I'm not going to double-dip on this one - because I don't own the SDVD. This was always one of the films I hesitated about. I'm ambivalent about Stone and I'm not a particular fan of one of the main actors, if you know what I mean.
But your description of the quality of the release decided it - I'm going to order this HD DVD. Too bad Platoon isn't released on HD (yet?? that would be a double-dip for me).
Cruise is good in this one for sure, I have always thought he was wonderful strictly as a actor and in every film I have seen of his, but I know what you mean
Platoon was on all the blu-ray release lists at launch time, it will come from MGM via Fox and if I were a betting man I think we may see it before Christmas
Can you elaborate a little more on the audio? You say it is excellent but only give it 3/5. I have the DTS DVD and was wondering if you (or anyone) have compared it to the DTS version? This is a title I'd like to get but audio is every bit as important as video is to me.
Audio is very good when it needs to be, dialog is also good, I noticed a few instances of straining or "tinny" dialog, the score and effects are wonderful (during war scenes for example), I took it down from a 4 that I was going to give it first because of the few small problems
this was a DTS DVD release, I forgot about that, I never owned it to compare though, sorry