What's new

KILL BILL: The multiple versions thread (6 from Miramax; Japanese, SEs, etc.) (1 Viewer)

Mark Hamilton

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Mar 16, 1999
Messages
122
I believe Germany has a scheduled Kill Bill Volume 2 DVD release date of September 7 or 9 or something. I would assume ours would be close to that date.
 

JohnDMoore

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Aug 16, 2002
Messages
191
As long as I'm getting different content each time, I'm in for everything.
This Tarantino Collection... Anyone have any idea what this is? The SEs of V1 and V2 with Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs? New discs of any or all of those films?
Just hope we get the Michael Jai White scene in there somewhere...
 

Bob Pierce

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Aug 24, 2001
Messages
145
FYI, I just read that Tarantino announced he had finished editing vol. 1 & 2 back together (differently from the original combined cut, apparently), and that he'd be presenting the "director's cut" at Cannes this year. (out of competition, of course, because he's head of the jury)

So, I guess that means there will be a seamless 3+ hour "director's cut" released, as well. Joy! :D

I may wait until all the dust settles before deciding which "edition" to buy....

- Bob
 

ShawnC

Agent
Joined
Jun 22, 2001
Messages
43
Unfortunately, being the Tarantino nut that I am, I'll probably buy most, if not all versions. I already own the volume 1 DVD and should be receiving the Japanese limited edition box set today! This is coming from a person who owns three Pulp fiction laserdiscs (reg US version, Japanese version, and the Criterion boxset)and four Pulp Fiction DVDs (reg US, Korean, new US special edition, and limited edition boxset). It's a sickness!!!!!
 

Matt Pelham

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 13, 2002
Messages
1,711
The most important features for me are the House of Blue Leaves scene in color, both volumes edited back together, and comprehensive extras. If I can get all 3 with just one purchase I'll be happy.
 

Hans M.

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Dec 5, 2003
Messages
231
Jeez, it all sounds so cynical and cruel to consumers, playing on our thirst for all these extras. I'd go for a comprehensive set.

I haven’t bought Vol. 1 yet and do not plan to until both stories are pasted back together, ala the Cannes version. I thought it was contrived from the beginning to cut them in half and release it as two films, instead of a single long one. It's just riding the coattails of the Lord of the Rings-- but that had a just reason to be cut into three different films. This action flick, as interesting as it is, does not need to be so hacked up, least of all so many different DVD versions. Miramax and QT—for shame. Bloodsuckers. :angry:
 

ShawnC

Agent
Joined
Jun 22, 2001
Messages
43
Thankfully, just like with the Lord of the Rings sets, many consumers are aware of the marketing strategy for the Kill Bill releases prior to their purchase and can plan accordingly. I'm not saying it's good business (far from it), but it at least saves many from making unnecessary purchases. Speaking for myself, I'll most likely buy many of the Kill Bill sets and have bought both the theatrical and extended Lord of the Rings sets so far. Therefore, I won't be complaining about the marketing strategy since I, and collectors like me, are part of the problem. Still, I do agree that it is a gross mistreatment of those DVD buyers who may not be aware of other sets coming in the future.
 

DaViD Boulet

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 24, 1999
Messages
8,826
Hopefully one of these versions will have a picture that isn't excessively filtered removing all HF detail with copious ringing artifacts...

:angry:
 

Ed St. Clair

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 7, 2001
Messages
3,320
My vote for an 'all color' seamless!!!
Does any one know how KB did in the theaters in Japan?
Was the film seen (pun intended) as a joke? Inferior copy? Fantastic?
 

Ed St. Clair

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 7, 2001
Messages
3,320
The writer of LotR, if alive, would disagree with you!
When 'The Book' was released as three volumes, Tolken was NOT pleased.
When did KB 'become' Vol.1 & Vol. 2?
I thought that it was pretty early in the movie making process, that QT thought it best to do it as two movies.
I can 'see' a viable reason for these KB DVD releases;
1. Vol. 1: Theatrical.
2. Vol. 1: Japanese version.
3. Vol. 2: Theatrical.
4. Vol. 1 & Vol. 2: Theatrical Box Set.
5. Vol 1. & Vol. 2: SE.
6. KB: DC.
After that, it's just pure and simple GOUGING!!!;-)
 

Elijah Sullivan

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 18, 2004
Messages
665
This is the worst case of double-dipping out of greed I've ever seen, period. And you and I may be informed enough to know in advance which versions of DVDs we want to own, but the average DVD buyer/renter does not do his/her research.

I work at a video store. When a new edition of a movie comes out, the fans will buy it, because they think they are getting the "better" version. When the next one comes out, they think, "alright, just one more purchase, then I'll have the one I want..." It's not their fault. They are doing what fans do: buy the merchandise, support the product, get something great for their money.

Lord of the Rings fans are thrilled. Kill Bill fans should be boycotting the studio.

With Kill Bill, all six versions are going to be best-sellers. What pisses me off is that the producers and Miramax already know that there will be six versions, but they aren't warning consumers! They know if they announce a Kill Bill: Uncut International Version incorporating both films next year, no one will buy the interim two-discers coming out six months from now. New Line Cinema kept their fans informed: there will be two editions, both announced well in advance, and that will be IT, until at least 2006.

I was not a fan of Kill Bill before, and now I openly despise it. This is a malevolent marketing scheme. We were gorged once at the box office already when the movie was split up (it WAS intended to be one film, folks!), and then again when both movies were released on DVD. Don't buy any more -- don't let Miramax get away with this or it will keep happening with other titles!
 

Jeff B.

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Messages
78
This pisses me off. There is no other way to put it. I usually don't let stuff like this bother me, but 6 releases in what looks to be less then 1.5 years is ridiculous.

As Elijah said, if Miramax would be upfront about all the releases, then there wouldn't be an issue. IMO, the only releases needed are: 1) Kill Bill Vol 1 Theatrical 2) Kill Bill Vol 2 Theatrical 3) Combined edition, directors cut with all the extras. In the end of course its up to Miramax what they want to do. They are in the business of making money, I realize this. But, Why do I feel Miramax is making it hard so hard for me to be a fan. They are trying to milk me for every penny I got, and my milk is turning sour.

Even as huge Tarantino and Kill Bill fan, there is no way I will be purchasing all these versions. Having six versions of what essentially is ONE movie sitting on my shelf is ludicrous. It just makes me sad that I will probably miss out on some extras or footage that I really would have enjoyed.

The only way I see Miramax can in some way redeem themselves is to release specs on all the future releases of this film, and SOON. Before they start the onslaught of who knows how many versions. We all know the likelihood of that.

I really hope this comes back around to bite Miramax. Sadly, this scheme will probably work for them.


:thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: for Miramax
 

Marc Bax

Second Unit
Joined
Oct 1, 2003
Messages
305
My solution has been to pretend the films don't exist until they release a combined definitive edition. I'm a huge Tarantino fan I own the best DVD edition of every film he's had a hand in. But when they made the call to split Kill Bill into 2 films it really bugged me so I awaited the DVD's. Then when I heard about the "bites of the apple" 6 DVD crap I decided to just wait for the best version, and that's what I'm doing, waiting.
 

Chris Bardon

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2000
Messages
2,059
Well, having not seen either half, I'm a little uninformed as to whether the split worked. From people who have seen it, they've said that it actually works better as two films.

I noticed that vol 2 is out at the beginning of August though-maybe I'll just grab a used 1&2, and then I might upgrade later if the film becomes worth it. Let's face it-I haven't got time to watch all of the MOVIES I own, let alone the extras.
 

Tim_Stack

Second Unit
Joined
Aug 22, 2003
Messages
292
This release strategy reminds me of the great-late Bill Hicks' bit about marketing:

"If anyone in this audience is in the fields of marketing or advertising...kill yourself..."
 

Rich Malloy

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2000
Messages
3,998
I agree that this is way overboard, but it isn't really causing me any problem. I'm simply Netflixing each new "Kill Bill" disc that comes out, and awaiting the ultimate version that I'll put on my shelf. In the meantime, I'm not missing out.
 

Haggai

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
3,883


This has been discussed in another KB threads, and maybe it's more appropriate for the Movies section, but it's worth repeating that nobody, not even Tarantino, could put out a 4 hour grindhouse movie and stay employed as a director in Hollywood. If the two volumes as we know them were just stuck together pretty much as they are, there's no way anybody would have even distributed it. Now that the movies are a known (and very popular) commodity, OK, a combined mega-edition might play in theaters as a special event sort of thing. But as an original release? Forget it.

Even if you think Tarantino could have cut an hour's worth of material from them (and while I think some slightly more judicious editing would have helped in a couple of places, there's nowhere near an hour's worth of stuff that I'd be willing to part with), you'd still have a THREE-hour grindhouse movie, which again would be extremely hard to get distributed. I understand not liking the double-dip in the cinema, having to buy two times the tickets just to see the whole thing, but it was either that or lose an awful lot of great stuff that ended up in the movies.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,815
Messages
5,123,828
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top