Grizzly

i'm really dying to get this on DVD but it doesn't seem like Universal (who own the US rights) are about to release it in R1 anytime soon.. does anyone have the french R2 release? if so.. please tell me what you think of it.

thanks!

lordzeppelin

I've got it. I think it's pretty good. I mean the film has a gritty look to it anyways, and the transfer is middling. The sound could have used a bit of work, but really, it's a good release. I'm just spoiled with some of the nicer releases lately (LOTR, T2, XXX, Brotherhood of the Wolf).

If you're "dying" for it, just get it. It's worth it, and you're right, R1 will never see the light of day.

I love the opening sequence with the cam going out the window...LOVE IT!

mrwilson

Is this the disc you're referring to?

http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASI...030189-0169828

Its listed as OOP, as best I can determine.

pro-bassoonist

it is not OOP...only out of stock.

In fact all of the "Kulte" discs were/are on sale for 12.99Euro.
The old French disc is OOP (the one with Cassel's face taking the entire cover).

***
The disc has an outstanding quality:
http://www.dvdtimes.org.uk/reviews/region2/lahaine.html

http://www.dvdfurax.com/films/lahaine.asp

http://www.dvdrama.net/fiche.php?44

The North American rights are property of Miramax.

SpinnerX

Get the Korean all region NTSC disc instead. The subtitle translations aren't flawless, but the picture and sound quality is fantastic. There are also some deleted scenes among other extras.

pro-bassoonist

well.....it was confirmed awhile ago that the Korean disc is slightly censored. I do not recall what exactly was taken out though.

The French release is SUPERB and there is no reason not to have it (for a French release I will always look at the original source, therefore, French distribs). Now, if you have issues with PAL formating then...the choice is yours!!


Grizzly:

If you really have to have it NOW......:
http://www.cinestore.com/html/fiche_...ts.php?id=1075

Grizzly

Miramax huh?

i figured it was owned by Universal since the french release has the Universal logo on the back.. and because Universal have most of the Gramercy/Polygram titles.

i'm glad if Miramax has it though.. then maybe, just maybe sometime it'll be released on DVD in the US too.

that french R2 disc sounds great though.. i think i'll get it.

Grizzly

pro-bassoonist,

actually i live in europe myself so i already live in PAL-land.. so that's not a problem with me.. i buy mainly R1 though because they're for the most part cheaper and better in quality overall. doesn't seem like this fantastic film will come out on DVD anytime soon though in R1..

pro-bassoonist

well.....it is a common practice that one studio will own the North American rights for a certain film and another studio will distrib it overseas. There are countless examples.....

I would not hold my breath for a Miramax release...and why should you...the French disc offers anything you could ask for. Besides...even if a miracle occurs and they decide to release it, it will probably be a total mess (read non-anamorphic...as the recent Queen Margot and Horseman on the Roof).

SpinnerX

I'd like to know where you read this. Are you referring to this thread:

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...ighlight=haine

There you claim that "a lot...close to 10 min." was cut from the Korean release, but you didn't back that up with anything concrete. Are you just going by the running times listed on the packaging? Unless somebody e-mailed you behind the scenes, it looks like you were the only one saying that it's cut.

pro-bassoonist

actually....this is the second thread we had AWHILE ago.....as I stated above I believe that the Korean disc is indeed cut!

What is my source- I can not find the original thread as it was ahwile ago (as I already mentioned).

Dazza (a forum member from England) also points out the same thing- do a simple math and you will see that something is missing. As I do not own the Korean disc I cant confirm what parts are missing, but I will go on record (again!!) saying that the French disc is indeed superb (having seen the Tartan disc, which I actually owned for almost 6 months).

Dazza's statement (from the same thread):

"... I assume that the Korean disc is NTSC? Keep in mind the PAL speedup factor, which would mean that if Poker Industries' info is correct, then the Korean disc has even more missing than you may initially have thought...

The French release has a listed time of 95 mins. It's the one I'd recommend (surprise! ). I don't think Amazon France have it listed as available anymore, but you can still get it from FNAC.

Dazza."

I am assuming that the "cut" issue with LA HAINE is something similar to what we have with IRREVERSIBLE, where the cut scenes are supplied as "delete footage". Now, my question to you is: WHY would you want to have a censored disc and watch the film in its uncut verison by going through "deleted material" when you could just put the disc (French...or the British Tartan version if you prefer) and watch the film as it was shot??



Also....Original PAL release-95min (which is supposedly sped up)
http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/dvd.php?id=3683

Korean disc- 94min (running slower NTSC verison)
http://www.dvdasian.com/cgi-bin/dvda...l?mv_arg=13162

do you want to do the math?

I'd say....SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY MISSING!!!!!!

SpinnerX

You're making way too many assumptions to be definitively stating that the Korean disc is cut. First of all, you're assuming that the running times on the packaging are correct for each release. Secondly, if we're only relying on running times, you're assuming that the Korean release is sourced from an NTSC master or has been speed-corrected for NTSC from a PAL master. Then you make the leap to assume that the deleted scenes presented on the Korean disc are presented as part of the film in the French disc. In fact, you don't know if any of these things are true, so I'll remain skeptical until someone who has actually seen both DVDs can come forward and say exactly what differences, if any, there are between the two versions.

pro-bassoonist

...as I am not the only one making "assumptions" here...all I can say is:
it is up to you to decide (though you are also making conclussions choosing no to take into account the running times on the covers based on the assumption that they are incorrect....)

also your logic is incorrect:

I am not suggesting that the Korean disc is NTSC sourced...quite the opoosite infact....if it is a PAL port, which i believe it is, then the discrepancy is even larger.....as NTSC runs slower. If it was an NTSC to NTSC port then the difference would have been only a minute (95min/94min). Hope this makes sen

SpinnerX

OK, Logic 101: I have not come to any conclusions about the completeness of the Korean DVD. I am still attempting to confirm whether or not it is cut. I'm making no assumptions about the various running times listed on the various DVD releases. I'm simply pointing out that you can't base your own conclusions on these running times, which may or may not be accurate. Just look at all the different running times that have been reported for this film:

Korean DVD - 94 minutes
French DVD - 95 minutes
UK DVD - 97 minutes
L.A. Times listing - 98 minutes
Chicago Sun-Times review - 93 minutes
Edinburgh Film Society listing - 94 minutes
Internet Movie Database - 96 minutes
Box Office Magazine - 95 minutes
US VHS release - 95 minutes
UK VHS release - 96 minutes
German VHS release - 93 minutes

That's just a random sampling. How can we tell anything based on all that? It only brings up more questions. When the UK disc is listed at 97 minutes, why aren't you assuming that the French disc is cut? Why is the UK VHS listed as a minute shorter than the DVD? Why aren't you assuming that all home video releases are cut when the LA Times lists a 98 minute running time? Since the US VHS and Sundance Channel showings are NTSC, are they cut by 10 minutes as well?

Also, your paragraph about NTSC vs. PAL transfers doesn't make much sense to me. One of the points I was trying to make was that there are NTSC discs taken from PAL sources that have not been time-corrected for NTSC. We see this all the time. Therefore is is possible for an NTSC release to have the same running time as a PAL release and both will still be identical in content.

Again, I'm still curious to know whether or not the Korean disc is cut, but we won't know for sure until someone who has seen and compared it with other releases comes forward.

Dazza

Back in stock at Amazon France:
http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005JJBC/

BTW this is quite a good price (although I know there is shipping to also pay), as I have often noticed in stores that it is usually more expensive than the other DVDs in the Kulte range.

I watched the UK Tartan disc of this the other day, which I'd never seen before. I thought it was an awful, sub-VHS quality disc, and the English subtitles (apart from being hard to read on a background that is often white!) were terrible. Even 'Asterix' got renamed to 'Snoopy' (does that really need translating outside of Europe?). Anyway, I wouldn't recommend that release at all - Tartan pick up some very good films, but why they seem to not put too much care into the DVD releases is quite a mystery...

Oh, and the timer on the player showed 93 and a bit minutes when the end credits completed. I think the box said 90... just to point out that listed timings on boxes (or anywhere else are) often fairly approximate.

Anyway, if anyone is still looking for a copy then my recommendation (as before) is to get the one listed above at Amazon.fr.

Dazza.

pro-bassoonist

not sure it is back in stock......

FilmFanSea

It is in stock at the Canadian etailer, Machiavel DVD, for a little over $30 + S&H.

Dazza

It was at the time of posting (w/ 24-hour availability) - they must have had only one or two in stock, which quickly sold.
Anyway, thanks for updating the stock situation (which seems to change very quickly).

IMO anyone wanting the French R2 release would be best to check back at Amazon.fr on a daily basis, and hopefully you'll be lucky.

I wonder why it seems to be going out of stock? It is always easy to find in many of the French stores I go in...

Dazza.

mrwilson

Yep, ordered one yesterday morning. Shipped this morning.

Walter Sobchak

The French La Haine has a wonderful transfer and no other release comes close.

That's of course assuming you can output it in PAL to a PAL TV -can't comment otherwise.

pro-bassoonist

you should mentioned this to Spinner X

SpinnerX

What is that even supposed to mean? Your taunts have stopped making sense.

I understand that the French release is excellent. If you'll reread my comments in this thread, you'll see that my only concern was whether or not the Korean release is cut, and there's still nobody who can answer that question.

Walter Sobchak says, "The French La Haine has a wonderful transfer and no other release comes close."

Does that mean you've seen all the other releases and have compared them, Walter?

Walter Sobchak

Does that mean you've seen all the other releases and have compared them, Walter?

Yes, that's correct. The UK disc is a disaster, the Korean Starmax Masterpiece Collection La Haine is very good (I didn't watch it all so can't comment on whether it's cut or not -I've never heard it was cut until I read it here) and the French disc blows those releases out of the water.

As the film is in French and most here don't speak it the best disc has to be the French disc as the subtitles are vastly superior.

And of course the Korean disc is Region 0 NTSC with the French disc being Region 2 PAL. That has to be considered too.


Very nice Korean cover here


I have the original French release and can never imagine a better release image-wise.