DVD Details
For Students and Teachers of German

Despite some problems, the DVD format
is a big boon to German learners

The DVD version of "Lola rennt"
is one of the best DVDs you'll
find - in German or any language.
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Foto: © Hyde Flippo

When the new DVD video format was released, it turned out to be “the good, the bad and the ugly.” The bad was something called regional codes. The video industry and Hollywood divided the world up into six different regions. This meant that a DVD released in Germany (Region 2) could not be played on a DVD player in the US (Region 1) or vice versa. DVD playback on computers generally avoids this problem by displaying MPEG digital video on the computer's monitor, but the regional-coding problem may still remain.

The ugly was the death of the dream of new freedom from dealing with the world's three different television formats (NTSC, PAL, SECAM). Digital video could have offered such freedom, but it thwarted that dream with codes and DVD players that are still basically PAL (Germany), NTSC (US, Canada) or SECAM (France, Russia) video. Those of us who like to watch foreign films were still out in the cold. It may be possible to play a German DVD video on a US DVD player, but only after overcoming several roadblocks.

The good was a vastly better picture and speedy search capabilities. Although you'll find all the details on problems and solutions for things such as the regional codes in our complete DVD Guide for German, the DVD format offers so many advantages over the old standard VHS videotape, that if you haven't yet "gone DVD," you're missing a lot.

Just take the DVD version of "Lola rennt" ("Run Lola Run"). Compared to the VHS version, there is no comparison! Besides an image that is more than twice as sharp as VHS, the North American DVD release offers these extra features:

• Choice of widescreen or full-screen versions on the same DVD
• Choice of original German with or without subtitles
• Commentary by director Tom Tykwer and lead actress Franka Potente
• Production notes and bio backgrounds

In addition, some DVDs offer extra interactive features that function only on a computer. These may be games, related movie features and Web links. Although the "Lola" DVD doesn't offer any interactive features, it does offer the option of listening to the director's running commentary (in English only) while viewing the film. (He is joined by the film's star, Franka Potente.) You can also call up biographical info for the cast and crew, and production details.

Another important advantage of DVD over VHS is the ability to pause the disc indefinitely and later return to a specific point in the movie. Each movie DVD is divided into chapters. The "Lola" version has 28 chapters—each representing a key element of the movie. If you want to find a particular scene, such as "Bank robbery" or "Ambulance chaser II," you can do so quickly using the DVD menu. No more rewinding and fast-forwarding!

As for resolution and clarity, I remember how stunned I was when I watched the DVD of "Run Lola Run" after having watched the VHS version a few times. Suddenly I could see details that had been impossible to see in the tape version. Street signs that were largely a blur on tape popped out at me on the DVD.

One last thing. A warning! — Once you've watched DVD, there's no going back.

NEXT > DVD Guide | DVD Code Solutions | DVD Codes

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