The Great Escape SE - May 25 (1 Viewer)

[Nate Anderson]

Definately picking this one up to replace the old non-anamorphic DVD.

Can't wait

 

[Matt_P]

Great to see the SE is finally coming to R1.

What gives with the cover art? It looks like McQueen is having a heart attack on that motorcycle, or just concentrating way too hard on driving.

 

[Tim O.]

Sweet! I've been waiting for this one for a long time. Can't wait til 5/25.

 

[Kachi Khatri]

The cover art has to go... Change it!!!

 

[Nelson Au]

Don't mind the cover art, it's very close in spirit to the Criterion Laserdisc cover with McQueen on the bike after it crashes on the barbwire fence. Since it looks like they say the cover art may change before release, I'd make sure the shirt that McQueen is wearing is the proper grey sweat shirt he wears in the movie.

 

[RolandL]

Years ago I had copies of the MGM and Criterion laser discs. The MGM laser disc actually showed more picture information on all four sides, mostly on the left when compared to the Criterion.

 

[DonRoeber]

I've been meaning to pick up this movie for awhile. Glad I waited!

 

[Kajs]

Thats what I was first thinking till I saw the British version has almost the same cover:

 

[Ruz-El]

Looks like I'll finally add this to my collection. I've held off on the previous release, despite being able to find it for $11 CDN.!

Great year indeed! This as well as Good the bad and the Ugly, and a redone Ten Commandments meens this could be the best year for classics on DVD!

 

[Nelson Au]

Regarding the framing issues, I noticed the sequence when Hilts is first in the cooler, you can see the edge of the cell set on the left on the MGM DVD. I checked the same scene on my Criterion laserdisc and the framing is shifted to the right a little so the edge is barely visible only when the camera pans upward as Hilts climbs up to look out the window. I would think that the Criterion is properly framed.

The MGM DVD also looks a tad wider AR then the Criterion LD.

 

[Paul_Scott]

if your able to play non R1 and PAL discs, the R4 SE is under $15 WITH international airmail shipping.
in general, if a title is available in R4 and R2, i prefer ordering the R4 version as everything about the transaction seems to be cheaper (and quicker)

the R4 has the same art as R2 (a much more appropriate color scheme than R1- wonder why they would go to the bother of messing around with it?)

 

[JeremySt]

Ill have to make up my own cover art if they dont change this one.

 

[RichardSC]

Another World War II epic, A Bridge Too Far, comes out in a special 2 disc edition from MGM for Region 2 this April. Any news about a Region 1 edition in the future?

 

[Paul_Scott]

just got around to watching the R4 SE and i have to say, while the picture was far ahead of the old R1 non-anamorphic edition (that was riddled with artifacting and completley unwatchable on a display over 32", imo) this new disc is still something of a disappointment.

much of the film has a boosted , contrasty look to it, and not a lot of detail visible.
it looks to me like most of the film had been made from a 2 or third generation dupe of the original negative which was them DVNR'd to remove the accumulation of a couple generations of grain which now results in overly contrasty look (with highlights tending to blow out) and a low level of detail.
visually the disc most reminds me of Warners Giant, tho thankfully without the agregious haloing.

its a shame that MGM lacks the resources to give the film a proper restoration.
for anyone that hasn't seen it yet, this is one of the greatest action/adventure/war films ever made.

 

[Bob Bryden]

What really has me stumped and curious about the Great
Escape SE is the Surround Sound mix that's listed.
I never knew this film to be anything but mono anytime,
anywhere. Does anybody know if we are getting a real
stereo/surround or some Chace-type artificial thing??

 

[Jake Johnson]

That cover...McQueen looks like a 16 year-old boy going for a joy ride on his pappy's cool bike. Maybe the bike is called "The Enforcer", and then he'd be able to say: "Hey, guys! I got my dad's Enforcer for the weekend!"

 

[Maggi Magg]

I agree with Paul_Scott
The R2/4SE transfer is not a detailed one.
It looks ok in the beginning but it take a turn to the worse some minutes in and goes blurry with very bad detail and stays so more or less all the way to the end.
I sure hope this great movie will someday get the transfer it sure deserves.

Cheers
Maggi

 

[GlennH]

There's a review posted at dvdauthority.com.

 

[streeter]

Commentary by John Sturges a.o. - could this be the Criterion commentary track???