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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

directed by John Schlesinger
UK 1963

 

From John Schlesinger, the acclaimed director of Darling, Midnight Cowboy, Sunday Bloody Sunday, The Day of the Locust, Marathon Man and The Falcon and the Snowman, comes this British New Wave comedy-drama starring Tom Courtenay (The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, The Dresser) and Julie Christie (Doctor Zhivago, Fahrenheit 451). Courtenay gives a flawlessly nuanced performance as Billy Fisher, the underachieving undertaker’s assistant whose constant daydreams and truth-deficient stories earn him the nickname “Billy Liar.” Julie Christie is the handbag-swinging charmer whose free spirit just might inspire Billy to finally move out of his parents’ house. Deftly veering from gritty realism to flamboyant fantasy, Billy Liar is a dazzling and uproarious classic, beautifully shot in black-and-white CinemaScope by Denys N. Coop (The Mind Benders, Rosebud)

***

Tom Courtenay gives a flawlessly nuanced performance as Billy Fisher, the underachieving undertaker’s assistant whose constant daydreams and truth-deficient stories earn him the nickname “Billy Liar.” Julie Christie is the handbag-swinging charmer whose free spirit just might inspire Billy to finally move out of his parents’ house. Deftly veering from gritty realism to flamboyant fantasy, Billy Liar is a dazzling and uproarious classic.

Posters

Theatrical Release: August 15th, 1963

Reviews                                                                                                       More Reviews                                                                                       DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Studio Canal 50th Anniversary - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

Distribution Criterion Collection - Spine # 121 - Region 0 - NTSC Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:38:33         1:38:09.583 1:38:48.672 
Video 2.30:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 6.48 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

2.35:1 - 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,103,910,840 bytes

Feature: 30,409,291,584 bytes

Video Bitrate: 36.98 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 31,707,705,744 bytes

Feature: 30,971,400,192 bytes

Video Bitrate: 37.931 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:

Bitrate Blu-ray:

Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio English (Dolby Digital mono) LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1554 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1554 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

Subtitles English, None English, None English, None
Features

Release Information:
Studio: Criterion

Aspect Ratio:
Original aspect Ratio 2.30:1

Edition Details:

• Audio commentary featuring director John Schlesinger and actors Tom Courtenay and Julie Christie
• Excerpts from “Northern Lights,” an episode of the BBC series Hollywood U.K.: British Cinema in the Sixties, hosted by Richard Lester (15:34)
• Original theatrical trailer (4:15)

DVD Release Date: July 10th, 2001

Keep Case
Chapters: 16

Release Information:
Studio:
Studio Canal

 

2.35:1 - 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,103,910,840 bytes

Feature: 30,409,291,584 bytes

Video Bitrate: 36.98 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• 
Remembering Billy Liar with Tom Courtney and Helen Fraser (9:43 - 1080i)
• Interview with Richard Ayoade (11:49 in 1080i):
• A Look Through the Keith Waterhouse Archive With British Library Curator Zoe Wilcox (12:30 in 1080i)
• Interview with St Etienne's Bob Stanley (9:34 in 1080i)
• Behind the Scenes Stills Gallery

• Trailer (4:05 in 576i)

Blu-ray Release Date: May 6th, 2013
Thick (UK)
Blu-ray Case
Chapters: 12

Release Information:
Studio:
Kino

 

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 31,707,705,744 bytes

Feature: 30,971,400,192 bytes

Video Bitrate: 37.931 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Kat Ellinger
• Theatrical Trailer (4:16 - SD)


Blu-ray Release Date:
April 28th, 2020
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 10

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (April 2020): Kino have transferred John Schlesinger's Billy Liar to Region 'A' Blu-ray. The 1080P image quality is exactly the same as the 2013 Studio Canal Blu-ray - on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. It is also a a shade green/grey but has no artifacts and looks significantly improved over the 2001 Criterion DVD. Solid upgrade from SD.

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (only 16-bit) in the original English language. It takes a small step behind the UK editions but the score by Richard Rodney Bennett (The Brink's Job, Figures in a Landscape, Far From the Madding Crowd, The Witches, Equus, Pickup Alley, The Man Who Could Cheat Death) still sounds rich, occasionally bouncy and supportive. Kino offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray includes a new audio commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger who knocks it out of the park in terms of deep analysis of the film. She brings up details I never would have related to Billy Liar. She identifies this black comedy as another Schlesinger theme involving the secret life of frustrated dreamers (referencing Walter Mitty <- one of my favorite films.) Kat sees characteristics of Billy Fisher that allow him to escape with fantasy rather than confront his reality discussing the various detractions from his family. She remarks on Tom Courtenay (who had understudied Albert Finney in the West End theatre adaptation of the novel), how he got the part and the support from Finney, incorrect comparisons to the "Nouvelle Vague" etc.  She covers so much - she barely takes a breath - and I found it really one of her most thorough commentaries. There is also a lengthy SD trailer for the film 9and other trailers) included.

One of the most re-watchable and effective comedies of its era. Billy Liar shows John Schlesinger's mastery as a filmmaker and there is an excellent cast. Region 'A'ers now have a Blu-ray with a deep Kat Ellinger commentary. An easy recommendation! 

Gary Tooze

ADDITION Studio Canal Blu-ray - June 2013: Wow - check out how cropped the OOP Criterion is! (all 4 sides but notably the top and the left edge.) The Studio Canal 1080P can look a shade green/grey but has no artifacts and is dual-layered with a strong bitrate. We've come a long way in over a decade. The region 'B' Blu-ray is a shade darker but a definite uptick in detail. The AR turns out to be a huge consideration. The audio is lossless in a linear PCM and there are optional subtitles. Studio Canal have included some very good supplements. New interviews with many of the participants - and all in HD. Bravo! Still a wonderful, and sad, film - Julie Christie is stunning in HD - the extra are much appreciated. Certainly recommended!

***

ON THE DVD (2002): Very nice bittersweet film that left me quite sad in the end. The transfer is stupendous. Brilliant contrast levels and tight anamorphic image. Director and principles commentary is also interesting to hear the reflections of the past development of the film. All good news from Criterion. Dynamite DVD package.

 


Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC

 

Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


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

 

1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC  TOP

2) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC  TOP

2) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC  TOP

2) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC  TOP

2) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC  TOP

2) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


More Blu-ray Captures
 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

  

 

Box Cover

Distribution Criterion Collection - Spine # 121 - Region 0 - NTSC Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 


 

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Gary Tooze

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