Playtime DVD UPDATED

[baggish]

http://dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=3687

The specs for the British Film Institute [2004 Release] are not complete. The most important omission is that it has a commentary. I haven't seen the 2010 Dual-Format edition, but the Blu-Ray has the commentary so I guess there's a good chance the DVD does as well.

R2 United Kingdom - British Film Institute [2004 Release] - Additions

Audio Commentary by film historian Philip Kemp
Additional extra: Director biography (on-screen text biography with automatic page advance, 3:38) (it's possible the 2010 DVD also has this, as DVD Beaver says "Director biography + short film about Tati (DVD only)")

R2 United Kingdom - British Film Institute [2004 Release] - Corrections

(all the above items have removable English subtitles) ---> this is almost correct, “Au-dela de Playtime” featurette (6:13) is in English and has optional English HoH subtitles
Biography of Tati (20:39) ---> this is entitled "Biographical film on Tati" in the menu and "Tati Story" in the film title card (as correctly named in the 2010 edition specs, although it would be better described as a documentary or featurette than a short)
Soundtrack(s): French Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono ---> should be 2.0
Subtitles: English (removable) ---> should be English, English HoH, English commentary, None (it is possible to read the commentary subtitles while listening to the normal French soundtrack)

Durations of the trailers:
Playtime: 2:59
Mr. Hulot's Holiday: 1:31
Mon Oncle: 1:01

The verdict explicitly mentions the 2010 BFI but not the 2004 without saying why. I don't know if they have the same transfer, but assuming they both have the commentary and the text biography then I guess the only advantage of the 2010 would be the comprehensive booklet.

Cheers and happy new year!

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Updated

[baggish]

Hi James, there is a typo: Mon Oncl ---> Mon Oncle
Also you didn't mention the commentary subtitles?
Cheers!

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Could you give us a full rundown of the extras languages and subtitle options?

[baggish]

Film:

These options are in the Setup menu:

Audio: With original sound, With commentary (original sound is in French with occasional English, commentary is in English)
Subtitles: With no subtitles, With English subtitles, With English hard of hearing subtitles, With commentary subtitles

Extras:

For these three extras, you select the extra, then you are asked to choose whether you want subtitles, then the extra runs.

“Au-dela de Playtime” featurette (6:13) - in English, with optional English HoH subtitles (The end-credits are all French so it looks like this is a French-made featurette. There's no dialogue only voiceover so I guess there was originally a French voiceover that has been replaced with an English one I think spoken by Philip Kemp.)

Sylvette Baundrot (script-girl) on Tati and Playtime (12:11) - in French, with optional English subtitles

"Tati Story" featurette (20:39) - in French, with optional English subtitles

Trailers:

Playtime: French voiceover and dialogue (not much dialogue), no subtitles
Mr. Hulot's Holiday - No voiceover or dialogue
Mon Oncle - No voiceover or dialogue
Text on screen e.g. film titles in all three is in French

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Thank you!

[baggish]

This part of the comparison is not correct:

"The commentary and featurettes are in English with optional English HoH subtitles.
The Sylvette Baundrot interview is in French with optional English subtitles. "

Correct is:

The commentary does not have HoH subtitles, it has its own subtitles i.e. Philip Kemp's words are on screen.
“Au-dela de Playtime” is the only featurette that is in English with optional English HoH subtitles.
The Sylvette Baundrot interview and “Tati Story” featurette are both in French with optional English subtitles.

Also I think it would be better to say:

Subtitles: English, English HoH, English commentary (optional)

because it is possible to choose Audio: With original sound and Subtitles: With commentary subtitles so you can listen to the original soundtrack and read the commentary on screen, which I think is quite cool and not as common as it should be.

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Fixed it.

[baggish]

Sorry! I just noticed something else... the French Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono soundtrack is not mono. I don't know if it's stereo or surround but it's definitely not mono. Also I think the description should probably be French/English as both are spoken (there is a tiny bit of German as well).

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Sorry! I just noticed something else... the French Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono soundtrack is not mono. I don't know if it's stereo or surround but it's definitely not mono. Also I think the description should probably be French/English as both are spoken (there is a tiny bit of German as well).

So is there clear stereo separation on the 2004 disc? Does the packaging say "stereo"?
Going to leave it as "French" as that is the main language for 90% of the film.

[baggish]

Yes, there is clear separation. The packaging doesn't say anything technical, just "original international dialogue with some English subtitles".

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Updated as "stereo"

[baggish]

It's a shame there's no-one to check the 2010 BFI. Compared to the 2004 it doesn't look right now.

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Well, it's missing some trailer runtimes. Not a major issue.

[baggish]

I mean, I suspect the 2010 BFI also has the commentary and stereo sound, and I suspect the Blu-Ray also has stereo sound.
Second picture here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334295178180

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Fixed.