Babylon Berlin Seasons 1 & 2 Kino Lorber

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Babylon Berlin

Seasons 1 & 2

Coming October 27th from KINO LORBER

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Content and Special Features:

Sixteen Episodes/Four-disc box set
Behind-the-scenes footage
Making-of documentary
Optional English subtitles
Trailers
*Limited edition O-Card


Babylon Berlin Season 3 Coming NOVEMBER 24th 2020

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[The Sovereign]

Easily one of my favorite announcements of the year. This is a killer series with production values that far exceed most feature films.

[James Luckard]

A miracle!!!!!!!!

I absolutely NEVER thought this would be released on BD anywhere in the world with English subs.

This is the most spectacular television show I have ever seen. I cannot compare it to any other TV show, I can only compare it to the feature films Lord of the Rings and Tiitanic for the jaw-dropping scale of the world they created. Berlin of the 20s does not exist anymore, but they recreated it through MASSIVE sets, amazing CG and beautifully chosen locations throughout Germany.

This is one of the most skillfully crafted narratives I have ever seen. There about a dozen primary plot strands, and they are all beautifully interwoven, with loads and loads of little elements planted that are ALL carefully paid off over the course of the miniseries.

The miniseries is nominally based on the first book in the series, but it's quite clear the trio behind it (Tykwer, von Borries and Handloegten), who are old friends and co-wrote and co-directed the entire 16 hours, worked for YEARS crafting a much more complicated and nuanced epic than is present in the book. There are many elements that, as far as I understand it, they added completely, or re-imagined a great deal.

The music is spectacular, a mix of period songs and newly written period-sounding songs, the CD is amazing.

[James Luckard]

I should add, there are two facts to note:

- "Seasons" 1 and 2 are the contractual name for the first miniseries, which consists of 16 episodes.

"Seasons" 1 and 2 are one continuous narrative, were filmed as one unit and were broadcast in Germany and released on Netlfix as one miniseries. I'm sure it's just a contractual thing that they are labelled as individual "seasons."

The second run of episodes, what most viewers would consider the second season, is technically "Season 3"

For those who are wondering, Season 3, which was put together VERY quickly after the massive success of the first miniseries, is nowhere near as good. The narrative is too thin, uncomplicated and boring to justify 12 episodes, and most of the more interesting side characters were

[Show spoiler]killed off over the course of the original 16-hour minsieries

, so we're pretty much left with just the two leads and some uninteresting new characters. Also, in Season 3, they are clearly trying to play the standard TV game and delaying bringing the two leads together romantically, so they constantly create silly situations to keep them apart, including devoting an inordinate amount of time to

[Show spoiler] a pointless romantic triangle between the male detective lead, his grating, shrill common-law wife (who is also his brother's widow) and an insane business tycoon.

- Because this was shot for German TV, it will unavoidably have to be slowed down from 25fps to 24fps. There is no way to release European TV in the US at its native frame rate, European TV BDs are 1080/50i so they can run 25fps, but American systems generally can't handle 1080/50i, so European shows are slowed down to 24fps so they can be presented in 1080p instead.

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by James Luckard

I should add, there are two facts to note:

- "Seasons" 1 and 2 are the contractual name for the first miniseries, which consists of 16 episodes.

"Seasons" 1 and 2 are one continuous narrative, were filmed as one unit and were broadcast in Germany and released on Netlfix as one miniseries. I'm sure it's just a contractual thing that they are labelled as individual "seasons."

The second run of episodes, what most viewers would consider the second season, is technically "Season 3"

Shouldn't episodes 1-16 be considered the first season?
and episodes 17-29 the second season?

Originally Posted by James Luckard

For those who are wondering, Season 3, which was put together VERY quickly after the massive success of the first miniseries, is nowhere near as good. The narrative is too thin, uncomplicated and boring to justify 12 episodes, and most of the more interesting side characters were

[Show spoiler]killed off over the course of the original 16-hour minsieries

, so we're pretty much left with just the two leads and some uninteresting new characters. Also, in Season 3, they are clearly trying to play the standard TV game and delaying bringing the two leads together romantically, so they constantly create silly situations to keep them apart, including devoting an inordinate amount of time to

[Show spoiler] a pointless romantic triangle between the male detective lead, his grating, shrill common-law wife (who is also his brother's widow) and an insane business tycoon.

I agree with your assessment. I wouldn't go so far as to call it boring, but it's
nowhere near as sexy or edgy as episodes 1-16.

I read somewhere they're filming another season.

Originally Posted by James Luckard

- Because this was shot for German TV, it will unavoidably have to be slowed down from 25fps to 24fps. There is no way to release European TV in the US at its native frame rate, European TV BDs are 1080/50i so they can run 25fps, but American systems generally can't handle 1080/50i, so European shows are slowed down to 24fps so they can be presented in 1080p instead.

I've been watching the Netflix download. If there's a problem I haven't noticed it.

[styrofoamboats]

I never caught up with Season 3 but I loved the first "two" seasons and will probably revisit them with this Blu-ray release. I'm glad to see this series getting released, it certainly has those qualities of great television that make you feel as if you're reading a fine and grand novel.

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by Richard--W

Shouldn't episodes 1-16 be considered the first season?
and episodes 17-29 the second season?

Yep, that's exactly my point. For legal/contractual reasons, the first eight episodes of the original miniseries are officially (and entirely arbitrarily) titled "Season 1," while the second eight episodes of the miniseries are titled "Season 2." They have never been broadcast individually, and it would make no sense to do to. The first eight episodes are merely the first half of a continuing narrative. Absolutely nothing is resolved at the end of episode 8.

Originally Posted by Richard--W

I agree with your assessment. I wouldn't go so far as to call it boring, but it's nowhere near as sexy or edgy as episodes 1-16.

I'm not even talking about the tone though, the sexiness, etc. I'm talking about the basic plotting. The original miniseries has a brilliantly crafted Swiss watch of a plot, with about a dozen gripping strands all carefully interwoven so they all combine as the season progresses, and they all pay off in a spectacular resolution.

It's very clear the plot of the original miniseries (which is quite different from the first book) was carefully crafted over a number of years, as indeed it was.

The second miniseries, "Season 3," was thrown together in about a year and has basically just one central mystery plot which isn't all that gripping, and a couple of minor side plots, which aren't related to the main plot. I found it profoundly disappointing after the original miniseries, which is truly one of the greatest accomplishments in television history, on every level.

Originally Posted by Richard--W

I read somewhere they're filming another season.

The show was renewed for a "fourth season," but no filming had begun before the pandemic struck.

I read one place that the intention of the show was to eventually film all the books in the still-continuing novel series. They are set one a year from 1929 to something like 1934 or 1935 right now, the more recent ones haven't been translated into English so all the info on them in English online seems fuzzy. However I read another place, from one of the showrunners, I believe, that they only intend to film up to 1933, that they specifically don't want to film anything set during the Nazi period.

The two lead actors post regularly on Instagram, so that's a good place for updates:

https://www.instagram.com/accounts/l.../volker.bruch/
https://www.instagram.com/accounts/l...livlisa.fries/

Originally Posted by Richard--W

I've been watching the Netflix download. If there's a problem I haven't noticed it.

Any difference between 25fps and 24fps would be truly slight, most people will not notice it. I just seem to be unusually sensitive to it, as are some others.

I believe the Netflix stream is actually at the native framerate, though I could be wrong. I know when Netflix streamed the UK series Prime Suspect the episodes were the correct running time, they were not longer, so they were clearly at the proper 25fps. The US Blu-Rays of Prime Suspect, however, were slowed down, so they had longer running times and the voices had a deeper pitch, which I found hugely distracting.

I could be wrong, but I believe 25fps is less of an issue on streaming, I think it's bringing it to disc where there's a problem, thus the inevitable slowdown of all European shows on Blu-Ray from 25fps to 24fps.

[Simon_LDT]

Been waiting for an English friendly release of this fantastic series but sadly the frame drop to 24fps is a no go for me, especially as it would cost to import this to the UK.

[McCrutchy]

Even though I'd vastly prefer to have a 25 fps encode, I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet on this, because I can't see another English-friendly release coming, since Acorn UK are apparently loathe to release any further Blu-rays. I would love a German release with English subtitles, but that seems like it would be a long time coming.

It will be great to finally see the show, anyway. I hope Kino's Blu-rays are good.

[Surge92]

Wow. I might actually get this. Babylon Berlin is probably my favorite Netflix series so far. It's incredible.

[V.M. Varga]

Great series, hated the ending of S2 though.

But really, we need a Region B BD release with English subs. It should be a crime to release a series only on DVD in this day and age.

[chas speed]

Did anybody have problems following the English subtitles on bootleg versions? They just didn't seem to make much sense and made the series almost impossible to watch. It looks amazing and I look forward to watching new and improved subtitles. Will this have the English dubbed version? Is that how everyone else has seen it?

[PowellPressburger]

Season 3 also being released on NOV 24th!

Updated Main post to include Season 3 cover art

[Jeremy2882]

I'm not very familiar with Kino Lorber's releases. Any chance that these will be region free?

[PowellPressburger]

Originally Posted by Jeremy2882

I'm not very familiar with Kino Lorber's releases. Any chance that these will be region free?

They usually region lock just about all of their BLUs.

[agentalbert]

Re: Season "3" (episodes 17-29)

Originally Posted by Richard--W

I agree with your assessment. I wouldn't go so far as to call it boring, but it's
nowhere near as sexy or edgy as episodes 1-16.

This is really noticable. I loved the decadent edge to the first series. Where has that gone? It's like they decided to tone it down to network TV levels. They've managed to have an occult sex orgy and a staged gang bang, but kept everyone completely clothed. I'm through 8 episodes and the story seems padded. I'd forgive superfluous stories like Ilse's eye and the courtship between the reporter and his landlady if the series were as fun as the first one, but it just isn't.

I plan to buy S1/2 on blu-ray, but don't think I'll buy this S3.

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by chas speed

Did anybody have problems following the English subtitles on bootleg versions? They just didn't seem to make much sense and made the series almost impossible to watch. It looks amazing and I look forward to watching new and improved subtitles. Will this have the English dubbed version? Is that how everyone else has seen it?

I'm not sure there's much point to discussing improper subtitles on bootlegs, since they're bootlegs.

As for the show itself, I watched it on Netflix, and the subtitles were fine.

A word of warning, do NOT watch the dubbed version, it's atrocious, like a Godzilla movie, the voices they chose to dub it are wildly inappropriate. I watched just the dubbed trailer and was falling out of my seat laughing. Watch it in the original German, with subtitles.

I hope the BD does not include the dub, it's absolute garbage.

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by agentalbert

Re: Season "3" (episodes 17-29)



This is really noticable. I loved the decadent edge to the first series. Where has that gone? It's like they decided to tone it down to network TV levels. They've managed to have an occult sex orgy and a staged gang bank, but kept everyone completely clothed. I'm through 8 episodes and the story seems padded I'd forgive superfluous stories like Ilse's eye and the courtshp between the reporter and his landlady if the series were as fun as the first one, but it just isn't.

I plan to buy S1/2 on blu-ray, but don't think I'll buy this S3.

As I mentioned above, the original miniseries, "Seasons 1/2" was planned for many years, and it shows, The narrative is intricately woven and it's really raw and realistic.

The sequel, "Season 3," was put together very quickly, in about a year, I think, and it shows. I'm going to buy the BD of S3 just for my collection and to support the release of the show, but I have no intention of rewatching S3, once was more than enough.

S1/2, however, is one of the greatest things I've seen on television in my entire life.

[Surge92]

I might actually get these. I absolutely love Babylon Berlin, Season 3 included. It's probably my favorite Netflix series.

[agentalbert]

Originally Posted by James Luckard

As I mentioned above, the original miniseries, "Seasons 1/2" was planned for many years, and it shows, The narrative is intricately woven and it's really raw and realistic.

The sequel, "Season 3," was put together very quickly, in about a year, I think, and it shows. I'm going to buy the BD of S3 just for my collection and to support the release of the show, but I have no intention of rewatching S3, once was more than enough.

S1/2, however, is one of the greatest things I've seen on television in my entire life.

I'm up to the last episode of S3. I like the historical setting, with the Weimar Republic being an interesting time period. This one just isn't grabbing me, but the first season (or S1/2) is my favorite Netflix series so far. I'm looking forward to watching it again.

It looks like another season is coming? There's a S4 listed at IMDB.