Looking for good non-region 1 DVDs (1 Viewer)

[Mike Miskulin]

I know a lot of you out there are in other regions and/or own region free players. What are the must-have discs that aren't available in R1? Discs that are available in R1, but have more/better features/transfers/audio in other regions are good as well as ones that aren't even in R1. I'm just looking at broadening my library and any help would be appreciated.
mike.
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[Walter Kittel]

There are plenty of titles that offer better versions in non-R1 releases; off the top of my head...
Better presentations ( if you have a 16x9 capable display )
( Most of the early non-anamorphic Buena Vista titles were released with 16x9 enhancement in R2 and R4 ).
R4 Babe - widescreen 16x9 enhanced disc vs. R1 full frame / P&S.
R2 The English Patient - 16x9 ( supposed to be a R1 SE release next year )
R4 The Horse Whisperer - 16x9 enhancement, but a flipper.
R2 & R4 Pulp Fiction - 16x9 enhancement. R4 has SE content. Supposed to be a forthcoming R1 SE with 16x9.
R2 Stargate DTS & 16x9 enhancement. Don't recall if this is theatrical or extended cut. Believe it is theatrical.
R3 Eyes Wide Shut - uncut version, without the digital alterations present in R1 release.
R4 Matilda - 16x9 widescreen vs, R1 full frame / P&S.
R2 Chariots of Fire - 16x9 widescreen vs. the R1 zoomed open matte abortion that we have had to endure in R1. Rumored to be an SE re-release in 2002, but Warner Bros. didn't mention this title at the chat. (??)
R4 Armageddon - 16x9 enhancement.
R4 Dracula has extensive supplements not on the R1 release.
Just a few of the titles unreleased in R1...
R4 Dick Tracy - still no R1 release
R2 Orgazmo - supposed to be a R1 release earlier this year, but where is it?
R2 South Park - complete sets, not this 'theme based' crap that we are getting in R1.
R4 Jackie Brown - supposed to be a R1 next year; maybe (??)
For a good description of R4 vs R1 discs ( although some of the entries need to be updated to reflect new R1 releases ) try this site
- Walter.

 

[Julian Lalor]

The R2 of The English Patient is a flipper (and I don't think it's anamorphic, either) - the R4 is RSDL anamorphic, though. Horse Whisperer is now available as a RSDL title in R2 (with extras). The R2 SE of Stargate IS the director's cut (although the re-inserted scenes look terrible, the rest of the film looks much better than the R1 SE). The R4 of The Mummy Returns has a DTS track (as does the R2, but that version is censored). R4 has Muriel's Wedding in DD5.1 and anamorphic, as is The Dish, which has a plethora of extras missing from the R1 version. Little Nicky, 15 Minutes and Thirteen Days all have DTS tracks in R4.
If you like your TV series, R2/4 is a better prospect thn R1, with Buffy already up to Season 3, Angel Season 1 out next month (although P&S/FF and not 16:9). The Family Guy is out next week, and Seasons 1 & 2 of Futurama are already slated (I think R1 gets Season 1 only, with the remainder in syndication hell). Father Ted, Series 2 and League of Gentlemen Series 2 are also out, as are the recent BBC adaptations of David Copperfield and Great Expectations.
Other (more obscure) recently released titles in R2 unavailable in R1 are: The Three Colours Trilogy (Blue, White, Red) with decent extras, Born Romantic, quite a few Truffaut films in R2 France with many extras (all subtitled in English)... I'm sure quite a few others as well.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Just to clarify, all of the R2 releases I mentioned ( with the exception of South Park and Orgazmo were in reference to R2 Japan NTSC releases, as opposed to European R2 PAL releases.
The Japanese R2 release of The English Patient offers a nice 16x9 presentation of the film on an RSDL disc.
- Walter.

 

[Roland Wandinger]

The R2 PAL Planet Of The Apes Box Set with all 5 movies in anamorphic widescreen! Lots of FOX titles have been released in 16:9 in Europe like True Lies or The Longest Day.
The french versions of: The Shadow, Hard Rain, The Prophecy, Highlander, 1492 CoP, Halloween H2O, Nixon (theatrical cut) and Deep Rising are in 16:9.
The french Sleepy Hollow and Dark City have a DTS track, also planed for 11/28 is Enemy At The Gates with DTS.
The Japanese Cutthroat Island has a DTS track and is 16x9.

 

[Darren Lewis]

I guess this post will be moved to the Regional DVD area, but if you're looking for good comparisons between regions, Link Removed
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My HT My DVD Collection
[Edited last by Darren_L on November 06, 2001 at 05:06 AM]

 

[TheoGB]

Darren that's:
Link Removed
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My band is @ http://www.mokita.net
My Novelty Coasters

 

[Darren Lewis]

oops!

 

[Mark_Wilson]

In regards to the R1 Orgazmo comment above. I emailed the publisher/producer(?) about the R1 version and received a reply today. He said they're putting a lot of extras together for the DVD and that it will be out spring 2002.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Whoohoo! Can't wait for Orgazmo SE Let's hope for another drunken commentary

 

[Walter Kittel]

Mark,
Thanks for the update on Orgazmo. Yes, another drunken commentary track would be fun.
- Walter.

 

[Huw Williams]

The French Crying Freeman 2 disc is quite nice. With an 16:9 transfer with 5.1 sound. Better than the Rubbish 4:3 Dolby Surround UK release.
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[Mark_Wilson]

I thought the French Crying Freeman really lacked any punch in the LFE. Especially during all the explosions. Also, two small scenes that are in japanese are only subtitled in French. Overall a very nice package.

 

[Yuifai Cheung]

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=150365