Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
03-06-12, 12:36 AM
#77
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
First review is up: http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/6270..._complete.html
TL;DR:
TL;DR:
- The transfer is a replica of what was seen on Arrow's three-disc set.
- The Dolby Digital TrueHD 7.1 remixes are huge improvements upon any previous Blu-ray or DVD release.
- Battle Royale II looks and sounds amazing.
- The bonus materials are incomplete as I mentioned in an earlier post. 125 minutes of bonus materials exist on Anchor Bay's fourth disc (a DVD). Arrow's set has 170 minutes of bonus materials. Battle Royale II gets the short end of the stick with no extended cut nor bonus materials.
03-06-12, 07:15 PM
#79
DVD Talk Limited Edition
The "why?!" in that cracked me up.
03-07-12, 06:14 PM
#81
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
Famed archivist Robert Harris wrote this on that other forum we all hate Home Theater Forum:
Source
Not to be a dick, but:
Anchor Bay has released Kinji Fukasaku's 2000 Battle Royale, a move that will have many fans on line toward a purchase. This future sci-fi mini-epic, which would be the predecessor of The Hunger Games (opening March 23 in the U.S.)
In some ways, this lowish budget Japanese production, which pits students against one another in a battle to the death, makes a film like Kill Bill look almost calm.
This is the first time that a home video product of decent quality has been made available, and Anchor Bay's very nicely packaged set includes both the cut and un-cut version of the film on separate discs, in addition to the sequel and a fourth disc of extras.
Quality-wise, I believe fans of the film will be thrilled, as the new Blu-ray is nicely produced, from quality elements, albeit not from what appears to be a new transfer. Resolution is very acceptable, and grain, which looks just a bit diminished, may be down by a second generation element.
I have no idea what this film should sound like, but the track is uncompressed Dolby TrueHD.
Personally, while I can think of more pleasurable way of spending my time than watching a group of teens kill one another, I'm the first to admit that I am not the target audience (no pun intended) for this film.
Battle Royale is a quality package of a film for which many fans have been waiting. They're going to be more than pleased.
RAH
In some ways, this lowish budget Japanese production, which pits students against one another in a battle to the death, makes a film like Kill Bill look almost calm.
This is the first time that a home video product of decent quality has been made available, and Anchor Bay's very nicely packaged set includes both the cut and un-cut version of the film on separate discs, in addition to the sequel and a fourth disc of extras.
Quality-wise, I believe fans of the film will be thrilled, as the new Blu-ray is nicely produced, from quality elements, albeit not from what appears to be a new transfer. Resolution is very acceptable, and grain, which looks just a bit diminished, may be down by a second generation element.
I have no idea what this film should sound like, but the track is uncompressed Dolby TrueHD.
Personally, while I can think of more pleasurable way of spending my time than watching a group of teens kill one another, I'm the first to admit that I am not the target audience (no pun intended) for this film.
Battle Royale is a quality package of a film for which many fans have been waiting. They're going to be more than pleased.
RAH
Not to be a dick, but:
- "This is the first time that a home video product of decent quality has been made available." I disagree. Tartan's (now long out-of-print) NTSC edition of the film presented it in anamorphic widescreen, Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and proper subtitles. Until Arrow came out with their massive three-disc Blu-ray set, the Tartan DVD was the only way to properly watch the film.
- "Quality-wise, I believe fans of the film will be thrilled, as the new Blu-ray is nicely produced, from quality elements, albeit not from what appears to be a new transfer." As HDD already confirmed in their review, Anchor Bay's release looks identical to Arrow's release. I would bet Toei has supplied the same, exact transfer to companies worldwide. Except for their own release in Japan where their transfer comes from the remaster used to produce the 3D version. However, that release is smeared with DNR.
- "I'm the first to admit that I am not the target audience (no pun intended) for this film." Yeah, because you're an elitist. While the book the film was adapted from has more political elements, the film takes a far more satirical approach. I don't think you have to be in the film's "target audience" (whatever the fuck that is) to enjoy the film for what it is.
03-08-12, 04:48 AM
#82
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
I doubt Harris is going to mention all the other versions out there when Anchor Bay's is the first US release of the film and that's what he would obviously focus on.
03-08-12, 05:34 AM
#83
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
03-09-12, 04:29 AM
#84
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
Unfortunately I see them having that ideal. And that's cause they're no doubt being bombarded with "Battle Royale was first" notices on their message boards.
Which is as it should be.
03-09-12, 05:49 AM
#85
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
So, when a review or whatever says it's the first time being available, they either don't know it's available somewhere else in the world, or they really mean it's the first time it's widely available.
03-09-12, 09:16 AM
#86
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
So he's indicating he's aware of previous releases, all of which have been elsewhere in the world. And he's wrong about those previous releases.
03-09-12, 06:08 PM
#87
Cool New Member
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
Have to say I'm quite happy with my Arrow Limited Edition copy. I'll wait for the blu-ray.com review to see if I should jump at this. Also, I'm not able to view the bonus materials on my copy so that might sway me.
03-10-12, 02:34 AM
#88
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
Did you try it in your computer? Many CD drives are not region locked. I use VLC Viewer and the bonus materials work fine.
03-10-12, 02:00 PM
#90
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
Fuck. If you have an Xbox 360, it's capable of converting PAL to NTSC, so any region free PAL DVD will work on that too.
03-13-12, 08:12 PM
#91
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Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
Just a heads up for anyone who might want it a week early the Bluray and Dvd version of Battle Royale is out at some FYE stores. Not the Special Edition with the second movie but just the basic version. I've seen them at multiple FYE stores in the Erie, PA and Buffalo, NY regions myself. The Bluray was $22 and the dvd was $17 (which honestly didnt seem right at all and even their site has them listed at higher prices that I would expect FYE to sell at and listed as preorder).
03-13-12, 11:04 PM
#92
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
03-14-12, 02:43 PM
#93
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Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
Did anybody do the $19.99 pre-order from Amazon for 1 & 2 but is thinking about canceling it because they don't want both parts? I'll pay you the $19.99 and you can have it shipped directly to me, if you're interested. PM me if you fit this description. 
03-14-12, 04:04 PM
#95
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
More importantly, the single-disc is of the inferior "Director's Cut", so you have to buy the collection in order to get the theatrical cut. Not to mention all the extras on the 4th disc in the collection, while the single disc edition has no extras.
03-14-12, 06:11 PM
#96
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
FYE is selling the four-disc set at $24.99 ($5 more than Amazon's brief pre-order price) and is available in stores this instant.
The Anchor Bay transfer looks like its pulled from the same HD master, but with better color accuracy.
Really, at this point, I'm paying $19.99 for the fancy packaging and... I guess Battle Royale II...
The Anchor Bay transfer looks like its pulled from the same HD master, but with better color accuracy.
Really, at this point, I'm paying $19.99 for the fancy packaging and... I guess Battle Royale II...
04-03-12, 10:36 PM
#97
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
For those of you who haven't bought the set yet, it looks like the digibook packaging of the set is now OOP as all future printings are in a standard Viva Elite Blu-ray case.
04-04-12, 11:18 PM
#98
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Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
I ended up with one of those from Family Video. Not sure if I want to keep it or not since I mostly bought it for the sweet packaging. I was pondering making an Amazon or BB order and hoping they send me the OOP version, then I could return this since it's the same UPC, but I don't know if they're already out of stock of not.
Unless someone here wants to trade...
Unless someone here wants to trade...
04-05-12, 09:41 AM
#100
Suspended
Re: Battle Royale 1&2 (Anchor Bay) (3-20-2012)
I ended up with one of those from Family Video. Not sure if I want to keep it or not since I mostly bought it for the sweet packaging. I was pondering making an Amazon or BB order and hoping they send me the OOP version, then I could return this since it's the same UPC, but I don't know if they're already out of stock of not.
Unless someone here wants to trade...
Unless someone here wants to trade...