Region 4 Winners and Losers

    A Time to Love and a Time to Die has been released in Region 2 in the United Kingdom and in France. Both releases have similar quality video and audio transfers.

     The Region Free UK Masters of Cinema release includes the theatrical trailer, a pdf of the shooting script and three featurettes: Of Tears and Speed: According to Jean-Luc Godard, in French with English subtitles (11:58), Out There in the Dark: Wesley Strick speaks about Douglas Sirk's secret, in English with removable French subtitles (18:40) and Imitation of Life (Mirage of Life): A Portrait of Douglas Sirk, in German with burned-in French subtitles and optional English subtitles (48:50). A 36-page booklet is also included which discusses the film and the life and work of Douglas Sirk.

     The Region 2 French Carlotta release has the trailer, four featurettes: Des Larmes et de la Vitesse (Of Tears and Speed) in French and with French subtitles during English dialogue (11:57), Assis Dans le Noir (Out there in the Dark) in English with removable French subtitles (18:38), Mirage de la Vie (Imitation of Life): A Portrait of Douglas Sirk, in German with burned-in French subtitles (48:48) and A Conversation with Douglas Sirk by Jon Halliday, in French with no subtitles (14:49).This film is also included on the magnificent Carlotta 8-disc Douglas Sirk Collection, Vol. 1 Box Set with Magnificent Obsession, All That Heaven Allows and Imitation of Life.

     This Region 4 Madman Directors Suite release, which is part of the 9-disc Douglas Sirk King of Hollywood Melodrama Box Set, was previously released as a single-disc standalone DVD on the 18th of June, 2008 with the exact same specifications as the DVD of the film included on this Box Set.

     The best available version of A Time to Love and a Time to Die on DVD therefore is the Region Free Masters of Cinema version which includes English Subtitles for the main feature and its three featurettes.