US release DVD VS Canadian release DVD (1 Viewer)

[CraigF]

I guess we have to add the AA The English Patient CE to the list. Apparently the dts was dropped from the Canadian version...anybody want to verify? Seems like a problematical release re PQ (based on others' comments), and without the dts that everybody says is great on the U.S. disc... It's better than the last release, but they're not getting another $25 from me for this movie...yet!

Edit: same issue with dts being dropped for the Canadian edition of Cold Mountain.

 

[ChristianB]

Cold Mountain has a DTS track. Will have to check The English Patient.

Christian

 

[CraigF]

Thanks for checking for CM, I forgot to look re the dts on Tuesday. I guess for some online outfits who describe discs, they think dts doesn't matter to anyone much, so they just don't mention it. Sometimes dts gets dropped for the DD5.1 French track...wish we had a way to know in advance for sure, there is a small window before release when U.S. imports are easy and cheapish to get in Canada.

 

[Gary Tooze]

This is what CNL says about Canadian (Alliance) The English Patient :


and I also state as much in my comparison HERE

Cheers,

 

[Rolando]

Have updated first page with info on Trainspotting, Triplettes de Belleville and The English Patient.

 

[Tom Tsai]

Does anyone have the Canadian version of Owning Mahowny?

US Version:


Canadian Version:


The reason I'm asking is that the US version has an AR of 2.35:1 but the Canadian one is listed as 1.78:1. Does anyone have the Canadian version to check that it is indeed 1.78 and not a misprint?

IMDB states the OAR is 2.35 but I was hoping someone can do a comparison (Gary, I hope you're reading this) and let me know whether the image was cropped or whether the 1.78 had extra information instead. Also, is the CANADIAN theatrical release 2.35 or 1.78?

The Canadian version does have a featurette not found in the US version. Thanks in advance.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

I can tell you the Canadian version has a much cooler cover. The US always seems to get the worst covers of any region.

 

[Greg Madsen]

Not with that French and English cover. I imported the US version for that reason.

 

[Tom Tsai]

Other than the spine, you can hardly see the French on the cover. It's so small now that it doesn't really distract from the overall cover.

Here's the French cover:


If it wasn't for the uncertainty of the AR, I would have gotten the Canadian one already. Especially when the US one doesn't have the behind the scenes featurette.

 

[Tom Tsai]

So no one has this? If someone has the Canadian version, can you please check the trailer on it and see what the AR is?

 

[Laurence Price]

I own the Canadian version (Alliance Atlantis) of Owning Mahowny and the back of the DVD case does list the wide screen aspect ratio to be 1:78:1

 

[JoshuaB.]

Re: Naked Lunch, I've mostly seen the Criterion version for sale at most stores (which I picked up for only $41 CDN), but I have seen the AA version as well. Many of the American Cronenberg DVD releases are not available in Canada (like MGM's The Brood).

Red Violin has now been rereleased by AA as an anamorphic widescreen disc (yay!).

Cronenberg's Fast Company is released up here by AA with the same features as the Blue Underground release, but with the original Canadian theatrical poster.

 

[Pierre Gagne]

Some informations on Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulin. There are, I think, three versions available in Canada (two of them might be available only in Québec). The Alliance Atlantis version might be the same as of Miramax. The other two are from TVA International : a one disc version and a two disc set. The two disc set is the one, of course, with all the extras. There are two french tracks on both versions : a DD5.1 and a DTS (superior to the DD). But, unfortunately for the english only speaking auditoire, there are no english track nor any subtitles in the language of Sheakespeare.

Pierre

 

[Eric Portelance]

Craig, I'm quite positive. Well, I suppose the correct classification is that it's a joint production between Canada, France and Belgium. Sylvain Chomet, the director/creator, was born in France but has been living in Canada for more than 10 years now. So in that sense, it's a Canadian film and most of the work was done here in Montreal.

 

[Tom Tsai]

Does anyone know if there are any differences between the US (Columbia) and the Canadian (Seville) versions of Good Bye, Lenin? The only difference I know is that the Seville adds a French 5.1 track. What about the extras and the video quality?

 

[Gary Tooze]

RE: The Fast Runner...

I recently received this email


Regards,

 

[Rolando]

Updated with info on new Stir Of Echoes SE. Again I implore as many of you as possible to write or call Alliance Atlantis to let them know how horrible this practice is.

I will again be buying from the US to get the right DVD.

 

[WarrenM]

L'Auberge Espagnole - apparently the Canadian release by Christal Films has no english subtitles at all! It was probably intended for Quebec only, but still... why would a company cut their own profits by limiting their customers? How stupid. They could have made so much more money with this release had it included subtitles. Apparently the Canadian release DOES have more extras than the barebones US, but with no subtitles it's no good.

the same goes for "Read My Lips" Canadian release by Christal films (but I don't know if it has any extras or not)

 

[Laurence Price]

I sent out an Email to Alliance Atlantis about the deletion of DTS audio tracks...

Here's the response I recieved from Alliance Atlantis which is unfortunately not hopeful

Subject: Strong disapproval of the removal of DTS audio track from AA U.S DVD releases

"Thank-you for taking the time to write to us here at Alliance Atlantis Motion Picture Group, Home Video Department. We appreciate you sharing your views on bilingual packaging with us.

As a Canadian company distributing motion pictures on home video across the country, we feel that our releases should reflect the official languages of all provinces in which they're sold. The removal of certain features unfortunately has to happen from time to time in order to add our County's second language to the disc - in a lot of cases there simply isn't enough room on the disc to keep everything.

We regret that this does not meet with your approval but we plan to continue with a format that is inclusive of the largest number of Canadians.

I hope this answers all of your questions, any further inquiries please don't hesitate to contact us, and thank-you once again for writing to Alliance Atlantis Home Video."

So there you have it Alliance Atlantis will do what ever they want because they can get away with it and this practice will go on indefinitely.

 

[WarrenM]

This is in reply to the AA email...


Oh, please!!! As if most french film buffs want a french dub anyway. The real film-lovers that buy the DVD's will want to see the original version as it was intended, therefore will be happy with the subtitles and not need some crappy dub.