Running Time differences between iTunes vs. BluRay versions

[dommromm]

Hello,

There have been many times that, depending on the iTunes store, will offer a movie that has a shorter running time the the BluRay version of said movie.

There have been many times that I passed on a special due to the fact of the iTunes version is shorter than.the supposed running time. I thought it might be due to locations (Uk and Australia) but even the US store has the same shorter time than the BluRay version.

For example: as of this date the original Doctor Dolittle (1967) on iTunes has a running time of 2 hours 27 minutes (even the UK and US stores have this same time length) while the blue ray is around 2 hours 31 minutes.

At the moment the iTunes version is on special in the AUS store for $5. I wanted to buy it but the running time is perplexing.

So does anyone know which version is the is the one currently on iTunes??

[ManOfTheForest]

As far as I'm aware there is only one version of that film.

What other movies dies this happen on and how difference is there in the run time?

Could it simply be incorrect submitted to iTunes by the distributor?

I think you should contact the distributor as soon as possible to have them check on it.

I have a similar situation with Nikita - the data on the movie page claims the only language available is a dubbed English track. This is unusual for the Irish and UK iTunes Store so I'm going to buy it to be sure and request a refund if it turns out to be true.

Maybe you should so the same?

[Rik1138]

Where are you getting the information from the Blu-ray? On the packaging (or just a website), or is that the actual run time you see on the player when playing the disc?

Anything other than the disc is very likely to be inaccurate, so it could just be that.

If it's run time on the disc, watch the start and the very end. Some studios tack on up to 5 minutes of international warning cards and dub cards at the end of a movie. So the movie may end at 2:27, and then play a bunch of extra logos and cards (also frequently a logo from the company that made the Blu-ray disc).

Main thing is to look for information on alternate cuts of the film. If there aren't any, then it's most likely going to be the version you are expecting...

As for Nikita, I wouldn't expect the native language. I've never seen the language declaration be wrong on iTunes before (although doesn't mean it won't ever happen), but if it's only listed with one language, and an English dub exists, and it's in a predominantly English speaking store (US, UK, Ireland...), and there's only one audio track and it's listed English... Then it's in English.

The information on iTunes about audio and subtitles is populated automatically based on what was delivered to Apple, so there's no human error there (unless the studio labeled the French track English, and no one at the studio or Apple noticed- very unlikely). That is literally what was delivered. If there are two audio tracks, it would list them. If it listed TWO English tracks, then there's a chance one could be the French track mis-labeled...

But I would 99.9% expect that to be the English dub...
Also possible Studio Canal only has rights to the English version...

[dommromm]

When a movie interests me I start looking for info about it: running time, alternate footage, etc.... so the places I use for direct info are IMDB, Wikipedia, Amazon and this very site.

Based on the info mentioned in IMDB, there are two versions supposedly for Doctor Doliitle (original): one has a running time of 145 min which IMDB calls a "FMC Library Print", (which also matches the time listed in iTunes), and what is listed as the complete running time of 152 min for the movie which is what is stated on the BluRay/DVD releases. This 'longer' version is referred to as the "Roadshow Edition" since the movie was been edited after this version was released.

So this is why I am confused.

Sometimes it's easy to find this info out. This also happened with the movie Brazil. There are 3 variations of this movie. The US iTunes store has the 132 minute version while the International version runs 142 minutes. Coincidentally, it was this version that I bought on special in the UK store.

I've known that running time get padded and even count the extras as part of the movie's running time (which they shouldn't) and sometimes the International versions have a shorter time (film been speed up due to PAL and such) though it's the same movie as in the US store. But when I notice the the time is much longer than usual on a BluRay then iTunes then the confusion begins.

If it's a difference of a minute then I am ok with that but when it's more like 5 to 10 minutes then I have to be sure that I am getting the most complete version on iTunes.

[Rik1138]

Do you know a specific scene I can check in the movie that would answer your question? I can play the movie and see what version is in the iTunes store... Just don't know what to look for.

[ManOfTheForest]

Originally Posted by Rik1138

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As for Nikita, I wouldn't expect the native language. I've never seen the language declaration be wrong on iTunes before (although doesn't mean it won't ever happen), but if it's only listed with one language, and an English dub exists, and it's in a predominantly English speaking store (US, UK, Ireland...), and there's only one audio track and it's listed English... Then it's in English.

The information on iTunes about audio and subtitles is populated automatically based on what was delivered to Apple, so there's no human error there (unless the studio labeled the French track English, and no one at the studio or Apple noticed- very unlikely). That is literally what was delivered. If there are two audio tracks, it would list them. If it listed TWO English tracks, then there's a chance one could be the French track mis-labeled...

But I would 99.9% expect that to be the English dub...
Also possible Studio Canal only has rights to the English version...

Like you said it doesn't mean it won't ever happen.

In this case it is indeed an error and the language is French.

[Rik1138]

Wow, nice to know... They are usually very good about not screwing that up...

Good thing you checked though!

[ManOfTheForest]

Originally Posted by Rik1138

Wow, nice to know... They are usually very good about not screwing that up...

Good thing you checked though!

I was just about to buy it myself to test it when I saw a member of this site had already answered my post and confirmed it is French.

I don't know why but I'm in the habit of leaving the purchase of movies in a special until the offer is nearly up and a few times I have missed out on good deals when the price changes early.