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Release: Dec 11, 2021 - Author: Muck47 - Translator: Mike Lowrey
- external link: IMDB
Comparison between Criterion's Director's Cut 4K Blu-ray and New Line Cinema's Director's Cut Blu-ray (both released in the US).
- 8 differences
- Runtime difference: 18.3 sec
Menace II Society from 1993 is still one of the most intense milieu studies about everyday life in the American ghettos. Unforgotten, of course, is the fact that the film was censored for the R-rating in various shootouts. From then on, the film was only released uncensored in the USA and, for the first time in 1994, as Director's Cut on LaserDisc. For the DVD and Blu-ray release, two additional plot scenes were added in 2009.
Now, on 23 November 2021, the 4K UHD premiere has also been released in America. This is one of the first titles that the well-known aficionado label Criterion Collection is releasing on the new medium. Frame-wise, there's another chapter here: At least the film is uncensored in the violent scenes, but it is effectively a hybrid of the versions known from the LaserDisc and the Blu-ray. The second plot extension of the Blu-ray is missing here. Why this is the case, unfortunately, can't be traced very well.
Either way: this is clearly a reference UHD disc, clearly superior to the old Blu-ray. The small imperfection can be tolerated, especially since this plot extension of the Blu-ray seemed somewhat unnecessary in the course of the film anyway. Various other small deviations in black screens are ultimately not really worth mentioning. A clear recommendation for fans of the film.
Runtimes are ordered as follows: 4K Blu-ray / Blu-ray
Additional logo from Criterion for the film release on the 4K Blu-ray.
+ 10.8 sec
18:55 / 18:44 Not really noticeable: Just one frame is missing as the DC's plot expansion kicks in since DVD days. This results in a mini-jumpcut. Quasi a first sign that the Director's Cut has been reconstructed here and is not 1:1 as on previous US releases. <0.1 sec
31:38 / 31:27 After A-Wax shoots the guy lying on the ground again, the follow up shot of Caine and O-Dog starts a moment earlier on the 4K Blu-ray. Note: The shot of Caine and O-Dog was previously seen in the Theatrical Version as an alternative to the shots of A-Wax. So this spot is apparently an original theatrical/DC deviation that has now been reconstructed in a slightly different way for the UHD premiere. + 0.5 sec
Note: This also means that the off-commentary above the follow-up scene in the 4K Blu-ray starts slightly delayed. 33:25 / 33:14-33:32 At the end of the scene, there is a small brawl. Meanwhile, the drug addict is being probed by A-Wax for money he still owes him. The guy tries to get rid of A-Wax, who throws him to the ground. 18.5 sec
47:07 / 47:14-47:16 After Caine's interrogation, the black screen has actually been a bit longer. 1.8 sec 57:53-57:54 / 58:02 Before the scene in the school, a black screen is again a bit longer in the 4K UHD. + 0.8 sec 68:10-68:11 / 68:18 Transitioning from Caine at his bedside to game night, the 4K version again has a slightly longer black screen. + 1.5 sec 75:31-75:33 / 75:38 During the tracking shot from the argument in one room to Caine lying quietly on the bed in the other room, the black screen (transition between rooms) is noticeably longer on 4K UHD. + 2.4 sec 88:20 / 88:25-88:26 Before the drive-by shooting begins, the Blu-ray has slightly more black screen. 1.3 sec 88:53 / 88:59-89:01 After the tricycle lands on the ground, both Theatrical Version and Director's Cut had another black screen. Now, in the 4K UHD version, it continues right away without interruption. 2.2 sec
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