What is a "All Region" disc? The Day After (1 Viewer)

[Eric Huffstutler]

I know that various nuclear disaster threads are running around and this concerns one of the main titles but not the movie.

I just purchased a copy of The Day After which is now distributed by Prism Leisure in England. All indications lead you to believe this is a Region 2 title but my disc (haven't gotten home to play it yet) says All Regions. Is this equal to a Region 0 disc? I don't see region 2 anywhere on the packaging or disc. It is not the Brazilian release but has the red cover art and NOT a bootleg.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Yes, all-region is Region 0

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

Thanks Jeff. I figured as much but wanted to make sure because I haven't run across that term before. Region Free, yes but not All Region.

This is great news for us who have an interest in the nuclear disaster movies because this version may be the only time we will see the movie legitimately in the US on DVD.

 

[Chris PC]

Is that the THE DAY AFTER TV show about nuclear war? I never saw that.

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

Yes Chris, it was about an all out nuclear exchange attack on the United States. It aired on ABC in 1983, was heavily edited for viewing at the time, and had many disclaimers reminding people that the movie was playing if by chance they came in the middle of it thinking it for real.

Unfortunately, when I got home with the disc I found out that it is a Region 2. Either they changed their minds in the middle of pressing the discs or it is an error on both the cover and disc saying "All Regions"? I am asking them now what happened?

I was able to play it on my computer DVD and can recommend it to anyone who has the capability of watching it. There are a couple of scenes in it I don't remember and the video quality for a 20-year old TV movie is remarkable.

 

[James Reader]

Are you sure it's not because the disc is in PAL format and thus being rejected by your player rather than the a region code?

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

I have a player that does fine on PAL region 0. This one actually says "Invalid Region" on the screen and in my PC it says Region 2.

 

[Chris PC]

Interesting. Regions suck.

 

[Sean Campbell]

I think the UK edition might possibly be the director's cut of the movie. It has several additional moments not in the Brazillian edition and it also seems to be edited differently.

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

Yes, the Region 2 did have a couple of different scenes that was edited for US broadcast during a time when TV standards were more stricter for family viewing.

What I do find odd is that a listing in a yearly movie book states it is 135 minutes. My original VHS version is 126 minutes while the UK version is 122 minutes. Can't be the "director's cut" in the normal sense. Just a different edit using the footage they had. The UK version having more gore while the US was tame.

I just checked... the German version is only 115 minutes long!

Here is what the IMDb site has to say:

Originally filmed at 3 hours, the original release version (which ran in European theatres and later worldwide on home video) ran 126 minutes. The network telecast version (available for a time on LaserDisc) ran 120 minutes. Heavily edited for later telecast showings. Most current video cassette and disc versions run the full 126-minute length.

So... one does wonder if the 122 minute UK version is closer to the telecast version as opposed to the video version?