Anne Frank Remembered (1995)

[McCrutchy]

Sony released Jon Blair's Anne Frank Remembered (1995) on June 9th, 2020.

[McCrutchy]

I just got my copy today. I never owned this film and I haven't watched the Blu-ray, yet, but the main feature now appears to be 1.78:1 (I watched the opening) where the DVD is apparently 1.66:1, but possibly non-anamorphic widescreen. Also, the DVD audio is apparently Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround. However, at the end of the film there is now a 2019 copyright date, so presumably, these changes are all to do with the new HD master that must have been produced last year.



BDInfo scan

English subtitles for the main feature are SDH in the standard white font.

The theatrical trailer is taken from a non-anamorphic widescreen SD video source.

                                                                                                                Total   Video                                             
Title                                                           Codec   Length  Movie Size      Disc Size       Bitrate Bitrate Main Audio Track                          Secondary Audio Track
-----                                                           ------  ------- --------------  --------------  ------- ------- ------------------                        ---------------------
00003.MPLS                                                      AVC     2:02:41 24,089,333,760  24,610,535,514  26.18   21.18   DTS-HD Master 5.1 3466Kbps (48kHz/24-bit)

DISC INFO:

Disc Title:     ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED
Disc Label:     ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED
Disc Size:      24,610,535,514 bytes
Protection:     AACS
BDInfo:         0.7.5.5

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name:                   00003.MPLS
Length:                 2:02:41.687 (h:m:s.ms)
Size:                   24,089,333,760 bytes
Total Bitrate:          26.18 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec                   Bitrate             Description     
-----                   -------             -----------     
MPEG-4 AVC Video        21180 kbps          1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
DTS-HD Master Audio             English         3466 kbps       5.1 / 48 kHz /  3466 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 24-bit)

SUBTITLES:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Presentation Graphics           English         45.068 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           French          44.699 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           English         45.716 kbps                     

FILES:

Name            Time In         Length          Size            Total Bitrate   
----            -------         ------          ----            -------------   
00004.M2TS      0:00:00.000     2:02:29.550     24,082,544,640  26,214          
00005.M2TS      2:02:29.550     0:00:12.137     6,789,120       4,475           

CHAPTERS:

Number          Time In         Length          Avg Video Rate  Max 1-Sec Rate  Max 1-Sec Time  Max 5-Sec Rate  Max 5-Sec Time  Max 10Sec Rate  Max 10Sec Time  Avg Frame Size  Max Frame Size  Max Frame Time  
------          -------         ------          --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  
1               0:00:00.000     0:10:02.685     20,580 kbps     32,854 kbps     00:08:32.970    25,399 kbps     00:04:59.882    23,796 kbps     00:04:29.811    107,288 bytes   486,063 bytes   00:04:33.273    
2               0:10:02.685     0:10:00.266     22,022 kbps     33,336 kbps     00:16:50.134    25,339 kbps     00:12:06.809    24,261 kbps     00:17:09.403    114,815 bytes   395,932 bytes   00:19:14.486    
3               0:20:02.951     0:09:55.469     21,999 kbps     35,048 kbps     00:28:07.227    25,395 kbps     00:27:51.795    24,176 kbps     00:27:47.123    114,694 bytes   465,634 bytes   00:22:05.365    
4               0:29:58.421     0:10:09.275     21,460 kbps     32,868 kbps     00:34:32.236    25,344 kbps     00:39:39.210    23,985 kbps     00:34:23.186    111,882 bytes   595,821 bytes   00:36:37.695    
5               0:40:07.696     0:09:57.096     19,862 kbps     34,899 kbps     00:41:51.342    26,703 kbps     00:48:10.762    24,092 kbps     00:41:42.166    103,551 bytes   461,269 bytes   00:44:59.613    
6               0:50:04.793     0:08:59.038     22,003 kbps     33,552 kbps     00:56:44.109    26,400 kbps     00:53:02.637    24,772 kbps     00:52:59.885    114,715 bytes   437,320 bytes   00:52:48.915    
7               0:59:03.831     0:11:00.826     21,753 kbps     38,256 kbps     00:59:04.874    25,408 kbps     01:06:47.378    23,972 kbps     01:05:37.099    113,411 bytes   520,777 bytes   01:01:18.007    
8               1:10:04.658     0:10:00.766     20,209 kbps     37,335 kbps     01:18:49.224    25,026 kbps     01:18:55.397    23,797 kbps     01:14:47.816    105,359 bytes   405,424 bytes   01:10:44.031    
9               1:20:05.425     0:10:08.566     21,619 kbps     32,061 kbps     01:23:35.510    25,320 kbps     01:23:34.592    23,743 kbps     01:23:32.757    112,711 bytes   436,792 bytes   01:28:19.127    
10              1:30:13.991     0:09:52.300     22,676 kbps     30,929 kbps     01:36:15.144    24,714 kbps     01:31:01.164    23,773 kbps     01:35:32.435    118,222 bytes   497,867 bytes   01:30:53.156    
11              1:40:06.291     0:09:56.637     20,720 kbps     38,197 kbps     01:47:09.005    25,613 kbps     01:45:47.758    24,329 kbps     01:45:35.704    108,026 bytes   404,572 bytes   01:45:35.871    
12              1:50:02.929     0:10:06.230     21,974 kbps     35,438 kbps     01:51:51.162    25,987 kbps     01:51:47.283    24,277 kbps     01:51:42.278    114,560 bytes   424,334 bytes   01:51:54.874    
13              2:00:09.160     0:01:02.395     19,306 kbps     34,670 kbps     02:00:37.855    25,105 kbps     02:01:02.129    24,025 kbps     02:00:37.813    100,654 bytes   303,479 bytes   02:01:05.132    
14              2:01:11.555     0:01:17.911     4,599 kbps      25,865 kbps     02:01:11.555    17,426 kbps     02:01:11.555    11,800 kbps     02:01:11.555    23,977 bytes    254,057 bytes   02:02:12.867    
15              2:02:29.467     0:00:12.220     4,195 kbps      16,830 kbps     02:02:40.519    5,998 kbps      02:02:36.640    4,458 kbps      02:02:31.635    21,946 bytes    348,524 bytes   02:02:36.891    

STREAM DIAGNOSTICS:

File            PID             Type            Codec           Language                Seconds                 Bitrate                 Bytes           Packets         
----            ---             ----            -----           --------                --------------          --------------          -------------   -----           
00004.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     7349.467                21,208                  19,483,432,212  105,991,041     
00004.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x86            DTS-HD MA       eng (English)           7349.467                3,472                   3,189,314,268   18,480,933      
00004.M2TS      4608 (0x1200)   0x90            PGS             eng (English)           7349.467                45                      41,472,144      236,114         
00004.M2TS      4609 (0x1201)   0x90            PGS             fra (French)            7349.467                45                      41,132,802      235,227         
00004.M2TS      4610 (0x1202)   0x90            PGS             eng (English)           7349.467                46                      42,068,189      240,349         
00005.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     12.054                  4,253                   6,407,935       34,933

Trailer

QUICK SUMMARY:

Disc Title: ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED
Disc Label: ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED
Disc Size: 24,610,535,514 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00004.MPLS
Size: 113,786,880 bytes
Length: 0:01:05.857
Total Bitrate: 13.82 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 12947 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: English / Dolby Digital Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /   192 kbps / DN -31dB

[morris_schaffer]

I want to buy this as well, please let me know how the transfer is. Any way to assess whether this is indeed region free?

Thanks

[McCrutchy]

I haven't tested it, but the back cover has the "ABC" symbol, so the disc should be region free.

[Count Orlok]

Originally Posted by morris_schaffer

I want to buy this as well, please let me know how the transfer is. Any way to assess whether this is indeed region free?

Thanks

It's indeed region free. The picture quality isn't the best. To me, it looks like an upscale.

I've emailed Sony asking about the cropping, but I doubt I'll get a response. Giving this a 5.1 remix was an odd choice. A lossless encode of the original 2.0 track would've sufficed.

[morris_schaffer]

Thanks Count!

[Count Orlok]

Originally Posted by morris_schaffer

Thanks Count!

You're very welcome!

[Count Orlok]

If anyone's interested, I actually received a response from Sony about the aspect ratio issue. They asked for a few pictures of the case, the disc inside the case, my Amazon receipt, and my display playing the disc, which I provided including a few screenshots from its original 1.66 presentation.

I don't have a way to create screenshots from the Blu-ray, but here's what I sent them regarding the 1.78 cropping compared to its correct 1.66 off of my plasma.

Please excuse the quality of my tablet's camera and the weird colored blotches. It's not the best when it comes to pictures.

TOP - Blu-ray on my plasma
BOTTOM - DVD screenshots














Those are just examples from the beginning of the documentary. The people being interviewed throughout are zoomed in and aren't centered in the shot anymore, but off to the side.

[McCrutchy]

Hi Count Orlok,

If those are exact frames, then it seems that the cropping on the Blu-ray is very bad, Indeed, and I will admit that even in the bit I watched, the compositions felt somehow off and much too tight.

Hopefully, you will hear back from Sony, but if you don't, or if they dismiss your query, you might try getting the director involved at his website:

http://www.jonblairfilms.com/

I believe Blair's company is primarily responsible for the new HD master, so they should know whether he intended it to be cropped to 1.78:1 or presented in the original 1.66:1 aspect ratio.

[Count Orlok]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

Hi Count Orlok,

If those are exact frames, then it seems that the cropping on the Blu-ray is very bad, Indeed, and I will admit that even in the bit I watched, the compositions felt somehow off and much too tight.

Hopefully, you will hear back from Sony, but if you don't, or if they dismiss your query, you might try getting the director involved at his website:

http://www.jonblairfilms.com/

I believe Blair's company is primarily responsible for the new HD master, so they should know whether he intended it to be cropped to 1.78:1 or presented in the original 1.66:1 aspect ratio.

I might just do that. Thank you!

As soon as I started the disc I noticed how it looked zoomed in. The shots I thought best for using as examples were of pictures that don't pan around or zoom in while in motion.

It doesn't make sense to me that he'd make it and release it in 1.66 back in 1995 only to release it with a badly composited crop job for its BD release in 2020.

[morris_schaffer]

Thanks for the effort will wait before buying.

[Count Orlok]

I guess it was intentional. Just received this back from Blair.



It just looks so off. Oh well.

[Pieter V]

Blu-ray.com review

[Count Orlok]

Today would be Margot Frank's 99th birthday.

This is the last known photo taken of either sister. It was taken shortly before they went into hiding and before Jews were no longer allowed to own cameras. They're most likely 16 and 13 years old in this particular shot.



Otto, Edith, and Margot shortly after leaving the hospital.



The house Margot and Anne would've known as toddlers is still there today. Its address is Marbachweg 307, 60320 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

[Pieter V]

In memoriam Jacqueline Sanders-van Maarsen

https://www.annefrank.org/en/about-u...s-van-maarsen/

[Count Orlok]

Originally Posted by Pieter V

In memoriam Jacqueline Sanders-van Maarsen

https://www.annefrank.org/en/about-u...s-van-maarsen/

It's sad that there are so few of her friends left. Hannah Goslar died two years ago and now Jacque. I think that leaves Eva Schloss as one of the last, though she was more aquatinted with Margot than Anne because of the age difference. Her mom ended up marrying Otto later on.

[morris_schaffer]

Such a powerful docu. Utterly devastating.

[Count Orlok]

Originally Posted by morris_schaffer

Such a powerful docu. Utterly devastating.

It you want another to watch, I'd definitely recommend 'Dear Kitty - Remembering Anne Frank' and 'Anne Frank's Father - His Life & Her Legacy'. The latter is incredibly depressing, but great.

[Count Orlok]

Today would be Anne's 96th birthday.