List of International BDs with Better PQ, AQ, and/or More Extras

[tylerdurden10]

Originally Posted by Sky_Captain

It should match the Russian disc, which I haven't seen.
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/XXX-Blu-ray/35686/

Well, it looks like the JP release is the best. The Czech release I have seems to mirror the Russian release like you said. It is on a BD-25 & is MPEG-4 AVC with a low bitrate (in the mid teens). Looks like I'll be buying this for a 3rd time now!

[Ben_R]

Just a few quick questions guys, sorry to be a pain

Is the JP release of Hannibal worth while picking up over the UK release?

With all the recently added screen caps of the Halloween releases which ones should I be looking to pick up as there appears to be slight confusion & conflicting information as to which releases are the best.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by Ben_R

Is the JP release of Hannibal worth while picking up over the UK release?

Can't comment on the JP disc, but the UK disc looks very nice and has all the old features. Blows away the US disc, which I briefly owned.

[wesslan]

Originally Posted by Ben_R

Just a few quick questions guys, sorry to be a pain

Is the JP release of Hannibal worth while picking up over the UK release?

Is the JP release of Lock Stock worth picking up or would I be better off waiting for a new transfer.

With all the recently added screen caps of the Halloween releases which ones should I be looking to pick up as there appears to be slight confusion & conflicting information as to which releases are the best.

Don't own Hannibal but it's the same transfer but much better bitrate so if you have a very large screen you will see the difference. Also it got some exclusive extras in HD if I remember correct. It's still very expensive though

Halloween is a mess. If you got the money to spend you could add diffrent editions from around the world to make the best possible boxset but if you want something easier then buy the US boxset. No version in there is "a lot" worse than others.

[Cevolution]

I bought the Japanese disc of Hannibal earlier in the year. When I received it I compared the first few minutes (before the opening credits) to the corrected UK/AU disc, in the opening scene the framing is difference between the two versions:


UK

IMG_1769.jpg

Japanese

IMG_1800.jpg

[Ben_R]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

I bought the Japanese disc of Hannibal earlier in the year. When I received it I compared the first few minutes (before the opening credits) to the corrected UK/AU disc, in the opening scene the framing is difference between the two versions:


UK

[Show spoiler]Attachment 120070

Japanese

[Show spoiler]Attachment 120071

I must admit I prefer the look of opening scene on the JP release. Is that the only difference? Can you confirm the AR specs on this site are correct.

[wesslan]

xXx, District 9 and some other titles are very cheap now at CDjapan if you need to complete your JP collection

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by Ben_R

Are they both in the OAR?

Originally Posted by Ben_R

I must admit I prefer the look of opening scene on the JP release. Is that the only difference? Can you confirm the AR specs on this site are correct.

They are both the same aspect ratio, 1.85:1, the framing is just different between the two releases, at least in the opening scene (I haven't bothered to check past the first scene on the Japanese disc so I can't speak for the remainder of the film). As far as I'm aware the framing of the corrected UK/AU disc is practically accurate, but perhaps Sky_Captain can chime in, because I know he was involved in discovering the silent fix.

Edit: I'm sure you are aware, but in case you are not, those photos I took (with my phone) are not of the entire screen, they are only close-ups of a section, just to demonstrate the differences in framing at the top of the image.

[wesslan]

Anyone compared the audio on Rambo theatrical, US DTS-HD MA 7.1 24-bit vs UK Dolby TrueHD 5.1 16-bit?

Seems the JP disc is also dolby so my guess it's the same Sony encode as UK while US is lionsgate.

I know many prefer the extended with the new encoded audio that is said being even better but I like my raw hardcore theatrical cut and looking for the best version for that.

[Ben_R]

Originally Posted by wesslan

Halloween is a mess. If you got the money to spend you could add diffrent editions from around the world to make the best possible boxset but if you want something easier then buy the US boxset. No version in there is "a lot" worse than others.

More money than sense, I am going to try and build my own set. I already own 1,2 & 3 so need to pick up the rest.

What would you recommend?

[wesslan]

Originally Posted by Ben_R

More money than sense, I am going to try and build my own set. I already own 1,2 & 3 so need to pick up the rest.

What would you recommend?

I would say read up on the german/french discs for 4-5 (think I've seen comparisons that say the Austrian/DE discs looks better than the new US discs) and H20, resurrection. Check caps-o-holic, screenshotcomparisons and the usual forums. Good luck

Also missing from US box is the theatrical versions of Rob Zombies Halloween 1-2 but most prefer the directors cuts anyway but just so you know. Theatrical cuts is avaliable on other discs.

Also think 4 had som error in US boxset so there was replacements done but it's always hard to get those if you are outside US.

[Torrente]

Originally Posted by wesslan

Anyone compared the audio on Rambo theatrical, US DTS-HD MA 7.1 24-bit vs UK Dolby TrueHD 5.1 16-bit?

Seems the JP disc is also dolby so my guess it's the same Sony encode as UK while US is lionsgate.

I know many prefer the extended with the new encoded audio that is said being even better but I like my raw hardcore theatrical cut and looking for the best version for that.

I'm also interested in this question as I too want the best option for the "raw hardcore theatrical cut"


As for answering to our friend Ben_R, I own the following:

- Halloween (Anchor Bay) original release UK
- Halloween: 35th anniversary (Pathé) FR
- Halloween: 35th Anniversary (Anchor Bay) digibook US
- Halloween: 35th anniversary (Anchor Bay) steelbook UK

- Halloween II (Universal) original release US
- Halloween II (Universal) corrected disc US
- Halloween II (Shout Factory) US

- Halloween III (Shout Factory) US

- Halloween 4 (Anchor Bay OAR) original release US

- Halloween 5 (Anchor Bay OAR) original release US

- Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (Studio Canal) FR

- Halloween 7: H20 (Echo Bridge 1.78:1) US
- Halloween 7: H20 (Studio Canal OAR) FR

- Halloween 8: Resurrection (Studio Canal) FR

- Halloween Triple Feature (Alliance) CA (containing: Halloween 6, 7 & 8)

- Rob Zombie's Halloween director's cut (Roadshow) AU

- Rob Zombie's Halloween II director's cut (Sony) US
- Rob Zombie's Halloween II theatrical cut (Entertainment in Video) UK

- Rob Zombie's Halloween & Halloween II - theatrical cuts (Alliance) CA

And I'm planning on getting Halloween 6 "producer's cut" that Lionsgate will release in September in the US.

Note that there are no FR discs of n°4 or 5 that I know of.
I'm pretty satisfied with the US discs that I have for both of them (the UK discs are the same). They are OAR and with stronger bitrates than the DE discs.
Disperancies are not sufficient enough to my eyes (I understand other people don't agree and I respect their feelings about this) to buy the DE discs that don't have english subs.

[PuppetMasterBlu]

Originally Posted by Ben_R

More money than sense, I am going to try and build my own set. I already own 1,2 & 3 so need to pick up the rest.

What would you recommend?

Honestly the box set has everything you need except Resurrection and the Zombie films. 4, 5 and 6 have the best transfers in the US. H20 looks the same as it does on the fr and de discs but it has special features. Resurrection looks a little better overseas (it's a terrible movie though so I don't care) and Zombie's films don't have the theatrical cuts in them so you will have to go looking elsewhere, Canada I think has them. If I were you I would just buy the box set and sell what you don't want and then buy resurrection and the theatrical cuts of Zombie's films seperately.

[wesslan]

Nice list Torrente.

And for Ben_R, the Halloween 2 disc from Universal have a little better detail than the Shout and also a cool different extra documentary.

[Torrente]

Thanks wesslan

I tend to agree with PuppetMasterBlu about what Ben_R should do.
It seems wise to get the limited US boxset and then get several of the "better" discs elsewhere.
I don't think 4, 5 and several others from this boxset are better elsewhere so it would be a good start to build the best custom boxset possible.

Also, it would be nice to add the theatrical cuts of Rob Zombie's version (I prefer those myself).

[JimDiGriz]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

They are both the same aspect ratio, 1.85:1, the framing is just different between the two releases, at least in the opening scene (I haven't bothered to check past the first scene on the Japanese disc so I can't speak for the remainder of the film). As far as I'm aware the framing of the corrected UK/AU disc is practically accurate, but perhaps Sky_Captain can chime in, because I know he was involved in discovering the silent fix.

Edit: I'm sure you are aware, but in case you are not, those photos I took (with my phone) are not of the entire screen, they are only close-ups of a section, just to demonstrate the differences in framing at the top of the image.

So the Japanese one is missing the top part then - similar to the old UK release (not the corrected one)?

[Ben_R]

Originally Posted by Torrente

I'm also interested in this question as I too want the best option for the "raw hardcore theatrical cut"

[Show spoiler]As for answering to our friend Ben_R, I own the following:

- Halloween (Anchor Bay) original release UK
- Halloween: 35th anniversary (Pathé) FR
- Halloween: 35th Anniversary (Anchor Bay) digibook US
- Halloween: 35th anniversary (Anchor Bay) steelbook UK

- Halloween II (Universal) original release US
- Halloween II (Universal) corrected disc US
- Halloween II (Shout Factory) US

- Halloween III (Shout Factory) US

- Halloween 4 (Anchor Bay OAR) original release US

- Halloween 5 (Anchor Bay OAR) original release US

- Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (Studio Canal) FR

- Halloween 7: H20 (Echo Bridge 1.78:1) US
- Halloween 7: H20 (Studio Canal OAR) FR

- Halloween 8: Resurrection (Studio Canal) FR

- Halloween Triple Feature (Alliance) CA (containing: Halloween 6, 7 & 8)

- Rob Zombie's Halloween director's cut (Roadshow) AU

- Rob Zombie's Halloween II director's cut (Sony) US
- Rob Zombie's Halloween II theatrical cut (Entertainment in Video) UK

- Rob Zombie's Halloween & Halloween II - theatrical cuts (Alliance) CA

And I'm planning on getting Halloween 6 "producer's cut" that Lionsgate will release in September in the US.

Note that there are no FR discs of n°4 or 5 that I know of.
I'm pretty satisfied with the US discs that I have for both of them (the UK discs are the same). They are OAR and with stronger bitrates than the DE discs.
Disperancies are not sufficient enough to my eyes (I understand other people don't agree and I respect their feelings about this) to buy the DE discs that don't have english subs.

That is some intensive list, thanks

Originally Posted by PuppetMasterBlu

Honestly the box set has everything you need except Resurrection and the Zombie films. 4, 5 and 6 have the best transfers in the US. H20 looks the same as it does on the fr and de discs but it has special features. Resurrection looks a little better overseas (it's a terrible movie though so I don't care) and Zombie's films don't have the theatrical cuts in them so you will have to go looking elsewhere, Canada I think has them. If I were you I would just buy the box set and sell what you don't want and then buy resurrection and the theatrical cuts of Zombie's films seperately.

Looks like I'll be picking up the boxset sooner rather than later. As wesslan said above, "Halloween is a mess" I didn't want to go buying certain releases only to be wasting money. Extras aren't a deciding factor for me, if they are there great if they're not it doesn't matter

Originally Posted by wesslan

Nice list Torrente.

And for Ben_R, the Halloween 2 disc from Universal have a little better detail than the Shout and also a cool different extra documentary.

I already own this

Originally Posted by Torrente

Thanks wesslan

I tend to agree with PuppetMasterBlu about what Ben_R should do.
It seems wise to get the limited US boxset and then get several of the "better" discs elsewhere.
I don't think 4, 5 and several others from this boxset are better elsewhere so it would be a good start to build the best custom boxset possible.

Also, it would be nice to add the theatrical cuts of Rob Zombie's version (I prefer those myself).

As for the Rob Zombie versions I try to forget the exist, just like the 2009 Friday the 13th remake.

[PuppetMasterBlu]

Originally Posted by wesslan

Yeah the ES have some big errors on the picture. Look at the top, double lines and the "not" round star to the left.

http://www.caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergl...ss=1#vergleich

Can you point out the star thing you are talking about?

[Torrente]

I think wesslan is talking about the damage in the print (the white speck on the left)

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by JimDiGriz

So the Japanese one is missing the top part then - similar to the old UK release (not the corrected one)?

When I took the photos I posted yesterday I didn't have time to go over the rest of the Japanese disc, however I did see a small portion of the opening credits. The framing for the opening credits on the Japanese disc appeared to match the U.S disc:

http://www.landofwhimsy.com/comparis...nnibal1mgm.jpg

Below is the framing of the opening credits of the old UK disc:

http://www.landofwhimsy.com/comparis...nibal1uold.jpg