Time Bandits 2-disc SE in 2004 (1 Viewer)

[Jon Robertson]

If I am not mistaken, a lot of Criterion product is not officially available outside of region 1 due to the terms of their getting the rights to a film. If that is the case, then it would make sense for them to license their supplements for other region releases.

Indeed - laserdisc commentaries and other assorted extras have appeared on the UK special editions of Trainspotting, Repulsion and Mona Lisa to name but three.

Criterion appears to be relaxing their old guidelines too as far as Stateside distribution goes - the fact that the complete laserdisc supplements of Bodies, Rest & Motion and Once Were Warriors appeared on New Line's recent DVDs went generally unnoticed.

 

[Chet_F]

I've been holding off buying this one for months do to the FACT that it is non-anamorphic. The second this is available in anamorhic 16x9 it will be in the player(HINT TO STUDIOS!!!!!!!!!)

 

[Matt Pelham]

It's now up for pre-order with a release date of January 27th.

 

[Mark_TS]

The cover is WAY too noisy with quotes, logos and brandnames.
Geez.
Tossup-no commentary vs 16x9 transfer.

I would wonder if this wont be one of CRITERIONS big batch of requested 16x9 rereleases rumoured for 2004...

Think I'll wait.

 

[Haden]

Meh... I'll pass. I was hoping for better extras. A lack of commentary is pathetic. I'll stick with my Criterion. It's good enough for me.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Since I never picked up the Criterion one, I'll definitely be purchasing this one.

My guess is that the commentary was not licensed for R1 mainly because the Criterion version is still in print. If CC had put theirs OOP by now, that commentary would be on the new release. But since it's not, why would CC want to give AB those materials?

So on one hand we got: non-anamorphic transfer, Gilliam commentary -or- anamorphic, no commentary, and a lower sticker price.

It's a little disappointing to not get the extra audio track (Gilliam's commentaries are consistently excellent), but I'll be glad to add this one to my collection next month.

 

[Damin J Toell]

So on one hand we got: non-anamorphic transfer, Gilliam commentary -or- anamorphic, no commentary, and a lower sticker price.

Third option for those who can play R2 PAL discs: Anchor Bay UK's release, which is anamorphic with the Criterion commentary.

DJ

 

[Craig Forsythe]

I'm a little confused. The UK Anchor Bay versions has the same transfer and features as the Divmax version coming out but also has the criterion commentary. So why is the Divimax 2 disks if the UK version was able to put the same quality transfer and features plus a commentary onto one.
Sales and marketing hype? more disks must == better?

 

[Damin J Toell]

I'm a little confused. The UK Anchor Bay versions has the same transfer and features as the Divmax version coming out but also has the criterion commentary. So why is the Divimax 2 disks if the UK version was able to put the same quality transfer and features plus a commentary onto one.

The Anchor Bay US release has at least one thing the UK release didn't: the 60-minute "The Directors" documentary on Gilliam. Plus, of course, it's a little difficult to state that the transfer are of the same quality before seeing them both.

DJ

 

[Dave Poehlman]

Just reviving this thread to see if anyone has heard of a preview and what the quality was like before it's launched on the 27th.

I've never seen a "Divimax" title before. Are they any better than a standard transfer?

Amazon lists within the features: "New high-definition transfer"

I'm assuming they're talking about a transfer from a hi-def source which sounds promising... or, at the very least, better than the current copies out there.

 

[Dan Hitchman]

Divimax is AB's way of marketing the fact that the enhanced DVD transfer is from a high definition master. Most DVD's over the past couple years are from HD masters anyway. Again, just marketing catch phrases like Sony's "SuperBit."

I would think Terry Gilliam would have supervised or at least approved this particular HD mastering. As much as I've cut back on standard DVD purchases (HD video is coming after all in a couple years, and I've been stocking up on SACD's and DVD-Audio in the mean time), I do buy the occational movie or TV show if it happens to be a favorite of mine. This is one of them.

Dan

 

[Damin J Toell]

I would think Terry Gilliam would have supervised or at least approved this particular HD mastering.

Given AB's apparent unwillingness to have gotten appropriate people to approve the Divimax Halloween transfer, I wouldn't hold my breath.

DJ

 

[JustinCleveland]

I've watched the new Time Bandits DVD, and will have a full review up at DVDTown.com tonight.

Bottom line; the transfer is wonderful.

 

[JustinCleveland]

http://www.dvdtown.com/review/Time_B...y_/11586/1924/
I don't think Anchor Bay is sending screeners out on this one, so this may be the only pre-release review.

Bottom line is, it's a vast improvement over what I remember from the Criterion disc, but don't have it for an A/B comparison. The documentaries made me forget quickly about the commentary, of which I am not a fan. A good interview, well edited, is better than a commentary any day. Considering it can be had for 15 dollars some places, I'd recommend this disc for an easy purchase.

 

[soop.spoon]

Justin... great review.
Can you tell me about the case? Keepcase? Slipcase?

Thanks!

 

[JustinCleveland]

Keepcase, one of those with the 2nd DVD on a hinge, like the Star Wars case.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I don't think Anchor Bay is sending screeners out on this one, so this may be the only pre-release review.

Yeah, they're sending screeners - mine arrived the other day...

 

[Scott Rogers]

I'm been lusting after the Critereon version of Time Bandits for a while now, but now comes the Anchor Bay version. What's the differences between the two? Which one is recommended?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Pike Bishop]

This is the 2nd AB release.

Both of them miss the excellent commentary by Gilliam, Palin, John Cleese, David Warner and Craig Warnock (available on Criterion).

This new AB release provides a brand new anamorphic transfer.
Criterion and old AB releases were non-anamorphic.


The commentary is also available on the AB UK release. And the film is presented anamorphic too.

 

[McLean Byron]

The new Anchor Bay release also includes a half-hour videotaped interview with Palin and Gilliam, and an hour-long Directors Series retrospective on Gilliam's entire career that first played on cable.