French 1999 DVD Review
[Pioneer] [2:35:1 Anamorphic] [Region 2] [PAL] [117 minutes]

[1999 French DVD review]
  French DVD coverFrench DVD

FEATURES

The Menu system is simple and offers a short biography of Thomas Harris
and a Michael Mann filmography. Also you can select to watch the movie
in the original English or in French. Be warned that French subtitles are
'locked-in' on most DVD players if watching the movie in English. Sound
is presented in LPCM French and English. 

It look like the menu background images were created with anamorphic
stretching in mind but the final rendering was made in 4:3 so character
faces are squished sideways.
 

  PICTURE QUALITY

The movie itself is presented anamorphically in the correct aspect ratio. 
Colours are rich enough, the image can be grainy at times and suffers
from some minor blemishes but nothing too distracting.

Like the UK DVD from the same years, the colour palette is as presented at
the cinema unlike later iterations of this film.
 

  EXTRAS

Other than the bio's, there are no other extra material available. Some reviews have said that
there is a trailer on the DVD but this is not th
e case.
     
SUMMARY

The one thing this disc and the BMG 1999 UK disc have going for them is that
disc presents the original cinema version ofthe film, the only discs that do. The
advantage this disc has the BMG disc is that the feature is presented
anamorphically.

The US and new European disc contain extra scenes and some sorely missed
omissions. In light of this, maybe the completist would like to own both versions.
Overall though, the European 2001 release takes the prize not least for it's 
extra features and superior presentation.
 

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