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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
directed by Robert Siodmak
USA 1946
Impressively unusual thriller with typically simplistic Freudian elements as psychiatrist Ayres is called in by the police to help investigate a murder committed by one of two identical twins...but which one? Intriguing cat-and-mouse games and perverse power struggles as both he and we try to fathom which of the sisters is the warped psycho, with de Havilland (in the dual role) and Siodmak managing admirably to counteract the contrived plot. What really makes it work, though, is Siodmak's firm grasp of mood and suspense; the opening scene, in which the camera prowls a darkened room until it finds a corpse, sets the tone perfectly for the sense of uncertainty and chaos that follows. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: October 13th, 1946 (USA)
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL vs. Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. Koch Media - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Arrow Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray
1)
Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL
LEFT
2) Olive Film - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray
SECOND
3) Koch Media -
Region 'B' - Blu-ray -
THIRD
4)
Arrow Film - Region
FREE -
Blu-ray RIGHT
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Box Cover |
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Reissued September 2020: |
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Distribution |
Koch Media Region 2 - PAL |
Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Koch Media Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Arrow - Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:21:39 (4% PAL speedup) | 1:25:38.133 | 1:25:15.568 | 1:25:12.315 |
Video |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
1080P Single-layered
Blu-ray Disc Size: 14,140,380,787 bytesFeature: 14,098,225,152 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 20.00 Mbps |
1080P Single-layered
Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,021,380,503 bytesFeature: 22,491,660,288 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps |
1080P
Dual-layered
Blu-ray Disc Size: 35,941,341,250 bytes Feature: 26,086,214,400 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 34.86 Mbps |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate |
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Bitrate: Olive Blu-ray |
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Bitrate: Koch Blu-ray |
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Bitrate: Arrow Blu-ray |
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Audio | Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (English), DUB: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (German) | DTS-HD Master Audio English 823 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 823 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) |
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1562 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1562 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) DUB: DTS-HD Master Audio German 1566 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1566 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) |
LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 /
48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit |
Subtitles | None | None | English, None | English (SDH), None |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Koch Media Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
• liner notes (German) and photos Chapters 16 |
Release Information: Disc Size: 14,140,380,787 bytesFeature: 14,098,225,152 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 20.00 Mbps Edition Details:
• none |
Release Information: Studio: Koch Media 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,021,380,503 bytesFeature: 22,491,660,288 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps
• Gallery Digibook Blu-ray case Blu-ray Release Date: May 2nd, 2014 Chapters: 16 |
Release Information: Disc Size: 35,941,341,250 bytes Feature: 26,086,214,400 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 34.86 Mbps Edition Details:
• Commentary by Adrian Martin DVDs of all 4 films! Blu-ray Release Date: November 20th, 2017 Custom Blu-ray Box Chapters: 12 |
Comments |
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
ADDITION:
Arrow Films - Region 'B' -
Blu-ray -
November 17':
Limited Edition set of only 2000 copies! Whewww... big difference between the first two Blu-rays and the Arrow transfer. Our FB Group discussion believes that the Arrow transfer appears to look more correct and both the Olive and Koch 1080P is vertically stretched. Strangely though the Arrow is in the 1.43:1 aspect ratio. It does look better in black levels, grain texture support and is authentically darker... plus it looks very strong in-motion. Yes, both the Olive/Koch look vertically-stretched, beside the Arrow, to me (too tall/thin) but the Arrow can look a shade horizontally-stretched as well. It may be a shade of both. In all other visual attributes the max'out bitrate of the Arrow is superior - without question. If I have some time I will compare more captures.Arrow is better in the audio - Arrow's 24-bit linear PCM mono vs. the DTS-HD Master (16-bit) tracks on the other two Blu-rays. The presentation is supported with a score by, Noir-mood master, the great Dimitri Tiomkin (Angel Face, Strangers on a Train, The Men, Dial M For Murder, The Thing From Another World etc. etc.) and Frank Skinner (Magnificent Obsession, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, All That Heaven Allows, and The Naked City) and it sounds flawless with consistency and some atmospheric depth to heighten drama via the uncompressed. Arrow also add optional English (SDH) subtitles (see sample below) on their Region FREE Blu-ray disc.Arrow add a new commentary by Adrian Martin. It's at his usual excellent-level addressing some of the Freudian and personality themes broached in the film. Noah Isenberg, the author and scholar, provides a detailed analysis of the film for 34-minutes entitled Reflections of The Dark Mirror. Included is a 1/2 hour The Dark Mirror radio play, a trailer for The Killers and the package offers reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Scott Saslow for all films and a hardback book featuring new writing on all the films by noir experts and critics including Michael Brooke, Andrew Spicer, David Cairns and Tony Rayns and others. One of my favorite Noirs... and we will continue to investigate the rest of the Arrow set! *** ADDITION: Koch Media - Region 'B' - Blu-ray May 16': Koch packaged three notable Noirs - "Ministry of Fear", "The Big Clock" and "The Dark Mirror" in one Film Noir Classics Blu-ray boxset. I'd hoped they would be individually released, but it's been 2 years so it seems less likely. I've already reviewed The Big Clock - which is a decent release. These are single-layered transfers with supportive bitrates - unlike the recent The Glass Key from Koch - which is stellar with a max'ed out bitrate. This is a shade more robust and marginally tighter than the bare-bones Olive Blu-ray from 2012. It has a higher bitrate and looks solid in-motion. I've always loved this Noir.The audio is lossless - again more technically robust than the Olive Blu-ray, and adds to mystery, There is a lossless German DUB (also DTS-HD Master) and subtitle option for English. The Blu-ray disc is region 'B'-locked. The only extra for this disc (of the 3 disc set) is a 'gallery'.
The Dark Mirror is memorable (dual roles of Olivia
de Havilland) and a Film Noir that you can really sink your teeth into
with such a cool premise. I think this is a fabulous inclusion in this
German
Blu-ray package and it truns out to be
the best presentation for this essential dark cinema gem presently
available. Great work Koch!
***
ADDITION:
Olive Films - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray -
August 12':
The Koch was a great DVD but the new Olive
Blu-ray
eclipsed it quite handily - despite being single-layered
with a modest bitrate. It shows more information on all
4 sides, and contrast tightens the detail - it looks
decent. The usual story - it is marginally brighter
with a hint of grain. The audio is lossless mono -
consistent and clear - no subtitles and no extras.
T
***
ON THE DVD: The French DVD edition
HERE of The Dark Mirror has been out-of-print for a long while but I doubt
it could be as perfect visually as this dual-layered, progressive and
impressively clean image from Koch Media. The incredibly high bitrate supports
the pristine transfer with excellent contrast and solid detail.
To tack on some superlatives it may be the best looking image of
a film, of this age, that I can remember in SD-DVD. I hope the
screen captures bear this out because the video presentation is
near flawless.
2.0 channel audio
is likewise strong and consistent even via Dimitri Tiomkin's
score playing over the menus! There is an optional German DUB
but no subtitles.
Extras consist of
the spiffy looking digi-book case with an essay(? - in German)
and some and a digital photo-gallery - but even these images
aren't as impressive as the video transfer. This is an easy sell
for Noir fans especially those with only the lacklustre
Spanish release. Why
The Dark Mirror
still hasn't come to region 1 is beyond me. Koch have produced
one impressive DVD...
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Menus
1)
Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL LEFT
2) Olive Film - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray
RIGHT
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Koch Media - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Arrow Films - Region FREE- Blu-ray
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Subtitle Sample
1) Koch Media -
Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP
2)
Arrow Film - Region
FREE -
Blu-ray BOTTOM
|
1)
Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL TOP
2) Olive Film - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray
SECOND
3) Koch Media -
Region 'B' - Blu-ray -
THIRD
4)
Arrow Film - Region
FREE -
Blu-ray BOTTOM
|
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1)
Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL TOP
2) Olive Film - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray
SECOND
3) Koch Media -
Region 'B' - Blu-ray -
THIRD
4)
Arrow Film - Region
FREE -
Blu-ray BOTTOM
|
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1)
Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL TOP
2) Olive Film - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray
SECOND
3) Koch Media -
Region 'B' - Blu-ray -
THIRD
4)
Arrow Film - Region
FREE -
Blu-ray BOTTOM
|
|
1) Olive Film - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray
TOP
2) Koch Media -
Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
|
1) Olive Film - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray
TOP
2) Koch Media -
Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
|
1)
Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL TOP
2) Olive Film - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray BOTTOM
|
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1)
Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL TOP
2) Olive Film - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1)
Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL TOP
2) Olive Film - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1)
Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL TOP
2) Olive Film - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1)
Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL TOP
2) Olive Film - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1)
Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL TOP
2) Olive Film - Region 'A' -
Blu-ray BOTTOM
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More Blu-ray Captures
Box Cover |
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Reissued September 2020: |
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Distribution |
Koch Media Region 2 - PAL |
Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Koch Media Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Arrow - Region FREE - Blu-ray |