Slightly OT, I understand the first GITS is getting a re-release, any word on this? Different studio releasing it right?

Features:
Custom Motion Interactive Menus
Disc Two
Character Dossiers
Creator Biography
Director Biography
Digital Works
Production Report
Ghost In The Shell Trailers
DVD Catalog
Weblinks
2 Sided Full Color Special Edition Poster
Postcard

Audio:
ENGLISH: DTS ES 6.1
ENGLISH: DD-EX 5.1
SPANISH: Dolby Digital Stereo
FRENCH: Dolby Digital Stereo
JAPANESE: DTS ES 6.1
JAPANESE: DD-EX 5.1

Subtitles:
English

Come to pappa

Looks pretty weak from an extras standpoint. I'll stick with my current edition.

Also, I imagine the picture will suffer some from having 2 DTS ES and 2 DD EX tracks.

my special edition of GITS has already shipped from the USA to me in the UK, so i should have it within a week. not spotted any reviews of it yet...

Cool! happy new year! I would love to hear impressions as well as see some scrennshots and shots the packing and the collectibel cards!

i cant remember the exact persons name, but i happened across a name specifically associated (according to one site) with the film itself who was / is working for dreamworks. the address though, i do remember, is the one at thedigitalbits.com page and is as follows :

DreamWorks SKG
1000 Flower Street
Glendale, CA 91201

telephone :
(818) 777-4600

I ordered both the GITS: SE and GITS 2 from Amazon.com and I don't think they have shipped yet.

This is bummer news for me, and not the first place I've read about it.
I don't mind subtitles at all, but I hate captions, and the typeface used IS really large, IMO.

It would have been so sweet if they could have used the same voice actors from the Stand Alone Complex/GITS. (I haven't seen GITS 2 yet so that may not work)

They did...

I e-mailed Dreamworks/Universal about this and got a response. Here is what they have to say:

Thank you for contacting us. Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Dreamworks Home Entertainment strive to provide the highest standard of product and customer care.

The 'Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence' DVD contains two English captions/subtitle tracks. The first translates the Japanese dialogue, which is heard on the main audio track. The second track is a transcription of the optional audio commentary by Director Mamoru Oshii and Animation Director Toshihko Nishikubo.

Our DVD products are captioned in English using Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired, (SDH). This ensures compatibility with all DVD players and TVs. Many older model DVD players are unable to output the Closed Captioning signal, and the majority of TVs manufactured before 1994 did not have Closed Captioning decoders built-in.

We appreciate your patronage and hope that you will continue to enjoy Dreamworks and Universal products.



Sincerely,

Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Say what? This makes no sense. What does CC have to do with subtitles? Why not just put two seperate tracks on there?

You think they actually read their complaint letters? I've emailed places complimenting them on something, and I get a letter back saying how sorry they are for doing, and explaining their reasons.

well do what miramax did on city of god then (one sub track is for closed captioning for the hearing impaired, and the other track is regular subtitles.

WWwwhhhhaaaaaaa!?!?!

This lame canned excuse is totally a spin. How many deaf people with old TVs represented their demographic? This is a movie set in 2032 for Chrissake! You can get a newer TV than that for under $300 here in 2004. This is a technophile movie. People that are watching this on sets with woodgrain cabinets aren't going to enjoy it.

Dreamworks has made me officially consider hate crimes against the deaf.

That was a joke, but do you think that might get them off their slimey asses?

I don't. We have to live with this.

Anyone know if their is a Hong Kong regionless version of the disc?

I will never buy another foreign release from this studio.

Bought mine last weekend. All the Targets in my area had it out already at a somewhat high 22.99

Could you tell if the newer version had better picture quality than the original? How are the new Japanese tracks? Details, man!

Dreamworks' response is bullshit because this method of "subtitling" was not used on their Millennium Actress disc. It sounds like they're trying to sweep it under the rug with that canned response.

Instead of trying to fix the problem.

Yes, the original Japanese track was kind of... weird.. for lack of a better word. The picture was also way less than steller. I'm waiting for a good review on this disc before I try and pick it up.

$22.99 is pretty reasonable since the GotS:SE has a SRP of $34.98.

Did you get this? How is picture compared to the old release? could you post some screenshots maybe?

Saw it last night and loved it! Very good, almost if not as good as the first. The CC for the hearing impaired didn't bother me at all. A very thought provoking film witch sort continues on the themes of life and artificiallity.
The visuals are stunning, with a incredible depth in the pictures and backgrounds. I want to see it again! Highly recommended and don't worry about the CC ( well that's what I think anyway. )
4.5 out of 5! Dancing

Spoilers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!
I think it is called Innocence because children, animals and things ( dolls ) aren't self-aware or conscious and hence can't question there own existence then....They are innocent ( Very simplified! )
Spoilers End:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Does any site have info on it yet?

got this from Keith I on htf
"This is not quite a continuation of the first post but seeing as it changed into talk about the SE of the movie, I'll use this thread since it could be considered the "Sonic" edition.

I received the Special Edition of the movie and have a few observations to make:

1. The Japanese language track is now available in DD5.1EX and DTS6.1. It's not overly dynamic but it is much better than the 2.0 track on the original release. The music benefits the most from the surround sound.

2. The box says it's a newly remastered anamorphic widescreen transfer. The original already looked really good and the SE is just a slight improvement in the clarity and color.

3. The end credits is STILL only the English version. The cast list is the English language cast with none of the Japanese voice actors' names listed. It should have been like Princess Mononoke: If you choose Japanese, you get the Japanese credits (or list the Japanese actors/crew in English). If you choose English, you get the English credits.

4. The 30-minute Making Of documentary on the original is carried over to this version. The other extras are not that extensive: Production Report, Digital Works, Character Dossiers, Creator Bio, Director Bio, Trailers, and Manga/Bandai stuff. But they are all on Disc 2.

5. The packaging is nice. Glossy silver digipak (clean your fingers!) housed in a clear plastic slipcover. Comes with a dual-sided foldout poster promoting the Special Edition, a GitS:SE postcard, and a Manga Video Merchandise booklet.

Just thought I'd post this from over at the ANN forums. This was posted by the Editor-in-Chief Tempest.

Looks like they might be backtreading in their own sewage over this. Maybe we actually will get a fixed release.