Austrailian Blu-rays that are better than USA?

[Audiophile1178]

Hi everybody! Hopefully someone can answer this question in a timely manner. I'm currently in austrailia for another two weeks on vacation. Man it's hot over here. Today in Adelaide it's 102 degrees Fahrenheit.

Back to my main question. I remember reading that some blu-rays were better to buy in austailia than the us. If someone could please list some titiles that would be great. From my understanding they'll work fine back home in the states. If it helps I have an oppo player.

Thanks again everyone for your help in advance!

[substance]

the aussie casino royale deluxe edition is the uncut edition. more violent than the uk and usa versions with about 22 seconds more footage.

[jobrro]

I remember reading somewhere that season 1 of Weeds has a better encode on the Australian set, is still fairly expensive though, comparatively.

[steve_dave]

Face/Off: Better picture and better sound but none of the extras from the Paramount release.

Air Force One: Proper English subtitles for the Russian dialogue unlike the Sony US/Can release. No commentary though.

Total Recall: Better picture and better sound.

Terminator 3: Better sound.

And these are not even available in the US:

Rendition, Starsky and Hutch, Brideshead Revisited, and The Island

Amelie (extras are PAL format).

[Bruce Morrison]

Woody Allen's 'Match Point' is available on Blu in Australia and there is no sign of it being released in the US. The Australian edition is very good.

[DMC1973]

The Aussie version of The Descent is better than the US. It has the stronger colours and isn't contrast boosted. Not sure if it has any PAL content though.

[dannycj]

American Psycho = PQ
The Descent = PQ
Disturbia = AQ, lossless

[Davidian]

Pulp fiction is available here from Big W for only A$20, bear in mind it's only 1080i. The latest Harry Potter Steel Slipcover is available too if you're into that sort of thing. We have the standard release of Casablanca, Our Payback includes the theatrical version, and isn't our Die Hard 4 also uncut?

[jobrro]

Originally Posted by Davidian

... and isn't our Die Hard 4 also uncut?

I don't think so, my copy is only M which is roughly the equilivent to PG-13 (AFAIK), and I think I read somewhere that it isn't the uncut version, was a while back though so I couldn't tell you where.

[Audiophile1178]

Thanks for the fast reply guys! I'll take a look at casino royale and definately the island. Scarlet johansson looks so hot in that movie!

Will all of these movies play fine back home?

What about gladiator, kill bill, and master and commander? I'm not going to buy a lot of movies because they're $40-50 a piece! Maybe 1 or 2 for souvenirs. Austrailia is so expensive!

New gladiator limited edition. I haven't been able to get much info on it.

http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/809874

[jobrro]

Originally Posted by Audiophile1178

Thanks for the fast reply guys! I'll take a look at casino royale and definately the island. Scarlet johansson looks so hot in that movie!

Will all of these movies play fine back home?

What about kill bill and master and commander? I'm not going to buy a lot of movies because they're $40-50 a piece! Maybe 1 or 2 for souvenirs. Austrailia is so expensive!

Yeah we are pretty expensive over here, to be honest I import most of my movies from Amazon UK. However theres a few decent deals occasionally. Big W has about 20 titles going for ~$20AU, and if you see a JB Hifi around they have 20% off all Blu-rays until Sunday, which brings some to around the $16AU mark.

Check out the Region B section of http://bluray.liesinc.net/ and they'll let you know if the discs will play back in the US. Casino Royale, The Island, Kill Bills but Master and Commander seems to be locked, so you'll need a region free/Region B Blu-ray player for that one.

Edit: Gladiator is also region free .

[Audiophile1178]

Originally Posted by jobrro

Yeah we are pretty expensive over here, to be honest I import most of my movies from Amazon UK. However theres a few decent deals occasionally. Big W has about 20 titles going for ~$20AU, and if you see a JB Hifi around they have 20% off all Blu-rays until Sunday, which brings some to around the $16AU mark.

Check out the Region B section of http://bluray.liesinc.net/ and they'll let you know if the discs will play back in the US. Casino Royale, The Island, Kill Bills but Master and Commander seems to be locked, so you'll need a region free/Region B Blu-ray player for that one.

Edit: Gladiator is also region free .

is that the new gladiator? Limited edition steelbook? I don't know if those places are around me. I'm currently in the Stamford grand hotel in Adelaide. It's the glenelg area/mosley square.

[Davidian]

I just bought Master & Commander for $20 from Big W today, Robocop too. I think they're both available at that pice from Target too.

[jobrro]

Originally Posted by Audiophile1178

is that the new gladiator? Limited edition steelbook? I don't know if those places are around me. I'm currently in the Stamford grand hotel in Adelaide. It's the glenelg area/mosley square.

Yep its the steelbook that's region free.

Never actually been to the state you're in, but here's a list of Big Ws in the state http://bigw.com.au/stores.asp?region=SA , and the location of JB Hifi nearby use postcode 5045 -> http://www.jbhifi.com.au/store-locator/. Good luck and have fun while you're down .

Edit:

Here's a list of titles in the Big W sale so you can check beforehand if they are region free or not here .

[RBBrittain]

Originally Posted by Davidian

We have the standard release of Casablanca...

...but we now have the plain-Jane version here in the States as well.

Does the Australian version of Dreamgirls have uncompressed or lossless audio? The U.S. version has DD+ only.

[I am blu]

I have just read a thread about American Psycho
it was said that aussie release was better

[Audiophile1178]

Does anybody know about the quality of the steelbook gladiator compared to the previous release? The previous release was supposed to have a crappy picture. Will it say on the back if it's region locked or region free? Are all blu-rays in NTSC format in austailia?

I'm just a little nervous as the website ezdvd is stating that the island and the new gladiator are region b. I've never heard of this website so I don't know how accurate it is.

http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/809874

[Squozen]

There is no 'PAL' or 'NTSC' when referring to Blu-rays. Look at the region free site linked earlier in the thread for definitive answers for what is locked in Region B.

[RiseDarthVader]

How is the original release of the Australian version of Terminator 2 by Universal? On par with the Japanese encode?

[Bruce Morrison]

Originally Posted by Squozen

There is no 'PAL' or 'NTSC' when referring to Blu-rays. Look at the region free site linked earlier in the thread for definitive answers for what is locked in Region B.

Except for extras in standard def. If the first item on the disc is in SD PAL (e.g. a trailer), a US player may not be able to play any part of the disc.