E Unit

If you're recording the Starz showing, I turned it on and noticed it want letterboxed, nor did it look cleaned up in any way. Very weird since the last time I turned it on months ago, it was letterboxed and very clean looking.

And who said its never going to happen? I'm sure it will at one point. There's been chatter it's supposed to come out on 4K and whatnot. And it's been confirmed The Abyss will be coming out on blu/4K.

JimRochester

I'm still waiting for the anamorphic 5-star collection version due in late 1999 or early 2000. Are they still working on that?

It's a good thing other consumer items don't depend on self-absorbed directors to oversee their release. We'd still be waiting on the latest version of the brick phone and the new 1999 Pontiacs should be hitting showroom floors any day now.

Why So Blu?

If it only came out in 4K how many of you would convert to the new format? Serious question. Would you go 4K for True Lies & The Abyss?

JimRochester

I didn't dislike The Abyss but I remember thinking it was good but didn't live up to the hype. So that leaves True Lies. When ever my system goes, 4K being the new standard of course I will but not before my TV craps the bed. That being said I got the Panasonic which I love back in 07 so it may go another 10 years, it may die in 10 minutes. The life expectancy claim is 100,000 hours which translates to 34 years. I don't see that happening.

OldBoy

The Abyss had been my second favorite movie, might have slipped a few notches, but still might be (have to check my list). Saw it in theater and was blown away. Really wish this would come out. I really enjoyed True Lies as well...

zyzzle

ABYSS used to be one of my favorites, still is, but now is to a lesser degree due to the arrogance and egotism of its director. I didn't know it was possible for such things to affect one's liking of a film decades after the fact, but there it is...

If we would ever get a proper release of the damn movie, with original theatrical color-timing intact, my opinion of him and the movie might be properly restored!

This, along with 4k releases of BLADE RUNNER, TERMINATOR, ALIENS, T2 (all non-tealified, and intact with film grain and original theatrical color-timing, of course!) would put me over the edge, and I'd gladly upgrade to 4k then. Not a moment before.

All of this is, probably a pipe dream, so no 4k conversion for me!

hanshotfirst1138

Maybe if it wasn't teal .

jjcool

For me, the answer is no. I enjoy The Abyss, but I didn't see it until I got the Special Edition DVD, so it doesn't hold any special memories from my childhood for me. I've watched it maybe twice since I got it, and don't really see a need to purpose another copy. On the other hand, True Lies I did see as a kid, and have fond memories of. That and Last Action Hero. I currently own both on dvd and have watched each probably about 10 times since I got the dvds. I probably should get the blue ray of Last Action Hero, and would buy a blue ray of True Lies, but neither would get me to buy a new TV, player or receiver, before my current ones shit the bed.

JZ1276

HDNet just played the theatrical cut of the Abyss in it's original aspect ratio & Dolby 5.1 with the HDNet logo only appearing 2 or 3 times throughout the film for a few seconds. I Tivo'd it, transferred to my PC & re-encoded to mkv & slightly shrunk it.
I've had my Tivo set to record it whenever it's on for the last 4 or 5 years & it's either been cropped to 16x9, 2 channel audio, or the channel's logo was displayed the entire time. Never once have I seen the Director's Cut aired though.
Still can't decide which version I prefer.

As far as True Lies, there is an excellent D-Theater version available if you know where to look that I have had for years. Of course, I'd prefer Blu Rays but I'm happy with these.

TheBang

D-Theater

True Lies was available for purchase in HD via Ultraviolet Disc-to-Digital for a couple years.

OldBoy

Since when? So if I have the DVD I can get the HDX version? Why can't that be purchased without disc?

TheBang

Note the past tense "was". It was available for D2D (yes, in HDX) from about 2013 to 2015. It was not available for purchase outside the D2D program, for unknown reasons. It was removed from D2D eligibility for unknown reasons sometime in 2015.

OldBoy

Eh, I'm watching it now taped from Starz. Looks and sounds good.

JZ1276

Why the 'LOL' for D-Theater? My D-Theater copy looks awesome. Quality is in between DVD & Blu. I'd post some screencaps but I'm not sure if that is allowed.

TheBang

Just the thought of anyone (besides Alan Smithee) seeking out an obsolete tape-based digital format.

I actually have a D-VHS deck, but no D-Theater titles.

GCS

Abyss still tops my list. I have always been into underwater stuff whether it be regular scuba diving or wreck diving or research work, it all fascinates me. The movie blew me away.

I also went and saw Abyss in the theater opening night. They had a special viewing for it where they brought some navy divers, researchers and sub drivers to talk about the movie and the tech in it. It was all fascinating as hell.

One other thing that happened (surely coincidence of course) but the scene where Lindsey drown in the freezing water it got super cold in the theater I mean downright freezing. It was really bizarre but enhanced what we were seeing on screen.

Will gladly purchase this on whatever HD format I can get it.

mrm1138

Apart from not agreeing with you on how I feel about the NTIs' motivations, I also don't remember them being as much of a presence in the theatrical cut, either. With the exception of the ending, however, I can't quite come up with any concrete reason as to why. Admittedly, I haven't watched the theatrical cut since the extended version was first released on VHS, but I remember that they were inadvertently responsible for the sinking of the submarine in the prologue, the water tentacle still showed up, and Coffey specifically sent the nuke to destroy them. All that said, I still didn't get the weight of their presence in the theatrical cut, most likely because everything felt so relatively rushed compared to the extended edition, and their arrival at the end felt like more of a deus ex machina than it should have. (Mind you, I first saw it when I was ten years old, and I felt that way.)

AaronSch

Yes, the key word here is "inadvertently." However, I actually prefer as you put it, "not feeling the weight of their presence" in reference to the "non-terrestrial intelligence", or "NTIs" in the theatrical cut. That's precisely why I believe it's the superior version. I prefer they be benevolent rather than malevolent. Otherwise, the film becomes far too preachy in the vein of "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

Steven Spielberg realized that "less was more" when he eventually excised the ridiculous scenes inside the mothership from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Special Edition" He realized it took away a sense of awe. I'm not someone who wants everything spelled out for me on screen. I prefer directors that are willing to leave something for the viewer's own imagination and allows them to draw their own conclusion.

Dan

Skip to 04:00.

Cameron says now that he's got 1000 Avatar sequels in motion, he has time to focus on True Lies and The Abyss.

I call bullshit.

E Unit

He's only been working on the Avatarded movies since 2007. And I thought there was another interview where he said he had already supervised some restoration work on those movies.

mattysemo247

A couple years ago Eliza Dushku also said she did a new commentary for it. So some shit has been in motion for True Lies for awhile now.

E Unit

Then there's this. Dollars to donuts we see Aliens 3D see the light of day BEFORE we see True Lies and Abyss in 4K or even blu.

Cameron revealed that pending a good reception to Terminator 2’s 3D release that Aliens would next on the agenda!

“We haven’t proven the business case yet so ask me again in a couple of weeks if T2 Judgement Day in 3D does well. I think the next title on my list, in terms of fan enthusiasm would probably have to be Aliens before I got to the other titles that you mentioned."

Aliens seems to really hold up in people’s minds and that would probably be my next one. But we’ve got to prove the business case here so people have to show up. So show up!”

http://facebook.com/story.php?story_...aliens%2F&_rdr

Dan

Fucking hell. Aliens in 3D? No. Stop it, James Cameron.

fumanstan

Ugh, screw 3D!

Grainy

I thought The Abyss was supposed to be out by now. There's a new(?) HD cable version out there of the short version, which looks good. Are they doing a new scan, or is something else holding it up?