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

post #1 of 46
5/9/03 at 3:03am
Thread Starter 
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.
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post #2 of 46
5/9/03 at 7:21am
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?
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post #3 of 46
5/9/03 at 7:30am
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp
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post #4 of 46
5/9/03 at 8:08am
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.
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post #5 of 46
5/9/03 at 8:27am
But aren't most of these titles Universal titles? How is Sony getting rights to them?

-dave
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post #6 of 46
5/9/03 at 8:29am
Dave read my mind. None of those are Sony titles.
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post #7 of 46
5/9/03 at 8:31am
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.
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post #8 of 46
5/9/03 at 9:47am
Will Japan DVDs play on my Region 1 player?
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post #9 of 46
5/9/03 at 10:09am
No, Japan is Region 2
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post #10 of 46
5/9/03 at 10:09am
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.
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post #11 of 46
5/9/03 at 10:15am
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.
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post #12 of 46
5/9/03 at 10:15am
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
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post #13 of 46
5/9/03 at 10:24am
These are just absolutely great!!!!. I just wish us here in R4, could get them as well.
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post #14 of 46
5/9/03 at 6:09pm
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.
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post #15 of 46
5/9/03 at 6:34pm
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.
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post #16 of 46
5/9/03 at 7:06pm
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.
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post #17 of 46
5/9/03 at 8:28pm
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
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post #18 of 46
5/9/03 at 9:00pm
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.
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post #19 of 46
5/10/03 at 6:57am
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.
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post #20 of 46
5/10/03 at 7:14am
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
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post #21 of 46
5/10/03 at 7:43am
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
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post #22 of 46
5/10/03 at 8:53am
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
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post #23 of 46
5/10/03 at 11:27am
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.
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post #24 of 46
5/14/03 at 12:15am
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
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post #25 of 46
5/14/03 at 8:36am
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.
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post #26 of 46
5/14/03 at 9:48am
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
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post #27 of 46
5/14/03 at 3:04pm
I wonder what the chances are of Jurassic Park 3 on UK Superbit. Or at least r1.
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post #28 of 46
5/14/03 at 5:17pm
All Jurassic Parks belong to Universal for Region 1, so there will never be a Superbit of them.
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post #29 of 46
5/15/03 at 7:57am
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!).
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post #30 of 46
5/15/03 at 9:12am
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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Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › DVD › Super Bit releases of Gladiator, Jurassic Park 1,2,3, and The Mummy in Japan