I've been eyeing this title for a long time, and this site's review pretty much sold me on it. Except that now I can't decide which version, Lions Gate or Universal, to get!

The picture quality is apparently better overall on the newer release, but the DTS track and a few minor extras were dropped. I don't currently have any sort of sound system (I use headphones all the time), but I prefer to think in term sof future use, so having DTS would be a nice bonus. Also, the problem with the subtitles really sours the deal. It sounds like a significant screw-up on Lions Gate's part, and frankly, I'd be surprised if it were ever addressed.

Any thoughts from owners of either version?

I have the original release, and after reading that review, I don't feel the need to get the new one. I felt the picture was clean on the original, had excellent audio tracks (music is a huge part of this film!), and the automatic subtitles are going to be necessary for pretty much everyone (unless you speak all five languages) so that's not a problem.

Is a better picture really better if you are distracted by useless subtitles?

Trivia: this was the first DVD I bought - I love this film.

i own the lions gate version and have no complaints. terrific movie!

I have the Universal version and have no intention of picking up the Lion's Gate version. Very satisfied. A movie like this, where music tells the story, the sound is so important.

Do you not have the subtitle problem, or does it just not bother you? I'm curious to know if it was just the reviewer's DVD player causing the trouble, or if this affects everyone.

Get the 25-minute Short Version. This film could be used as a torture technique for terrorists.

I wish there was a non-threadcrap version of this thread.

DJ

I'd like to know as well...can someone who owns the disc comment?

I've just watched the newly released Canadian R1 SE of The Red Violin.

Can report that there are NO subtitle problems on this release

This is far from a Special Edition, although the Canadian cover states that. It´s such a misleading statement.

i owned the Lion's Gate version briefly, but i sold it and bought the Universal version for the DTS sound. i didn't see that much of a difference in the two anyway. granted, i don't have a plasma TV or anything, but my TV is pretty good and there wasn't anything more than a token difference between the two transfers.

for me, though, the DTS sound is the real selling point for the Universal release. it sounds amazing, even on my modest setup. with a movie like this, where sound plays such an important role, you need the best audio track. the Universal version has got it, IMO.

I agree on that. Have the Universal DTS release as well.

If I´m not mistaken this was the very first DTS soundtrack on DVD.

what indeed is the sub problem? the only thing i could think of is that for the lions gate version, the english is subtitled as well.

I thought the early Universal releases like Apollo 13, 12 Monkeys, etc were the first DTS releases?

According to DVDFile Red Viloin was the first on the market that supplied both DTS & DD 5.1 soundtrack.

Mondo has also mentioned this in their review.

However, you might be right that the very first DVD with DTS as the only soundtrack available could be one the titles you mentioned. That I don´t know, though.

Update! Just found out that the following titles were the first DTS released titles in the US with no DD 5.1. All came out at the same time.

12 Monkeys, Dragonheart, Apollo 13, The Getaway, Backdraft, The Jackal, Blues Brothers 2000, Liar Liar, Born on the 4th of July, The Boxer, The Nutty Professor, Dante's Peak, The Shadow, Daylight and Waterworld.