RUSCICO DVD Format Question (1 Viewer)

[Chauncey]

On the RUSCICO website, they indicate that their DVDs are both available in PAL or NTSC formats. What was the original transfer format? Was it PAL or NTSC, or did they do a transfer for each format? I want to pick up Solaris, and would like to get it in the originally transferred format.
Any details would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,

 

[DonaldB]

All of their transfers are done in PAL, and then they make (very good) NTSC versions from those. The NTSC editions naturally display speed-up, but none of the PAL-to-NTSC artifacting one often sees with lesser conversions.

 

[Mark_Wilson]

I have the Solaris disc(s) and the transfer is very good. Not reference but still very good. The movie is spread across two discs. Wasn't Criterion supposed to come out with this movie?

 

[Jay Blair]

Last I heard, Solaris is still supposed to be coming from Criterion at the end of the year, but knowing Criterion I wouldn't count on it being out until sometime in 2003. And I don't say this as a complaint against Criterion, I'm glad they take the time to do it right. It's nice to have the Rusico disc in the meantime.

For Stalker, I decided to go with the British PAL release instead of the Rusico NTSC release. Even though the PAL to NTSC conversion on Solaris is good, I figured going with the original PAL might be a little better. Stalker is being released on 4/22. The British release is also slightly cheaper than what I've seen the NTSC version of Stalker going for.

 

[Ted Todorov]

There is another compeling reason to get the British PAL Stalker -- the soundtrack on the NTSC release was altered from the original (different music, etc.) The PAL will include the original soundtrack.
Ted