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Hey Gary,
Hopefully you'll see that everyone here defending Denti is doing so whilst simultaneously praising your site and the service you provide. Also, we can presume everyone who has even read this exchange was on this thread looking for information on your latest comparisons (ie, your fans).

Speaking from a completely impartial point of view, (I have never met you or Denti but have enjoyed your site for years and regularly look forward to Denti's posts on silent films) it looks like Denti questioned why you didn't point out the squashing/ stretching issue for this film like you usually do and you took it more personally that he had intended it and thought he was attacking you.

Now if Denti had responded with a "Fuck you and your shitty site" type of post, everyone here would be backing you and nailing him, but it seems he apologised for any offence caused and tried to explain he hadn't meant to question your integrity by his comments. There's not really more he can do to try and resolve this.

Anywhoo, hopefully any further personal arguments will be kept off this thread as any public argument, regardless of how 'in the right' you are, slightly tarnishes the image of your (excellent) site.

Okay. I am nothing if not totally imperfect.

Denti pointed out a weakness in my comparison comments, based solely on looking at my screen grabs. Less than a month earlier, even after extensive and painstaking verification on my part, he dismissed my capture methodology as inaccurate based on how the DVD image appears on his 'expertly calibrated system'.

I took offense at this two-sided criticism. If he finds my captures inaccurate then how can he use them to point flaw in my analysis - when I also own the disc in question? and he doesn't? At Beaver we refer to this as 'Feng-logic'.

I don't find Denti malicious and certainly didn't mean to project that either. I'm sorry I wasn't able to relay my position more clearly. And I'm sorry for getting enraged at his "I-don't-know-why-Gary-didn't..." tone (believe it or not that 'language' still bothers me).

I'm sure if we met (any of you, Denti, of course, included) we would get along famously, but I realize to do what I do takes an almost volatile amount of fanaticism which may occasionally distort certain perceptions I have. Frankly, I'm not running for public office and could care less what anyone thinks of me... but this work I do must endure and I am deeply grateful for those who encourage me in this project. Insult me - 'lazy, stupid, ignorant', all you like.... but to me the Beaver is sacred (Ward).

"Yes We Can"!,

Gary

Denti is not Funda Eddie's evil twin!.

I would never have suspected so, David. Hopefully, that entity does not exist as one per lifetime has, in itself, been an overload. Let's keep a good thought.
Back to work!

New comparison...

Shameless - Region 0 - PAL "Night Train Murders" vs. Blue Underground - Region 1 - NTSC

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Regards,

New...

Fox/Lorber Region 0 - NTSC "Irma Vep" vs. Second Sight - Region 2 - PAL

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Cheers,

In our review of Silent Ozu (Eclipse Series 10 from the Criterion Collection) we have compared some grabs of the Panorama - Region 0 - NTSC of "Passing Fancy" with the new Eclipse edition.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Cheers,

Criterion should be roundly celebrated for releasing these OZU SILENTS on the Eclipse label, despite their deteriorated state... It's a different kind of conservation than restoration, but equally valuable...

New...

Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL "Bamako" vs. New Yorker - Region 1 - NTSC

ON DECK - The Fall of the Roman Empire (new vs. Japanese)

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Cheers,

New...

Tohokushinsha - Region 0 - NTSC "The Fall of the Roman Empire" vs. Genius Products (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC

Tohokushinsha edition from 2003




New Genius Products



http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Best,

Finally in original widescreen!...

Image Entertainment (OOP) - Region 1- NTSC "This Island Earth" vs. Universal Studios - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Universal - Region 2,4,5 - PAL

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Cheers,

Wow, man. Universal in retrospect seems to have zoomed in way too much on the R1 open matte release of this film. The open matte ratio didn't bother me much, but the cropping can be pretty significant in zones-- and that's bothersome. (I share your huge love for this film, Gary). I wonder why they issued it this way in R2, but opened it up for R1... and how common it is for them to do this in releases not too far apart.

Have you ever seen them do this on another title Gary, particularly on these "transition-era" films (cheeseball way of describing these multiple ar films from the 50's, even early 60's), where they release afilm in 2 different ar's in Pal-vs-ntsc?

Some of the Sirks perhaps?

Off the top of my head The Far Country comes to mind, but I uderstand R1 will be correcting this with James Stewart - The Western Collection. I'm sure there are many other examples.
Best,
Gary

Thanks much G.

Eric has covered another soft-core Tinto Brass title...

Cult Epics (Unrated Uncensored Italian Version) - Region 1 - NTSC "Trasgredire (Cheeky)" vs. CVC - Region 2 - PAL

New....

For those interested, we have reviewed the new German 4:3 DVD of Zabriskie Point and compared two frames with the widescreen bootleg I own.
New...

Bo Ying - Region 0 - PAL "Ugetsu Monogatari" vs. Eureka - Masters of Cinema (2 disc with Oyu-Sama) - Region 2 - NTSC vs. Criterion (2 disc) - Region 1 - NTSC

New Yorker - Region 1 - NTSC "Lancelot du Lac" vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Cheers,

Two new...

Optimum Releasing - Region 2 - PAL "The Fire Within" vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC

Cult Epics (Unrated, Uncensored Version) - Region 1 - NTSC "Frivolous Lola" vs. Intercontinental Home Video - Region 0 - NTSC

Completed...

Optimum Releasing - Region 2 - PAL "The Lovers" vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Best,

Wow, is it just me or do the sunglasses make him look just like Heath Ledger?

More Bresson, a favorite...

New Yorker - Region 1 - NTSC "A Man Escaped" vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL

New...

Paramount Home Entertainment (part of the Indiana Jones Trilogy Boxset) - Region 1 - NTSC "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark" vs. Paramount Home Entertainment (Special Edition: part of Indiana Jones: The Adventure Collection) - Region 1,4 - NTSC

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Cheers,

Gary, do you have any plans to review La Roue from Flicker Alley?

Love to Herr Schreck - if I could get my hands on a copy. It's delayed at Amazon.

New...

Asmik (Normal Edition - Japan Version) - Region 2 - NTSC "Honey and Clover" vs. VIZ Video - Region 1 - NTSC

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Cheers,

Gary, any comments regarding Criterion's blu-ray announcement? Just wondering how you'll go about the screengrabs and whatnot...

Hi Exte,
Firstly, I'm thrilled!
We are investigating some options and will do the best that we can.
Cheers,
Gary

Awesome.

Anyone else feel technology is leaping ahead these days? (And I'm only 28!)

Essential western....

MGM - Region 1 - NTSC "Man of the West" vs. Carlotta Films - Region 2 - PAL vs. MGM - Region 2 - PAL

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Cheers,

Not given a full comparison treatment, but we can confirm that the May 2008 - single disc edition of Duck You Sucker / A Fistful of Dynamite released by MGM is an exact duplicated of the first disc from the 2-disc Collector's Edition. Same menus, same extras, same image and audio (same VOB files). A good price now, plus you get the commentary.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Cheers,

New -

e-m-s - Region 2 - PAL "The Whip and the Body" vs. VCI - Region 0 - NTSC
(thanks Gregory)

...and from our review of the Fox Western Classics we have compared screen grabs of both the PAL The Gunfighter (a fav!) (1950) and Garden of Evil (1954) with ones in the new collection.

PAL - Region 2,4


NTSC - new Fox Western Classics


http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Have great weekend!