Which 'Predator' version is the one to get? (1 Viewer)

[Mark Lehmkuhl]

I want to pick up Predator and havev noticed there are different dvd's. Which one is the best?

Thanks in advance

 

[JasonRH]

The 'enhanced' version is currently the best one out (at least for R1 releases). There may be a special edition in the future but for now the one I mentioned is the one to get. It has a DTS track and a better video quality than the original release. Both are bare-bones releases in terms of extras.

 

[Eric_R_C]

Be careful with the word better. It's the same transfer, only anamorphically "enhanced." It could look much better, but at least it'll fill your widescreen.

 

[Clinton McClure]

Does this not constitute more resolution and generally a better picture than the non-enhanced edition?

My vote is for the DTS version as well.

 

[Sean Moon]

The enhanced version is great. The pic quality is a little sopft, but very good. The audio, both DD and DTS is spectacular.

 

[ErichH]

I had the first release and now own the DTS version.
The video is close on both, but the DTS is better.
The intro is soft on both, but once they get into the jungle, everything looks great. Not bad for a film of its age.

`Gonna Have Me Some Fun'

Eric

 

[Luis M]

I think the DTS version has the edge but both transfers are soft and very grainy at times. Old has nothing to do with it, I own 25 years old movies that look much better. It's a matter of making a new transfer that looks decent.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Does this not constitute more resolution and generally a better picture than the non-enhanced edition?

Not if they just took the non-anamorphic release and stretched it vertically to anamorphic. The only reason it would look better is if their upconversion process bests your end-user scaling process.

That said, I don't know weither it's as I put it above or a new transfer from the same old master in which case the anamorphic release WOULD have more resolution.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

Actually, the region 4 version is much better. Tons of extras, new anamorphic transfer, etc.

Jeff

 

[Eric_R_C]

Does this not constitute more resolution and generally a better picture than the non-enhanced edition?

Clinton, while you are technically correct, I think it's clear from these other posts that Predator is still not the best that it can be. I probably should have noted that other regions had anamorphic transfers from better sources, rather than the rehash of what region 1 has been given. We basically have "better" resolution of a poor transfer, and I don't think that's acceptable (or better, for that matter.) This means the only real reason for the re-release was for the DTS camp. (not trying to start a flame war here, I just wish that ALL aspects of the disc were improved.)
I'll hold on to my first copy for now. It's probably going to be a long while before we see a third release with better video.

 

[Ned]

I have the original non-anamorphic/non-dts version. It looks pretty awful on my crt projector :frowning:
Let's hope they do a better job on hd-dvd in a few years, and maybe do Predator 2 while they're at it!

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

It would be nice if they remastered Predator and pressed Predator 2 at the same time and released them together. That would be a treat.

But, for now, the answer to the question is to get the DTS version.

Bruce

 

[Ed Robitaille]

The dts is worth the price of the disk alone it's great!!

 

[Adam_WM]

Predator 2 is coming out in January!!!

 

[JasonRH]

Eric_R_C
I own both versions of the film and have watched both on a standard, analog 4:3 set and I thought the picture looked better on the 'enhanced' version. Obviously, I don't get the benefit of the added resolution so I assumed the transfer had been touched up a bit (at least in certain scenes). Maybe I was imagining things. You may be right that the new transfer is simply an anamorphic ungrade to the old one.

 

[Eric_R_C]

Jason,

The irony here is that, on a 4X3 television, the first, non-anamorphic transfer should look "better." Your DVD player has to down-convert the new, anamorphic transfer so that it will fit your television. The benefit of increased resolution is traded in for conversion artifacts.
These transfers will not look the same on a 4X3 tv, obviously. Whether or not one looks "better" than the other is admiittedly based on one's opinion. My point was simply that the new release reused the same poor transfer, which does not compare to the region 4 transfer (remarkably better.)

 

[JasonRH]

Eric,
I see what you're saying. It definately is a subjective thing, comparing video quality. I just noticed that the colors seemed much more vibrant on the 'enhanced' version, so I thought they may have actually done something to the source material besides just putting out an anamorphic release. I believe you on the R4 release but that does me no good!!! LOL
Did they have access to different masters for the R4 release?

 

[Dharmesh C]

I have the R2 SE, can't say the transfer is fantastic, it's good but not great.

 

[Ralph Bru]

the DTS version is really good!!!!!

 

[Paul_D]

The R2/R4 version is the way to go.
[c] [/c]