Best price for Battle Royale?
 

I was wondering where is the cheapest place to buy Battle Royale?

Which version? Special edition (with more footage) or the original version?

The director's cut with DTS.

Well, some people are of the opinion that the original version is the "director's cut," the one the director prefers. The "special" version (i.e. the extended version) is apparently not technically his vision.

That said, there are several different releases of the extended version. The common ones are the UK PAL tin and the Korean Starmax version. IIRC, the Starmax has DTS, but the PAL tin does not. (I may be wrong.)

Here's a page detailing the special/director's cut releases:

http://www.battleroyalefilm.net/video/db2.html

The cheapest I've found the Starmax for (assuming that's the one you want) is $23.25 at YesAsia.com. Add another DVD or two to bring your total up to $39 for free shipping.

Thanks. Yeah the Korean one is the one I'm looking for. Heard the UK tin's video quality wasn't all that great.

The UK tin's PQ isn't the best apparently, but the special features are all subtitled. Also, the Korean release has awful subs for the additional scenes.

I don't have either of them yet, but I've been leaning toward the tin for the reasons above (subbed special features & quality subs).

I assume the Director's Cut is the -DIRECTOR'S CUT- because Kinji went and filmed the additional scenes... (not that I agree it's the best version).

The subs on the Korean DVD are "bolded" for the entire movie -not- just the additional scenes.

The extra features subbed on the UK Tin is the only good thing about the tin.

My favorite versions is the NTSC 5.1 Tartan Battle Royale DVD (Theatrical Cut) then the Korean Starmax dts Director's Cut NTSC DVD...

I sold my UK Tin awhile back since I didn't like the way the PAL->NTSC conversion looked on my system.

I have said it before, but I have no issues at all with my UK tin release. I think the PQ is fine and I like that the extras are subbed, that alone makes the UK version the best IMO (of the director cuts).

check out this comparison between the Tartan, Starmax and Cream. hopefully this puts to rest the "best PQ" debate.

linky

Apparently, according to information in the link I posted above, the subs on the Starmax release are horrid for the additional scenes. Horrid in terms of the translation, not the font. The font I could deal with, but atrocious translation I hate. Go HERE for specific details.

How did it look? The DVDBeaver comparision that feloosa posted (thanks) says that there is very little difference between PQ on the three different ones. And fnordboy says, in his opinion, the PQ of the UK tin is fine. However, the link I posted does say that there is a "'tracer/ghosting' effect throughout entire feature film as a result of film->NTSC->PAL conversion.' Can you elaborate?

It was more of a combing effect when the camera pans. Very annoying. The fault comes from the PAL -> NTSC conversion on my Malata going to my interlaced TV. None of the filters on the Malata could compensate for it, and the one that almost did substituted combing for shimmering. This annoys the yin-yang out of me. It's virtually intolerable.

That's why I settled for the NTSC versions of Battle Royale (Tartan 5.1 and Starmax).

Thanks for the clarification. The combing effect is like little black lines at the edges of things, right?

The Malatas apparently have issues with combing on interlaced TVs. I wonder if my Philips 727 hooked to an interlaced TV would have the same problem...?

Personally I think the R3 Univers disc is a great deal. It is really cheap, and has a pretty good picture quality and a good DTS track. It's is the way to go if you are blind buying this movie IMO.

u333.com

I've seen BR before, so I want either the Starmax or the UK tin for the "special" version. I thought I had made up my mind, but now I'm wondering...

Just make you more confused. The StarMax NTSC also has a strange combing effect as well -on my machine-. But, it's still better than the tin IMHO.

When I mention combing, I mean more of a "venetian blind' effect on object with a lot of edges. I am sure that doesn't help ;)

I'm going to guess that it is your Malata due to the Mediamatics (?) chip on an interlaced display. I hope. :)

Yes. You are correct. I think it's that and improper flagging on the discs. I am going to get a projector sooner or later, so the interlacing problems will disappear.

Again, it's a minor annoyance and shouldn't distract anyone from buying the Starmax NTSC.

Still, my personal favorite is the Tartan NTSC 5.1 Theatrical Cut.

I was actually leaning more towards the UK tin instead of the Starmax. :)