Super Bit releases of Gladiator, Jurassic Park 1,2,3, and The Mummy in Japan

#1

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5/9/03 at 3:03am

Tom Oh

Joined: July 1999
Post Count: 254

Sony Pictures Entertainment in Japan is releasing Super Bit versions of Gladiator, Jurassic Park 1,2, & 3, The Mummy, and The Mummy Returns.

http://www.spe.co.jp/video/superbit/

Can anyone in Japan clarify if these are indeed higher quality or just new packaging? The site shows that these titles do not include any extra features. I'd be willing to pick it up if there was a noticeable difference in audio or video.

#2

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5/9/03 at 7:21am

Nick Graham

Joined: October 2001
Post Count: 1,393

Holy crap, Last Action Hero, Gladiator, and Jurassic Park.
Finally something to replace my old 97 or 98 era Last Action Hero...and DTS to boot I imagine? I wonder if they use the same DTS track on Jurassic Park as the reissued R1 version.

Tom, recommend any good places to pick these up?

#3

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5/9/03 at 7:30am

Jeff Kleist

Joined: December 1999
Post Count: 11,286

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp

Jeff Kleist
Watching Buffy widescreen makes Baby Joss cry

#4

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5/9/03 at 8:08am

Nick Graham

Joined: October 2001
Post Count: 1,393

Ho-lee crap...$40 a pop? Is this the kind of pricing I can expect when trying to import from Japan? My only previous import experience was the R2 Timecop and the R3 Army of Darkness Director's Cut from MGM. They were a heck of a lot more reasonably priced than $40 a pop.

#5

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5/9/03 at 8:27am

DaViD Boulet

Joined: February 1999
Post Count: 8,787

But aren't most of these titles Universal titles? How is Sony getting rights to them?

-dave

Be an Original Aspect Ratio Advocate

Supporter of 1080p24 video and lossless 24 bit audio.

#6

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5/9/03 at 8:29am

Malcolm R

Joined: February 2002
Post Count: 9,866

Dave read my mind. None of those are Sony titles.

Rob: Hey, I'm hip.
Bucky: Sure y'are. A garter snake with osteoporosis has more hip than you.

--Get Fuzzy!--

#7

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5/9/03 at 8:31am

Nick Graham

Joined: October 2001
Post Count: 1,393

I would say Sony still has the rights to the Universal catalog in region 2...though I was under the impression that was no longer the case.

#8

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5/9/03 at 9:47am

Dave H

Joined: August 2000
Post Count: 4,800

Will Japan DVDs play on my Region 1 player?

#9

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5/9/03 at 10:09am

Dave_P.

Joined: May 1999
Post Count: 983

No, Japan is Region 2

#10

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5/9/03 at 10:09am

Malcolm R

Joined: February 2002
Post Count: 9,866

Will Japan DVDs play on my Region 1 player?

Not unless they're all-region coded. Japan is NTSC format (I think), but the region codes are still different.

Rob: Hey, I'm hip.
Bucky: Sure y'are. A garter snake with osteoporosis has more hip than you.

--Get Fuzzy!--

#11

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5/9/03 at 10:15am

Nick Graham

Joined: October 2001
Post Count: 1,393

Dave, nope, they will play only if your player will do Region 2. Look online for a cheapo Apex or Cyberhome that can do all regions and you'll be on your way.

The good news is that Japan uses NTSC, so all you will need is a player that will do multiple regions, not one that also does good PAL->NTSC conversion, which can be a bit harder and pricier to find.

#12

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5/9/03 at 10:15am

Marc_E

Joined: October 2001
Post Count: 771

You need a region free player or HTPC (like me). Japan is NTSC and I have several discs that are quite cool (Conan in 5.1). I fully intend on ordering SB Last action heroe and A few good men SB.
Marc

#13

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5/9/03 at 10:24am

AlexBC

Joined: May 2003
Post Count: 259

These are just absolutely great!!!!. I just wish us here in R4, could get them as well.

Support the use of seamless branching on Sony BDs to always present the original theatrical cut along with the extended/alternate versions

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...3#post10265263

#14

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5/9/03 at 6:09pm

RexW

Joined: April 2002
Post Count: 80

I'll be finally picking up Jurrassic Park 1 and maybe 2, in addition to adding the Last Action Hero to my collection.
They've also got Jumanji and Charlie's Angels Superbits scheduled for June release.
Unfortunately, the Superbit Deluxe concept hasn't made it here yet so it looks like they'll all be movie only. They do however have nice gold lettered packaging which gives them a nice look IMHO.

On the outside lookin\' in....and it\'s funny!

#15

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5/9/03 at 6:34pm

Andy Kim

Joined: October 2000
Post Count: 252

Europe's got Gladiator coming soon also.
http://www.superbit.co.uk/
I like the European covers a lot better than the North American Superbits.

#16

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5/9/03 at 7:06pm

ChrisJefferys

Joined: November 2002
Post Count: 133

Speaking of cdjapan, anyone know what the deal is with them now. I've been trying to get on their site for a few days now, but I get a message saying they the site is under maintenance. Anyone know when they will be back on line? There are a couple things I was planning on ordering from them this week.

#17

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5/9/03 at 8:28pm

Dan Hitchman

Joined: June 1999
Post Count: 2,714

I wonder if the Gladiator Superbit will use the cool DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 track from the Region 1 release?

There I go again!

Dan

Go Blu!!

#18

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5/9/03 at 9:00pm

Dave H

Joined: August 2000
Post Count: 4,800

There's no stopping you, Dan!

Are the Japan Superbits on par with Region 1 Superbits? Bjoern (whatever happened to him?) did a review of a Superbit Godzilla (Region skips me) and it was not very impressive.

And while we are on the subject, where are the Region 1 reviews for the Superbit batch coming out next week?! I have only read one and that was for Men in Black.

#19

Rating: 0

5/10/03 at 6:57am

JustinCleveland

Joined: December 2002
Location: Middleton, WI
Post Count: 2,037

I thought that was one of the many reasons for delays of major sets like Back to the Future: the overseas distribution rights...

I thought it expired in 2003. I guess I was wrong.

#20

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5/10/03 at 7:14am

GregK

Joined: November 2000
Post Count: 680

Dan mentioned the DTS ES 6.1 for Gladiator, and if it will be used on the R2 Superbit. I'll add a second DTS hot coal question:

Will the 1st Jurassic Park mix be the untampered 5.1 mix that was on the Dolby Digital laserdisc, or the slightly tweaked on DVD mix for the 1st DTS/DD DVD release, or will it be the 5.1 mix tweaked by DTS themselves that was used for the original DTS LD and later the repressed "corrected" DTS DVD? And if the DTS tweaked mix version is used, will the DD 5.1 track get the same mix this time? Hmm Hmm Hmmm

#21

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5/10/03 at 7:43am

Jeff Kleist

Joined: December 1999
Post Count: 11,286

cdjapan's site is up right now

Japanese home video prices were set when the yen was closer to 200 to $1US, so now that it's closer to 120 to $1US, prices are higher

Try buying domestic stuff. I pay on average $50-60 for a concert DVD

Jeff Kleist
Watching Buffy widescreen makes Baby Joss cry

#22

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5/10/03 at 8:53am

Dave Mack

Joined: January 2002
Post Count: 4,581

If anyone gets these, can they do an A/B and post any differences...?

Also, (slightly off topic...) I searched the CDJAPAN site for any "Buffy" to no avail... Are the sets even out over there? I would think Japan would be a HUGE market...
Would love to snag a "Once more..." in NTSC, so's to avoid any PAL speedup..
Any info...?

Thanx! D

http://www.myspace.com/franbro

#23

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5/10/03 at 11:27am

Dan Rudolph

Joined: December 2002
Post Count: 4,030

According to IMDB, Buffy just started airing in Japan less than four months ago. I agree you'd think it would be popular enough over there they would haave started it years ago like the rest of the world, but apparently not. Then again, it is a soap opera and those don't port as well across cultures as other genres.

My Collection

#24

Rating: 0

5/14/03 at 12:15am

Dave Mack

Joined: January 2002
Post Count: 4,581

Aside... Anybody know how Buffy will/is being presented? 4x3 all seasons..? Switch to 16x9? 16x9 tilt and scan of seasons 1 to 3? They are pretty ws savvy there. I remember being in Tokyo 5 and a 1/2 years ago and there were WS sets EVERYWHERE!
Anyone getting the Japanese Superbits???

D

http://www.myspace.com/franbro

#25

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5/14/03 at 8:36am

CraigL

Joined: January 2000
Post Count: 1,863

I was thinking of getting the new A Few Good Men for the DTS but it's not really a sound heavy movie so who knows.

Probably not picking up any of the others. Would be interested in JP and TLW but since they're both in DTS over here...not too much to tempt.

#26

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5/14/03 at 9:48am

Jeff Kleist

Joined: December 1999
Post Count: 11,286

Buffy will likely be just like X-Files was. The US discs with the menus swapped, and the French swapped with Japanese

Japan is very OAR and OSL friendly even if they were doing their own discs

Jeff Kleist
Watching Buffy widescreen makes Baby Joss cry

#27

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5/14/03 at 3:04pm

Lee_eel

Joined: August 2002
Post Count: 288

I wonder what the chances are of Jurassic Park 3 on UK Superbit. Or at least r1.

#28

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5/14/03 at 5:17pm

Dave H

Joined: August 2000
Post Count: 4,800

All Jurassic Parks belong to Universal for Region 1, so there will never be a Superbit of them.

#29

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5/15/03 at 7:57am

Cliff Olson

Joined: November 2002
Post Count: 167

I don't think Jurassic Park 1 & 2 could be bettered for region 1 anyway. The DTS versions have outstanding video transfers, IMO. And obviously, the audio will probably never be transferred again at 1509.5/kbps anyway (damn I HATE those extras!).

#30

Rating: 0

5/15/03 at 9:12am

Andy_MT

Joined: June 2001
Post Count: 475

Cliff, JP 1&2 are not impressive in regard to video (at least on an HTPC). i see a LOT of room for improvement. there's probably more chance of these coming out on DVHS before a DVD reissue in region 1 [which i can't see happening anyway].

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