Le Femme Nikita SE (1 Viewer)

[Donnie Eldridge]

Does anyone have the details about the re-release? The release date shows 7/1.

 

[Alex Spindler]

Amazon lists it as having:
"The Sound of Nikita" featurette
"Revealed: The Making of La Femme Nikita" featurette
Programming Nikita: interactive map
Stills, poster galleries, and more

Plus it should be anamorphic!

Sounds like a winner to me, as I got the original release on the cheap.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Plus it should be anamorphic!

So's the current DVD...

 

[Jason Bovberg]

Some things have been fixed, but others are frustratingly subpar...

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=6607

 

[Deepak Shenoy]

Did they fix the subtitle issue ? (the original MGM release had a transcription of the dialogue from the English-dubbed version of the movie).

 

[Jason Bovberg]

The subtitle issue seems to have been fixed. That's a nice improvement. But I can't give this disc a whole-hearted recommendation. Why can't MGM get this image right?

 

[Michael Reuben]

Fixing the subtitle issue is a major improvement, IMO, along with the inclusion of a 5.1 French track. These alone elevate this remaster to the status of a purchase for me, regardless of whatever problems may remain with the image. (I refused to buy the previous MGM release because of the subtitle problem and the favoring of the English dub track over the original.)

M.

 

[Jason Bovberg]

You're right--those are major improvements. Perhaps my expectations were too high regarding image quality and substantive extras.

 

[Edward Schatz]

It seems MGM was doing a good job with their special edition rereleases. Examples being Mad Max, Platoon, The Fog and others. I am surprised La Femme Nikita falls short.

 

[Will_B]

Improved picture, 5.1 French sound, restored proper subtitles - sounds good to me.

Can't really blame MGM for the lack of good supplements. Luc Besson is an ass when it comes to supplements, preferring to sell a series of books he authors (The Making of... series) rather than give supplements away "for free" on the DVDs.

I wonder though if the poster gallery on the DVD really only has two images, or if the reviewer couldn't figure out how to move through them. Nikita is famous for having dozens of posters -- not as many as Leon:The Professional, but still a fair amount. It would be odd if they meant to include them all but did not.

 

[Michael Reuben]

DVD File has posted their review, and they say that the subtitle problem has not been fixed. Jason, could you please recheck your disc? Anyone else have an early copy?

M.

 

[Jason Bovberg]

All I can tell you, not being a French speaker, is that these are definitely different subtitles than the ones that appear on the old MGM disc. I compared them back-to-back, and on the new release, the subtitles are NOT a transcription of the English dub (as they are on the previous DVD).

 

[Michael Reuben]

Thanks, Jason. This wouldn't be the first time that a DVD review had mistaken information.

M.

 

[Joel C]

Particularly a DVD File DVD review. They've got the MSRP wrong too, it's a $24.95 disc, not $19.95 (which is why I'm not upgrading, since there is a big impulse buy difference between $15 and $20).

 

[Dave Mack]

Anyone besides me think that the DVDFile review is WAY too forgiving...?
"...Well, this is a giant step up from the initial Trimark DVD release, that's for sure, but about on par with the previous MGM movie-only issue. Presented here in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, this edition of Nikita may not be reference quality, but it is definitely...pretty good. The print is in pretty good shape if still a bit grainy and dark. Colors really stand out, reproduced with very good clarity and stability. Black levels, however, fluctuate a bit, and there is noticeable edge enhancement to distract. Still, overall detail is pretty strong and there are no noticeable instances of compression problems. All told, pretty nice but still dated..."

I mean, he lists SEVERAL problems yet states that it is "pretty nice..." ?!?!?!?
Sounds pretty lame to me, especially for a mid 2003 release.

Sigh....

 

[Michael Reuben]

I mean, he lists SEVERAL problems yet states that it is "pretty nice..." ?!?!?!?

All that means is that the reviewer has a higher tolerance for transfers that are less-than-reference. The important thing is that he lists the problems, so that readers can make an informed choice.

I just hope he's wrong about the subtitles. OTOH, I know the film well enough, and I remember just enough French, that I may not even need them.

M.

 

[Damin J Toell]

Thanks, Jason. This wouldn't be the first time that a DVD review had mistaken information.

Nor would it be the first time that reviewer had mistaken information about the contents of a disc being reviewed. See also HTF threads on Eraserhead and Giant.

DJ

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I just hope he's wrong about the subtitles.

They're not "dubtitles" - I compared them to the English version on a few occasions and found the content to differ. Can I guarantee they fully represent the original French dialogue? No, since I don't speak the language. (I'm still working on English.) But based on what I saw, they definitely didn't just copy the English dub...

 

[Lyle_JP]

Why couldn't they just have used the subs from the Trimark disc (and remastered laserdisc)? That was an excellent translation, better even than the one from the film prints (which are also found on that first, mono laserdisc).

-Lyle J.P.

 

[Donnie Eldridge]

Hopefully the B&M's will have this one on sale when it's re-released.