Search - Pride and Prejudice [Blu-ray] on Blu-ray

K. K. (GAMER)
Reviewed on 2/17/2023...

Elaborate sets and costumes. A series made for that special kind of viewer.

Re-packaging of 2009 Blu-Ray. Nothing new here

Joseph E. Demartino | Florida, USA | 05/19/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First thing first: The adaptation itself is a classic, the best filmed version of this often-filmed novel. And the Blu-Ray release shows off the Super 16mm photography in ways never before possible. It is like seeing it again for the first time - only it never looked this good back then. But this "new" disc has EXACTLY the same contents as the "old" Blu-Ray release.



In 2009 the BBC undertook a major restoration of 1995 Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle "Pride & Prejudice". They went back to the original camera negatives to create a new hi-def master that was released on Blu-Ray in the spring of 2009.



In 2010 they took the same hi-def master and downconverted it to use for a new widescreen standard-def DVD release, adding some of the supplements created for the 2009 Blu-Ray version and creating new cover art to distinguish this release from previous DVD versions.



At the same time they decided to re-issue the 2009 using the same cover art as the new SD-DVD version. As far as I can tell, the packaging (and the SKU #) is the ONLY difference between the "new" 2010 2-disc Blu-Ray set and the "old" 2009 2-disc Blu-Ray set. Well, that and the price. As of May 19, 2010, as I'm writing this review, Amazon is selling the "new" version for $35.49, while you can still buy the "old" version - with identical disc contents but a different cover - for $23.99. BTW, the listing of the aspect ratio for this release as 1.33:1 is simply an error. This mistake appeared in the specifications on the A&E site when they first announced the U.S. release of the set, even though the description said "widescreen" and the video clip provided (a "before and after" demo from the restoration documentary originally included on the 2009 version) was obviously in widescreen.



So unless you really like the new cover art, and I'll grant you the old version had too much Colin and not enough Jennifer, I'd suggest you save the $11.50 and buy the old set while supplies last. You can order it here.



Regards,



Joe"

I'm confused by this product offering

Quai Chang Cain | 04/16/2010

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This product mystifies me.



This BBC version of Pride and Prejudice has already been released on Blu-ray in a widescreen format. There is nothing in the product description here telling me why this is being re-released, but the technical specs say this is a 4:3 fullscreen version. Is it cropped? Pan and Scan? Do they even make High Definition TVs that are 4:3? Or does the widescreen version actually crop some of the original footage (i.e. was this originally filmed in 4:3 so that the 4:3 is the "real" version)? (That last scenario seems highly unlikely, since at least according to imdb Pan and Scan versions of this film have been made in the past - that would seem unnecessary if the original film was 4:3.) Or are the technical specs some terrible mistake and there is something else unique about this re-release?



[Edit: My original review also puzzled over the tech specs listing this as a single disk edition. The specs have since been updated to indicate that this product comes on 2 disks.]"

Great!

Margarita Retana | 01/12/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love these BBC series and I wanted to share them with a spanish speaking friend and finally I can!"