Australia DVD review

	Australia DVD Review [SIREN] [2:35:1Letterbox] [Region 4] [PAL] [119 minutes]
	This latest edition to the growing Manhunter DVD collection has been put together using the Anchor Bay Disc 1 as a template.


FEATURES The disc contains the 'hybrid' cut of the movie as per Anchor Bay's edition and also the two specially made featurettes, "The Manhunter Look, a conversation with Cinematographer Dante Spinotti" and "Inside Manhunter". It therefore comes as a great disappointment that unlike Anchor Bay's presentation, the makers of this DVD decided to downconvert the glorious anamorphic Region 1 version to a mere letterbox release. Yes, it's hard to believe that SIREN VISUAL ENTERTAINMENT have done this. The box even claims the release to be anamorphic but it ain't! SIREN has since stated the master that they were given was letterboxed only.

	Picture Quality The region 1 disc's is slightly richer in texture and colour despite the region 4 coming from the same source. To make matters worse, the Dolby 5.1 soundtrack has been rejected in favour of a 2.0 surround mix!!!
The disc does not come with a booklet or even a list of chapter stops. There are no subtitles for the deaf or hard of hearing. There is an 'Easter Egg' on the disc which takes you to a DVD production credits page. Try to highlight the torch on the primary menu page to access it.


	EXTRAS Of the extra's, one addition to the set is 'The History of Hannibal' which is a reprint of the article written by Andy Black and used in the booklet of the Anchor Bay release. It's a very good article to be sure but is headache-inducing to read pages of text in letterbox format.

SUMMARY Overall, the disc is fine if you have not got or never intend to get a widescreen television or projector. By taking the non-anamorphic route the producers have short-changed a lot of people who deserve better.
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