Dawn of the Dead: Ultimate Edition..."European Cut" is really theatrical cut...
09-07-05, 06:42 PM
#1
DVD Talk Limited Edition
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Dawn of the Dead: Ultimate Edition..."European Cut" is really theatrical cut...
Okay, here's my problem. I rented the European Version of Dawn of the Dead from Blockbuster online. They send me the disc, it says "European Version" on it. But it's really the US Theatrical Cut once I play the disc. So it's the fault of Anchor Bay for mispackaging it, not Blockbuster's fault.
I alerted Blockbuster of the problem so they don't re-send this disc to anyone. But i'm curious...was this a widespread problem when the film was released, or did I just happen to get a bad copy? I'm curious what my chances are of getting the US cut again when they re-send me a new copy tomorrow.
I alerted Blockbuster of the problem so they don't re-send this disc to anyone. But i'm curious...was this a widespread problem when the film was released, or did I just happen to get a bad copy? I'm curious what my chances are of getting the US cut again when they re-send me a new copy tomorrow.
09-08-05, 12:23 AM
#2
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
I watched the European Cut and thought I didn't see anything different...
Interesting that this hasn't come up until now, like a year after the ultimate edition's release
Interesting that this hasn't come up until now, like a year after the ultimate edition's release
09-08-05, 04:56 AM
#4
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Thread Starter
The menu says "US THEATRICAL CUT"...The DVD disc itself says "European Version" on it.
Anchor Bay sent out this disc with the theatrical cut on it, but it says European Version on the covering of the DVD itself.
I was just wondering whether this was a widespread problem with the discs, but I guess it's just an isolated thing since nobody knows about it.
Anchor Bay sent out this disc with the theatrical cut on it, but it says European Version on the covering of the DVD itself.
I was just wondering whether this was a widespread problem with the discs, but I guess it's just an isolated thing since nobody knows about it.
09-08-05, 10:18 AM
#5
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That's weird... the version that's in the UE (the European Argento cut) is quite different. It cuts out most of the humor, replaces the score with almost all Goblin stuff (replacing much of the library music), and most noticeably to me, removed the helicopter vs. zombie scene. It supposedly added a little gore, but I didn't notice it, and I've seen the US theatrical cut upwards of 20 times, director's cut a few times (I prefer the US theatrical cut).
Check to see if the zombie vs. copter scene is there, that's a good indicator.
Check to see if the zombie vs. copter scene is there, that's a good indicator.
09-08-05, 11:19 AM
#6
DVD Talk Limited Edition
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No...ARGH... Okay, you guys aren't listening to what i'm saying.
The disc on the OUTSIDE is labeled as the EUROPEAN VERSION. It isn't.
Anchor Bay put THE US THEATRICAL CUT on the movie part of the disc. I played the commentary, and it is the GEORGE ROMERO commentary, that is only on the US THEATRICAL CUT. The DVD menu says "US THEATRICAL CUT".
However, the printed artwork on the DVD cd itself says European Version.
As I said previously , I guess this has already answered my question. Since nobody has heard of this happening, this appears to be an isolated case.
The disc on the OUTSIDE is labeled as the EUROPEAN VERSION. It isn't.
Anchor Bay put THE US THEATRICAL CUT on the movie part of the disc. I played the commentary, and it is the GEORGE ROMERO commentary, that is only on the US THEATRICAL CUT. The DVD menu says "US THEATRICAL CUT".
However, the printed artwork on the DVD cd itself says European Version.
As I said previously , I guess this has already answered my question. Since nobody has heard of this happening, this appears to be an isolated case.
09-08-05, 12:28 PM
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This is probably an isolated mistake. I once bought a copy of Halloween that actually contained Halloween 4 (big difference there). I suggest going to Anchor Bay's website and looking for contact info - I had my DVD replaced with little difficulty, and they even gave me a free DVD as an apology.
09-08-05, 05:42 PM
#9
DVD Talk Hero
I checked mine and it's okay. Maybe it was a newer batch that got screwed up since people would've noticed right off the bat on release day.
Ask Blockbuster if you can buy it, then sell it on eBay for fun and profit
Ask Blockbuster if you can buy it, then sell it on eBay for fun and profit
12-10-05, 11:53 PM
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(Bumping this, it's the best one I found while searching)
Can anyone tell me if the audio on the 137 minute version is different than the 2004 release? The price difference isn't much, so I'm trying to get an answer to this before I buy.
vs. 
I found this site while researching which version to get. It doesn't look like an isolated incident, or the site wouldn't even mention it.
Can anyone tell me if the audio on the 137 minute version is different than the 2004 release? The price difference isn't much, so I'm trying to get an answer to this before I buy.
vs. I found this site while researching which version to get. It doesn't look like an isolated incident, or the site wouldn't even mention it.
Anchor Bay’s 1997 DVD billed itself as the “Original Director’s Cut,” even though it was actually the 137-minute pre-release cut that Romero had prepared for a film festival screening, without the final ADR and finished soundtrack mix.
Anchor Bay sought to rectify the situation in 1999, when they released a second DVD, labeled the “U.S. Theatrical Cut.” However, through some kind of accident, the first reel of the pre-release cut was put on the DVD, so that fans were surprised to see that this so-called “theatrical cut” contained snippets of footage that they had not seen in theatres! Finally, in 2004 (which saw the release of the DAWN remake), a correct version of the 1979 theatrical cut became available on DVD, loaded with extras like audio commentary..
Anchor Bay sought to rectify the situation in 1999, when they released a second DVD, labeled the “U.S. Theatrical Cut.” However, through some kind of accident, the first reel of the pre-release cut was put on the DVD, so that fans were surprised to see that this so-called “theatrical cut” contained snippets of footage that they had not seen in theatres! Finally, in 2004 (which saw the release of the DAWN remake), a correct version of the 1979 theatrical cut became available on DVD, loaded with extras like audio commentary..
Last edited by ShallowHal; 12-10-05 at 11:56 PM.
12-11-05, 01:53 AM
#11
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
The audio is different since they are two totally different versions of the film. That quote you posted says it all.
The 137 minute version includes a temp audio track. Meanwhile the 2004 dvd release of the real theatrical(+ is the real directors cut for that matter) contains the final audio mix...and is superior in my opinion.
The 137 minute version includes a temp audio track. Meanwhile the 2004 dvd release of the real theatrical(+ is the real directors cut for that matter) contains the final audio mix...and is superior in my opinion.
12-11-05, 02:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Julie Walker
The audio is different since they are two totally different versions of the film. That quote you posted says it all.
12-11-05, 08:29 AM
#13
DVD Talk Limited Edition
I got this set last year, and have only gotten around to watching the US Theatrical version. I just put in the European Version disc to check, and the menus state European, so it looks like I'm safe.
Like you said, it's probably an isolated issue since there hasn't been any talk about it until now.
Like you said, it's probably an isolated issue since there hasn't been any talk about it until now.
12-11-05, 03:19 PM
#14
DVD Talk Limited Edition
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If i'm not mistaken, isn't this version spread over 2 sides of the disc, therefore you have to flip the disc in order to watch the full movie? That kinda sucks. I'd go with the other one.
spread over 2 sides of the disc, therefore you have to flip the disc in order to watch the full movie? That kinda sucks. I'd go with the other one.
12-11-05, 11:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Seantn
If i'm not mistaken, isn't this version spread over 2 sides of the disc, therefore you have to flip the disc in order to watch the full movie? That kinda sucks. I'd go with the other one.
spread over 2 sides of the disc, therefore you have to flip the disc in order to watch the full movie? That kinda sucks. I'd go with the other one.