Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas: Criterion -- specs are out! (1 Viewer)

[EdR]

I had no idea that this edition was coming out. I just bought the original Fear and Loathing DVD about 2 months ago! A few minutes ago I was in the Tower Records near my house, and I saw this on the shelf...ugh, what a tough decision.
The decision to get it might hinge on whether it looks significantly better than the original DVD release, can anyone report? Of course, the additional commentaries look great too!
EDIT: I just saw the link to the review above...must...fight..urge...to buy...now.

 

[Veli-Matti Reitti]

Dvdsoon.com has it for $42.98 CAD.

 

[Douglas Bailey]

Just gotta say... Disc One of this set has the best main-menu animation I've ever seen on a DVD.

 

[Mikko Rasinkangas]

Audio dropouts in the Dolby Digital track?
I noticed at least two scenes where some part of the audio is missing on the 5.1 track.
Right at the beginning of chapter 10 you should hear Dr. Gonzo screaming in the background. The screaming is present on the 2.0 track but missing from the 5.1 and the audio is written in the subtitles.
At chapter 18 when Raoul Duke goes to the bathroom, there should be a sound of him urinating. The 2.0 track has the sound, but the 5.1 doesn’t and again the subtitles read [urinating].
Is there any possibility that they have dropped the sounds intentionally?
Could someone confirm these dropouts?

 

[Mikal Haydn]

Theres missing foley effects in the scene when Raoul crawls into the cardboard box on the bed... plus the ones mentioned. And this affects the DTS 5.1 as well.

 

[Matt Stone]

Yep...I noticed it on the DTS track too.

 

[Joshua_Y]

Has CC got this disc in....anyone seen it there? I'll probably have to get it at FYE....

 

[Jon Sheedy]

Man....what a disc!!! A tremendous improvement over the previous edition...beautiful, crisp & vivid picture and enveloping DTS 5.1 soundtrack. AND....I haven't even gotten into any of the supplements yet!
I paid WAY too much for this baby, but its so grand that I've forgotten all about that!
JOn

 

[Matt Pelham]

This is definitely the best disc of 2003 so far, and I'm not easy to impress! I've watched all the supplements and they are just incredible! I've only listened to one of the commentaries (Gilliam's track) and it is excellent. This disc should definitely be remembered when it comes time to vote next year for best 2003 DVD release. Every aspect, from the packaging (double amaray with a clear slipcase with all the writing on it, the disc art itself is just the plain Ralph Steadman artwork, not even the title) to the included booklet, menus, transfer, extras, everything is top notch.

I have gained a whole new respect for this film after buying this DVD. Get it now!

 

[Marc Colella]

Man....what a disc!!! A tremendous improvement over the previous edition...beautiful, crisp & vivid picture and enveloping DTS 5.1 soundtrack. AND....I haven't even gotten into any of the supplements yet!

The picture quality is damn near identical to the Universal release in my comparisons. Gary did a comparison also, and noticed the same thing:
http://207.136.67.23/film/dvdcompare...ndloathing.htm
The extras are a mixed bag in my opinion. There was some nice supplements, but some of the others I found pointless.

 

[JonZ]

I got a copy at Amazon for $30.
Its a great disc

 

[Jon Sheedy]

You know what Marc? I just spent about 30 mins. comparing the two versions and as far as image goes...I gotta admit you're absolutely right! Very, very similiar...difficult to tell apart. Only a few SLIGHT differences in a couple of places and suprise...the Criterion wasn't always the best. Also of note...there is a large white dot which appears on the Universal version at 23:05 and this same dot appears on the Criterion at 23:15 (right above the guy in the hat in the background), don't know if this means anything...but maybe it means the same source was used in both OR it's damage both sources? Could it indicate the same transfer was used on both versions?

Anyway...my initial excitement was mostly due to the huge improvement in the audio, but I also (wrongly) thought the video was an improvement...this was based on incorrectly and stupidly thinking that the Universal version was not anamorphic! Also, I was thinking about the supplements, even though I hadn't checked any of them out at that time.

Thanks for pointing this out...people shouldn't be led to believe there is a big difference in the picture quality of the two versions.

JoN

 

[Ryan Peddle]

The is also audio dropouts (DD/DTS) in Chapter 2 when the first pick up Toby Maguires character and Duke gets in the back Toby makes a weird yelp sound. It's there in the 2.0 version but nowhere to be scene in the DD/DTS version.

Also in the same chapter when Duke smashes the can behind Gonzos head on the seat rest, there is no sound of the can hitting the seat rest at all. It is there for the 2.0 but not the DD/DTS version.

To me...that is poor workmanship. Luckily I will borrow this dvd off of my buddy and watch the features, cause I will not buy a dvd this expensive and from a touted company like Criterion, without being able to expect perfection.

 

[Kevin M]

Ryan, this was covered in another thread but the long & short of it is that Criterion was given the flawed DD & DTS tracks by Universal and the audio problems were discovered too late, the only fault that Criterion holds in the affair is that they didn't notice it during the QC phase of the DVD production or that they simply trusted Universal.
Having said that I have to admit that the 2.0 track has none of the errors (it is the track that the film was theatrically released with) and is very good, plus the extras are of such quality that I couldn't do without them.
The thread where this was previously discussed can be found HERE.

 

[88mph]

Sorry to dig up an old thread but I just wanted to know if the Dolby Surround mix is really the original theatrical presentation? I find it difficult to believe a (fairly big) movie from 1998 would use this instead of Dolby Digital or DTS 6 channel mixes.

I still have my Criterion DVD and the fault with the 5.1 tracks have always bothered me. I don't really like upgrading my DVDs unless I really need to.

 

[88mph]

Can anyone help? Just want to know if there is truth in the quote below.

Having said that I have to admit that the 2.0 track has none of the errors (it is the track that the film was theatrically released with) and is very good