Silence of the Lambs - which version? (1 Viewer)

[Paul Walker]

Does anyone know what the difference in this movie is between the Criterion version and the new Special Edition Widescreen version other than the latter has 5:1 sound?
Both are 1:85 ratios and the back covers talk about deleted scenes (are they included in the movie or are they special features?).
Thanks ......

 

[Greg_Y]

Paul, your best bet is to do a search on the Home Theater Software forum. There are already at least 2 or 3 good threads talking about the differences. Of course, the search appears to be down, but scroll through the last few days worth of threads and you'll see a few. Here's one:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...ML/029764.html
[Edited last by Greg Yurkovic on August 24, 2001 at 09:53 AM]

 

[AdrianJ]

If you are a fan of the film but both if you can get them. There are some excellent suppliments on the Criterion DVD that will never be available again.
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Adrian Jones

 

[Michael Reuben]

Here's another link to a thread discussing the differences:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...ML/029553.html
M.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Well, to answer Paul's question: This new widescreen transfer is anamorphic--widescreen-enhanced. The Criterion edition is letterboxed-only. All the difference. ...
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[Michael Reuben]

This new widescreen transfer is anamorphic--widescreen-enhanced. The Criterion edition is letterboxed-only. All the difference.

Well, not all.
The color values differ significantly between the two discs. I happen to prefer the MGM (for reasons discussed in one of the other threads), but there's no clear consensus.
M.

 

[Scott_MacD]

I recently paid through the nose for the Criterion version on eBay, but in all reality I'm delighted with it.
Criterion:
[*]Fabulous audio commentary, with Jonathan Demme and Jodie Foster's participation[*]Interesting, although morbid information on actual serial killers, and the FBI's records on them[*]IMHO superior telecine colouring, although non-anamorphic widescreen and lacking in fine detail.[*]Storyboards and some really horrible (in a good way) concept art[/list]MGM:
[*]Excellent anamorphic widescreen transfer, with only a little print damage.[*]Fascinating, and in-depth documentary with many people involved in the making of the movie, although Jonathan Demme and Jodie Foster are noticably not forthcoming. Old interview footage of them is what's intercut into the documentary.[*]More deleted scenes than the Criterion version, and noticably better image quality to them too.[*]The theatrical trailers, very important.[/list]In the end, I'm very happy to have both of them, but if you only need one, then go for MGM's version since it is the most readily available. If you want the Criterion, then be prepared to bid carefully on auction sites.
Happy hunting,
Scott

 

[Michael Reuben]

Well, I haven't seen the MGM disc myself, but I've been told that it's improperly framed at 1.78:1, while it's supposed to be 1.85:1, as is the Criterion.

I don't know where you heard that, but the box says 1.85:1, and the framing looks correct. In any case, the difference between 1.78 and 1.85 is negligible.
M.