - SECOND3) Momentum - R2 - PAL - THIRD 4) MGM - Region 'A' - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE Blu-ray - FIFTH6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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More Studio Canal Blu-ray captures
1) Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Studio Canal Collection - Region FREE Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) MGM - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) MGM - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) MGM - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) MGM - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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More Criterion
Blu-ray Captures
DVD Box Covers |
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Distribution |
MGM (40th Anniversary Collector's Edition) Region 1 - NTSC |
MGM Region 1 - NTSC |
Momentum
Region 2 - PAL |
Blu-ray Box Covers |
Optimum on September 13th, 2010
Kinowelt on September 16th, 2010
Studio Canal on September 14th, 2010 |
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Distribution |
MGM Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Studio Canal Collection Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Criterion Collection - Spine #800 - Region 'A' Blu-ray |
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