Best Blu-Ray Import Titles

[MokaBear]

Totally stolen from the North American thread, so thanks to ulri4651 for the idea.

Just wonder what people think are the best blu-ray titles available exclusively outside of the UK. I've imported very few myself so was wondering what others thought were worthy of importing for various reasons such as superior PQ/AQ and special features. Or simply if they're not released within the UK yet.

I'll try and keep this list updated. If you find any errors, please feel free to point them out to me.


Title of Movie | Reason to Import | [Released in these countries] | (Region) |

• 300: The Complete Experience | Lots of extras. | [US] | Free
• A Nightmare on Elm Street(1984) | Only available in double pack with 2010 remake | [US] | Free
• A Very Long Engagement | Unavailable. | [France] | B (English subs)
• Akira | Unavailable until June 27th 2011 | [Japan & US] | Free
• Alexander Revisted | Unavailable | [US] | Free
• Apocalypse Now | Unavailable until June 13th 2011 | [Canada and US] | Free
• Aviator | Unavailable. | [US] | Free (Australia & US) Also French, German and Japanese releases which are all only region B confirmed.
• Awake| Unavailable | [US] | Free
• The Big Bang Theory: Season 3 | Unavailable | [US] | Free
• Blade Runner (5-Disc Collector's Edition) | Not the Final Cut. | [US] | Free
• The Con Artist | Unavailable | [Germany] | B, A & C Unknown
• Crank | Unavailable | [France, Germany & US.] | A
• The Crazies by George A Romero (1973) | Unavailable | [US] |Free
• Dogma | Unavailable | [US] | Free
• Fifth Element (Remastered) | Unavailable until June 6th 2011 (but will it be remastered?) |[US] | Free
• Gangs of New York (Remastered) | Not remastered. |[US] | Free
• Gattaca | Unavailable | [US] | Free
• The General | Unavailable | [US] | Free
• The Graduate | Unavailable | [Australia & US] | Australia - B, US - A(locked)
• Honey | Unavailble. | [Australia] | Free
• In Bruges | Unavailable until July 4th 2011 |[France & US] | Free
• Remember the Titans | Unavailable |[US] | Free
• Sex and Lucia | Unavailable | [US] | A (locked)
• The Simpsons: Season 13 | Unavailable | [US] | A + B
• The Simpsons: Season 20 | Unavailable | [US] | Free
• South Park: Bigger Longer Uncut | Unavailable | [US] | Free
• South Park: Season 14 | Unavailble. | [US.] | A - but presumed to be free, like season 12 and 13
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Film Collection | Unavailable | [US] | Free
• Under Siege | Unavailable | [US] | Region Free
• Under Siege 2: Dark Territory | Unavailable | [US] | Free
• Volver | Unavailable | [US] | A
• Weeds: Seasons 1-6 | Unavailable | [US] | Free(Seasons 1-3), A(Seasons 4-6)
• Wild Things | Unavailable | [US] | Free
  
  500 Days of Summer Loads More Extras
  The Air I Breathe A locked Unavailable
  American Psycho Unavailable, OAR Australia(German, Spanish &US releases exist but not in OAR) Free
  Carrie Unavailable A (locked)
  Coach Carter Unavailable
  Dog Day Afternoon Unavailable Free
  Elvis: Blu-Ray Collection Unavailable Free
  The Girl Next Door Unavailable Free
  High Crimes Unavailable Free
  In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
  The Last Kiss Unavailable Free
  Licence to Kill Unavailable US(A Locked) & Australia (B)
  The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue Unavailable Free
  Misery Free
  Monster's Ball RF Unavailable
  Mr Brooks Unavailable A (locked)
  Napoleon Dynamite Unavailable
  Original Sin Unavailable Unknown
  Seabiscuit Unavailable Free
  The Stendal Syndrome Unavailable Free
  Suburban Girl A locked Unavailable
  Two Evil Eyes Unavailable Free
  Two Girls and a Guy Unavailable Free
  Unfaithful US/AUS Unavailable US - A (locked), AUS -B
  Watchmen: Ultimate Cut Free
  Wayne's World Unavailable Free
  Wayne's World 2 Unavailable Free
  

[Blu Sun]

Gattaca

Logan's Run

Big Trouble in Little China

All on my hit list and only available from across the water (to the best of my knowledge).

----------

Edit: I have imported the titles below from the US

Dawn of the Dead 2004

Alexander Revisited

300: The Complete Experience

Watchmen DC (because I heard that the UK version doesn't have Maximum Movie Mode)

[Kynch]

Hellboy (Director's Cut and best PQ)

[Matt865]

The Collector's Edition of Blade Runner, the remastered Gangs of New York, the Deluxe Edition of Full Metal Jacket and Requiem for a Dream. All worth having imo.

[blu_sharpy]

Can I just point out that even though the US Release of The Shawshank Redemption has Lossless Audio, the UK Release actually has a better transfer with a higher bitrate than the US Release.

[Melodious Thunk]

8½ (Criterion) - Region A locked (requires imported player). Great improvement over the hazy non-anamorphic DVD currently available in this country.

The African Queen (Commemorative Box Set) - Region-free. Box set includes radio play CD and Katharine Hepburn's book. UK gets bog-standard version in September. Warning: film has lossy soundtrack.

The General - Region-free. If you love the film, this transfer is well worth importing.

Playtime (Criterion) - Region A locked. Stunning improvement over BFI's green-tinged, hazy DVD transfer. The film is so intricately detailed, the HD boost is really appreciated.

The Shining - Region-free. US disc features Kubrick's longer original cut.

A Very Long Engagement - Region B locked. Contains English subtitles. Beautiful film.

[nametag]

Basically any of the Criterions (not just 8 1/2) - Criterions are not available in the UK at all, and most of the films are not available via any other studio in the UK. So Paris, Texas, The Last Emperor, The Third Man (when it was available), Howard's End, Days of Heaven, Hunger etc. All region A locked though.

The Warner titles get digibook treatment in the US only (for those that like them), with Casablanca, Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind all available in deluxe box set editions as well. To be fair, the UK releases feature the same transfers and extras, apart from those 3 deluxe ones where the bulk of the special features are available but some (such as the MGM documentary, the Casablanca second disc of features, and the GWTW soundtrack sampler) are US-only.

As for The Shining - many, including Kubrick himself, I believe, prefer the shortened UK cut... so it's really down to what version you prefer, the US one is not 'superior' as such.

Some other US ones unavailable in the UK include:
Volver (locked)
The Lives of Others (locked)
Dollhouse (season 1)
The Simpsons (season 20)
South Park Movie + available seasons
Misery
The Graduate (locked)
Donnie Darko (locked)
Weeds (Seasons 1-3 are region free, 4-5 locked)
Dexter (locked)

Other than the US here are a few that I want with what I believe are their best foreign releases Not sure about region coding for them all, I have a region free player so didn't need to find out:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Japan (region free) + Canada (region a locked). I think Japan is supposed to be better, with better contrast than the Canadian one which is also 1.78:1 as opposed to OAR of 1.85:1. But the canadian one is cheaper and has a better cover in English, so the transfer differences are marginal enough to warrant the Canadian one for me. it's bare-bones though, the Japanese one might have extras, I dont know.)
Scream (Australia)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Australia, new release!)
Pulp Fiction (Hong Kong and Poland seem to be the best ones with no forced subs)
Seven (Dutch release seems the best)
The Others, 21 Grams and a few other Canadian Alliance releases are Canadian exclusives but supposedly have bad transfers, Eternal Sunshine apparently ok though.
Amelie (Australia)
C.R.A.Z.Y. (Canada)

As for Full Metal Jacket - I might be behind on the times but amazon.co.uk has the 'deluxe edition' with the same cover as the US edition - is there any difference between these two deluxe editions?

[MokaBear]

Had put up the deluxe edition of Full Metal Jacket but taken it down, since it does seem available on both Play.com and Amazon.co.uk, meaning it is freely available within the UK. Run time seems to be 116 minutes on both the US and UK versions so don't think there's a difference. Would need someone to confirm though.

I've added some of the ones suggested, as well as some others that are superior imports. Keep posting other imports worth getting.

[dominic*]

I have bought The Terminator, Transformers 2 imax version and The Adventures of Robin Hood.

[nametag]

2 others I just realised: the HBO series Generation Kill and John Adams, out in the US, not in the UK.

Edit: Plus, How I Met Your Mother (season 4) is a US exclusive as well.

[Q?]

Originally Posted by Kynch

Hellboy (Director's Cut and best PQ)

What?

The US release of The Shining is 144 min long, I don't know how long the running time the UK release has, but I've got a scandinavian release which is about 120 min, I've got both

[Blu Sun]

The Crazies by George A Romero is also a US exclusive title at the moment.

[lewwyt]

The Fifth Element (Remastered of course!)

[MokaBear]

Originally Posted by lewwyt

The Fifth Element (Remastered of course!)

Already on the list! =p

[Kynch]

Originally Posted by Q!

What?

?

[Q?]

Originally Posted by Kynch

?

Just wondered were you got the info from, I just never knew and I usually do research on movies I want, to get the best release, just curious is all.

[S_Dalsgaard]

Sons of Anrachy: Season One [US Exclusive]
Rescue Me: Season Three [US Exclusive]
Nip/Tuck: Season Four [US Exclusive]
Lie to Me: Season One [US Exclusive]
Chuck: Season One [US Exclusive]
Chuck: Season Two [US Exclusive]

Just to name a few region-free tv releases that are not out yet in the UK.

[Q?]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

The Shining was originally premiered at 146 mins, then Kubrick cut it to 144 mins for the general US release, and then to 119 mins for the international release. The 146-minute version has never been commercially released.

yeah, I wonder what those 2 min. include?

[SymbioticFunction]

New York Ripper definetly needs adding to the list. Not only because of quality or availability but because the British censors will probably ALWAYS cut Fulci's film, NYR is a film that the BBFC will most likely never find acceptable in uncensored form.

btw The UK Hellboy bd is also director's cut.

[Q?]

Originally Posted by SymbioticFunction

New York Ripper definetly needs adding to the list. Not only because of quality or availability but because the British censors will probably ALWAYS cut Fulci's film, NYR is a film that the BBFC will most likely never find acceptable in uncensored form.

btw The UK Hellboy bd is also director's cut.

I can confirm that the UK release of Hellboy is the directors cut too, it says 132 min on the back and I'm not sure that the PQ could be better, from what I remembered it looked great.

Again, I'm not sure.