I picked it up because of the deal with Braveheart made it $8.00 after rebate. But now that's like taking $8 and throwing out the window when we have to buy the damn thing for the second time, third time overall

This is why you wait for reviews. Granted...I do pre order many BDs before they come out. This was one of them. This and Predator. And better believe once I heard and saw the caps...oh yeah...not buying this shit.

Nobody should be bitching if you went out and knowingly purchased the DNR version and now feel compelled to buy this one. Especially if you were one of the people who felt it was "good enough". You are the ones that make getting decent transfers difficult because you just buy whatever is out there no matter what it looks like. Unless you pre-ordered before reading any of the reviews, then deal with it. Sorry if I come across as nasty, but this place was a warzone when that BD came out with so many people making fun of "screenshot scientists". Looks like we were right in the end.

End of Rant

I'm just happy that there is finally a decent version of this film on BD for those of use who didn't spend money on a shit product.

I am not entirely disagreeing with you. That is why I buy so few these days and rent 90% of the time. But in this case there were some extenuating circumstances;

A) You really don't know how bad it is until you see it yourself. Many times the screenshots can pick out some poor scenes but overall the disc is still an upgrade over the DVD.

B) You didn't get the good price on Braveheart unless you bought Gladiator with it.

C) This is a case where they knew they were using an old master and still had the balls to release it as a "Saphire Series" which they were touting as a flagship for the studio. Had it just been a regular release with a remastered version later on people would still bitch about the double dipping but the studio would not have sullied the "Saphire" name. Saphire should be done right the first time.

Will gladly sell off the old one and pick this one up. Sure, would've been nice to get it right the first time, but I figured that release would be it for awhile, so I'd rather have Gladiator in my collection than none at all. Not sure why folks are so upset over $8 (I paid $16 I think), good grief are you that strapped for cash?

I'm curious if they release it as part of the Sapphire line (just replace the current shit copy) or if it's just another release...would be a shame if they sold the older one with the Sapphire banner but the better version was just a normal every day release.

It would be nice if they kept it the same and offered a replacement program like they did for one of the Matrix discs for those who already own it.

Matrix was Warner (and what was the screw up? Something about the audio? That would be a defect, the original Gladiator release is not defective per Paramount).

And since the format war is over, I have not seen any studio offer replacement discs for poor encodes (Sony did for The Fifth Element, Universal did for Combo titles being re-released as non-Combos). We've had several of these releases after the Format War ended, and not a single one offered a replacement (Gangs of NY, Terminator, Predator ((yeah, yeah)). It's just not going to happen unless the studio finds it to be defective. And by their accounts, Gladiator is not.

I'm expecting them to call it a "10th Anniversary Edition" and nothing else. Maybe they'll just discontinue the Sapphire release and sell off whatever stock is left.

It was a framing issue on a few scenes in the third movie I believe. They simply asked you for your purchase information and sent you a replacement disc. They even let you keep your old disc. This is customer service. This problem here is more along the lines of the 5th Element and I'm not sure how Sony dealt with it. Did they do a disc replacement program?

Yeah, it was defective (like BTTF DVD, Pirates of the Caribbean BD). For TFE, Sony offered replacements via mail and told consumers which version at retail was the 'new' one and which was the 'old' one. Of course, that was during the format war where the HD DVD group used the crappy TFE transfer as ammunition (even one of the "Insiders" said as much back in the day). I think Sony still claims it was 'defective' even though they used used a really crappy transfer. It was later remastered and that was the 'new' version currently available.

I managed to sell my crappy TFE for like $18 and bought the new version from Fry's for $10 when Sony was going nut-so on BOGOs.

I have 2 kids in college and was laid off from 3 jobs in 2 1/2 years so yes I am that strapped for cash. Had it not been for the wife's job we would have lost the house. We used to drive new cars we now have two 10 year old vehicles with 100,00 miles on them. Entertainment purchases are a big luxury for me so I don't like to waste it regardless of the amount. Any other questions or would you like to rub more salt in the wound?

I have to say, I really can't stand it any time anybody makes assumptions about anyone elses financial status around here. When people say things like, 'good lord are you really that strapped for cash', it's really pretty rude. Sorry, had to throw my two cents in.

I really don't care how they release this in the States. Sapphire or not, I'll be buying this. Is it a shame I have to double dip on Blu-ray so soon due to such a poor release? Absolutely, but Gladiator is my favorite film of all time and if they're going to give us a proper release, I'm going to take it. It would be AMAZING if they did a disc replacement program, yes, but I highly, HIGHLY doubt that's what they're going to do. The last release wasn't defective, it was just a piece of crap.

How was it defective other than the shitty transfer?

That comment was in relation to Matrix not TFE (I should have started a new paragraph, sorry).

TFE was a shitty transfer that Sony used so they could get more BD discs out to retail since HD DVD had a 2 month headstart and Paramount/Warner will still very much Red. I think the first batch of Sony titles were MPEG2, but Sony only owned up to TFE being crap since it was heavily advertised and used in demos. But it's been 4 years now so my memory is likely a bit hazy.

Jim, I gotta be honest, I think there's a lot of people out there that'd like to trade positions with you. Driving a 10yr vehicle with 100,000 miles on it isn't exactly something to complain about imo. Putting two kids thru college? My hat's off to you (there's no written rule that you have to do that btw). So, again....take a step back. Spending $8 on a movie? C'mon. In a perfect world it would've been a perfect release to begin with, but it isn't. Anyways, I didn't mean to come off as cold, or unsympathetic, but you're doing just fine man.

I have no kids so I can spend my money all on meeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

I have to pay for college, work a full-time job (w/ some awesome benefits that most kids my age don't get), to fuel my movie obsession! It's the only way I can't make it easier for myself! Work from within the studio system and then buy as many movies as I want AND not have to pay for the (hopefully) cool flicks I make. YEAHHH!

What is this a Monty Python sketch?

Well, considering I'm only out the cost of a stamp sending in the rebate form (got the BD during Wal Mart's Black Friday for $10), I'll bite on any new edition.

Wouldn't it be financially better for you to rent then instead of buying movies?

I've got to disagree with you on that one. The screenshots showed how awful the transfer was and even showed how some arrows were digitally erased from the picture. That, to me, is not an upgrade over the DVD. I can understand you being upset about having to buy it again, but if you were happy enough with the current version, then why bother spending more money on the new one?

Yeah, this financial discussion is really better off in the Other Forum, if you're gonna do it.

If anyone posts anything else along those lines, I'm going to split it all off in a new thread and move it to Other.

This (apparent) remastered Gladiator is good news for me. I bought the old release for $10 on Black Friday but couldn't bring myself to open it, given the negative PQ reviews and the screencaps. So I sold it a couple of months later for a $5 profit.