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NOTE : The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - August 16': The Criterion is cited as a "New, restored 4K digital transfer, approved by cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld and filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen" and colors looks much richer on their new 1080P transfer. The MGM BD is 5 years old (to the month!) and in side-by-side comparisons - it is significantly weaker than the Criterion which is darker, still showing abundant grain textures. Really, it's no contest. Criterion use a robust DTS-HD Master in 5.1 surround (24-bit) and it also advances upon the flatter 2.0 channel MGM with some notable, and sneaky, separations and a very deep audio notable in the film's score from frequent Coen collaborator, Carter Burwell (A Serious Man, No Country for Old Men, The Big Lebowski etc.) and it sounds pristine, tight and very pleasing. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles on Criterion's region 'A'-locked Blu-ray disc. Criterion add extensive self-produced extras for this Blood Simple release. There is a new, 1-hour 10-minute, conversation between Sonnenfeld and the Coens about the film’s look, featuring Telestrator video illustrations. Joel and Ethan Coen tapped Barry Sonnenfeld to photograph their debut feature - which represented a first for the cinematographer as well, as he had neve4r shot on 35mm before. In this selected-scene discussion, filmed in May 2016, the three sat down, with Telestrators in hand, to discuss and illustrate the film's lighting and design and talk about some mistakes they felt they had made along the way. There is also a new, 35-minute, conversation between author Dave Eggers and the Coens about the film’s production, from inception to release and new interviews with composer Carter Burwell for almost 24-minutes with sound mixer Skip Lievsay, and actors Frances McDormand, her first feature role - she auditioned on the recommendation of her friend Holly Hunter, for 25-minutes and M. Emmet Walsh for 16-minutes - the film was written with actor Walsh in mind for the rold of detective Loren Visser - as well as three trailers (Fund Raising - 2:08, Original - 1:34, Re-Release - 1:50) and the package has a liner notes booklet with an essay by novelist and critic Nathaniel Rich. Coen's Blood Simple is a brilliant American neo-noir psychological crime thriller film written, edited, produced and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and it would expose themes that they would revisit in later films - especially Fargo. The Criterion Blu-ray has immense value and is a very easy recommendation! The absolute best way top watch this masterpiece in your home theater. * ** ADDITION: MGM - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - August 11': The DVDs of Blood Simple never attained any impressive appearance via the SD standard. Noise and artifacts abound, and while the Blu-ray transfer seems adept with a very high bitrate nothing has been done to make this film pristinely crisp or glossy - and it wouldn't suit the experience regardless. This may be as good as it gets and this is still the 'director's cut' not the slightly longer 'theatrical' version that some fans were hoping. The 1080P is thick, not very crisp but tighter than the SDs. It looks good - but the film will never look dynamic with extensive depth although it does have some scope-like grandeur in 1.85:1 as compared to the DVDs. The Blu-ray offers the best presentation that I have seen despite the sometimes problematic 80's film stock utilized. Audio goes lossless with a DTS-HD Master in original 2,0 channel stereo - not surround bump. Subtle effects like crickets, footsteps etc. all sound more notable. There is some perceived depth (echoing gunshots) and the Blu-ray offers optional subtitles and the, occasionally pulsating, original score by Carter Burwell, a Coen mainstay, never overtakes the film and sounds adept via the uncompressed transfer. The disc is region 'A'-locked. Same Kenneth Loring (of Forever Young) film commentary which is rumored to be Ethan Coen putting on an English accent - and same intro plus a theatrical trailer. So nothing new in the supplements. Like much of the Coen's worth Blood Simple continues to grow on me and it was 'refreshing' to see it in the new format with far less artifacts. Great thing is the price is right and we endorse. *** ON THE DVDs: The anamorphic video of the Korean disc is completely identical to the US version (the same transfer with the same compression). What the bitrate chart demonstrates is that on Cine Korea disk it is shifted up slightly because of addition of a 5.1 bump track. NOTE: The "Kenneth Loring" commentary, on both the Universal and Korean, may in fact be Ethan Coen putting on an English accent. He mocks the film and this is perhaps a provocation to their fans who would dearly love to see a Coen commentary on all (or any) of their films on DVD. I suppose this can't be considered a 'real commentary' but it is nonetheless humorous and entertaining. The Korean DVD looks like a bootleg, but we may never know.



To remove the "forced" subtitles on the Spanish release: Start the movie, goto set-up menu and select "No subtitles", go to main menu and continue the movie. - Gary Tooze