Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980)

[Akijama]

SPECIAL FEATURES
High-definition digital restoration by the Rainer Werner Fassbinder Foundation and Bavaria Media, supervised and approved by director of photography Xaver Schwarzenberger, with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray
Two documentaries by Rainer Werner Fassbinder Foundation president Juliane Lorenz: one from 2007 featuring interviews with the cast and crew, the other from 2006 on the restoration
Hans-Dieter Hartl’s 1980 documentary Notes on the Making of “Berlin Alexanderplatz”
Phil Jutzi’s 1931 feature-length film of Alfred Döblin’s novel, from a screenplay cowritten by Döblin himself
Interview from 2007 with Peter Jelavich, author of “Berlin Alexanderplatz”: Radio, Film, and the Death of Weimar Culture
PLUS: A book featuring an essay by filmmaker Tom Tykwer, reflections on the novel by Fassbinder and author Thomas Steinfeld, and an interview with Schwarzenberger
Cover by Eric Skillman

[xxnomad]

nice

[ShellOilJunior]

Paging Ray Jackson...

[Jexes23]

It's a DVD. This is a Blu Ray forum.

[jsz1002]

Originally Posted by Jexes23

It's a DVD. This is a Blu Ray forum.

It's been on dvd for a while. Certainly they are referring to a blu-ray upgrade?

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by jsz1002

It's been on dvd for a while. Certainly they are referring to a blu-ray upgrade?

More than likely. They're a bit slow with updating the listing.

[James Luckard]

For those who can play it, the UK edition will still be superior, in that it's 1080/50i, so it's at the proper speed of 25fps, not slowed down to 24fps, just as with Dekalog.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by Jexes23

It's a DVD. This is a Blu Ray forum.

And the blu-ray is coming soon.

[Scottie]

February 12

https://www.criterion.com/films/839-...alexanderplatz

[Lutz]

Originally Posted by James Luckard

For those who can play it, the UK edition will still be superior, in that it's 1080/50i, so it's at the proper speed of 25fps, not slowed down to 24fps, just as with Dekalog.

But the PQ itself on the UK edition is borked.

[professorwho]

Originally Posted by Lutz

But the PQ itself on the UK edition is borked.

Okay, and I doubt Criterion will improve it. It seems they're using the same scan as Second Sight, so strike 1. Second- Criterion are poor at encoding. They simply are. It's been discussed elsewhere and in better detail, so I'd look there for more info, but I doubt they can improve it. Depending on who did compression on the UK release, it could be the best possible presentation regarding the source.

If anyone here has the UK release, can you check the booklet? It's possible someone is credited for "Blu-ray Authoring" which also includes compression.

[skreemingskulll]

Originally Posted by Lutz

But the PQ itself on the UK edition is borked.

Originally Posted by professorwho

Okay, and I doubt Criterion will improve it. It seems they're using the same scan as Second Sight, so strike 1. Second- Criterion are poor at encoding. They simply are. It's been discussed elsewhere and in better detail, so I'd look there for more info, but I doubt they can improve it. Depending on who did compression on the UK release, it could be the best possible presentation regarding the source.

If anyone here has the UK release, can you check the booklet? It's possible someone is credited for "Blu-ray Authoring" which also includes compression.

It's David ****ing Mackenzie on the UK set, so the mastering/compression is as good as it can get. And considering that Criterion still has issues with compression (their Andrei Rublev suffers next to the Artificial Eye release) you're better off with the Second Sight discs -- it's cheaper, too, even after importing to the United States.

[thatguamguy]

Originally Posted by skreemingskulll

you're better off with the Second Sight discs -- it's cheaper, too, even after importing to the United States.

You're better off, as long as you can play 50i, otherwise they won't do you much good.

[koberulz]

Can someone explain to me why, in 2018, US televisions can't play 25fps footage?

[skreemingskulll]

Originally Posted by koberulz

Can someone explain to me why, in 2018, US televisions can't play 25fps footage?

Greed and stupidity

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by skreemingskulll

Greed and stupidity

That and protectionist desires to make machines in each geographical area only able to play products sold in that region.

As I understand it, and correct me if I'm wrong, TVs and BD players outside the US routinely play both PAL and NTSC, I've been told it's a largely American thing to lock all devices to one formats.

[thatguamguy]

Pre-HD, I don't think that European TVs could play NTSC, otherwise there'd be no reason for PAL speedup.

[stepeanut]

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

Pre-HD, I don't think that European TVs could play NTSC, otherwise there'd be no reason for PAL speedup.

Television sets weren’t the issue. Back in the 1990s, my television was nothing special, but I did invest in a decent Panasonic VCR, which played all formats, including NTSC. However, most VCRs made for the U.K. market could only handle PAL.

The French SECAM format was an odd one. The tapes would play fine, but in black and white.

[koberulz]

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

Pre-HD, I don't think that European TVs could play NTSC, otherwise there'd be no reason for PAL speedup.

Some could, later in the game. I remember only being able to play Metroid Prime 2 at my grandparents' because it required a 60Hz TV.

But since this isn't the pre-HD era, there's no excuse.

[professorwho]

Originally Posted by skreemingskulll

It's David ****ing Mackenzie on the UK set, so the mastering/compression is as good as it can get. And considering that Criterion still has issues with compression (their Andrei Rublev suffers next to the Artificial Eye release) you're better off with the Second Sight discs -- it's cheaper, too, even after importing to the United States.

That’s why I asked. I thought it was him, but wanted to make sure.

So yeah, everything I said about it being most accurate to the source is true. This is a no-brainer. If you’re region free (this is to anyone interested) and have a display that can handle 50i or convert it, then pick up the UK release.