Robocop: 20th Anniversary CE Aug. 21, Both Cuts Included (1 Viewer)

[Geoff_D]

Can't really argue with that review. Picture looks so much better than the over-saturated, contrast-boosted mess that was MGM's previous effort, and IMO the new one is on a par with the Criterion.

The DTS audio isn't the guns-blazing effort I was hoping for, but it's very good regardless, sounding clean and precise.

New extras features are short but sweet. With all the previous extras included and a lovely new transfer, this is an excellent package.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Picked it up today, looks and sounds great! Much better than the old one that came with the trilogy set and I love the cover, looks great on my Robo display shelf...

 

[Ed St. Clair]

Thanks.
Doesn't even mention DTS.

 

[Rhoq]

$19.99

 

[Ed St. Clair]

Thanks.
Picked it up.
Great docs, too badd no commentary for unrated version.

I was wondering how long it would take to feel the squeeze of this framing. Not long. The talking head comes on screen & the top of his head is missing.

What good is a "talking head" w/o a head??? ;-)

 

[Vincent-P]

The thing that confuses me is that the commentary was previously used on the unrated cut in the Robocop Trilogy boxset, but on this new release it is on the R-rated cut. Has anybody checked to see if there is anything missing from the commentary? Do they talk during the extended bits on the previous unrated release? Was the timing of their comments just restructured for the new release?

 

[Nick Martin]

Being in Canada I don't have this new version, but the funny thing is, on the Trilogy version the commentary was obviously recorded while viewing the theatrical version. I listened to that commentary several times, and there are references to the 'uncut' violent scenes, which are of course in the trilogy version but the participants (Paul Verhoeven, Jon Davison and Ed Neumeier) talk about the uncut violence as though they aren't actually watching it.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Not much visibility on this release it seems, but it's good to know it's at least as good as the Criterion.

 

[Chad E]

Has anyone heard any more about this? Does the problem affect all copies of this set, or just certain batches? I bought this on street date, but haven't opened it yet... not sure if I should open it to check, or just return it without opening. It might be easier just to return it and wait for a reissue, rather than going through a disc exchange.

(I wonder if this was the same replication facility that made the same error with the Canadian Stargate: Atlantis Season 1 set?)

 

[captainjoe]

Here's a link to more comparisons for those interested.

http://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/foru...pic.php?t=3871

 

[Shawn DuHast]

Has anyone found a review of sound (DTS) & PQ on the unrated version?

 

[Geoff_D]

Vincent, the commentary was recorded over the theatrical version AFAIK. When the SE of Robocop debuted in Europe (another MGM 'test run' before releasing it in the US) I remember being quite surprised that they included a commentary for the theatrical cut only.

And as Nicholas said, the participants talk about the unrated version as if they're not watching it. The commentary would fit the unrated cut too because the differences in runtime are minimal, much like Wes Craven's yak track for the unrated edition of Scream, which has been used on the R-rated version ever since.

The MGM Robo commentary is one in the eye for the Criterion, though. The Crit track is dryly edited together, but the MGM one is quite energetic and very entertaining.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Local BB didn't have it, but I couldn't tell if they did have it, and it sold out, or if they just never bothered!

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Did anyone really look at these? In a lot of cases, the 20th Aniv release appears to be ... brighter than the Criterion. And in a lot of cases, the Criterion matches up with the trilogy MGM in terms of colors and brightness, which makes the new 20th Anniv the odd man out there too.

I want anamorphic, but looking at comparisons this way doesn't say that the new release is a "definitive" version vs the Criterion!

 

[Shawn DuHast]

This has just been posted on The Digital Bits about problems with the US DVD as well!

"In other news, we're looking into a couple of disc issues that readers are reporting today. The first involve MGM's new RoboCop: 20th Anniversary Edition DVD. The Canadian version apparently includes two Disc Ones, even though one of the discs is labeled Disc Two. The U.S. version apparently isn't letting people select the DTS, audio commentary or French language audio. "

 

[Brett_M]

I listened to both the DTS (in my first viewing) and the commentary (in my second) with no problems.

 

[Thommy...M]

Same here...no problems with either audio track.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Maybe some of the DTS/commentary complaints stem from the fact you can't switch audio on the fly? You have to return to the main menu to change audio. I flipped between DD and DTS as I watched - no problems here...

 

[Southpaw]

I really enjoyed this SE. IMO, this is the way SE's should be done. Nice featurettes and a strong commentary that I had never heard before. Plus, the PQ and AQ were strong for a 20 year old film.

 

[Ed St. Clair]

Another one in the eye...
anamorphic!