Well, just look at it like the Daredevil-SE and the Daredevil-DC. To have all the goodies, you just need to keep both versions.

The biggest selling point for me though *is* the restored footage. I always felt that after watching the deleted scenes on the 2-disc version that everytime I would watch the exisiting cut that I was missing something.

To me, there's a big difference between DareDevil and Gladiator. In the booklet in the Hannibal SE, Ridley talks about his films that felt like his vision when he delivered the Theatrical Cut, Gladiator was one of them (Along with Hannibal and Alien). I'm just worried this might turn into a Alien DC scenario where the DC is vastly shortchanged by the additional footage (Or in that case, footage taken out and replaced). Now DD, well, that was a problem with the dickhead producer Gary Foster who basically cut up Johnson's version to make it more light and accessible and PG-13. I'm just glad Johnson finally got his due when the real version was released not to long ago.

Yeah but no one is calling this new version of "Gladiator" a "director's cut." It's called an "extended edition" much like the longer versions of the "Lord of the Rings" films. And in the booklet for "Alien Quadrilogy" it sounds pretty clear that calling the new version of "Alien" a "director's cut" was Fox's idea, not Scott's. It seems like he went along with it as a concession for Fox spending so much money restoring it and that, as the director who actually supervised the cutting on this new version, using the term "director's cut" was appropriate, if not exactly traditional.

I agree that this is all about marketing but as an informed consumer, as you clearly are, you have the option not to buy. It's not like they're lying to you.

I never said they weren't. I don't really bother with Terminology...Director's Cut, Extended Editions, whatever, it's more of the film.

But clearly, there's a big difference between the DC of DareDevil and the new EE of Gladiator, a film that Scott was perfectly content with 5 years ago when he released it. I don't really think the picture needs to be longer, so I'll probably skip this release, even though the extras sound great.

Definitely keeping my current version with DTS unless there is some kind of revelation about improved image/sound quality. I can't justify a double-dip on the documentary alone..

Am I the only one with DTS 6.1 Discrete on the TC set? These comments are just bizarre.

Is the DTS Matrix on the UK R2 version? I'm not sure.
Thats what I have.

I thought the LOTR films were "Director's cuts" of sorts, I've certainly seen them labelled as "Director's Extended Versions" somewhere.

I agree that terminology is odd though, I mean isn't longer cut of T2 (the SE) called Cameron's DC? But I've also heard the shorter TC is the version Cameron prefers, so that is really his Director's cut no?.*

*But the SE is a better film

You make some good points, Josh, concerning the difference between DD and Gladiator.

I'm in the process of rewatching the deleted scenes of Gladiator right now. Taking down running times and brief synopsis, so far the addition of any of these scenes will make the film a bit or even a lot darker than the TC. A few scenes of "surgical tent" stuff after battles (bloody amputations, etc)

OK, total run time for deleted scenes is 15:34. Now then, there's the "Treasure Chest" part too that contains short unused clips from through-out the movie which comes out to 7:12 worth. So if they use all those deleted scenes, they'll have to use some of these smaller clips to get to that 17 minute mark. It was in this treasure chest that contained extended battle scenes and other stuff.

Yeah, if it's just the deleted scenes from the previous edition, that more than solidifies my preference to stick with the current release. I like the pace of the picture as is, and feel that more footage would more than likely just bog it down.

This release sounds cool, but I will wait for the reviews to decide ... I love Gladiator so it might be worth a double dip, but right this second I am content with the great disc I have ... and the dts!

Keeping 2-disc, will NetFlix this new one's bonus material.

Even though this is one of my favorite films I won't double dip. I thought the difference between the DD track and DTS on the TE was huge so I just cannot buy this even though the Strength of Honor doc sounds great. Plus I'm sure that an HD-DVD version will be out in a year or so.

I think I will be able to refrain from double-dipping.

I love this movie and it sounds like it has enough extras to warrant my double-dipping. If it has DTS on it, all the better.

It will not have DTS.

yeah, no DTS for sure. I'm still gonna be getting it.

I'll be getting it, but will also keep my two disc.

Yup...a no-brainer here, too.

Yup, this is what I originally meant by the Daredevil reference...Josh that if you want the super duper mega edition of Gladiator, you'll wanna keep both the 2-disc Signature Series and the 3-disc Extended Edition, just as with the Daredevil Special Edition with the 2nd disc of extras, and the 1-disc Director's Cut that has the extra 30 minutes and practically no extras.

Had really nothing to do with the technicallities between calling one a director's cut and the other an extended version.

Well, why didn't ya just say that!

But there's still a big difference between a movie that was butchered (DD) and a movie that was a finely edited Oscar winner (Gladiator).

I do own the DD SE and the DD DC. I keep the SE for the fantastic extras and the DC for the great flick. But as we're yet to see if this extended cut is any sort of improvement, like I knew the DC would be since Johnson talked it up almost immediately after the movie was released, I'll wait for reviews.

And there was a hidden Rhino animation test in the first storyboard.

No DTS means no sale from me. Seamless branching should have made the DTS no problem so I'll definitely pass.

And you know this how, exactly?

I know, but I thought I made that abundantly clear the first time. But still your points well taken.

Let's count our blessings, I guess, that the DD-DC wasn't the 3-disc monster that was originally rumored.

Yes, re-reading your post, it is clear what you meant, you were referring to the DVD's, not the actual films themselves. Sorry for the confusion.

Um, Big Worms, thanks for the link but that has absolutely NOTHING to do with my question.