OVERALL: Draw

If you want the complete version of the movie:
- R1 Synapse has a new transfer and an exclusive commentary.
- R0 Arrow remastered features both English and Italian soundtracks with optional subtitles, and great exclusive features.
- R2 France also has English and Italian soundtracks and offers an exclusive Argento interview, but French subtitles are forced.

If you are not bothered by minor losses (please read the William Lustig explanation below):
- R1 Anchor Bay (2008 Edition) seems to be the best, with its Anamorphic transfer, both English (presented in 5.1) and Italian soundtracks, and significant extras.

Also note that:
- R0 Germany, R2 Anchor Bay UK and R4 releases all feature exclusive extras.
- R2 Italy has Italian 5.1 track, with English subtitles.

William Lustig (then with AB) explains the missing scenes:
"To the best of my knowledge, there are 2 moments (I can’t call them scenes) missing: the end of the scene where Nicolodi and Franciosa enter his hotel room and a quick insert shot of a stab -under 10 seconds in total. The source elements I had available were a beautiful but cut 35mm low-contrast print supplied by the licensor and a fair condition uncut archival release print which I borrowed from a collector in Italy.
In the hotel room scene, the dialogue was complete in the cut print but missing a moment following the dialogue when either Nicolodi or Franciosa (I forget) walks across the room. This scene falls at the end of a theatrical reel. Consequently, the poor condition of that brief moment in the uncut print, in my opinion, out-weighed the value of including it since we would have had to replace the entire shot with beat up footage only to gain a few seconds which neither advanced the plot or character development. Given the elements I had available at the time, I feel I made the correct decision. The missing stab was simply an oversight. I guess we got confused since this was one of several stabs in rapid succession."

The following "missing shots" have been identified (the running times are the ones of the Dutch edition):
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-25:21 - Peter asks Ann to stay for a drink. She says "one" (all versions).
-25:23 - Then Ann walks to the sideboard and puts down her books (missing). (1)
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-1:02:41 - This shot is when Peter is hit by the stone, and Johnny helps him up and runs, then the camera moves showing the trees (all versions).
-1:02:43 - The camera lingering on the trees slightly longer - about 2 secs (missing). (2)
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-1:05:55 - This is the middle of the flashback scenes (all versions).
-1:05:57 - The killer stabs once... (all versions).
-1:05:58 - ...And then the killer stabs again (missing). (3)
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-1:06:10 - This shot shows sunlight through window when Daria Nicolodi's character wakes up right after the flashback sequence (missing). (4)
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-1:06:20 - Ann calls out 'Peter, Peter' and then she looks back down (missing). (5)
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-1:14:08 - Jane takes the second shoe out of the box (missing). (6)
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-1:14:09 - Jane then turns around (missing). (7)
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-1:14:13 - Bulmer waits for Jane in the piazza, looking at his watch (missing). (8)
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There is also a vanilla release available from Anchor Bay UK under there 'Horror Classics' label which should be avoided.

This film is also known as:
-Shadow
-Shadows
-Sotto gli occhi dell'assassino
-Under the Eyes of the Assassin

Movie Censorship Comparisons:
- English Original Cut and Italian Cut
- US Cut (Unsane) and Original Cut
- Anchor Bay-DVD and Arrow DVD
- UK VHS (Pre cert) and UK DVD (Arrow Video)
- Polish VHS and Arrow Video DVD
- Israeli VHS (alternate version) and UK DVD (Arrow Video)
- BBFC 18 VHS (Noveaux Pictures) and German DVD

See this great image-comparison from Whiggles.

DVDBeaver screen-comparison can be found from the link below:

CUTS:

• R0 Dario Argento Collection America- Anchor Bay Entertainment - Yes - No censor cuts but (1) is missing due to a production oversight and (2-8) due to print damage (100:28 NTSC)
• R0 Finest Horror Edition Austria- Sazuma Productions - Yes - No censor cuts but (1) is missing due to a production oversight and (2-8) due to print damage (100:26 NTSC)
• R0 Special Edition Germany- Dragon Entertainment - Yes - No censor cuts but (1) is missing due to a production oversight and (2-6) due to print damage (100:28 NTSC)
• R0 United Kingdom- Arrow Films - No cuts (96:48 PAL)
• R0 Remastered United Kingdom- Arrow Films - No cuts - Italian credits (96:59 PAL)
• R1 America- Synapse - No cuts
• R1 Anchor Bay Collection America- Anchor Bay Entertainment - Yes - No censor cuts but (1) is missing due to a production oversight and (2-8) due to print damage (100:24 NTSC)
• R2 Denmark-Norway- Star Media Entertainment - No cuts (96:55 PAL)
• R2 Finland-Sweden- Atlantic Film / Future Film - No cuts (96:55 PAL)
• R2 France- TF1 Video - No cuts - Italian credits (96:49 PAL)
• R2 Holland- A-Film - No cuts (96:45 PAL)
• R2 Italy- Medusa Video - Yes - No censor cuts but (1) is missing due to a production oversight and (2-8) due to print damage
• R2 Japan- Cinefil Imagica - No cuts
• R2 Japan- Culture Publishers - No cuts
• R2 United Kingdom- Nouveaux Picture / Nouveau Entertainment Ltd - Yes - Cut by the BBFC: the "hand chopping scene" (0:06) has been removed
• R2 Full Uncut Version United Kingdom- Anchor Bay Entertainment - Yes - No censor cuts but (1) is missing due to a production oversight and (2-8) due to print damage
• R4 Australia- Umbrella Entertainment - Yes - No censor cuts but (1) is missing due to a production oversight and (2-8) due to print damage (96:24 PAL)

Do you own a release not listed? Then please visit our forums and let us know!

Comparison added by The Rewind Team on 13/11/02
Comparison last updated by Matthew_B_Harrah on 27/08/22

UPDATE LOG:

22/06/11: Addition of R0 UK Arrow and clean-up.
05/02/15: Addition of R0 UK Arrow remastered and slightly updated R2 France specifications.
05/03/16: Addition of the US Synapse release.
06/03/16: Added additional note to Synapse release.
10/09/16: Updated the R1 Synapse release.
15/08/22: Dates.
27/08/22: Added Movie Censorship Comparisons.