Payback(Theatrical+Directors cut)

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Why would it be cut if it contains both versions?

Pro-B

Because Payback was cut at '18' in 1999 by the BBFC for a 5 second sequence involving a butterfly knife, which used to be a very sensitive subject for the BBFC even in movies with adult certificates. The "Director's Cut" of Payback (which also features this sequence) could not be assumed to be uncut because it exists due to the director's (Brian Helgeland) unhappiness with the style, tone and ending of the original 1999 release, which was controlled by the producers and Mel Gibson.

However, the UK disc has been confirmed to be uncut and the film content is exactly the same as the uncut US R-rated film.

[Mobe1969]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

Because Payback was cut at '18' in 1999 by the BBFC for a 5 second sequence involving a butterfly knife, which used to be a very sensitive subject for the BBFC even in movies with adult certificates. The "Director's Cut" of Payback (which also features this sequence) could not be assumed to be uncut because it exists due to the director's (Brian Hegeland) unhappiness with the style, tone and ending of the original 1999 release, which was controlled by the producers and Mel Gibson.

However, the UK disc has been confirmed to be uncut and the film content is exactly the same as the uncut US R-rated film.

Ah thank god you had me worried for a minute. I just bought the UK one.

[Pfdfiredog]

we are looking at this being a region b lock right?

[steve_dave]

Warner Brothers never locks their Blu-ray Discs releases. Even if they are imposing on someone else's distribution rights, they will not use region coding.

[neo_reloaded]

I received the UK BD in the mail today, and can confirm the following specs:

Region Free - played in my region A player

TrueHD for both cuts
Butterfly knife scene is intact in both cuts

The movie is two separate encodes, not seamlessly branched, as the color timing varies greatly between the two versions.

[Fightertown]

When will the theatrical cut been reviewed here on Blu-Ray.com?

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

The movie is two separate encodes, not seamlessly branched, as the color timing varies greatly between the two versions.

I am a little worried about the inclusion of two separate encodes on one disc possibly impacting visual quality. It would have been better if they had used separate discs.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

I am a little worried about the inclusion of two separate encodes on one disc possibly impacting visual quality. It would have been better if they had used separate discs.

This is my worry, too. But I doubt Paramount will be releasing a set with both cuts AND TrueHD anytime soon in the U.S. Besides, their DC BD wasn't great either, what with only DD 5.1 and MPEG-2 on a BD-25, and I don't think they'd do a major overhaul on this title, as the only ever released one DVD of the theatrical cut anyway.

[Adam_ME]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

I am a little worried about the inclusion of two separate encodes on one disc possibly impacting visual quality. It would have been better if they had used separate discs.

In fairness, the director's cut is pretty short. About an hour and a half in length. If a movie as long as The Godfather Part II can be squeezed onto a dual-layer disc, than so can 2 cuts of Payback.