Region 4 Winners and Losers

    This DVD is region coded for Regions 2, 4 and 5 so I am again presuming that it is the same DVD that I saw available for sale in the United Kingdom recently - although that Region 2 release also comes in a snapper case. The Region 1 release seems to be virtually identical in all respects to the Region 4 release other than language and subtitle options - barring one. That one respect is what consigns the Region 4 release to a very, very distant last place - the 1940 version of the film is included in its entirety for comparison purposes. That we even have the 1940 version of the film is quite amazing, let alone have it for comparison on the same DVD, given the trouble MGM went to in order to acquire the film and then try to destroy it for all time. The 1940 version is a British film and whilst I have never seen it, just about every comment I have seen regarding it is very positive. So basically no matter what the price advantage the Region 4 DVD might hold, there is no way that it can be preferred to the Region 1 release.