Band of Outsiders Blu-ray

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

(aka "Band of Outsiders" )

France 1964

Four years after Breathless, Jean-Luc Godard reimagined the gangster film even more radically with Band of Outsiders (Bande à part). In it, two restless young men (Sami Frey and Claude Brasseur) enlist the object of both of their fancies (Anna Karina) to help them commit a robbery—in her own home. This audacious and wildly entertaining French New Wave gem is at once sentimental and insouciant, effervescently romantic and melancholy, and it features some of Godard’s most memorable set pieces, including the headlong race through the Louvre and the unshakably cool Madison dance sequence.

Posters

Theatrical Release: August 5th, 1964

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Comparison:

Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Criterion DVD Screen Caps!

1) Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT

2) BFI - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray THIRD

4) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Covers
Distribution	Criterion Region 0 - NTSC	BFI Region 2 - PAL	Criterion Collection - Spine #174 Region 'A' - Blu-ray	BFI Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:36:18	1:32:0(4% PAL speedup)	1:36:05.801	1:35:31.916
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.34 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.2 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 45,423,073,251 bytes Feature: 28,162,203,648 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.98 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video	1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 48,281,185,308 bytes Feature: 28,209,053,760 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Criterion
Bitrate: BFI
Bitrate: Criterion Blu-ray
Bitrate: BFI Blu-ray
Audio	French (Dolby Digital 1.0)	French (Dolby Digital 1.0)	LPCM Audio French 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit	LPCM Audio French 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	English, None	English (non-removable)	English, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • New high-definition digital transfer, supervised by cinematographer Raoul Coutard • Visual glossary, including film clips and stills, detailing cultural references and wordplay • Exclusive video interviews with Raoul Coutard and actress Anna Karina • Interview excerpts with Godard from 1964 • Rare behind-the-scenes footage of the director and his crew shooting Band of Outsiders • Two theatrical trailers, including Godard's original • Agnès Varda's silent comedy Les Fiancés du Pont Mac Donald • New and improved English subtitle translation DVD Release Date: January 7, 2003 Keep Case Chapters 24	Release Information: Studio: BFI Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • An A To Z Guide • Video Interview With Anna Karina • Quentin Tarantino On The Dance Sequence And Pulp Fiction • Commentary By Roland Francois Lack • Interview With Cinematographer Raoul Coutard • Original Theatrical Trailer • Directors Biography DVD Release Date: April 28, 2003 Transparent keep Case Chapters 21	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 45,423,073,251 bytes Feature: 28,162,203,648 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.98 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Digital master of Gaumont’s 2010 high-definition restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack • Visual glossary of references and quotations found in the film • Exclusive interviews with Coutard and actor Anna Karina • Excerpts from the documentary La nouvelle vague par elle-même, featuring director Jean-Luc Godard discussing the New Wave and rare behind-the-scenes footage from Band of Outsiders • Filmmaker Agnès Varda’s 1961 silent short Les fiancés du pont Mac Donald, featuring Godard, Karina, and other members of the Band of Outsiders cast • Godard’s original trailer and the 2001 U.S. rerelease trailer • PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by poet and critic Joshua Clover, character descriptions created by Godard for the film’s original press book, and a 1964 interview with the director Blu-ray Release Date: May 7th, 2013 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters: 23	Release Information: Studio: BFI Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 48,281,185,308 bytes Feature: 28,209,053,760 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • The Outsiders: alternative presentation of UK theatrical release credits (2:58) • Original trailer (1:51) • Feature-length audio commentary by film critic Adrian Martin • Anna Karina interviewed onstage at the BFI Southbank (2016, 31:46): a conversation with the critic Jason Solomons about Bande à part • Anna Karina on Jean-Luc Godard (2016, 9:35) • An introduction to Bande à part by Ginette Vincendeau (2016, 20:50) • An interview with Raoul Coutard (2003, 11:04) • JLG/AK: an interview with Anna Karina (2010, 40:33) • JLG/CC: an interview with Claude Chabrol (2010, 26:56) • JLG/ADB: an interview with Antoine de Baecque (2010, 16:19) • JLG/DB: an interview with Denitza Bantcheva (2012, 22:25) • JLG/AA: an interview with Alexandre Astruc (2012, 19:33) • Les Fiancés du pont Mac Donald (Agnes Varda, 1961, 5:16): Delightful silent film starring Jean-Luc Godard and Anna Karina • Fully illustrated booklet featuring new writing by Andy Miller and full film credits Easter Egg: "Vivre sa vie Q&A" (36:15) access by highlighting "Original Trailer", press up and a "?" appears, press enter. Blu-ray Release Date: March 21st, 2016 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 12

Comments

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

ADDITION: BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray (March 2016): This BFI Blu-ray a/v transfer matches the Criterion as close as my software can determine. It looks and sounds great - I doubt many could differentiate between the HD presentations - both audio and video presumably both from Gaumont’s 2010 high-definition restoration.

Where the difference lies is in the extras and BFI really load their package up - beyond their 2003 DVD - including a different feature-length audio commentary by film critic Adrian Martin. It's as good as you might expect. There are also over 3 hours of interviews - many new - with Anna Karina, Raoul Coutard (from 2003), Claude Chabrol (from 2010), Denitza Bantcheva + Alexandre Astruc (from 2012) and a wonderful 20-minute introduction by Ginette Vincendeau, Agnes Varda's 1962 Les Fiancés du pont Mac Donald starring Jean-Luc Godard and Anna Karina (also found on the Criterion), UK theatrical release credits and the package has a fully illustrated booklet featuring new writing by Andy Miller and full film credits. Easter Egg: "Vivre sa vie Q&A" (36:15) access by highlighting "Original Trailer", press up and a "?" appears, click it.

Both Blu-rays are fabulous - BFI may have gone the extra mile this time in terms of the supplements including the commentary, interviews, intro, booklet and more. Region 'B' audiences should be very pleased. Our highest recommendation!

***

ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (April 2013): This Criterion Blu-ray transfer is from Gaumont’s 2010 high-definition restoration and those that own either of the 10-year old DVDs will notice a significant improvement. I toggled back and forth on my HT system from the Criterion SD and this 1080P is quite a revelation. It is cleaner, more textured and shows much more detail (look at the rain on the hood of the car in capture four!) It also sounds as scattered and authentic as it was probably meant to via Criterion's lossless linear PCM mono track. The subtitles are optional and the disc is region 'A'-locked.

Extras appear to duplicate the 2003 Criterion package with the visual glossary of references and quotations found in the film, the interviews with Coutard and Karina, the excerpts from the La nouvelle vague documentary with rare behind-the-scenes footage from Band of Outsiders. It has Varda’s 1961 silent short Les fiancés du pont Mac Donald, the trailers and the case has a booklet featuring an essay by poet and critic Joshua Clover, character descriptions created by Godard for the film’s original press book, and a 1964 interview with the director.

I think Godard fans will be very pleased with the new presentation. It brings the film to a whole new level of appreciation. Strongly recommended!

***

ON THE DVDs: Both DVDs have a wonderful image, with the Criterion sneaking ahead as the superior. The BFI is brighter, but too bright in some instances. The sharpness factor is negligibly ahead for Criterion. Extras are vast on both release but the commentary and super cool A-Z Guide feature on the BFI disc are too good to pass up. BFI does a no-no with burned in subs. My advice is to buy the most reasonably priced of these two DVDs for wherever your region. I am certain you will be happy with either. True fans may want both - the Criterion for the image and the BFI for their supplements.

Menus

(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

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Screen Captures