Any difference between Uk and French Brotherhood of the Wolf?

[ShinLupinSan]

So I noticed a few shops still have the UK version of this film, and I was wondering if there was any difference between the UK and French versions. I already have the French version, but I wouldn't mind at all dropping the cash for the UK version if there were any additional features. Anyone know?

EDIT: On a side note, did Gans' Crying Freeman ever get an HD release anywhere?

[Josh Z]

Same disc. Different cover art.

[ShinLupinSan]

Originally Posted by Josh Z

Same disc. Different cover art.

Cool, thanks!

[docmanjay2]

Originally Posted by ShinLupinSan

So I noticed a few shops still have the UK version of this film, and I was wondering if there was any difference between the UK and French versions. I already have the French version, but I wouldn't mind at all dropping the cash for the UK version if there were any additional features. Anyone know?

EDIT: On a side note, did Gans' Crying Freeman ever get an HD release anywhere?

i remembered reading from the review on this site about the uk version of this film which i know was put out by Optimum not studio canal like the french version...i bought the uk version becuase it has the directors cut...i'm not sure the french one does.......the wording in the review quote from below it seams to implie that the director cut was only avaible on the dvd....maybe someone who has the french version can confirm?

review quote

(Note that this British HD DVD release is pretty poorly mislabeled. Not only are the wrong audio tracks specified on the back of the box [see below for more on that], but the film's runtime is listed as 134 minutes, which would seem to would indicate that it is the trimmed UK version of the film, which excised about 8 minutes of footage from the film's original 142-minute runtime. In fact, this is the 150-minute Director's Cut of the film, which was previously released on standard-def DVD. Why Optimum World did not choose to advertise this very marketable extra remains a mystery.)

[ShinLupinSan]

Originally Posted by docmanjay2

i remembered reading from the review on this site about the uk version of this film which i know was put out by Optimum not studio canal like the french version...i bought the uk version becuase it has the directors cut...i'm not sure the french one does.......the wording in the review quote from below it seams to implie that the director cut was only avaible on the dvd....maybe someone who has the french version can confirm?

review quote

(Note that this British HD DVD release is pretty poorly mislabeled. Not only are the wrong audio tracks specified on the back of the box [see below for more on that], but the film's runtime is listed as 134 minutes, which would seem to would indicate that it is the trimmed UK version of the film, which excised about 8 minutes of footage from the film's original 142-minute runtime. In fact, this is the 150-minute Director's Cut of the film, which was previously released on standard-def DVD. Why Optimum World did not choose to advertise this very marketable extra remains a mystery.)

I checked out my french version, the packaging states the run time is 142 minutes which is accurate if you exclude the closing credits. Including the credits the film actually runs 150 minutes....so I assume these versions are identical. Unless someone wants to pop in the UK version and see what the run time is when the credits begin to pop up and verify otherwise...

[kch2003]

Noice, I love this movie. Where can one find each copy?

[docmanjay2]

Originally Posted by kch2003

Noice, I love this movie. Where can one find each copy?

http://xploitedcinema.com/catalog/br...e-p-11239.html

[kannisto]

Originally Posted by docmanjay2

i remembered reading from the review on this site about the uk version of this film which i know was put out by Optimum not studio canal like the french version...i bought the uk version becuase it has the directors cut...i'm not sure the french one does.......the wording in the review quote from below it seams to implie that the director cut was only avaible on the dvd....maybe someone who has the french version can confirm?

review quote

(Note that this British HD DVD release is pretty poorly mislabeled. Not only are the wrong audio tracks specified on the back of the box [see below for more on that], but the film's runtime is listed as 134 minutes, which would seem to would indicate that it is the trimmed UK version of the film, which excised about 8 minutes of footage from the film's original 142-minute runtime. In fact, this is the 150-minute Director's Cut of the film, which was previously released on standard-def DVD. Why Optimum World did not choose to advertise this very marketable extra remains a mystery.)

Optimum's disc is the same as Studio Canal's when it comes to the disc content. The French release is the director's cut too. We had some comparison discussions in AVS forum earlier and they were found out to be exactly the same. Runtime was identical etc.

[Josh Z]

Originally Posted by kannisto

Optimum's disc is the same as Studio Canal's when it comes to the disc content. The French release is the director's cut too. We had some comparison discussions in AVS forum earlier and they were found out to be exactly the same. Runtime was identical etc.

Both the French and UK releases are the 152-minute Director's Cut. Both copies have mislabeled packaging. The packaging references the run times of the sped-up PAL DVD releases (further, the UK DVD is censored). The HD DVDs are not censored, have no speed-up, and run at the proper length with all Director's Cut content intact.

[kdigit0l]

Old thread revival!

I have presently have 2 copies of Brotherhood: 1 UK and 1 French.

The story: I traded away the first copy I had (French) and regretted the trade immediately. I subsequently bought another copy. The replacement copy that came in the mail (also French) was in a badly cracked, non-original case (Warner-style, complete with Warner inserts). I wanted the disc to be in an original-stlye case, so I bought another copy (the 3rd copy if you're keeping track) just to see what the original style case should have looked like. I couldn't remember what the case from the first copy I traded away looked like - so I had to find a copy to compare against. The plan was to replace the badly damaged case with an original style case then to resell 1 of the copies since I only need 1 copy for my collection. To my suprise when the next copy (copy 3) of the disc came in the mail, I found it to be a UK copy, not a French copy.

So here's the dilema: The UK and French editions of this disc are slightly different. The cover art, disc case, and printing on the disc are different, the content is the same. Do I keep both or sell/trade one of them? I'm kind of tempted to keep both, but I really don't need more than 1.

If decide to sell/trade 1, which 1 do I keep?

Is one version more rare than the other?

What stlye case does the french version actually come with from the manufacturer?

Thanks for input!

[bruceames]

I think it's just a matter of personal preference which one you keep. Favoring the French release, it's a French movie and it was also released first in France. On the other, the UK case is in English and it's a thicker case as well. I don't know which, if any, is more collectable or rare, but I would keep the French one. As for keeping both, I personally don't collect HD DVDs that are the same disc but different disc art (otherwise that would leave about 1,500 more for me to collect ), since my interest in collecting is in the uniqueness of the discs themselves (but there are exceptions, mainly with the box sets such as Forbidden Planet and the Blade Runner suitcase). Hope this helps.

[kdigit0l]

Thanks for weighing in on the question bruce.

I know I'll sell/trade 1 copy, but I'm still not sure which 1. I like your point about not collecting mutiples of the same disc with different cover art. This same situation happened to me with another disc, and I had the same semi-anxiety over parting with the duplicate copy. I just needed some help being pushed in the right direction.

Do you know what the original French version case looks like? Is it the Universal style with the flap? The old Warner with the feet? The newer style Warner/Paramount?

If anyone can answer that question, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

[kannisto]

This is a quick and dirty mobile phone pic of the original French release, I had it pre-ordered from Amazon France and it shipped around the time when it was first released.



It's a thin Elite case, no legs, no flap.

I prefer the French releases of the Studio Canal HD DVDs as well, they feel more original and I don't like the thicker UK cases so much and UK ratings logos are not desirable if there's an option without them. I think the UK discs have also been available in more volumes internationally and with cheaper prices.

[kdigit0l]

Kannisto - Thanks for the pic!

You're spot on about those ratings logos; I think they're plain ugly. Also, I remember a $15 sale of the Brotherhood UK edition, so you're probably right on the availability/cheaper prices on the UK edition as well.

I think I'll be keeping the French edition and post the UK version for sale/trade.

Thanks for your input!