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The Burning Soil (1922)
The Burning Soil (1922) poster

The Burning Soil (1922)

Der brennende Acker

Drama

Director: F. W. Murnau

Cast: Werner Krauss, Eugen Klöpfer, Vladimir Gajdarov, Eduard von Winterstein, Lya De Putti, Stella Arbenina, Alfred Abel, Eugen Rex

Best English-friendly & video release

Updated 1 year ago


About the film

The film follows tells the story of a struggle over a plot of petroleum-rich land.

More from F. W. Murnau

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Director: F. W. Murnau

Best English-Friendly, Video & Audio:

MoC OOP Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

Flicker Alley 4K confirmed for 2027 https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=24404584&postcount=1

Director: F. W. Murnau

Best English-Friendly & Video:

2006 Restoration: Eureka Blu-ray
1995 photochemical restoration: BFI Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Eureka with Murnau institute restoration featuring score based on original score, BFI uses Photoplay restoration with James Bernard score

Additional Info:

Both Eureka and BFI Blu-rays are worthy of owning. Each restoration has unique positives and extras. The James Bernard score on the BFI is outstanding and the image tinting is different to how the Murnau institute official restoration was done. The Eureka MoC Blu-ray is stuffed with extras and remains one of the best-made Blu-rays of all time. Whatever you do: AVOID THE Kino Lorber Blu-ray!!! It uses the same Murnau institute restoration but drops frames for the whole feature - thus it loses a significant portion of the film! This was never acknowledged or addressed. The Kino Lorber Blu-ray remains one of the worst Blu-rays of all time for this reason.

Director: F. W. Murnau

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray > Kino Lorber (see slowpics for comparison). No information on Potemkine.

Additional Info:

MoC has higher bitrate than Kino Lorber, also the contrast is increased. But there is no noticeable reduction in visible film damage presented between the two offerings.

Director: F. W. Murnau

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly & Video:

MoC

Video Notes:

MoC vs Kino Lorber no comparison, Kino Lorber is the same old restoration

Director: F. W. Murnau

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Director: F. W. Murnau

Best English-Friendly & Video:

MoC Blu-ray

Sources: DVDBeaver (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

MoC vs Kino Lorber Blu-ray, where Kino Lorber is supposedly a new restoration, different tint but darker and less shadow details http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_reviews_73/early_murnau_blu-ray.htm 

Director: F. W. Murnau

Director: F. W. Murnau

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Kino Lorber AR is squished; MoC is correct. Unsure on France Potemkine

Director: F. W. Murnau

Director: F. W. Murnau

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

MoC or US Flicker Alley

Sources: flickeralley.com (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

- MoC included in boxset

Video Notes:

(unsure)

Germany new 2k restoration, no subs
- US Flicker Alley not sure which restoration

More from Grapevine

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Director: William K.L. Dickson

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Grapevine DVD Rip Van 1921 extras or OOP Image Entertainment DVD

Director: Frank O'Connor

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Grapevine OOP DVD or AlphaVideo DVD

Additional Info:

UCLA has the complete 16mm safety print but no new restoration available yet

Director: Raoul Walsh

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Grapevine OOP Blu-ray

Sources: moma.org (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

New restoration by MoMA and Film Foundation https://www.moma.org/calendar/events/11558 no release yet

Director: Clarence G. Badger

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Grapevine DVD

Additional Info:

UCLA holds the 16mm print

Director: Maurice Tourneur

Video format: DVD

Best Video:

AlphaVideo or Kino Lorber OOP or Grapevine OOP DVD

Video Notes:

No comparison available

Directors: Thomas H. Ince & Reginald Barker & Raymond B. West

Best English-Friendly & Video:

OOP Grapevine or AlphaVideo DVD

Director: William C. deMille

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Grapevine Blu-ray

Sources: filmforum.org (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

New 4K restoration from original nitrate print, see film forum

Director: Sidney Olcott

Best English-Friendly:

Grapevine OOP Blu-ray

Video Notes:

No comparison available

Directors: Louis J. Gasnier & George B. Seitz & Leopold Wharton

Video format: DVD

Best Video:

Only parts survived, available on Youtube or Grapevine DVD Pearl White: Queen of the Serials

Director: Alfred E. Green

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Grapevine OOP Blu-ray

More Drama on Blu-ray

Director: Robert Altman

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Vinegar Syndrome Cinématographe 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Cinematrographe's HDR grading is overcooked, which is a known VinSyn tendency. Additionally, their booklet mis-credits the encode to FiM.

YMMV, but for some, the included BD encoded by Marcus Johnson—ironically may make for a more pleasing experience.

Director: Roman Polanski

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Carlotta France 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

UK 4K teased by 88 Films https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=24252379

Video Notes:

Carlotta France 4K Blu-ray > Vinegar Syndrome 4K Blu-ray (better encode on Carlotta without any low-pass filtering, more extras and English subtitles on Vinegar Syndrome)

Director: Alan J. Pakula

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Olive Films Blu-ray

Director: Vincente Minnelli

Best English-Friendly & Video:

MGM Blu-ray

Director: Steve Gordon

Best English-Friendly & Video:

WB Blu-ray

Director: John Woo

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Imprint 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

Plaion Germany 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Arrow has a different grade and a better encode than the Shout! Factory, though the difference in either is not major. Imprint release, which leaves Shout! Factory's master and subtitles as is, is encoded by FiM. https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=24473097&postcount=56

Best Audio:

Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD

Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)

Audio Notes:

Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray (similar to Criterion LaserDisc, but less distorted)

Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD

Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)

Arrow used the alternate mix, but with extra filtering and lowered dynamic range. The alternate mix has much better fidelity.

Imprint presumably used the Shout! Factory original mix and left it as is, though no official confirmation.

Additional Info:

Arrow has a much better translation.

Arrow LE has the Taiwan Extended Cut which will not be present on the standard edition. However, Imprint is FiM and has its own archival extras not present on the Arrow.

Director: Richard Brooks

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

Director: Vincent Sherman

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

Director: Jonathan Demme

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Audio:

1991 Orion LaserDisc vs 2024 Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Criterion Blu-ray has exclusive extras

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· last reviewed 1 year ago

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