Writings > DVD Image Comparisons > Asterix vs. Caesar/Asterix Sieg Über Cäsar/Astérix et la Surprise de César

Asterix vs. Caesar/Asterix Sieg Über Cäsar/Astérix et la Surprise de César

Region 0 (Australia) - Video Unlimited
vs. Region 2 (Germany) - Kinowelt
vs. Region 2 (France) - Gaumont Vidéo

Details

Bit Rate

R0 Australia

R2 Germany

R2 France

Screen Captures

Example 1

Mouse over to switch between versions:
R0 Australia | R2 Germany | R2 France

Example 2

Mouse over to switch between versions:
R0 Australia | R2 Germany | R2 France

Example 3

Mouse over to switch between versions:
R0 Australia | R2 Germany | R2 France

Example 4

Mouse over to switch between versions:
R0 Australia | R2 Germany | R2 France

Example 5

R0 Australia

Mouse over to switch between versions:
R0 Australia | R2 Germany | R2 France

Example 6

Mouse over to switch between versions:
R0 Australia | R2 Germany | R2 France

Example of DVNR on the French release

R2 France

Update, December 15, 2005 (R2 France): Hmmm... Ya think the French version might look just a bit better than the other two? You'd be right, although it has some caveats of its own. Crucially, there are some rather unpleasant DVNR artefacts (see image above), and I'm also concerned that the reds have been oversaturated out a bit too much. Still, this is very much the version to own in every way - although non-French speakers should bear in mind that it isn't English-friendly.

Comments

R0 Australia vs. R2 Germany: Both transfers are very poor. Neither is taken from a film source, but the Australian disc looks substantially crisper due to being taken from what looks like magnetic tape, whereas the German disc is sourced from a laserdisc and has had a massive amount of uniform filtering applied. The Australian transfer is too dark but appears to have the correct color levels, whereas the German transfer is brighter but appears washed out and too yellow. Of course, the German disc is in its correct aspect ratio while the Australian disc is not, which makes the German one the winner by default. Neither transfer is acceptable, however.

I am not rating the audio, because neither disc contains the original French language recording. However, I assume that most of this site's viewers are English speakers, so in this category the Australian disc would seem to be the lesser of two evils.

In terms of extras, packaging and menus, both releases are again poor, but in all aspects the German release beats the Australian. The German version includes trailers for the other Asterix films, including a very high quality widescreen trailer for Asterix and the Big Fight (Asterix: Operation Hinkelstein), which I know is a blatant misrepresentation since the actual DVD of this film is pan & scan.

At the end of the day, I cannot recommend either release, since neither contains the proper audio track. Hopefully the upcoming widescreen French version will be released soon so this whole sorry matter can be laid to rest.

Summary