OVERALL: Draw

Pegasus having an uncut version of the film, but Optimum is much better in terms of picture and sound quality.

NOTE:

This info comes from Roobarbian JWF:

Optimum uses a superior source with excellent picture quality, although comparing the two discs, a couple of shots looked like they could have been day-for-night (Pegasus: night, Optimum: day) - Studio Canal have lots of form for this, e.g. The Avengers (especially "The Living Dead" episode.)

As with other (all?) Danziger titles from them, Pegasus seems to be sourced from VHS - I'm sure I noticed some tracking issues at the bottom of the screen. The Optimum release sounds drifts in and out of sync, especially in the first ten or fifteen minutes. I didn't notice any sync issues on the Pegasus disc.

(1.) 17:25 - there is a brief moment missing after Martin Benson's Gestapo officer asks André Maranne "You are wounded, I believe - in ze leg." He then asks "Zis leg?" and kicks him. This is missing. Curiously, the aftermath of the pasting Melvyn Hayes takes is intact, and to me the make-up job conveys the brutality more effectively.

(2.) 30:30 (approx.) - When the two resistance men are being executed, on the command of "Fire!", Optimum cuts to Eric Flynn is his quarters. Compared to the Pegasus disc, Optimum loses one full minute here, including the moment of death as the men are shot. The villagers continue to sing (I forget what - La Marseillaise?) in the village square as Noel Dyson and Petra Davies weep, eventually dispersing.

(3.) (Optimum) 43:18 During the attack on the vehicles, Pegasus (44:20) has some brief shots of soldiers on fire and an extra second or two of Guy Deghy pumping lead into the the soldier atop the vehicle.

CUTS:

• R0 United Kingdom- Pegasus Entertainment - No cuts (67:12 PAL)
• R2 United Kingdom- Optimum Releasing - Yes (66:11 PAL)

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Comparison added by Nigel_Badnell on 21/11/10
Comparison last updated by Rick_Curzon on 27/07/19

UPDATE LOG:

21/11/10 Initial entry
15/10/13 R2 Optimum added.
27/07/19: Added info about Optimum is cut.