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

[tylerdurden10]

After just finding this thread, I'm really bummed out to know that a bunch of movies have better releases that I wasn't even aware of!

Had NO IDEA that the JPN release of Memento had the chronological version in HD! This will cost a fortune to import

I think I may have been better off knowing that some of these didn't exist (for my wallets sake), my OCD with having the best version possible will make me import everyone that I have

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by tylerdurden10

After just finding this thread, I'm really bummed out to know that a bunch of movies have better releases that I wasn't even aware of!

Had NO IDEA that the JPN release of Memento had the chronological version in HD! This will cost a fortune to import

Yeah, it saddens me as well. I did however import We Were Soldiers and Twister from the U.K. for $26 shipped. That's a decent deal.

[tylerdurden10]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

Yeah, it saddens me as well. I did however import We Were Soldiers and Twister from the U.K. for $26 shipped. That's a decent deal.

Hey I noticed that you listed the French release of Judge Dredd as having an excellent transfer. Can you confirm that it is infact 1080p? I have it and the case says 1080i and my region free player (Insignia) doesn't allow me the option of checking the disc specs

I will say this, if it is 1080i it still looks damn good!

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by tylerdurden10

Hey I noticed that you listed the French release of Judge Dredd as having an excellent transfer. Can you confirm that it is infact 1080p? I have it and the case says 1080i and my region free player (Insignia) doesn't allow me the option of checking the disc specs

I will say this, if it is 1080i it still looks damn good!

Not 100% sure about that as I own the German version of Judge Dredd. I actually pulled my avatar off the disc. I found that information concerning the French release off a different site. If a 1080i transfer is encoded at 24fps then there's usually little difference in how it look on a decent 1080p display as the display will de-interlace the interlaced signal.

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

Not 100% sure about that as I own the German version of Judge Dredd. I actually pulled my avatar off the disc. I found that information concerning the French release off a different site. If a 1080i transfer is encoded at 24fps then there's usually little difference in how it look on a decent 1080p display as the display will de-interlace the interlaced signal.

Exactly, specs do not make a good looking title. Brick for example (UK) looks pretty damn great in places

[Clark Kent]

The UK BD for Vertical Limit has an AVC video encode, superior to the MPEG2 one found on the U.S. release. I believe the transfers are likely the same though. Many of the early Blu-rays in the U.S. from Fox and Sony were released using superior video codecs and upgraded sound in other territories.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

The UK BD for Vertical Limit has an AVC video encode, superior to the MPEG2 one found on the U.S. release. I believe the transfers are likely the same though. Many of the early Blu-rays in the U.S. from Fox and Sony were released using superior video codecs and upgraded sound in other territories.

I have it marked in the list already. Thanks though.

[Bad Sandwich]

I've heard the Japanese Sony release of Before The Devil Knows You're Dead has superior video and possibly audio. The specs posted over on cinemasquid support this. Higher bitrate AVC; 24-bit TrueHD vs the 16-bit DTS MA on the US release.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Bad Sandwich

I've heard the Japanese Sony release of Before The Devil Knows You're Dead has superior video and possibly audio. The specs posted over on cinemasquid support this. Higher bitrate AVC; 24-bit TrueHD vs the 16-bit DTS MA on the US release.

I'm only showing U.S./U.K./Germany all with a AVC codec. Is the Japanese version indeed different in terms of audio?

[Bad Sandwich]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I'm only showing U.S./U.K./Germany all with a AVC codec. Is the Japanese version indeed different in terms of audio?

It should be at the very bottom on the page I linked to. It's AVC @28.97 Mbps avg, vs. the 18.98 and 15.98 on the US and UK releases, respectively. The TrueHD track has 24-bit depth vs 16-bit on the US/UK, making it at least technically superior.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Bad Sandwich

It should be at the very bottom on the page I linked to. It's AVC @28.97 Mbps avg, vs. the 18.98 and 15.98 on the US and UK releases, respectively. The TrueHD track has 24-bit depth vs 16-bit on the US/UK, making it at least technically superior.

Thanks. I have added it to the list.

[pmac]

Judge Dredd
U.S. - No release
Germany - Excellent transfer with DTS-HD MA 5.1 (Region free)
France - Excellent transfer with DTS-HD MA 5.1

How accurate is this information? BR.com states that it is Region B locked. I would like to own this movie for nostalgia sake, but don't have a region free player, and I would definitely want to watch it :-)

After looking around another website says it is Region B locked.

[Bad Sandwich]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

Thanks. I have added it to the list.

Cool. One thing though--you listed DTS MA for the Japanese disc. It's Dolby TrueHD. Lossless is lossless, but some folks get real particular about that kind of thing, haha. Wouldnt want to cause some kind of crisis with a DTS enthusiast who has banned Dolby encodes from their home.

[pmac]

Originally Posted by Bad Sandwich

Cool. One thing though--you listed DTS MA for the Japanese disc. It's Dolby TrueHD. Lossless is lossless, but some folks get real particular about that kind of thing, haha. Wouldnt want to cause some kind of crisis with a DTS enthusiast who has banned Dolby encodes from their home.

That's funny, I wonder if there are people like that :-)

[Bad Sandwich]

Originally Posted by pmac

That's funny, I wonder if there are people like that :-)

Yup. I hear they hang at this joint called AVS Forum.

[pmac]

Originally Posted by Bad Sandwich

Yup. I hear they hang at this joint called AVS Forum.

very funny

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by pmac

Judge Dredd
U.S. - No release
Germany - Excellent transfer with DTS-HD MA 5.1 (Region free)
France - Excellent transfer with DTS-HD MA 5.1

How accurate is this information? BR.com states that it is Region B locked. I would like to own this movie for nostalgia sake, but don't have a region free player, and I would definitely want to watch it :-)

After looking around another website says it is Region B locked.

The original German pressing was Region B locked and after that it was changed to region free.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Bad Sandwich

Cool. One thing though--you listed DTS MA for the Japanese disc. It's Dolby TrueHD. Lossless is lossless, but some folks get real particular about that kind of thing, haha. Wouldnt want to cause some kind of crisis with a DTS enthusiast who has banned Dolby encodes from their home.

Fixed.

[Bad Sandwich]

The UK release of the Omen Trilogy is missing the original mono tracks on the US set. Otherwise identical.

Canadian release of I Saw The Devil is the shorter international cut, like the US. The Korean edition contains both cuts of the film, with reportedly equal or slightly better video quality than the US/UK discs. I haven't been able to find a direct comparison. More extras, but they aren't English subtitled.

[HD Goofnut]

Uncle Buck added.