DVD Review HTF REVIEW: Titanic - Special Collector's Edition (Highly Recommended) (1 Viewer)

[TravisR]

I would imagine that the historical commentary covers much more of the actual event than anything in the documentary. And from the reviews, Cameron's commentary is a good mix of making-of and history.

 

[Ollie Gatehouse]

I think the best commentary about the Titanic is the one contained on the A Night To Remember Criterion disc with Ken Marshall and Don Lynch. It's one of my favourite commentaries and it gives off lots of little known facts about the Titanic.

 

[Bill Williams]

Are there any Easter eggs on this new DVD? I've heard that there's at least one of them on the set.

 

[Doug Schiller]

I have seen enough on the making of this film that I don't really care that the doc has been nixed.
The film isn't that important to me to see all the behind the scene turmoil, etc.
Maybe that could be done seperately by another filmmaker.
I don't think the film had held up over time enough that most will care.

I'm just happy getting a fantastic 16x9 trailer with an extended cut for about $17.

 

[TonyD]

extended cut of what?

 

[Bill Hunt]

Actually, I would disagree completely. You guys have to remember that most of you are very experienced DVD consumers and home theater-philes, and you're also very knowledgable about films. But most people aren't.

In our opinion at The Bits, DVD quality is of such general high quality today that you can only say so many words about how good the video and audio are. It's really only important to get into detail about it if the quality ISN'T there for whatever reason. So if the A/V quality is good, the more interesting thing to talk about disc-wise are the extras. And frankly, our feeling is that the MOST IMPORTANT THING WE DO at The Bits is to expose people to films they might not hear about or get to see otherwise - stuff that would fly under their radar. If you live in a major metropolitan area, you probably have access to at least one good art house theater. But if you live anywhere else, you've maybe got 10-15 screens in your area tops, and all you're going to get is blockbusters and mainstream Hollywood fare. There's a LOT of good filmmaking that you're just completely going to miss - foreign stuff, genre stuff, independent stuff. So we REALLY make it a point to talk about the film itself, and great films that deserve people's attention. We think it's important.

Remember... DVD is just the media. The film itself is the whole point.

But I certainly do appreciate that those of you who are more savvy film consumers already aren't going to need to read about the film.

Anyway, just a differing opinion. Best!

 

[GregK]

On a technical note- Would you know if the DTS track is the ES-Matrix or ES-Discrete type?

 

[Ravi K]

Click on Leo's head in the main menu on disc 1 and you'll see an alternate "the ship doesn't sink" ending

 

[Mark Lucas]

That's why we need screenshot comparisons disecting every change or flaw or whatever that should be known. Like I've said before: Bjoern style!

 

[Frank@N]

People had a cow when the Alien 3 documentary was EDITED by Fox, but few seem to care that Cameron pulled the ENTIRE Titanic documentary.

Where's the outrage? IMHO, this release is tarnished.

 

[TravisR]

No one knows the reason why it was pulled. It could have been repitive with the other stuff on the disc, it could have shown him in a bad light, he might not have liked the documentary or any other reason. The thing is no one knows the exact reason why it was pulled so that's why no one is flying off the handle.

My only thing is if Cameron felt he was portrayed poorly, I think he would have edited those parts (like how Fox cut Alien 3's legal 'problems'). The doc can't have been two hours of Jim Cameron screaming and yelling. Plus, I think Marsh knew better than show Cameron as a total ass.

 

[Hector Diaz]

Probably it also has to do with money or budget reasons.

 

[Nick Martin]

I believe that documentary would have contained something about the music- explaining why there's no mention of it on this DVD.

 

[PeterTHX]

Forget Bill Hunt or The HTF reviewers!
I'm waiting for the Rambo Rick review of this disc!

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Fantasic review.

I remember arguing with the guys at THX (I called them to complain) when they certified the first DVD without 16x9 encoding. They told me that they actually RECOMMENDED to Fox/Paramount/Cameron that they do a 4x3 lbx transfer to "make it easier to compress".

:rolleyes

I'm glad to see that finally this DVD emerges now as it should have been presented upon its first arrival.

dave

 

[PeterTHX]

Well, it would be easier to compress since so much information is "black". Considering it was 3+ hours on a dual layered DVD with no filtering this was no small concern to someone who wanted to keep compression artifacts to an absolute minimum.

Add the fact that neither Fox nor Paramount was supporting 16x9 at the time I find it hard to believe it was all THX behind the decision to go 4x3.

Many studios were guilty of this. Downconversion wasn't handled well by many early players. Remember when Criterion went with 4x3 for "Armageddon" because of this? Paramount STOPPED 16x9 DVDs after initially launching with them? That the "Alien" was one of the first Fox titles to be 16x9 (and was THX to boot)?

Besides, "Freeway" came out before "Titanic" did.

 

[Tino]

Sorry, but is this fact or rumor? I know people love to jump all over Cameron, but I haven't read anywhere that he was definitely the reason the doc was pulled.

And even if he did pull it, specualting as to why would be just that....speculation.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Sure, but that silly argument about being easier to compress (like you say due to the redunancy in the black bars) didn't stop other studios from doing proper 16x9 transfers like T2 or Dances with Wolves (another long movie). Besides, being 2.35 there would *still* have been lots of redundancy frame by frame. In any case, that "easier to compress" excuse was a decoy argument from companies like THX, Fox, and Criterion who just dragged their heals kicking and screaming into the world of 16x9 (how long did the guy in charge of Criterion go on and on about the downconversion artifacts on his 4x3 NTSC television...). And ironically "all that hard to compress active picture content" never stopped them from doing 4x3 encoded 1.33:1 DVD transfers...which used every available pixel for active picture content.

I'm sure, like you say, that it didn't take any arm-twisting to convince Fox/Paramount to stick with 4x3. HOWEVER, the THX guys ACTUALLY TOLD ME that they RECOMMENDED to the studio that they go 4x3 lbx to make it easy!

Nuff said!

 

[Brett_B]

I made up my mind that I will NOT purchase this set when it finally gets released. I MAY end up buying it, but not until it has reached the bargain bins (since this will be the ONLY version available in the states I can almost guarantee that it will reach the bins).

To release the 3-disc version in the US just stinks of greed. Paramount probably figured that if they released all versions (2, 3, & 4 disc sets), that most people would probably go for the 2-disc set, then the 3-disc, with a minimal amount of 4-disc sets being sold overall. By ONLY releasing the 3-disc set guarantees them (Paramount) more money overall.

I would be willing to bet that by next year, the 3-disc set will be sold at half of what it will be when it is released. We waited for this set for many years, what is one more year? (To me, it is sticking it right back to Paramount.)

Sorry about the rant, but I just read Bill Hunt's review over at The 'Bits where he made comment to the fact that there will not be a "promotional" fourth disc at ANY retailers. I wonder if Paramount will eventually release the 4-disc set, after the excitement of this 3-disc set has worn off (hence bargain bin for the 3-disc set).

 

[TravisR]

I doubt a three disc set is ever really gonna drop below the $20 that most places will be charging for it next week.