Spartacus: Import Edition

[gamefoo21]

I was wondering if anyone has seen this?

I know the domestic copy got slammed, because it flat out sucked. But the Euro-version has "Uncut and Fully Restored" slap on it's cover. Something the domestic never did, not as far as I can tell.

Would this be like how FMJ was? Just we never got the re-released better edition.

Thinking about bringing it in.

[HD-DVD_4_Me]

Originally Posted by gamefoo21

I was wondering if anyone has seen this?

I know the domestic copy got slammed, because it flat out sucked. But the Euro-version has "Uncut and Fully Restored" slap on it's cover. Something the domestic never did, not as far as I can tell.

Would this be like how FMJ was? Just we never got the re-released better edition.

Thinking about bringing it in.

I've got it. I wondered the same thing when I was debating on ordering it. I hadn't seen the movie (ever) and wanted it to complete my Kubrick collection, and with it only being about $10 or so from the "beat the bomb" sale @ ezyDVD, I caved and got it.

I can say almost for sure it has to be the same as the US version. I never saw the US version, but the AUS version is by far the grain-iest I own and much of the picture is rather soft. True the film is very old, but it really does look like crap when you've seen 2001, Blade Runner, Forbidden Planet, Adventures of Robin Hood, etc.

Also from the runtime listed in the HDD review it matches my AUS version. Personally, although the transfer is crap and I didn't like the movie THAT much, I don't regret the purchase since I didn't have the SD-DVD. If you can get it for less than $15 and don't have it in another format I'd do that or wait for a possible BD release. If you do have it on SD-DVD already I'd personally skip the or wait for a BD with (possibly) a better encode.

EDIT:
From IMDB:

184 min (premiere version) / Sweden:187 min (1968 re-release) / UK:197 min (1991 re-release) / USA:161 min (1967 re-release) / USA:198 min (1991 restored version)

So the uncut is really only 13 minutes longer than the theatrical, but both US and AUS versions are the same length (uncut 197). And they probably just threw in "fully restored" for marketing hype since it has been restored for , but not a 2nd time yet (like FMJ).

[bruceames]

I don't think Australian releases for any movie have anything unique as far as PQ/AQ or extras. Only the packaging is different AFAIK.