WE WERE SOLDIERS R3 DVD release with DTS now avail.! (1 Viewer)

[YANG]

Note that the taiwanese release is a 2disc S.E,HK release by UNIVERSE LASER maybe a single disc edition.
HK release info...
http://eshop.u333.com/search/movie_d...VD&location=HK
TAIWAN release info...
Link Removed
All infomations in chinese only...

 

[DeanWalsh]

Yes Yang I have the HK edition from Universe and it is indeed a 1 disc version. It has no extras except for a trailer.
On a side note Universe have also just released Insomnia in dts.

 

[Chad A]

I just ordered both We Were Soldiers and Insomnia from coolashop.com .
For roughly $9 you can't beat the price with the DTS tracks.
I've been putting off ordering a few titles from them but when Dean mentioned Insomnia (that I didn't know about) I knew the time had come.
I also ordered Angel Eyes and Replicant ($9 and $6.50) with DTS tracks unavailable here in the states.
I just hope they reach me unharmed and on time.

 

[DeanWalsh]

Chad you'll be pleased to know that Angel Eyes, Insomnia & We Were Soldiers are all anamorphic as well... but I don't think Replicant is.

 

[Tom_Bechet]

the dutch DVD of WWS has also DTS, but u can't get it for the same price as the R3 discs.

I just have one question about the R3 releases. actually a few. Are those always legal versions that one can buy on sites like dddhouse and so??
second: what is the quality like on those discs??

 

[DeanWalsh]

Tom yes the titles on dddhouse are all legal. I have bought quite a few of the dts r3 titles and can say that most are very good quality. With the Universe discs the way to tell if they are anamorphic is if it has the 'widescreen' text across the top of the front cover. I have the following HK discs:
Angel Eyes (dts,16:9) *
Driven (dts,16:9) *
The Gift (dts,4:3)
The Others (dts, 4:3)
We Were Solidiers (dts, 16:9) *
Get Carter (Stallone) (dts, 16:9) *
Face Off (dts,16:9) *
Resident Evil (dts,16:9) *
Battle Royale (dts 1509, 4:3)
Jeepers Creepers (dts 1509, fullscreen)
Monsters Inc. (dts, 16:9) *

The ones I've marked with a * would have quality comparable to the r1 releases.
I just noticed on dddhouse that Bad Company is due out in dts on 11th Nov.

 

[YANG]

Here is a comparative review between the R1 release and the local R3 COLLECTOR's EDITION release.
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Equipment used:
PHILIPS FR 996 DOLBY DIGITAL/DTS surround receiver
PHILIPS D951 with optical passout
SOUNDTECH PDF-M606 1.5m optical cable
VAN DER HUL SNOWLINE speaker cables for front 3ch, 2m each
POLKAUDIO S6 fronts
POLKAUDIO CS150 center
WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 3 as surrounds
SOUNDSTREAM VIDEO 1 composite video cables for all visual connection
========================================
WE WERE SOLDIERS: 2disc COLLECTOR'S EDITION
Releasing studio: ICON INTERNATIONAL/SHAW BROTHERS via ALLIANCE ENTERTAINMENT SINGAPORE
DVD release rating: SINGAPORE-PG
Film running time: 138mins approx.(uncut U.S version)
Picture ratio: ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN 2.35:1
Audio: ENGLISH DOLBY DIGITAL 5.1 SURROUND
Subtitles: ENGLISH & SIMPLIFIED CHINESE
DVD format: Disc1-D9, Disc2-D5
Color: NTSC
Extra features: DD RAIN stereo trailer on both disc 1&2.Disc1 extras- BEHIND THE SCENES* featurette(11mins approx),DELETED SCENES*(same as R1 release),trailers and teasers.Disc2 extras-THE MAKING OF WE WERE SOLDIERS*(same as GETTING IT RIGHT-R1 featurette),CAST and CREW* interviews,PHOTO GALLERY
*Note that all special features do not come with subtitles which is present in R1 release.
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WE WERE SOLDIERS: DTS WIDESCREEN EDITION
Releasing studio: ICON INTERNATIONAL/GOLDEN SCENE HK via UNIVERSE LASER HK
DVD release rating: HK Category 2B
Film running time: 138mins approx. (uncut U.S version)
Picture ratio: ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN 2.35:1
Audio: ENGLISH DD5.1surr. / ENGLISH DTS5.1surr. / ENGLISH DD2.0surr.
Subtitles: TRADDITIONAL CHINESE / SIMPLIFIED CHINESE
DVD format: DVD-9
Color: NTSC
Extra features: DD5.1 GRAND CANYON trailer, DTS5.1 FLYING DISC trailer, STARFILES of MEL GIBSON, RANDALL WALLACE, THEATRICAL trailer
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Transfer view
First on the movie itself.The local DVD have super-imposed subtitles only on the first few minutes of the film,during the fight between the french and vietcon dialogue.Then the rest of the film is subtitle less until the end of film.Location superimposed subtitles are absent from the main film,have to be generated by the player itself(by default).Both the HONGKONG and the U.S release have superimposed subtitles from the original theatrical film.
VIDEO SCORE
R1U.S-A
R3S.G-B
R3H.K-D
Picture presentation of the local edition is slightly brighter than the R1 release,HK release is much higher that disturbingly affects the black levels of the necessary darker scenes. For the local release, the whole presentation quality is acceptable,the brightness is not so disturbing probably originate from the original film negative. The HK release is much brighter than the local release with numbers of artifects and inconsistant flesh tones,pale color and lack in blacks.
The most obvious scene falls on the hangar breifing,the walls looks a little greyish in the local version,not as bluish as shown in the R1 transfer. The HK release looks totally greyish. In the prayers room of the hospital, the HK release is just too bright compare to acceptable local release and the slightly darker U.S release. When HAL MOORE leave home for the battle, the street is much darker and moody in local transfer and the U.S release, compare to the brighter background of the HK release.
The local release and the U.S release is free from artifects, but not the HK release. The most obvious artifects can be seen from the main-title credit. Image motions do not move as smooth as the local release and the U.S release...video bit rate of the HK release might have not been fully utilise.
The HK transfer suffered from low quality transfer.
The U.S version looks like have been remastered for video release.
AUDIO SCORE
R3H.K-AA
R1U.S-A
R3S.G-B
Audio quality of the local version is slightly uncomparable to the R1 release,HK release puts the local release into shame. HK DTS track presents deeper and tight bass of napalm explosions,stronger bass impacts of GPMG blasts as well as M16 firings. Dialogue quality of the DTS track is much crystal clear to DD tracks of the local,HK and U.S release. Wider soundstage of the DTS track presents the music score more enveloping than the local and U.S release.
Overall,DTS gets more points than the R1 release, puts local release into embarassment. The local release is only acceptable in both audio and video presentation. U.S release benefits from professional transfer. HK release,although gets high points from the DTS track,but suffers much from its poor video transfer.
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Disc n packaging view
Both the U.S release and the local release gets pictures from the poster art printed on the discs, HK release looks very much dull.
Local disc1 art appears to be ripped off image from the black and white poster.While the disc2 art carries the partial red colored poster image.
The local release is packed in a dual disc slim OLIVE GREEN keepcase,to reflect the military theme of the film. The HK release is packed in a single disc keepcase without any leaflets that list chapter stops contents.
MENU VIEW
Local release 2disc C.E, both discs' special features,the background musics are excerpts from "MANSIONS OF THE LORD",while the main menu's of disc1 background music is a excerpt from NICK GLENNE SMITH's "WE WERE SOLDIERS" theme.
HK release appears to be static.
U.S R1 release packs with animated menu.
Extras view
Compare to the R1 release,this COLLECTOR's EDITION do not have DIRECTOR's COMMENTARIES on the main feature and DELETED SCENES.
The R1 release do not have BEHIND THE SCENES featurette,3 theatrical trailers(U.S,UK,FRENCH),2 TEASERS,PHOTO GALLERY(still shots from the film),CAST and CREW INTERVIEW(with MEL GIBSON,GREG KINNEAR,MADELINE STOWE&JULIE MOORE,KERI RUSSELL,RANDALL WALLACE,HAL MOORE,CHRIS KLINE,SAM ELLIOT,BARRY PEPPER,JOE GALLOWAY)
The common extra features between the two release are the deleted scenes and GETTING IT RIGHT-Making of featurette.
The absence of BEHIND THE SCENES,theatrical trailers/teasers and cast and crew interviews in R1 release make it a plus point for R3 release.At a retail price of S$30,these extras are really worth every single bucks.
HK release have very little extras to talk about.It only comes with a theatrical trailer and starfiles of MELGIBSON and RANDALL WALLACE in both english or chinese.
Local release-BEHIND THE SCENES-FULLSCREEN (11mins approx.)
The are two chapters in this featurette,the first chapter show the actors going through boot camp training,and the film photography of VIETCONs side shootout,the CALVARIES shootout,explosives planting and stunt choreography,HUEY flybys,deployment and landing choreography and photography.
Chapter2 of the BEHIND THE SCENES featurette shows RANDALL WALLACE giving a speech celebrating the completion of the film shooting/production.After he give his thanks to the cast and crew,he gets emotional when he give his thanks to the war vetarans contributions,especially to GALLOWAY,HAL and JULIE MOORE.
After the speech,there is a memorial service held at the WAR VETERANS plaque(WASHINGTON D.C is it?) where COL.HAL MOORE breaks into tears while looking at the plaque.
S.G release-THEATRICAL TRAILERS n TEASERS
There are 3 theatrical trailers in this release.A U.S version presented in WS1.85,stereo.A low quality UK version presented in WS2.35,mono.A FRENCH version presented in WS1.85,stereo. The most emotional one goes to the french version where there is no dialogue,but light emotional music.
There are two teasers,both presented in stereo and WS1.85.
The photo gallery is not worth to talk about,as those are screen captures from the main film.
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OVERALL SCORES:
EXTRAS(R1 vs R3S.G)- R1 3/10,R3 4/5
VIDEO quality(R1 vs R3S.G)- R1 4/5 R3 7/10
AUDIO quality(R1 vs R3S.G)- R1 5/5 R3 4/5
VALUE(R1 vs R3S.G)- R1 3/5 R3 9/10
FINAL VERDICT:
Both R1 n R3 SINGAPORE release have their good and less desirable points.I can't say which is more better than another.HK release suffers a big loss in picture presentation points.Score highly well for its DTS audio.
For audio/visual purist,R1 release is a much better choice for a professional tranfer in both fields.
For those who wants to know more about the making of the film,in depth detail of the production with cast and crew interviews,our local R3 release is a much more better choice.You can forget about the HK release as it carries only a theatrical trailer and starfiles.

 

[DeanWalsh]

Thanks for the comparison Yang. I thought the r3 looked pretty bad when I watched it, and read the Widescreen Review review of the r1 which they didn't score too favourably for picture so I assumed it was similar, but I guess not!
It's just a shame with so many releases that each region has different strengths as well as weaknesses, as it would be nice to get more definitive presentations.

 

[YANG]

"I thought the r3 looked pretty bad when I watched it, and read the Widescreen Review review of the r1 which they didn't score too favourably for picture so I assumed it was similar, but I guess not!"

DEAN,
The singapore release picture quality is a little close to the U.S release,grains is visible during the housewives chit chat session.HK version do not clearly show the grains,because the picture is a certain level too soft.Comparing the U.S and HK transfer,the latter looses more out.
The difference in picture quality will always exist,unless the international subsidaries uses original masters straight from HOLLYWOOD,such as R3 releases from PARAMOUNT,FOX,UNIVERSAL,WARNER,CTHV and others which are backed by initial investment of mastering.
Otherwise,independent studios that holds on to certain film copyrights will produce different quality in terms of pictures or...sound.
Looking at the history of UNIVERSE LASER HK,this studio holds independent rights from production studios like MANDALAY PICTURES,ICON PICTURES,FRANCHISE PICTURES,MIRAMAX PICTURES and NEWLINE PICTURES.I was confident that there maybe a great chance that WE WERE SOLDIERS will get released with DTS track,if the film right does not go to WARNER BROTHERS.
Too bad that the PAL release from R2 and R4 is done by WARNER BROTHERS.If VILLAGE ROADSHOW had got the right,a DTS release is possible...

 

[Keith E]

Do these region 3 titles have removable subtitles or are they burned in?

 

[YANG]

KEITH,
The subtitles of the vietnamese,french conversation,as well as location indications appears fully on the picture of the HKR3 release.But there is no english subs throughout the whole film.
The singapore release,have subtitles throughout the whole film,but have to be generated by the player...the negative used for the transfer is not the theatrical suprimposed version.

 

[DeanWalsh]

On a side note I watched the r3 dts release of Insomnia from Universe Laser HK, and I must say the picture quality was amazing, easily up there with the Superbit releases in terms of image detail (I checked the video bitrate and it's 8.5mbps, a similar rate to the Superbits). Highly recommended.

 

[CraigL]

Does the version of Insomnia from coolashop have all the same extras as the US version? any forced subtitles on the extras?

 

[DeanWalsh]

No extras at all on Insomnia if I can remember correctly... maybe a trailer but thats about it.