Gladiator SE News
 

From DigitalBits:

Also today, we have word that DreamWorks is currently in production on a new DVD special edition of Ridley Scott's Gladiator, that will feature all new extras (different than what was featured on the previous release) and possibly an extended version of the film itself.

Damn it!

I guess I'd get this for the 'extended version' if it seemed to be anything of real merit. I was very happy with the original release however.

Considering how good the original was, I doubt there's anything they could do that would tempt me to buy this.

...

And the original ISN'T a SE?

Err, there's already a great 2-disc DVD, so unless there's a new extended cut, I can't see the point of it. Just bring the old 2-disc OOP version back into print.

I'll snag it if it's extended and if the extension is worth it. I won't snag it though if all it has are different extras.

Why? The disc now is one of the best dvds of all time feature wise, especially for being a few years old. Is this going to tie in with some other movie as a promo?

It would have to have some great new features and a good extended cut for me to double dip, but Gladiator: Signature Series is already one perfect DVD (visually, audio, supplemental) and I don't know why you want to mess with perfection.

Better be extended and have dts.

now that you mention it, I would guess Kingdom of God: another Ridley Scott historical epic

I have been wanting to upgrade my version to the Signiture Series version for the DTS:ES track,so i guess now i will wait in hopes that the new version carries over the audio tracks from the SS.

love this movie!! hope they give us some real extras for this rehash! DTS would def. be a plus.

Unless Ridley stops by the house to hand the new one to me, I'll stick with my 2-disc w/dts.

It'd be nice if this new SE would have some special features....

Anyway....I think this SE was originally rumored to incorporate the deleted scenes that were featured on the Signature Series disc. Several of which made the film more graphic in certain areas. One such shot was during the gladiator battle in the Monocco arena when one of the slaves threw a gladiator up on a wall of spikes. In the TC the camera doesn't show the guy being impaled but the deleted scene does. Other deleted scenes show an extended opening battle against the Germanic barbarians.

The current disc is more then good enough. Ridley should get his ass in gear on Blade Runner SE.

Actually, Ridley would love to do a Special Edition of Blade Runner but for some reason, the asshole president of Univision Television, Jerry Penechio, who owns the movie by a technicality, has not agreed to re-release a new DVD of the film. There is a thread in the forum that can explain everything in more detail.

maybe they will include the crazy scene where he fights a rhino. there is an easter egg on the original release that shows the test rhino footage. hmmmm..

If you're going to call someone you don't even know an asshole based upon a situation you're not even personally familiar with, at least get the guy's name right: it's Jerry Perenchio.

DJ

I'm with you (and others) on this one. I don't care about special features that much nor am I big on changing films that are already in the can. I'm not holding my breath for HD either but this would seem to be a awful double dip without a significantly improved picture. I'll wait for HD on this one.

There has been talk of a Gladiator Director's Cut for a while now, so I think we better all get our double-dipping hands ready ....

nice! can't wait~ one of my favorite movies. since i only have the single disc, i will definately be upgrading!~

This sequence was never shot, which is why it's shown in storyboard on the dvd. They even say that there was really no way to do it believably since rhinos really can't be trained. So, unless they go and find a way to shoot it specifically for the release, it won't be there.

The original 2-disc version is fine for me unless an extended cut has some significant differences.

hmmm, I didn't think they would put it in there. I think it would have been a touch over the top.

I never picked up Gladiator, so I'll most likely bite on this one.

Just to nitpick, I do think they could improve upon the compressioning for the next release; I think it could look slightly better.

I'm happy with my original 2-disc release. I probably won't upgrade until it goes HD.

Keep in mind, Ridley Scott has shown that he doesn't really consider "Director's Cut" anything more than a marketing term; he says as much on the 'Alien' disc, and has said that the "Director's Cut" of 'Blade Runner' released 10 (or so) years ago was *not* the "Director's Cut", but just an interim thing restoring some of it closer to his vision.

('Legend' is an obvious exception to this.)

I would be interested in this if it was a good extended edition

Doesn't he have a movie coming out this summer? Maybe a release of the SE in conjunction with that?

It actually seems like they made that one OOP and put out just the one-disc just so they could double-dip down the line. I'm gonna skip this one too. I don't even like the movie that much, I bought it for under ten bucks because I knew the two-disc was out of print.

I love the movie, but the 2 disc edition seems like enough to me.

Unless they throw in an axe or helmet or something, I ain't buy it!

I'm a big fan of this film and love it more and more with each viewing, but I have to agree, unless it has some awesome extended edition, you won't get me double dipping. This is already a great set.

As far as a new Blade Runner special edition??? How many versions is this guy going to make?? I swear I have seen 3 different versions so far in the theater in various re-releases and the film still doesn't get any better. I really don't see the attraction of this film no matter how hard I try and like it.

Really? Huh. Interesting.

Because there have only been 2 different versions released to US theaters.

Yes ... there was the theatrical cut ... there was the director's cut ... and then there was ANOTHER director's cut a year or two ago that was screened here in L.A. at the Egyptian Theater for a Ridley Scott film retrospective where Ridley Scott appeared in-person. I believe this was the only place this new director's cut was screened, someone correct me if I'm wrong. Maybe that is the "new" director's cut that is coming to dvd.

EDIT:

I dug up this from Ain't-It-Cool-News from someone who was at the same screening I was at ... apparently it was a workprint.

"Blade Runner-The Director's Cut," which is part of the American Cinematheque's tribute to Ridley Scott. The Cinematheque is, I'm sure you know but others may not, based out of the beautiful Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Besides seeing the film in it's widescreen splendor on a giant screen, the man himself Ridley Scott will be present for post Q&A. How cool is that? Pretty damn cool if you ask me. The print shown was supposed to be the work-print from 1991, that one contains footage that was not in either the original or director's cut of 1992. The print we were about to watch was newly printed by Warner Bros. from the original negative, was completely supervised and worked on by Ridley Scott just days ago, and has only been viewed by Ridley Scott. We were the first to see it in public.

This info also came from the same screening for those interested ...

"Yes, there will be a new and final cut of "Blade Runner" to be released next year in a collector's DVD set. It may be a two disc set. Footage will be restored and it will be released for the first time in Dolby Digital. He didn't say when it would come out but it is next year.

Also, later this year or sometime early next year, we will finally see the director's cut of "Legend" with half an hour of footage restored to the film. He is either referring to the DVD that is due later this year or a brief rerelease next year. "

Did it end up being the workprint? Very few people have seen that. luckily i have it on VHS :)

I thought when they showed this on tv a while ago they had an extended cut.

The 2-disc set I have with DTS-ES is enough now. I'll wait to see what the next gen disc has to offer when they release it.