Actually, the color scheme for the first Matrix has been altered from the original to match the sequels. There is now a more exaggerated green hue, as opposed to the muted colors in the original.
Another thing -- the DVD compression work on Reloaded and Revolutions is slightly better in the boxed set, resulting in superior image quality versus the original 2-disc releases.
I don't remember the exact time or chapter listing, but there is a difference between the original Matrix and the UE Matrix in the scene where Neo has to make the jump to the next building in the jump program.
In the UE Matrix, when Neo is talking to himself (after Morpheus tells him to free his mind, and right before he starts to run into his attempt to jump), there is a very pronounced glitch that does not appear in that extreme in the original snapcase version. At first I thought it was a glitch with my UE copy but upon checking 3 other discs, I realized they were all the same. Anybody else notice this?
I bought this box set at Best Buy after eating dinner at a Mexican restaurant down the sidewalk. I got so trashed on Margaritas that I walked into Best Buy, spent hours there (staggering a little) and walked out finally with that stupid box set.
That's what I get for waiting hours to sober up before driving home.
P.S. I already owned all 3 Matrix films on DVD plus the Animatrix, so getting this set really made little sense.
The sheer amount of documentary material in the "Ultimate Collection" box, though, massively trounces the original 2-disc sets, along with the audio commentaries. Trust me, there's tons of content you ain't seen yet if you only owned the 2-discers.
HAHA! That's a great story and sounds like something I would do! I have all the original releases and the Animatrix (which I bought cheap used, and boy am I glad I got it cheap), so I never sprung for the box set. Figured if I bought them again it would be in HD. I prize the original Matrix DVD because of the color timing that's true to the theatrical release. I know we won't ever see it that way again. I rented the re-colored version. Color me unimpressed. Contrast looked way too boosted and a lot of detail is lost with the enhanced blacks. Clarity is nice, but I don't like the green of the sequels compared with the original look of the film. It keeps the original unique, just as it was at the time. I like it separated from the sequels. I like to think of the "Matrix Trilogy" as some sort of alternate universe thing and "The Matrix" as a stand-alone film. The Matrix Trilogy springing from The Matrix makes me think of what the Star Wars Trilogy might have been like if The Empire Strikes Back hadn't been awesome.
Though I can appreciate the Matrix Trilogy for what it is, and admit the Ws did a good job of achieving what they wanted to do, the fact it's so far from what I'd have envisioned after The Matrix depresses me. If they really had a planned trilogy in mind, they must have "dumbed down" the original in their minds to appeal to the mass audience and I must be one of the stupid commoners.