RichardW

I just got an email from CD Japan. There's an anamorphic version taken from a new print coming out August 23rd.

Link

Josh Z

Hallelujiah!

I just hope that this notation...

Audio Track :
English /Dolby Digital /2.0ch

... means that it has a Dolby Digital 5.1 track AND a 2.0 channel track, not that it has only a Dolby Digital 2.0 track.

krispow

Sorry, Josh,

At CDJapan, that denotes the film is Dolby Digital 2.0 only.

If it had a 5.1 track, it would be listed as English /Dolby Digital /5.1ch.

Yeah, disappointing, I know...

Josh Z

Ack!

When we will get one disc that has everything right? I've got the R1 disc with a pretty good transfer and DD 5.1, but no anamorphic enhancement. I've got the R4 disc that has a DTS soundtrack, but is also non-anamorphic and has notable NTSC-to-PAL conversion problems, and now we'll get a new anamorphic NTSC R2 disc but only DD 2.0!!

Yeesh!

Supermallet

Just found this posted on Lynchnet:

September 2002 - Dune: Der Wüstenplanet - Paradise Edition
DVD 1: Theatrical Cut, newly mastered in 2.35:1 (anamorph), German (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX), English (Dolby Digital 5.1, with forced german subtitles)
DVD 2: Alan Smithee-cut, english only, german subtitles optional
DVD 3: Extras: Goofs, Dune-Park, Recipes a la Dune

Looks like this is the edition to get.

Ericf

But note that only the main feature has forced subtitles. That should mean that they had to do that because of contractual reasons. Meaning someone else in Europe must have rights to the movie as well and that they will release it sometime in the future.
Ericf

Numanoid

"Recipes a la Dune"?

Sand soup? Worm segment salad? Duck a'Melange?

Josh Z

Bumping an old thread.

Can someone recommend a retailer to buy this, preferably with an English site? Is it even still in print? I saw one photo of the packaging that seemed to imply that it was limited to 500 copies.

Numanoid

Here's the link to the Amazon Germany site ($43). It's not in English, but you can get through the purchasing part with relative ease (I've ordered stuff from them before) or use babelfish.altavista.com.

Be warned, it appears that the German subtitles are burned in (you can't turn them off), and the extras aren't worth much ("Cooking with Spice"!?!).

Josh Z

Thanks for the info. Let me ask, was there more than one edition for this? One photo of the packaging that I've seen seems to indicate that it was a limited 500 unit pressing. Was that true? Was there a 'standard' edition and then another with fancier packaging? If so, I'm trying to find the fancy-schmancy one.

Specifically, this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=1576991021

A nuisance, yes, but I'd live with it.

That's OK. It will fit in well here.

Zeratul1000

Hi!

You're right there are two versions of the film. The limited 500 version is this one: http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...tem=1556359896

and the other version is here:

The discs are the same, the difference is the limitation, the sandworm and the packaging - and of course, the price...

The extras and packaging seems very nice, picture and soundquality not...

Be warned: There are several short cuts on the disc...

Josh Z

This is interesting. Can you elaborate on both of these points?

Zeratul1000

Sure

Just take a look: click

Scroll down (yes, it is German ) till you see the screenshots. The first picture is always the UK version, the second one the German one.

1. Picture: You see the German has a higher resolution because it's anamorphic. The UK version uses edge filtering.

2. Picture: You see that the picture is cut in the German version on the left and on the right.

3. Picture: Too much contrast on the German disc. Details are hiding in the dark. Picture seems washed out.

4. Picture: the same.

5. Picture: The original colors are almost gone on the German disc. The sand is white, no red or orange shades to find...

I've got to go now. But I'll be back in 2 hours

Zeratul1000

The Sound:

The English sound is too dull and tends to distortion. The dynamics leaves to desire somewhat and easy rustling disturbs the hear pleasure. Music, but also sounds and effects be found occasionally on the front or in the rear area. At the same time this causes however frequently somewhat artificially and mounted.

The Cuts:

There are 3 scenes missing:
Chapter 1, 1min.50sec.:missing sentence of Irulan.
Chapters 8, 37min.23sec.:missing navigator scene.
Chapter 26,123min.28sec:missing scene with close-up of Sting at the ground, with knife in the neck.

Thanks to the review of Jürgen Grieb and Equinoxe for review and picture - my postings are a rough translation of their posting at dvdinside.de

Josh Z

Zeratul, thanks for the information. There is definitely a considerable difference in those screenshots. However...

Wait, are you sure you don't have that backwards? I'm pretty sure you do.

The tremendous difference in color stands out to me more than anything else.

The picture on the bottom has more image on the left. The picture on the top looks vastly better in all other ways, though. The contrasts and colors are muddy in the bottom picture. The top picture is a little washed out, but still looks better than the bottom.

Now this is debatable. The orange tint to the sand and desert exteriors is something that was added to the video transfer for Universal's DVD (the same transfer was used in the UK). Previous video editions, and probably film prints, had more natural brown tones in those scenes.

I think in this case the picture above looks too washed out, but the picture below is way too orange.

Anyway, even if the picture and sound on the German disc are lacking, I'm still interested in owning it as a collectible.

Zeratul1000

You're right, sorry

I could add, that there were really long debates in German forums about the picture quality. Some say it's fine, other say it's worse than the UK, other say, even the old German version was better...

Randy810

Is the dvd in German, or only the subtitles?
This is the translation with Babelfish from Amazon.de

"Information to this title • language: German • sub-titles: German • Dolby, Surround sound, PAL • running time: 129 minutes • DVD erscheinungstermin: 2. September 2002 • production: 1984 DVD feature: • Making OF, film script, "Dune" encyclopedia," Dune"Themenpark

I would like this edition but only in english is it available anywhere?

Thanks

Zeratul1000

There are forced subtitles on the Theatrical Cut. English DD5.1

The TV version has optional German subtitels and English DD2.0

Dragonslayer

I've for some time now owned a R4 version that is 2.35:1, 5.1 sound & DTS. And besides, if you're ordering from the US you get the advantage of the exchange rate. Check out Ezy DVD.

Josh Z

I have that disc also. It is not anamorphically enhanced. In fact, it is a straight NTSC-to-PAL conversion of the master that Universal used for their American DVD, and it suffers from numerous conversion artifacts in the process.

The German disc is, at least, a new anamorphic remaster. The quality of that remaster is in contention, of course.

Dragonslayer

That means little to me since I do not own(and can not afford)a large widescreen tv.

Josh Z

Never say never.

Someday you may own a widescreen TV, and you will be much annoyed by non-anamorphic letterbox discs.

Dragonslayer

I've never had a problem with the black bars like some people. If you wish to donate a large widescreen tv or the $$$$$ to buy one, I'll accept it. In any case I stand by my prior statement.

Josh Z

Has nothing to do with the black bars. Has to do with the increased resolution of anamorphically enhanced discs when seen on a widescreen display.

Besides, television is going widescreen slowly but surely. Several years from now when your current TV conks out on you, you may not have much choice.

Dragonslayer

I'm not the person to lobby, it is the Studios.