The Terminator, whats the best version?
 

I am going to finally buy The Terminator and want to make sure that I am getting the best edition possible and what better place to ask then dvdtalk. I remember seeing an MGM (I think) release a while ago with a foil cover in a standard amray case. I have seen the same cover art, non-foil around lately. Is this the same disc without the fancy package or is there a major difference?

Thanks!!

Yep, same disc. Buy and enjoy!

what foil cover, anyone have a pic?

Didn't the original Terminator release (R1) originally have a holographic cover? (That may be what people mean by foil :) ) I still think the DVD is double sided, and has the same features, but the cover has just been changed to a less cool looking typeface and picture of Arnie.

I have the holographic cover BTW :)

just make sure you go and buy it at a store. Get the one that reads Special Edition across the top. MgM has just started sending out barebones copies with the same upc.

they have done this with Bowling for Columbine, and Jeepers Creepers to name a few. This dvd can be found for under ten bucks most places, just double check for that SE banner at the top.

Going by the copies I have seen it would appear MGM has released a version without many of the special features. The non-foil copies I have seen do not say "special edition" and do not list many fo the special features. They have done this in the past with other titles as well.

So the foil version and the current version do not have the same disc???

They *can* be the same disc, but it is not guaranteed. First, the foil version was available. Then, the non-foil SE was available. More recently, they've started selling a bare-bones (or possibly just closer to bare-bones) version with the same UPC. You can get the SE without the foil, but it may not be immediately available. However, as long as it says "Special Edition" on it, you should be safe.

let me break it down

Terminator Special Edition Foil cover (holographic) Special Edition banner across top

Terminator Special Edition Normal cover Special Edition banner across the top

Terminator barebones Just has mgm logo at top

all 3 share a upc...the first two are the exact same disc....the third is not the same...

this is the version you do not want...stay away
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

It had also been release barebones (in a snapper i believe) long ago...stay away from this one
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/63...1.LZZZZZZZ.gif

Unless you are an uber-collector and would like a version of the theatrical trailer not found on any of the MGM releases...

thanks for the info. I'll have to make another trip to the Best Buy soon. I still haven't bought Jeepers Creepers, should I look for anything in particular on that title?

yes, I meant the holographic cover (i was originally gonna use the term "shiny" but thought that wasn't hip enough :) )

same deal...just look for the Special Edition Banner....if it just has an mgm logo, no good

By far, the best transfer is the one they show on HD Movienet.

The 5.1 remix sounds horrible; listen to the original mono track.

And the original mono track is actually better sounding on the old Image disc than the MGM one. It's a frustrating situation... better picture and great extras on MGM, better sound on Image.

I have the MGM one and it's fine... but I'm still hoping that when we get an HD version down the road, they'll do an actual decent job on the original mono track instead of focusing on that terrible, gimmicky 5.1 track.

The Special Edition is worth seeking out. However, the real question is...when are they going to release T2? -wink-

can anyone scan the foil cover one?

old 'foil cover'
http://www.dvdworldonline.com/Genre/...inator_DVD.jpg
same extras and insert as the one below. but synopsis of film on back, get it if you can.

non foil cover, but all extras included
http://www.geocities.com/coginx/tspec.jpg
settle for this one if you can find it. all extras and EX tracks. same booklet as the foil covered edition(I'll scan the cover if requested)

NON EXTRA DVD
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
I know nothing about this. Just that it has only a trailer

https://home.comcast.net/~bigdsr/term.jpg

Here is my scan. You lose the neat effect due to scan

I got the MGM version and then sold it off because I felt the older Image disc looked (despite not being anamorphic) and sounded better. The MGM disc looks like the transfer was softened and darkened a bit, in order to eliminate film grain.

Opinions may differ but I found This Comparison and it pretty much reflects my own feelings.

we'll do the same thing with robocop.
the snapper version
the criterion
the MGM 1 disc
the MGM trilogy

Now I will have to look. The only one I seem to see lately is the one with the MGM logo. The one I have. :(

I got the R4 (2-disc, SE) which now is replaced by barebones 1-disc release.

And the best version might be the Japanese R2 release - it's got a DTS audio track. :-)

I have the Terminator R2 Ultimate Edition, and it's very nice. Haven't gotten around to watching it yet, but the packaging is nice for this 2 disc set. Too bad it's gone OOP already from most websites.

... but drops the original mono. That puts it several notches below the R1 in my book. :)

I agree :) Ironically I found the original mono on the R1 ("shiny" cover ;) ) upped the tension and made the film have more atmosphere than the 5.1 :)

Yeah, the DD track might've been cool if they didn't decide to go back and redo the sounds. :( The new silencer shots we get when he takes out the first Sarah Connor takes me out of the scene every time.

Yeah, the gun on the original track is much louder isn't it?

Well, I went out last night to hunt this down and cannot find any copies that say Special Edition. I searched ebay and can't seem to find any reliable ones (or shiny ones for that matter). Does anyone know a good place to order one from? or can someone find it in their area and mail it to me? All ideas and suggestions are welcome.

i have seen copies of the SE *with* the holofoil cover as recent as two weeks ago at Borders. they were mixed in with the regular non-SE editions, as well as SEs without the holofoil effect. give them a try.

I actually like the 5.1 mix. Yes, it's changed from/different than the mono track, but I would rather have a stereo track when available over a mono track. I gave up on mono when I got my first Hi-Fi VCR. ;)

I think I would have liked the 5.1 track if they had at least kept the gunshot sounds the same. As someone else posted above; it takes me out of the movie because it is so blatantly different from the original.

I tried Borders, Best Buy, Circuit Shitty, and Wally World (Wal-Mart) with no luck. I think I may order it from DVD Empire and hope that I get the special edition. If not I will just have to return it.

Well, that's true, but I feel the 5.1 adds/enhances so many other parts of the film that I can live without the original gun sounds. For example, the beginning future battle sounds much better in 5.1 than the original mono.

If they ever do a Terminator 4, I hope they focus on the post-nuclear attack world. By that time, the CG would have advanced enough to make an awesome post apocalyptic movie. And I'd do it with a sens of fashion as Star Wars Ep. III is doing. That is taking the Ep. II clone troopers and updating them a little bit to show the change between the originals the Ep. IV versions. So for the Terminator films, we had the original HK machines in T1 and T2, then we had the very first real HKs in T3, and then in T4 we would see the next generation of HKs which would be inbetween the T3 and the T1 HKs.

ddd has it for $9 and change:

http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.cfm?itemID=MGD000182

it looks like they are using the "stock" non-se photo, but it lists all the extras.

nice. i def don't have that one, but i do have all the extras.

I was in FYE store today and they had the one with no extras in front of the store with other sale titles. I looked back where it should be and they had 3 copies of the Special Edition and they were the same price as the no extra ones, 9.99.

I looked at DDD and while the description is for the special edition the cover shown does not say special edition, that I could see.

Hey, I've just been through this crap with Amazon. They've changed the listing on their website--taken away the special features--because they had been there for the 2004 edition and I bought the damn thing, and, gee, no special features. I immediately sent it back and ripped them a new a-hole. They've actually refunded me. I've since gotten the older 2001 edition (the double-sided DVD-14) off of Ebay. That edition looks exactly like the above pictures, hologram or no. I can't believe MGM has done this. I've also just looked at the comparison between the MGM (2001) disc and the old Image disc, and I agree that the Image image (ha) looks a bit better, but I'm happy with the MGM (2001) disc. Avoid the bare-bones 2004 disc at all costs.

Terminator 2 originally came in a snapper too. I once found a copy in the trade-in bin at Blockbuster.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/07...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg