ECHO7

So looks like in August Robocop is being re-released in a new 2 disc set with both the uncut version found on the Criterion disc and that rated version. I just bought the Criterion disc last week and found the re-release info yesterday. Can anyone tell me what the new re-release will have that the Criterion doesnt?

emachine12

The main things are...

DTS & Dolby 5.1 Sound.

Anamorphic Widescreen.

Plus...

Commentary with the filmmakers.

Retrospective featurette with Peter Weller interviews (created in 2001).

2 Original EPKs.

Both the R-rated and X-rated versions of the film.

3 three featurettes.

Trailers, TV spots, deleted scenes, and animatic comparison.

The Criterion DVD is non-anamorphic with Dolby Surround sound, filmmaker commentary (edited from audio interviews), and A/V enhanced CineFex article.

bluetoast

Time out. So this has more than the Criterion?

PopcornTreeCt

I would hope it would have more. The Criterion came out almost 9 years ago.

bluetoast

True...this appears to be another Spinal Tapesque release then. I'll be looking forward to it.

shacmasta

Sold!!

Seriously. I'm looking forward to this after reading your post.

Dane Marvin

The steelbook release coming up will be the definitive edition. Criterion or no Criterion. End of story.

riotinmyskull

so the steelbook will have the unrated version after all?

billz

Not sure it's an actual steelbook, by the looks of it on Amazon.

Edit: Okay DVDEmpire lists it as such.

Dan Average

I hope they fix the goofy color scheme from the previous MGM releases. I'm not too confident though.

gorgo99

I thought the version that came with the trilogy pack WAS the unrated version?

Josh Z

Seconded. MGM's last DVD looked like a cartoon version of the movie, with glowing orange and red flesh tones and every color absurdly oversaturated.

Nick Martin

Yes that's right. So far RoboCop has seen the following releases on standard DVD:

-Image Entertainment (Theatrical, Non-Anamorphic, 2.0 sound, no extras)

-Criterion Collection (Unrated, Non-Anamorphic, 2.0 sound, in-depth extras)

-MGM regular release (Theatrical, Anamorphic, 5.1 sound, trailer)

-MGM Trilogy release (Unrated, Anamorphic, 5.1 sound, many extras listed in the above posts)

-MGM RoboCop/Terminator 2-pack (RoboCop is the same as the MGM regular release)

-Fox/MGM Lenticular cover (same as MGM regular release)

-Steelbook 2 disc 20th Anniversary (Theatrical AND Unrated, Anamorphic, 5.1 Dolby/DTS, extras same as Trilogy release, in addition to new extras as well)

I think that's all of them.

OldBoy

i sold my Criterion in anticipation of this vastly superior release. superior in sound and picture and extras. the Criterion is useless when this one comes out.

Egon's Ghost

I can't wait for the new steelbook--I'm glad I held out all these years on buying any Robocop, and avoided the Criterion, now that I have a widescreen monitor. The Criterion, of course, has the 1.66:1 aspect ratio and arguably better colors, but that's not enough for me to pay $35 minimum for a 9-year-old letterboxed DVD.

IamLegend

So there is no reason to keep the Criterion?

GreenVulture

Outside of the commentary (which was exceptional), what in-depth extras?

As it was mentioned above, some people have issues with MGM's color scheme for their Robocop DVD. They recently reissued the movie in a lenticular case, which you can see examples of here (as well as the Criterion, Image and old MGM discs), but that doesn't mean they won't redo the video again for the new steelbook DVD:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare3/robocop.htm

Nick Martin

I don't know, I've only read about that Criterion DVD quite a bit and the extras sounded short but better than the usual promotional fare. If they aren't all that great, then they aren't.

GreenVulture

Like I said above, the commentary is outstanding, but the majority of the other extras are pretty standard (trailers, storyboards, etc.). The only other "notable" extra is an "interactive" magazine article...but sweet Christ, that thing is impossible to get through; why, yes, I would LOVE to read twenty pages worth of text about a 5-second title sequence. I've tried about five times to get through the article and have given up each time.

Not helping is the fact that this was designed with laserdiscs in mind, where you could easily skip frames; no such luck with a DVD. Criterion really should have put an index on that thing when they made the DVD.

Dr. Forrester

I'll add my voice to the chorus of "that Criterion Robocop collection is fantastic." Far and away one of absolute favorite commentaries: insightful (but never pretentious) on the themes and symbolism found in the film, in-depth on all aspects of the production, and hardly any lengthy pauses. Verhoven's off-the-chart energy for the film is nicely balanced by the more laid back and slightly bemused tone Neumeier and Davison take.

If you're a big fan of the film, it's more than worth it. And don't be fooled into thinking "Oh, it's the same three guys on the MGM commentary. I'll just get that." The MGM version isn't nearly as detailed with all three going to numerous tangents completely unrelated to the film (and not in a fun Carpenter-Russell "Hey, how's your kid's hockey career going?" way), skipping over a number of fascinating things that are discussed in the Criterion commentary, and interacting way more with one another other than they are in engaging the film.

Plus, I greatly prefer the muted palette of the Criterion DVD. The MGM just looks too bright and shining to give me the gritty "Old Detroit" feel that Robcop needs.

GreenVulture

Huh. I never watched the MGM DVD and assumed that since the participants were the same, MGM managed to license the commentary from Criterion since it was OOP; it's been done before for the Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Boogie Nights and Raging Bull.

Dr. Forrester

It is indeed the case they're completely different: for the Criterion disc, screen-specific comments from the three were recorded separately then edited together to make the commentary, while MGM recorded all three in the same room.

Personally, unless there's a strong personal history between the participants (like the Carpenter-Russell commentaries I mentioned before), I find I tend to prefer the edited interviews option; it gives the editor the chance to cherry-pick the best comments that might have otherwise been drowned out, and fawning "you did this so well!" comments are kept to a bare minimum.

Matthew Ackerly

Its a Criterion, that's reason enough to keep it.

I have the Criterion and I'll be buying the upcoming release as well.

bareva

I like it.

GreenVulture

That's a pretty stupid reason, to be honest. Keep it for the commentary.

You'll find no argument from me there. I'll always take edited commentaries over get-together talkfests. A lot of people prefer the latter, especially if it involves part of the cast, but in my experience, that usually leads to awkward silences, lame jokes and barely related anecdotes. I just want to hear how and why the movie was made, dammit.

It is nice cover, but the minimalist, metal Criterion cover is still the best. And you should've typed that out like Emil in the movie after testing out his BFG: "I LIKE IT!"