Though amazon.co.uk still insists the HD-DVD version of BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF isn't available until 30 September, UK retailer sendit.com is reporting the disc is now 'in stock' and ready for shipping:

http://www.sendit.com/video/item/7001000131524

I recently cancelled my order from Amazon when this delay was announced, given how long I was being asked to wait for the disc to be released, but this news seems to contradict Amazon's claim. I'll be placing an order with Sendit very soon.

I loved this movie!

I'll definitely be checking it out

I received my copy this morning from another retailer, Movies and Games Online (http://www.moviesandgamesonline.co.uk/xcart/catalog/category_879_HD_orderby0_page_1.html), I think they also ship to the US. I ordered it together with Mulholland Drive (not yet delivered) and used Google Checkout to get £10 off. Can't tell you what it's like yet but once I've seen it I'll repost.

I received my copy this morning from another retailer, Movies and Games Online (http://www.moviesandgamesonline.co.uk/xcart/catalog/category_879_HD_orderby0_page_1.html), I think they also ship to the US. I ordered it together with Mulholland Drive (not yet delivered) and used Google Checkout to get £10 off. Can't tell you what it's like yet but once I've seen it I'll repost.
Very interested to hear about the pitch issue in particular.

Does anyone know what's up with the UK releases audio options? Optimum just lists it as Dolby Digital 5.1. I have also run into a shop entry saying DTS HD MA for English and DTS HD HR for French.

Plus, does the French release have French DTS HD MA?

My copy lists audio options as DTS-HD Hi-Resolution Audio: French 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio: English 5.1 Dubbed

Noob question: Having not heard/seen the original release how will I tell if the pitch is higher unless everyone sounds like they've been inhaling helium? Is it that obvious?

My copy lists audio options as DTS-HD Hi-Resolution Audio: French 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio: English 5.1 Dubbed

Noob question: Having not heard/seen the original release how will I tell if the pitch is higher unless everyone sounds like they've been inhaling helium? Is it that obvious?
Having not seen the film before would make it more difficult. Maybe if you've seen Mark Docascos in something else like The Crow TV series you could compare his voice? I don't know, that's a good question.

I just finished watching the French version. Was surprised that actual run time according to player was 2:30:12 which makes it 150+ minutes, although it is stated as 142 minutes in the back cover (theatrical version's run time according to IMDB).

The UK version is stated to be 137 minutes (UK cut I suppose).

Audio sounded fine to me. In Basic Instinct the pitch-offset was quite noticeable.

French version has DTS-HD MA 5.1 (French) and no other audio tracks. English subs are available when UI language mode is set to English and not there when mode is French.

Could Canary_Jules check the actual run time of the UK version based on player's indication of run time?

Kannisto and Canary_Jules,

Can you each check this link (after having watched the movie) and verify which cut of the movie each HD DVD is?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0237534/alternateversions

Are the French and UK releases really different cuts, or did Studio Canal use the same master?

Kannisto and Canary_Jules,

Can you each check this link (after having watched the movie) and verify which cut of the movie each HD DVD is?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0237534/alternateversions

Are the French and UK releases really different cuts, or did Studio Canal use the same master?

Interesting stuff. The French version includes all the scenes that are listed as cut from the UK version, so it's not the UK cut.

It includes also all the scenes that are listed under the Canadian DVD version's additional scenes, i.e. the director's cut.

I think it is the director's cut then, basically the same as the Canadian DVD according to IMDB's descriptions. It does not include those "5 deleted scenes" listed in the first section but I understand they were not integrated into any of the previous versions either?

Sure will do. I can tell you guys for the moment that the running time on the back cover of the box says 134 minutes for the UK version.

Very cool. I have the French version and just assumed the back art was correct. Nice to know I have the uncut version after all.

French version has DTS-HD MA 5.1 (French) and no other audio tracks. English subs are available when UI language mode is set to English and not there when mode is French.

Kannisto, could you possibly clarify this point? What is the 'UI language mode'? And if the only audio track on the disc is French, I'm assuming you're still able to view the movie in French with English subtitles? Many thanks in advance.

I recall mentioning this in another thread, but the version submitted to the BBFC by Optimum earlier this year ran exactly 137m 7s (which would make the 134m RT quoted on the UK HD-DVD cover somewhat suspect). Again, I'm assuming Optimum were only able to submit a standard-def DVD version (the BBFC is not yet equipped for HD discs), which means the version supplied was a PAL transfer at 25fps. That being the case, the HD-DVD print should run 142m 49s. Still short of the full-length director's cut available in France, though I'll wait to see what Canary_Jules has to say about the RT once he's checked the disc.

PS. Despite what you may have read on other threads about this film, the UK version did not suffer any BBFC-imposed censor cuts.

very cool indeed. Mine just shipped today from xploitedcinema here in the states, it should arrive in about 3 days. They only have the french version.

Thanks guys, you just convinced me to order it from Xploited. ;)

The running time is 2 hours 30 mins 12 seconds on the UK version.

Xploited also received the UK edition, for us neanderthals that don't like to "read" movies.

:D

Kannisto, could you possibly clarify this point? What is the 'UI language mode'? And if the only audio track on the disc is French, I'm assuming you're still able to view the movie in French with English subtitles? Many thanks in advance.

I recall mentioning this in another thread, but the version submitted to the BBFC by Optimum earlier this year ran exactly 137m 7s (which would make the 134m RT quoted on the UK HD-DVD cover somewhat suspect). Again, I'm assuming Optimum were only able to submit a standard-def DVD version (the BBFC is not yet equipped for HD discs), which means the version supplied was a PAL transfer at 25fps. That being the case, the HD-DVD print should run 142m 49s. Still short of the full-length director's cut available in France, though I'll wait to see what Canary_Jules has to say about the RT once he's checked the disc.

PS. Despite what you may have read on other threads about this film, the UK version did not suffer any BBFC-imposed censor cuts.
I watched the film yesterday, and can confirm that the French HD DVD runs 150m and some seconds, including the end credits (just shy of 143 minutes without the credits).
And yes, you can watch it with French audio and English subtitles, if you pick the English menu at the beginning it will default to English subs. If your player defaults to the French menu, just press the arrow beneath the menu, and then pick English.

for us neanderthals that don't like to "read" movies.Robert, are you saying you bought an English dubbed version?
Not that it matters, but I'm very disappointed.
Let us know how it is! :D

PS. Despite what you may have read on other threads about this film, the UK version did not suffer any BBFC-imposed censor cuts.

Perhaps not due to BBFC mandate, but the UK version of the film is heavily altered in comparison to either the original theatrical cut or the Director's Cut. An entire character and all of his related story points were cut out.

Robert, are you saying you bought an English dubbed version?
Not that it matters, but I'm very disappointed.
Let us know how it is!

Yes, I prefer a dubbed version of foreign language films ("foreign" meaning anything besides English), but I also want a quality dub. Many are not, but a few are. I have seen Brotherhood of the Wolf on both the dubbed DVD and the D-Theater. I don't have a problem with that version at all.

Tony, at Xploited Cinema, let me know today when I canceled the French version of BOTW that the UK version happened to have shown up unexpectedly, and although he had not had a chance to play it, the audio is listed on the case as including an English language track. I switched my order to that one.

I note that Canary_Jules above says the UK version on HD DVD is the same running time as the French release. I would be willing to bet the price of the disc that the same video master was used for both with only the audio being changed for the UK release.

Kannisto, could you possibly clarify this point? What is the 'UI language mode'? And if the only audio track on the disc is French, I'm assuming you're still able to view the movie in French with English subtitles? Many thanks in advance.
...


Njål already responded (thankd Njål!). I was referring to the language mode selection menu that allows you to select "French" or "English" and that affects the menu language as well as the subtitles. This selection menu either pops up before the main menu is loaded or you can go to it from the main menu's arrow symbol. Yes, French audio with English subs is available (= "English language mode").

The running time is 2 hours 30 mins 12 seconds on the UK version.

Thanks for the checking. Looks like it's the same version of the movie as the French one after all since the run time is identical. Does the UK version have DTS-HD MA French audio in addition to English audio track and what's the spec on the English audio? Just interested in knowing all the details :)

Robert, so the only reason you canceled the French version was in anticipation of a quality dubbed version?
Sorry to be so inquisitive but BOTW is a long time favorite of mine.

Robert, so the only reason you canceled the French version was in anticipation of a quality dubbed version?

Yep. I wanted the movie with English soundtrack. Fortunately, it seems I won't have to give up the extended version of the movie to get the English dub.

BTW, this is also one of my personal favorites. Even with the English dub :).

I'm going to be grabbing this and a few other's from Exploited but wanted to make sure about something first. The french version of BotW is uncut but is the UK one too? Like Robert I'm too lazy to read subtitles (damn anime in the late 80's early 90's) Thanks for the help

I didn't watch the film last night as my wife and I watched Van Helsing, but I did put the disc in, zip forward to the final scene, and watched the credits run out. The running time to end of credits was definitely 150 mins and 12 seconds. Strange then that the box says that the feature length is 134 minutes, unless they're not including credits (which did seem to rumble on forever).

Kannisto, on the box it says that there is a DTS-HD Master Audio English 5.1 Dubbed soundtrack in addition to the French track.

I didn't watch the film last night as my wife and I watched Van Helsing, but I did put the disc in, zip forward to the final scene, and watched the credits run out. The running time to end of credits was definitely 150 mins and 12 seconds. Strange then that the box says that the feature length is 134 minutes, unless they're not including credits (which did seem to rumble on forever).

Kannisto, on the box it says that there is a DTS-HD Master Audio English 5.1 Dubbed soundtrack in addition to the French track.

Thanks for info! I bet they added 10 minutes of extra end credits to the UK version to make the run length equal to the French release :rolleyes:

I guess the run lengths are just stated wrong on both of the releases, i.e. copied from some earlier release versions in the same regions without checking too much.

French version has a nicely thin case (same as most U.S. releases), is the UK release having a thicker case? I like thin cases since I'm always running low on storage space.

Yep, the UK is a thicker red case. I quite like them, it feels more substantial!

Just to be clear the UK version is the Director's Cut and has the french audio track?

Just to be clear the UK version is the Director's Cut and has the french audio track?

Can some one please confirm if this is the extended directors cut please ?

Mine (UK release from HMV) arrived yesterday and is still in the shrink wrap.

The 134 minutes might be based on a misunderstanding between Optimum and the producers of the artwork - 134 minutes sounds like the UK DVD release from what others have said here.

Canary_Jules
The running time is 2 hours 30 mins 12 seconds on the UK version.

This is a genuine surprise, as there is no 150m 12s version listed anywhere in the BBFC database. Optimum did submit a version earlier this year, as I indicated in a previous post, but it ran 137m (143m at 24fps). Not that I'm complaining, mind - if the UK version contains the full-length director's cut, it's a tremendous coup, and I'll be ordering my copy immediately!!

Njål
And yes, you can watch it with French audio and English subtitles, if you pick the English menu at the beginning it will default to English subs. If your player defaults to the French menu, just press the arrow beneath the menu, and then pick English.

Thanks for that confirmation, Njål - much appreciated.

Josh Z
Perhaps not due to BBFC mandate, but the UK version of the film is heavily altered in comparison to either the original theatrical cut or the Director's Cut. An entire character and all of his related story points were cut out.

This is true, and it's a real shame. It's just that I've seen a number of posts on other threads which suggested the cuts were mandated by the BBFC, and that just isn't the case. Frankly, I can't understand why so many different versions of the film have been made available - there appears to be two or three variants in the UK alone! I can't imagine Christophe Gans would sanction so many different edits.

Kannisto
I was referring to the language mode selection menu that allows you to select "French" or "English" and that affects the menu language as well as the subtitles. This selection menu either pops up before the main menu is loaded or you can go to it from the main menu's arrow symbol. Yes, French audio with English subs is available (= "English language mode").

Again, I'm grateful for that confirmation. The thing is, I don't actually have a HD player just yet (they're still a shade too expensive at the moment), so I'm not exactly au fait with the various workings. However, that hasn't stopped me buying variously highly-prized movies (such as BOTW) on both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD in anticipation of the day (soon, I hope) when I will be buying a dual-format player.

For those of you wondering on the English dub, Xploited's listing now states that the UK version DOES NOT have an english dub despite what the box art says.

I just orderd the UK HD-DVD, and will confirm on the running time as soon as i get it :-)

Thanks for the sound options info everyone. It's the french version for me then. Off to Amazon.fr!

I hope this find a Canadian brick and morter release soon :) This is one title I would "double dip"

The running time is 2 hours 30 mins 12 seconds on the UK version. This is a genuine surprise, as there is no 150m 12s version listed anywhere in the BBFC database. Optimum did submit a version earlier this year, as I indicated in a previous post, but it ran 137m (143m at 24fps). Not that I'm complaining, mind - if the UK version contains the full-length director's cut, it's a tremendous coup, and I'll be ordering my copy immediately!!

Just to confirm, that's the exact time that was showing on my HD-A1 when the credits ended and it cut back to the menu. The credits did go on for ages, but I doubt that it was 16 minutes (which is the difference between the quoted feature time on the box and what my player was displaying). Perhaps someone else could confirm this. As for whether it's the directors cut or not I have no idea as I've never seen the film before and have yet to watch it through on HD-DVD.

OK, this movie is a favorite of mine, too. Before I order, I'd like some clarification on which version I'm getting and what scenes it does or does not contain. This is the alternate versions page from IMDB:

http://imdb.com/title/tt0237534/alternateversions

I would be very disappointed if we are getting the UK version with no scenes from the royal hunter. He was such a pigheaded hypocritical bastard he made a good foil.

If it is indeed the director's cut I'd be a happy camper. And while I have watched and enjoyed the Fench audio track with subtitles, the English dubbed version is also well-done and would be a nice option to have.

Finally, is there any difference between the French and English releases other than the box?

How does it look/sound? ;)

Just to confirm, that's the exact time that was showing on my HD-A1 when the credits ended and it cut back to the menu. The credits did go on for ages, but I doubt that it was 16 minutes (which is the difference between the quoted feature time on the box and what my player was displaying). Perhaps someone else could confirm this. As for whether it's the directors cut or not I have no idea as I've never seen the film before and have yet to watch it through on HD-DVD.
As I wrote in my earlier post, the French HD DVD runs ~143 minutes without the end credits (I think it shows as 143 exactly, but that includes the Studio Canal intro that wasn't included when I saw it at the movies).

OK, this movie is a favorite of mine, too. Before I order, I'd like some clarification on which version I'm getting and what scenes it does or does not contain. This is the alternate versions page from IMDB:

http://imdb.com/title/tt0237534/alternateversions

I would be very disappointed if we are getting the UK version with no scenes from the royal hunter. He was such a pigheaded hypocritical bastard he made a good foil.

If it is indeed the director's cut I'd be a happy camper. And while I have watched and enjoyed the Fench audio track with subtitles, the English dubbed version is also well-done and would be a nice option to have.

Finally, is there any difference between the French and English releases other than the box?

The scenes with the Royal hunter are present in the French release, at least.
And while I didn't watch it with the lst@imdb in mind, in hindsight I noticed most of the scenes listed for the extended Canadian release were present (would have to watch it again to make sure all of them are).

I'll be comparing the different releases once my UK copy arrives (I ordered it when it was cheap at Amazon UK, £10.xx + shipping, so haven't bothered to cancel even if I have the French release). I also have the Canadian extended set and the French 5 disc extended set to compare scenes.

Thanks, Njål.

At this point it comes down to importing either the French or UK version.

I've waited this long and don't want to order until I know exactly what I'm getting. Any and all insights into content, audio and packaging differences would be most welcome.

To anyone with the UK disc in hand...

Please verify if the English language track is actually there. Xploited's info is that the UK disc is the exact same as was released in France with different silkscreen.

^^^ I thought that was a stupid question until I actually tried to find an English dubbed track. I can't find it!! In the audio configuration all there is is a test tone facility. I ran the film and pressed the Audio button on my remote but all it would tell me is that I had French 5.1 and English subs selected. Maybe I'm missing something.

yeah xploited site says no English Track. That makes me sad.

^^^ I thought that was a stupid question until I actually tried to find an English dubbed track. I can't find it!! In the audio configuration all there is is a test tone facility. I ran the film and pressed the Audio button on my remote but all it would tell me is that I had French 5.1 and English subs selected. Maybe I'm missing something.

On Studio Canal discs, typically your audio and subtitle options are limited by the menu language you choose. Are you running with French or English menus?

I would be very surprised if the UK disc is both the Director's Cut and contains an English dub, because I don't believe a dub was ever recorded for that full version of the movie. The full Director's Cut did not play with a dub in any territory, only the original theatrical cut and the UK cut did.

On Studio Canal discs, typically your audio and subtitle options are limited by the menu language you choose. Are you running with French or English menus?

I would be very surprised if the UK disc is both the Director's Cut and contains an English dub, because I don't believe a dub was ever recorded for that full version of the movie. The full Director's Cut did not play with a dub in any territory, only the original theatrical cut and the UK cut did.

I think the Canadian DVD of the Director's Cut has an English dub. Positive it does.

Not that it matters since this disk is allready in the mail,

but does anyone know what the 360 add on does with a DTS-MA track?

Im hoping it converts it to 5.1 audio.. I hope?

As I wrote in my earlier post, the French HD DVD runs ~143 minutes without the end credits (I think it shows as 143 exactly, but that includes the Studio Canal intro that wasn't included when I saw it at the movies).


(My comments refer specifically to French HD DVD as that's the one I have.)

After the Studio Canal intro, the clock goes back to 0:00 so I think the intro is not included in the runtime.

I confirmed the starting point of end credits here now, it is a few seconds before the 143 minutes mark. The picture gradually fades out and end credits start at the same time so it's difficult to pinpoint the exact starting point. "Le Pacte Des Loups" text appears on screen at 02:22:42.


The scenes with the Royal hunter are present in the French release, at least.
And while I didn't watch it with the lst@imdb in mind, in hindsight I noticed most of the scenes listed for the extended Canadian release were present (would have to watch it again to make sure all of them are).


Yes, all Royal hunter scenes are definitely there and I'm pretty confident I saw all those listed extended Canadian relese scenes when watching the French version the other day. However, since the Canadian DVD version (director's cut) is supposed to be 152 minutes, something else might be missing from this version since this is 150m and 12s. I don't have the Canadian DVD so I wouldn't know what could be missing and can't compare exact runtimes with that one.

I think the Canadian DVD of the Director's Cut has an English dub. Positive it does.

Yep, your right. I have it and have watched both with the dub and without.

The dub sucks on it.

Not that it matters since this disk is allready in the mail,

but does anyone know what the 360 add on does with a DTS-MA track?

Im hoping it converts it to 5.1 audio.. I hope?

DTS-HD MA includes conventional 1.5 mbps DTS core track which is used as such at least by Toshiba standalone players at least when outputting audio via optical as in my setup.

I would guess 360 add on also takes the core track and uses it? I don't have 360 or add on though.

Has anyone's shipped from Amazon? My order still says Sept 30th.

Sorry to be a broken record...

But how does it look and sound? I appreciate any feedback as to the PQ/AQ of the French HD DVD!

Thanks :)

Kannisto
However, since the Canadian DVD version (director's cut) is supposed to be 152 minutes, something else might be missing from this version since this is 150m and 12s. I don't have the Canadian DVD so I wouldn't know what could be missing and can't compare exact runtimes with that one.

I'm way ahead of you, Kannisto! I timed the Canadian 3-disc edition yesterday, just to see how it compared to the 150m 12s RT being quoted here in reference to the HD-DVD disc.

The Canadian DVD version runs exactly 150m 7s, though this does not include the opening logos for Studio Canal and (Canadian distributor?) Metropolitan Films, both of which are superfluous, but which add an extra 26 seconds to the RT (I understand the Studio Canal logo isn't included in the RT of the HD-DVD). The 152m time quoted on the packaging is incorrect, though only just.

I just oredered the french release from xploited.

Tony says the UK version is the exact same disc as the french release, but he must be mistaken.

I just oredered the french release from xploited.

Tony says the UK version is the exact same disc as the french release, but he must be mistaken.Fett, be sure to let us know about the pitch!

DTS-HD MA includes conventional 1.5 mbps DTS core track which is used as such at least by Toshiba standalone players at least when outputting audio via optical as in my setup.

I would guess 360 add on also takes the core track and uses it? I don't have 360 or add on though.

I'll report back for sure once Ive gotten the disk (super saver shipping + ocean = long wait time :p ) and can confirm, but Im sure it would grab that DTS 1.5 track..

Fett, be sure to let us know about the pitch!
I'm a bit worried about it, but for this film I'll risk it.

So, just to confirm and be completely sure...

The French and UK HD-DVD discs are the same "Director's Cut" at 150mins approx. ?

Is that correct ?

I'm a bit worried about it, but for this film I'll risk it.I feel the same, but I've waited this long to own any version of the film, I can wait another month or so

Well, I ordered one (French version). It will be here tomorrow. Whatever it looks like, sounds like, and has or does not... I now own it.

Will report back when I get it. :p

I have just spoken with Candy at Optimum Releasing (who are releasing the UK version of B.O.T.W.).

She said that the UK HD-DVD is the 144 mins cut and NOT the Directors Cut. She acknowledges that the 137 mins quoted on the sleeve is incorrect. But... once again it is a 144 mins cut and NOT the 150mins Director's Cut.

Hope that clears that up!

So, it looks like the French HD-DVD is the only way to get the 150mins Director's Cut on High Def at the moment. Is that right? :confused:

Thanks, M.J.

I have just spoken with Candy at Optimum Releasing (who are releasing the UK version of B.O.T.W.).

She said that the UK HD-DVD is the 144 mins cut and NOT the Directors Cut. She acknowledges that the 137 mins quoted on the sleeve is incorrect. But... once again it is a 144 mins cut and NOT the 150mins Director's Cut.

Hope that clears that up!

So, it looks like the French HD-DVD is the only way to get the 150mins Director's Cut on High Def at the moment. Is that right? :confused:

Thanks, M.J.

Thanks for the info.

Just curious. When she said "Hi my name is Candy from Optimum Releasing" did you say in Kurgens voice "OF COURSE YOU ARE"?

MJeeves' posting sets the cat amongst the pigeons, since Canary_Jules - who has access to the UK disc - has already reported that the UK version in his possession definitely runs 150m 12s (just like the French edition).

It will be most interesting to hear further confirmation from others with access to the disc. All help gratefully received, guys...

Thanks for the info.

Just curious. When she said "Hi my name is Candy from Optimum Releasing" did you say in Kurgens voice "OF COURSE YOU ARE"?
The Kurgan rules :D

MJeeves' posting sets the cat amongst the pigeons, since Canary_Jules - who has access to the UK disc - has already reported that the UK version in his possession definitely runs 150m 12s (just like the French edition).

It will be most interesting to hear further confirmation from others with access to the disc. All help gratefully received, guys...
Dangit! I fired off an email to Tony from xploited telling him that "Candy" says the UK version is 6 minutes shorter. So now I look like an internet fanboi.....wait a minute....I AM an internet fanboi! :eek:

Dangit! I fired off an email to Tony from xploited telling him that "Candy" says the UK version is 6 minutes shorter. So now I look like an internet fanboi.....wait a minute....I AM an internet fanboi! :eek:

but a fanboi of what... French versions of films? :p

UK version is a dead format, viva la France and its smaller HDDVD cases without dubs! :p

Im betting its the same movie... makes no sense to do two different encodes that release at the same time for a different region.

Oh well, I dropped the bucks for the French version.

Is it possible that the UK version is sped up (PAL speed-up). That may explain the 6 minutes difference. :confused:

That Kurgen line rules! :D

Is it possible that the UK version is sped up (PAL speed-up). That may explain the 6 minutes difference. :confused:

No, there's no PAL speedup on HD DVD. All discs are encoded at 1080p24.

The audio pitch thing on certain Studio Canal releases is a separate issue; the video is not sped up.

And still not one home-grown review of the PQ/AQ quality... lol

Tomorrow can't come soon enough! I love this movie. I am staying in tomorrow night; going to watch this and Renaissance! WooHooo!! :)

...and if you watched the disc; how's it look? ;) :p

And still not one home-grown review of the PQ/AQ quality... lol

Tomorrow can't come soon enough! I love this movie. I am staying in tomorrow night; going to watch this and Renaissance! WooHooo!! :)

...and if you watched the disc; how's it look? ;) :p

wired1, here's one mini-review on the PQ from HDD forum:
http://forums.highdefdigest.com/showthread.php?p=143878#post143878

My own view is that most parts of the film look excellent, good Tier 1 level. There are some low light / indoor scenes where the PQ is not up to the same level but those are definitely in the minority and overall I'm very happy with the PQ of this one.

As for AQ, it sounded just fine but my audio setup is not so great that I would be able to review the audio quality on a very detailed level.

Mine came in from Xploited today. I'll give it a spin tonight and post some thoughts tomorrow morning- though I'm sure they won't vary much from the general concensus already which seems to be positive.

was hoping it would have gotten here by the weekend, but I was taken aback by just how fast it came, especially since I just ordered it Tuesday morning.

Ordered Tuesday as well.
I'm hoping for a Friday night with the Brotherhood.

So which is the better version to get? The UK or the French?

Kannisto
However, since the Canadian DVD version (director's cut) is supposed to be 152 minutes, something else might be missing from this version since this is 150m and 12s. I don't have the Canadian DVD so I wouldn't know what could be missing and can't compare exact runtimes with that one.

I'm way ahead of you, Kannisto! I timed the Canadian 3-disc edition yesterday, just to see how it compared to the 150m 12s RT being quoted here in reference to the HD-DVD disc.

The Canadian DVD version runs exactly 150m 7s, though this does not include the opening logos for Studio Canal and (Canadian distributor?) Metropolitan Films, both of which are superfluous, but which add an extra 26 seconds to the RT (I understand the Studio Canal logo isn't included in the RT of the HD-DVD). The 152m time quoted on the packaging is incorrect, though only just.

You're the man :) Thanks for the checking. I feel better knowing that nothing is missing from the French HD DVD edition.

Both versions are the same;

http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=11186

wired1, here's one mini-review on the PQ from HDD forum:
http://forums.highdefdigest.com/showthread.php?p=143878#post143878

My own view is that most parts of the film look excellent, good Tier 1 level. There are some low light / indoor scenes where the PQ is not up to the same level but those are definitely in the minority and overall I'm very happy with the PQ of this one.

As for AQ, it sounded just fine but my audio setup is not so great that I would be able to review the audio quality on a very detailed level.

THANK YOU! Mine arrives today, so I will post thoughts as well, once I view it :)

I just heard back from Tony at xploited and while I don't think it's polite to quote him without permission, he cited many pieces of evidence that confirm that both the French and UK discs are one and the same.

1) Both are 150 minutes long.

2) Menus are exactly the same.

3) ID info on inner rim of the disc is exactly the same.

Fear not, the French and UK discs ARE the same discs.

so i guess we will never get this movie with the english dub? i hate reading movies

so i guess we will never get this movie with the english dub? i hate reading movies
If it's ever released here or in Canada it will probably have it.

so i guess we will never get this movie with the english dub? i hate reading movies
It's easier to read a movie, than it is to learn a new language. :p

so i guess we will never get this movie with the english dub? i hate reading movies

From what I recall the english dub sound track was not that good.

Wondering if when they come out with the North American version if they will improve the english dub sound track to match the French?

Got mine from Xploited yesterday. To me , it looked about as good as it is supposed to.
Seeing it projected on my screen reminded me of my first time seeing it at the Ziegfeld 50 ft screen in NYC.

What I found interesting to see was the color corection done on the forrest. Very de-saturated.It sort of stood out too much to me. I guess I just never noticed it before. I will have to go back and see the standard def dvd.

Well they could always go back and re-do the "D.I.".


I liked that you could adjust the subtitles to "in the ltbx" or "in the 235 picture" if you were doing anamorphic projection.

Very de-saturated.It sort of stood out too much to me.

Is that "less" colorful or "more" colorful. I always remember this being a "vibrant" colorful film. :confused:

Ugg.. I should have gone with xploited and not amazon france.. still no disc :(

From what I recall the english dub sound track was not that good.

Wondering if when they come out with the North American version if they will improve the english dub sound track to match the French?
i have the dub on the SD DVD and its not bad. i dont like the voices they used but overall its ok. is it going to be released in the US?

I was referring to the lack of color in the background while the costumes were vibrant. I still have to check the regular dvd.

I wonder when Amazon UK will get around to shipping them :(

I wonder when Amazon UK will get around to shipping them :(

Buy from another UK site, I would suggest sendit.com, I ordered it tuesday they shipped my copy the same day. I should get it either today or tomorrow.

Buy from another UK siteScrew that. Buy from Tony at Xploited.
Excellent customer service all around. Ordered BOTW on Tuesday evening, shipped USPS Priority, got it today(Fri) and I live in Washington.
I cannot recommend Xploited enough.
It's a hot day out, after a mojito or 2 on the veranda, I will descend into the cool darkness
of the Raging Queen Cinema and partake of Le Pacte Des Loups.
Beautiful.

Watched BOTW last night.
Wow, what a great, great movie in almost every single respect.
I'm a little surprised this hasn't created more buzz.
I thought the transfer looked fantastic.
The brocade and embroidery on the costumes were detailed and the colors, especially the reds were deep and natural.
Cinematography and lighting were beautiful.
Outstanding depth of image as well.
At the beginning with the woman climbing the cliff and the camera pans over the edge, nice
I tried watching with a critical eye at first but soon got drawn into the story and just drank it in.
The DTS soundtrack was, as seems usual, juiced up with quite good low end.
The image across the LCR was excellent and good surround envelopement.
Highly recommended.
Caveat, you may want to wait for further confirmation of my glowing review from other members but if you like the film itself I am certain you'll love this version.

Watched BOTW last night. Wow, what a great, great movie in almost every respect.
I'm a little surprised this hasn't created more buzz.
Which version did you pickup from Tony -- the UK or French (not that it sounds like it matters anymore -- other than the packaging perhaps?). Though I noticed that Xploited is only showing the French version currently on his site.

I ordered the French version.

so i guess we will never get this movie with the english dub? i hate reading movies

Just fire up the SD version in another player, and use the audio dub only, to synch up to the video only, on the HDDVD.

Watched BOTW last night.
Wow, what a great, great movie in almost every single respect.
I'm a little surprised this hasn't created more buzz.
I thought the transfer looked fantastic.
The brocade and embroidery on the costumes were detailed and the colors, especially the reds were deep and natural.
Cinematography and lighting were beautiful.
Outstanding depth of image as well.
At the beginning with the woman climbing the cliff and the camera pans over the edge, nice
I tried watching with a critical eye at first but soon got drawn into the story and just drank it in.
The DTS soundtrack was, as seems usual, juiced up with quite good low end.
The image across the LCR was excellent and good surround envelopement.
Highly recommended.
Caveat, you may want to wait for further confirmation of my glowing review from other members but if you like the film itself I am certain you'll love this version.

Thanks Milt99. Is this the "director's cut" as we thought ? Thanks for the review !

I emailed Tony and he said he's only got the French version. I just got mine yesterday, and can't wait to find a little time to watch it! ;) I highly recommend Tony. Great service, prompt response to all emails. Definitely a class-act!

Is this the "director's cut" as we thought ?From what I've read and watched I'm certain it is. I'm no expert on the different versions.
The run time prior to credits was like 2:22(142 minutes)
Sorry I can't be more specific. I was going to post last night but blew it off until today.
The royal hunter scenes were included and the wolf hunt scenes as well.
In any event, this is the coolest movie in my collection.
Fronsac & Mani. Yeah Baby!!
BTW, I detected no audio abnormalities.
If I were to pick a nit, the CGI is a bit uneven.
Some is very smooth and convincing, a couple of other short blivets are not.

Plenty of folks have posted comments on the French edition, but has anyone watched the UK edition all the way through yet? Let us know what you thought, in terms of the running time, audio/picture quality etc.

To be honest, I'm still waiting for definitive confirmation the French and UK discs sport exactly the same 'Director's Cut' transfer, and only those with access to the UK version can say for sure. Several sources say they are, but I look forward to hearing everyone else's report...

I got the French version in from Amazon on Friday.

Really solid transfer. A few scenes are soft and there is some grain, but I would give it a solid tier 1. The fight in the rain at the beginning is reference quality.

Sound is good, and DTS-MA is outputed as 5.1 on the 360 add on.

Can anyone who is able to hear proper pitch compare this to the American DVD release? I want to buy this so bad, but cannot deal with any pitch offset in the sound.

Can anyone who is able to hear proper pitch compare this to the American DVD release? I want to buy this so bad, but cannot deal with any pitch offset in the sound.

Matt, I have both discs and will compare them soon.

FYI, the pitch on Terminator 2 is spot-on identical to the DVD and Blu-ray, so I'd think that's a good sign for other new Studio Canal releases.

I'm getting the French version today or tomorrow, but I've only seen this movie twice before. I viewed the American DVD once, then bought the Canadian 3-disc version and watched it once. I'm not sure I could spot a difference unless it was extreme. I can tell you if it sounds natural and authentic, but I won't have a reference point because I sold the 3 disc months ago as soon as I heard this was coming.

Is the Optimum HD-DVD out or not? I phoned Amazon and they STILL insist that it's out on September 30th and Play.com has it listed as 'out of stock'.

What the hell is going on with this disc?

Shawn

I compared the audio for a couple of scenes from the HD DVD to the Canadian DVD tonight. The comparison was more difficult than T2, because the audio tracks on the two discs are set at very different default volumes. The DVD's audio default is obnoxiously loud, while the HD DVD's is set for normal levels.

After compensating for that, as far as I was able to tell (note that I do not speak French), the pitch sounded identical to me. I think Studio Canal has just outright fixed that problem on their latest HD DVDs.

The English subtitles are from a slightly different translation than the Canadian DVD. They are very similar, but a number of lines are translated differently. They are both, fortunately, much better than the horrible translation on the American DVD.

I compared the audio for a couple of scenes from the HD DVD to the Canadian DVD tonight. The comparison was more difficult than T2, because the audio tracks on the two discs are set at very different default volumes. The DVD's audio default is obnoxiously loud, while the HD DVD's is set for normal levels.

After compensating for that, as far as I was able to tell (note that I do not speak French), the pitch sounded identical to me. I think Studio Canal has just outright fixed that problem on their latest HD DVDs.

The English subtitles are from a slightly different translation than the Canadian DVD. They are very similar, but a number of lines are translated differently. They are both, fortunately, much better than the horrible translation on the American DVD.

Thanks Josh for taking the time to compare the two discs and then post your findings.

I ordered a copy today from Xploited so this is good news.

Is the Optimum HD-DVD out or not? I phoned Amazon and they STILL insist that it's out on September 30th and Play.com has it listed as 'out of stock'.

What the hell is going on with this disc?

Shawn

yes I recieved it today from sendit.com

I've received the UK HD DVD today. I will check it this evening. I also own the french DC DVD, so I will check, if there is any difference in the version.

Ok I checked it. NO Englisch track, but it is the DC, so it should ne the same disc. The englisch subtitles are NOT optional.

The backcover says "DTS-HD Master Audio: Englisch 5.1 DUBBED".

Damn, I wanted englisch dialouges.

Ok I checked it. NO Englisch track, but it is the DC, so it should ne the same disc. The englisch subtitles are NOT optional.

The backcover says "DTS-HD Master Audio: Englisch 5.1 DUBBED".

Damn, I wanted englisch dialouges.

So the English release does not have two menu options "French" and "English" like the French release? No arrow in the main menu that would take you to the menu language selection?

In the French release the subs are enabled by selecting the English menu option and can be disabled by selecting the French menu option.

NO PITCH ISSUES!

It only makes sense I suppose since it was made in France. Monica Belluci sounds completely normal and every voice and effect sounds natural. The roar is deep and gutteral.

If you have the slightest interest in this disc, buy with confidence because the PQ is jaw-dropping.

Read my full review in the Tier thread.

Sendit is backordered for me :(

Sendit is backordered for me :(
Cancel the order. Within an hour or so of ordering this from xploited, it was in the mail.

can someone post the direct line of tony (xploitedcinema) I am at work can not access their
website please.. Like to order it over the phone so I should get the french version and that is the director's cut right? and it is English dubbed?

Thanks,
Peter

can someone post the direct line of tony (xploitedcinema) I am at work can not access their
website please.. Like to order it over the phone so I should get the french version and that is the director's cut right? and it is English dubbed?

Thanks,
Peter
Both versions are the same. No english dub.

Tony doesn't offer a phone line, but he does have email:
orders@xploitedcinema.com

Both versions are the same. No english dub.

Tony doesn't offer a phone line, but he does have email:
orders@xploitedcinema.com


Thanks, I will order it now.

Just got this last night from xploited and watched it the same night. It's an awesome movie that I missed in the theaters. The story is very good, the acting was outstanding.

PQ wise, this is another Tier 1 import title. The transfer has some amazing moments such as the first fight in the rain, the indoor night scenes look oversaturated orange to me, but that could have been the intent of the director, as I never saw it in the theaters.

The AQ was very good. The sub is used even for subtle effects, and dialogue comes in clearly, and the surround is put to good use.

I'm very impressed with this Studio Canal release. Can't wait to see Terminator 2.

Do the HD DVD's (France & UK) have the same special features as the 3 disc Canadian SD DVD?
DTS on both (French & UK) versions?
For an English dub option, the French version only, correct?
Any rumor of a US release?
Thanks.

They have no extras except the trailer.

BTW, what was the 'on screen info' thing under extras? Does it only work when subs are disabled? I watch the entire film with it on and saw nothing.

They have no extras except the trailer.

BTW, what was the 'on screen info' thing under extras? Does it only work when subs are disabled? I watch the entire film with it on and saw nothing.

For clarification, the trailer is not the BOTW trailer, but the general Studio Canal HD DVD trailer, showing clips of a bunch of their releases.

The on screen info thing applies to the little pop-up window displaying time and timeline when you pause, ff, etc...

The on screen info thing applies to the little pop-up window displaying time and timeline when you pause, ff, etc...

Ah, that's what that was. I really liked that!

Just finished watching this with my best friend and my fiancee'.

We all were like "WOW" every few moments during this movie. The sound is INCREDIBLE, and the picture quality just astonishing... detail detail detail.

Not to mention this movie kicks A$$!

:) Buy it!!!!!! :D

After reading all the hreads on this title, they are identical, or did I read that the translation on the French release to English subs are better tha the UK Release?

Or is it basically which cover art you want? :confused:

sucks getting old.

did I read that the translation on the French release to English subs are better tha the UK Release?

The subtitles on the French HD DVD are different than (not necessarily better than) the subtitles on the DVD. I don't think anyone has yet compared the French and UK HD DVDs against one another.

Josh, thanks for doing the comparison. I am ordering it NOW. :)

Can someone do the same with MULHOLLAN DRIVE? I have heard from two people and one said no pitch issue while the other said, yes, a pitch issue. I simply cannot make a decision on that one without have concrete evidence either way.

Josh, thanks for doing the comparison. I am ordering it NOW. :)

Can someone do the same with MULHOLLAN DRIVE? I have heard from two people and one said no pitch issue while the other said, yes, a pitch issue. I simply cannot make a decision on that one without have concrete evidence either way.

I'll check that one out this weekend. I have it on both formats as well.

Please do. I ordered it earlier with BotW, taking a chance. If you say it's an oops :( then I can just send it back unopened.

I'm praying it's OK. Wish I had not sold both my D-VHS tapes. That was stupido!

Jeez, how did I miss this at the theater? Monsters, martial arts, manners, wit, Monica Bellucci, religous & political intrigue, native Canadian mysticism, period costumes & exploding pumpkins all conveyed with French flair & imagination. What more could anyone ask?

Out of curiousity, did this just play the art house circuit or did it make it into the malls? I love movies like this.

Looking ahead, I foresee a double feature with 'City of the Lost Children' and 'Brotherhood of the Wolf'. What a grand day that will be.

City of Lost Children is my most wanted HD title... It is my fav movie of all time.

I would, and I am serious about this, pay hundreds of dollars to import it if/when it is released.

Hopefully Tony gets it at Xploited for $32.95 :p

Hey, I didn't say I WANTED to spend hundreds...just that I would! :)

People, settle down. I saw this in a theater and it looked about a million miles better than the HD DVD. I don't know what's happened, but the PQ leaves a lot of room for improvement. I've said in other threads it looks "awful", which might be a bit strong, but no way does it look good either. It's not sharp, there's a distinct lack of detail and even smearing, and while I generally approve of film grain, this one has some of the nastiest looking grain I've seen. I'd give it three out of five for PQ, and feeling generous while doing so.

People, settle down. I saw this in a theater and it looked about a million miles better than the HD DVD.

Film looks better than HD-DVD!?!?!?!?

Say it isn't so!!!!!! :eek: ;)

[QUOTE=candyrocket786]Film looks better than HD-DVD!?!?!?!?

It isn't.

I recived the HD last week. I have three DVD versions and I saw the movie in the cinema. don't get me wrong. it isn't the best hd-movie on the market, but it is the best version i have seen till now. On my Sony Full HD it looks great.

Film looks better than HD-DVD!?!?!?!?

Say it isn't so!!!!!! :eek: ;)
Well, I happen to think most films look better on HD DVD in my house than they do in the theater. This one certainly didn't.

I don't mind grain at all, and detest it when it is artificially removed. However, there are a couple of scenes on this HD-DVD that just don't look right. The one were the 'wolf' busted out of the gate when they're trying to trap it, something is odd about it. Don't know if its the contrast, grain, artifacts, don't know, just seemed 'not right'. Just as the camera pushes into the cave doesn't look right. I had the D-Theater tape but never watched it past the hunt because of the horrible dub, so I can't say if it is any better on that format. I'm gonna have a look at my dvd versions, that scene in particular to see how it compares.

mrwilson, I don't mind grain either, usually. But there's something about the grain in this one...

I will check out the escape scene.
Can you provide some specific chapters with the smearing effect?
Thanks.

Josh, are you planning on a review of BOTW?

Josh, are you planning on a review of BOTW?

Yes, but I have several Blu-rays to get through first.

Yes, but I have several Blu-rays to get through first.What?!? ;)

i dont mind grain, How sharp and detailed is the PQ?

mrwilson, I don't mind grain either, usually. But there's something about the grain in this one...

I understand exactly. Check out the image of Fronsac at 2:15:45. The background and areas of his shirt that are in shadow are full of noise, yet the brighter areas of the picture, including his face, are remarkably clean and stable. If this were film grain, you would expect it to be consistent across the image, which it isn't.
There is also a fair amount of ringing present throughout- though it is very fine and you really have to be looking for it. But since there was some quality in the images that seemed to me to be 'off', I was looking for the cause.

On the one hand, the colors are vivid and saturated, and the film has some of the most 3 dimensional cinematography I've seen yet on the format. This disc may have the most 'pop' out of any I've seen.
On the other hand, much of the time it just seemed un-film like.
Habitues of the Tier threads will find a lot to orgasm over. But as someone who likes the format because of how close it can mimic the analog look of film, the more digital look to this one at times is a bit of a disappointment.

also, I was disappointed in seeing jaggy edges on the subs. Its worse when they are shrunk down to the smallest size. Better than sub streams on standard def titles, but no where near as impressive as the subs I saw on House Of Flying Daggers on Blu-ray. Pains me to say that, but its the truth. I'm sure that also influenced my perception of the more digital look to this disc.

I also couldn't tell any difference between this cut of the film and the one that Universal put out on R1 sd.

For those of you who ordered this movie from amazon.uk during their sale, heres a reply I received when I questioned the status of my order (Pushed back to September 07 in e-mail but site states 7-11 business days)...

Dear Customer

Thank you for contacting Amazon.uk.

Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused by
the estimated dispatch date information.

I highly appreciate your patience and understanding in this case.

Due to a technical error, the estimated date that is shown in "Your
Account" for this item was incorrect, and our technical team is
working on this issue.

I hope that you would appreciate that being the retailers we are
totally dependant on our suppliers for the supply, and the latest
information from our suppliers shows that they are facing unexpected
delays in obtaining this "Brotherhood Of The Wolf [HD DVD] [2001]".

We may need some additional time to obtain this item.

I have passed your enquiry to our ordering department who will chase
up your order. It is very important to us that you receive your
order, and we will try to dispatch it to you as soon as possible. We
will contact you by e-mail if this item should prove to be
unavailable.

Otherwise, we will dispatch it to you without further delay as soon
as we receive the item from the supplier. We'll send you an e-mail
when your order is dispatched from our Fulfilment Centre, confirming
the date, contents and method of delivery.

We are very sorry for any inconvenience caused to you by this delay.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Still not sure what this means???? :confused:

Still not sure what this means???? :confused:

It means you should cancel and order the French release.

It means you should cancel and order the French release.

I watched this on Friday night. This movie is really something. One of the best I have watched in 2007. I have the French version. I watched "The Graduate" last night (French import) and was very impressed considering the age of the movie. I purchased both from xploitedcinema.

Yes, but I have several Blu-rays to get through first.
Just don't forget to do the pitch comparison, my boy. Enquiring minds want to know. :)

Just don't forget to do the pitch comparison, my boy. Enquiring minds want to know. :)

I know, I'm sorry. I didn't have a chance to get to it this weekend.

Your bad. Bad boy. To quote Chow Yun-Fat...

Apologize to the rice, right now!!!

Matt, bad news on Mulholland Drive. The pitch is definitely too high on that one. I noticed it immediately. Comparing to the DVD was indisputable. I'm very disappointed. :(

Let's hope Universal puts this one out in the US soon.

UK Version now available at Xploited (http://xploitedcinema.com/catalog/brotherhood-wolf-directors-release-p-11239.html)

Matt, bad news on Mulholland Drive. The pitch is definitely too high on that one. I noticed it immediately. Comparing to the DVD was indisputable. I'm very disappointed. :(

Let's hope Universal puts this one out in the US soon.

Really? I checked it out briefly and while I wasn't listening for that, I didn't notice either. Grrrrrr.

UK Version now available at Xploited (http://xploitedcinema.com/catalog/brotherhood-wolf-directors-release-p-11239.html)

Is there any reason to get the UK version over the French?

I ordered my copy from sendit.com after xploitedcinema declined my CC for some reason.

Is there any reason to get the UK version over the French?

No, according to Tony, they are identical, save for the cover. Same content, movie, subtitles, etc.

No, according to Tony, they are identical, save for the cover. Same content, movie, subtitles, etc.

What's different about the cover? Does the UK version come in a red HD DVD case?(maybe like the La Haine one?) When I initially placed my order at Amazon UK it showed a dvd style hd dvd case, but now its showing a red hd dvd case.

What's different about the cover? Does the UK version come in a red HD DVD case?(maybe like the La Haine one?) When I initially placed my order at Amazon UK it showed a dvd style hd dvd case, but now its showing a red hd dvd case.

Sorry, I just meant one is in French, the other in English.

The UK version label shows Optimum and French is Studio Canal right?

Matt, bad news on Mulholland Drive. The pitch is definitely too high on that one. I noticed it immediately. Comparing to the DVD was indisputable. I'm very disappointed. :(

Let's hope Universal puts this one out in the US soon.
Thanks, Josh. Mine goes back today. :(

I am done with HD-DVD. The only thing holding me to it was Studio Canal and they have succeeded in screwing themselves with this STUPID completely insane sound problem. I just cannot bother with this anymore. What's the point?

Now now Matt, there are still plenty of good HD DVD exclusives.

Thanks, Josh. Mine goes back today. :(

I am done with HD-DVD. The only thing holding me to it was Studio Canal and they have succeeded in screwing themselves with this STUPID completely insane sound problem. I just cannot bother with this anymore. What's the point?
That's quite the statement to make, in a thread about a film that has shot up to the top of my list of HD-DVDs owned (or will EVER own).

People visiting this thread won't realize you are talking about MD.

Really? I checked it out briefly and while I wasn't listening for that, I didn't notice either. Grrrrrr.

It's frustrating that the disc doesn't have chapter stops (per Lynch's stupid request, just like the DVD), but listen to Ann Miller's voice in her first scene. It really stands out there. You can't miss it.

I am done with HD-DVD. The only thing holding me to it was Studio Canal and they have succeeded in screwing themselves with this STUPID completely insane sound problem. I just cannot bother with this anymore. What's the point?

Matt, you're overreacting. Neither format is perfect. Both have studios that f**k up certain releases (checked out any Lionsgate Blu-rays recently?). But at their best they both also offer a ton of wonderful HD goodness.

I don't think I am overreacting. BD has more titles, more studios and is on the way to winning. It's all out there for us to see. I bought HD-DVD first, BD second and hoped that Studio Canal's titles would keep me in the HD-DVD mix, but I am simply so disgusted and angry about this situation that I am not going to support the format any longer. How can I?

Look, Warner is even refusing to admit that there is a problem with the sound on THE MATRIX. So basically the second and third films, which we were forced into buying to get the first film, are fine. But the film we all want has obvious sound lag on most players. How terrific.

I feel kicked in the b@lls by HD-DVD and wish that I had not jumped in so quickly. I should have just been patient and waited because I would have ended up choosing seeing the Studio Canal ****up and went with BD.

Get mad at me all you want, but I have a right to my opinion and to feel the way I do. I have no problem with anyone here continuing to support HD-DVD. It is your right and I applaud you for it. But please, do not come out and slam me for having my own opinion. I am not going to attack anyone for having theirs (unless they are one of thowe nitwits insisting that the Studio Canal audio pitch issue does not exist or is overblown. No mercy for those people).

P.S. I am not saying anyone here has attacked me, so those of you who said I am overreacting, etc. understand that I am not coming down on you. But i know some people out there will want to take a big pipe and shove it up my...

I agree with Josh...neither format has been perfect. Warner Bros BD releases lacking features on BD? Where the hell is FOX and MGM lately? Even Sony has pulled alot of titles that were supposed to be released this summer.

The Studio Canal releases were really icing on the cake for me. It is frustrating that some have this problem, but its not a format killer for me.

I think this war is definately being led by BD, but not near what digitalbits and others would have us believe.

This fall could be a big jump I suspect (either way).

I gotta agree with RockStrongo and Josh on this one. I'm not bashing you for your decision just stating my own. I've seen a string of bad releases from Lionsgate and Fox on BD as well. Each format has their issues and their gems. many people were shrieking bloody murder in the early days of DVD as well for the poor LD/VHS transfers that were being ported directly to the DVD format etc.. There will always be studios trying to take the easy way out unless we stick with the format and show our displeasure.

It's frustrating that the disc doesn't have chapter stops (per Lynch's stupid request, just like the DVD), but listen to Ann Miller's voice in her first scene. It really stands out there. You can't miss it.

Hmm, my HD-DVD has chapter stops (I was suprised given it was a David Lynch title)... wonder if I have a dif version...

Hmm, my HD-DVD has chapter stops (I was suprised given it was a David Lynch title)... wonder if I have a dif version...

Let me check again. I didn't see a Scenes Selection menu, so I assumed there were no chapter stops.

I don't think I am overreacting. BD has more titles, more studios and is on the way to winning. It's all out there for us to see.

BD may have more titles out, but frankly they're a lot of crap titles that don't much appeal to me as an adult. Don't confuse potential titles in a studio's catalog for ones that they actually plan to release in High Definition. Most of the Blu-ray studios have been very clear that they're catering to the PS3's teenage gamer demographic. When they bother to release movies on Blu-ray at all, that is (cough:Fox:cough).

I bought HD-DVD first, BD second and hoped that Studio Canal's titles would keep me in the HD-DVD mix, but I am simply so disgusted and angry about this situation that I am not going to support the format any longer. How can I?

By that token, how can you support Blu-ray when one of its studios, Lionsgate, continues to crank out discs with just plain awful video transfers, like their recent releases for Basic Instinct and Dirty Dancing? I'm reviewing both of those now and really suffering through them.

Get mad at me all you want, but I have a right to my opinion and to feel the way I do. I

I'm not mad at you. I just think you're overreacting.

Let me check again. I didn't see a Scenes Selection menu, so I assumed there were no chapter stops.

I just hit the chapter skip button on the Toshiba remote.

Hmm, but here's where something is strange. When I had ordered the disc (and was awaiting delivery), I put in my SD version to see what the (upconverted) PQ was like on my XA2... and I swear I chapter skipped with that one too... I most definitely recall noting a few years back that there weren't any chapter stops - especially when trying to access a particular scene (if you know what I mean). So now I'm really puzzled myself.

Amazon.co.uk just shipped my copy .

I just hit the chapter skip button on the Toshiba remote.

Hmm, but here's where something is strange. When I had ordered the disc (and was awaiting delivery), I put in my SD version to see what the (upconverted) PQ was like on my XA2... and I swear I chapter skipped with that one too... I most definitely recall noting a few years back that there weren't any chapter stops - especially when trying to access a particular scene (if you know what I mean). So now I'm really puzzled myself.

The SD DVD definitely does not have chapter stops. I would have appreciated them to jump directly to.... well, you know the scene. :) As it is, I had to finagle my DVD player to search for a time code.

I'm playing the HD DVD now. No scene selections menu. If you hit the Skip button during playback, the disc does seem to have chapter stops, but they're only spaced about 90 seconds apart each, which means that the movie has about 100 of them. This is extremely frustrating and makes the idea of searching for a scene very difficult.

Don't worry, Josh. I don't think you're mad at me. :)

I have yet to buy a single LionsGate title. I've rented a few and been unimpressed.

Hello Guys

Has this disk got any english spoken language, or is it french with english subs.
I have just got it and i cant get the english dubbing to work on my 360.

Thanks geewhizz

Hello Guys

Has this disk got any english spoken language, or is it french with english subs.
I have just got it and i cant get the english dubbing to work on my 360.

This is a French movie. The actors spoke French, as people in France have a tendency to do for some reason. How dare they? :rolleyes:

The HD DVD has English subtitles. It does not have a dub.

i ordered this today from xploited today as well as
the prestige and hot fuzz (region 2 pal,DVD)


looks like a great movie. glad the orginal language is on it the subs dont bother me at all.

BEST part of watching Brotherhood of the Wolf (aside from PQ/AQ and awesome story)...

My fiancee', who is a food network/style network junkie, sees Mark Dacascos and shouts "OMG!! IT'S THE CHAIRMAN FROM IRON CHEF!!!!"

:D HAHAHAHAHAH. Priceless.

She has had ZERO interest in this HD/BD hobby of mine, but now is excited to look for other Food Network "stars" in the films we enjoy. LOL

Heh. Mani is on Iron Chef. Hee hee. :p

This is still one of my fav films!

ugh, MULHOLLAND DRIVE has pitch problems.... :mad:

for a film with such an emphasis on the sound design this is a MAJOR bummer, dudes.

has there been any indication of a domestic release?

I ordered my copy from sendit.com after xploitedcinema declined my CC for some reason.


Wow that was fast. I received my copy from sendit today! From the UK to California in 4 days (includiing weekend!)

BEST part of watching Brotherhood of the Wolf (aside from PQ/AQ and awesome story)...


Glad it had good FAF (Fiancee Acceptance Factor) :D

Just got my copy today, U.K. version.

Simply Amazing! Gorgeous video quality, rockin' DTS audio.

I own both XA1 & PS3. Approaches POTC for both audio & video quality.

Lionsgate needs to send someone important to France to learn how it's done. :cool:

Glad it had good FAF (Fiancee Acceptance Factor) :D


I own both XA1 & PS3. Approaches POTC for both audio & video quality.

Lionsgate needs to send someone important to France to learn how it's done. :cool:

I love this film. But POTC AQ and PQ?

I love this film. But POTC AQ and PQ?


Well, I had just finished watching BOTW and may have been gushing a bit, but -

- I've only seen Curse of the Black Pearl blu-ray, and didn't really like, but for me BOTW had the same very natural film-like quality to it as POTC1, and the detail in the scenes in the ornate palaces was incredible.

- I just got my new Onkyo 605 receiver yesterday. I know my XA1 can't fully decode or output the DTS HD-MA audio. And I did try both HDMI audio output as bitstream and then PCM; PCM was better. But, either the audio DTS design on BOTW was brilliant, or the the Onkyo 605 was such a big improvement over my previous receiver, as this was one of the most engrossing surround audio I've enjoyed on either format.

:cool:

Just finished watching it again... really loved it, but forgot how weird it was :). First time I've watched it with the native French, and it was an improvement over the awful dubbed track. Still, even with my very limited French, I found a few weird translations in the subs. But ah well, the point came through :)

I won this on Ebay for $15.00 (I prefer to buy new, to suppor the format, but I couldn't pass up on such a great price).
I got the French version. I watched the first half last night.
I was very impressed with the picture and the sound.
And to be perfectly honest, I have the standard DVD with english voice dub's, and I just didn't like it as much that way. I hate having to read during a film. But with Dubs, you have to hope the voice acting is good, and it just isn't (on the standard DVD).
This is a well made film, with great improvements with the HD-DVD format. I am very glad I got it.
And Matt. I can understand your anger. I get bummed from time to time as well. But then something great happens. Like a Harry Potter announcement, or a great sale or whatever, and I am happy again.
And if you really truly are as upset as you sound, I'm sure you'll have no problem getting rid of your movie's for a good price if you sell them off in the trading section.
That being said, I think you should give it a little more time. To let the studios get all of their quality control worked out. This is still very new for them. And I'm sure they are taking into account peoples feedback. At least I hope they are.

Damn....my sendit order shipped on 6/6 but still isnt here!! Anyone else have this problem?

Anyone else have this problem? No, I ordered from xploited was here in 3 days. Sorry. ;)

^ I wanted the UK version and they didnt have it when I ordered. Ive ordered from them before too....good service.

Hello Guys

Has this disk got any english spoken language, or is it french with english subs.
I have just got it and i cant get the english dubbing to work on my 360.

Thanks geewhizz

Soo, does the subs work for anyone, with this UK version?! With a 360 addon and a PC it seems inpossible to get the subtitles to work. Damn these HD DVD problems! Maybe I need to buy a PS3 and move over to Blu-ray..? :mad:

Damn....my sendit order shipped on 6/6 but still isnt here!! Anyone else have this problem?


No I received my UK copy from sendit in 4 business days. (I'm in California).


The disc has English subtitles but no English audio.

No problems here with a Toshiba HD-A2. When you insert the DVD and the language menu appears, select "English". That will give you English menus, and will also default to English subtitles with the French audio track.

Soo, does the subs work for anyone, with this UK version?! With a 360 addon and a PC it seems inpossible to get the subtitles to work. Damn these HD DVD problems! Maybe I need to buy a PS3 and move over to Blu-ray..? :mad:

Hi Mate

I got the subtitles to work on my 360 add-on, On the remote if you press the A,X,Y,B, Buttons it move the subtitles up and down the screen and makes them bigger or smaller.

Hope this helps

Hi Mate

I got the subtitles to work on my 360 add-on, On the remote if you press the A,X,Y,B, Buttons it move the subtitles up and down the screen and makes them bigger or smaller.

Hope this helps

Ok, thanks. Yes I figured out that on a stand alone player you can move the subs with C and D buttons. But the question is, how can I move the subtitles in PowerDVD Ultra? The subs aren't wisible at all. My French (and Enlish) is quite bad so I need english or finnish subs.

i got a notice that mine shipped from amazon.uk also. a surprise since it's still listed as sept. release

Ok, thanks. Yes I figured out that on a stand alone player you can move the subs with C and D buttons. But the question is, how can I move the subtitles in PowerDVD Ultra? The subs aren't wisible at all. My French (and Enlish) is quite bad so I need english or finnish subs.

I had the same problem as well. However, after a quick search I found a discussion on Slysoft forum about this issue. Not sure whether it is true, a guy mentioned that PowerDVD has subtitle problem with all newer StudioCanal+ titles including Brotherhood of the wolf and that cannot be fixed for now. I tried ripping the disc to my HDD and checked the XPL file just to find that the script handling subtitle is totally different than others HD-DVD. Hopefully, others can help us.

I had the same problem as well. However, after a quick search I found a discussion on Slysoft forum about this issue. Not sure whether it is true, a guy mentioned that PowerDVD has subtitle problem with all newer StudioCanal+ titles including Brotherhood of the wolf and that cannot be fixed for now. I tried ripping the disc to my HDD and checked the XPL file just to find that the script handling subtitle is totally different than others HD-DVD. Hopefully, others can help us.

Aaaarghhhh!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

Ok, thanks!

Damn....my sendit order shipped on 6/6 but still isnt here!! Anyone else have this problem?

Funny cause the day I posted this, it came in the mail....I guess it just took me complaining ;)

Any more comments on picture?

and did anyone find out of the UK and French versions are the same transfer?

As I want the film on HD, but no extras at all is a pain, and the picture seems never to get consistent reviews.

Xploited also received the UK edition, for us neanderthals that don't like to "read" movies.

:D

Ummm the English track on the UK version's case is a misprint.

anyone know if there will be a version with english audio on HD?

anyone know if there will be a version with english audio on HD?

The movie was made in France. The story is also set in France. French people often speak the French language when in France. It's crazy, I know. :rolleyes:

If you don't speak French, the disc has English subtitles.

The English dub is awful anyway, very posh english people speaking in condesending voices :D very scary stuff.

The English dub is awful anyway, very posh english people speaking in condesending voices :D very scary stuff.

Not to mentioned the mangled grammar. The person who wrote the dub script was borderline illiterate.

...PowerDVD has subtitle problem with all newer StudioCanal+ titles including Brotherhood of the wolf and that cannot be fixed for now. I tried ripping the disc to my HDD and checked the XPL file just to find that the script handling subtitle is totally different than others HD-DVD. Hopefully, others can help us.

Anything new with this one?

I never use the Dubs either I've yet to here one that comes even close to representing the actor. Their often funny sometime or scary like said..
Nothings worse then a person yelling then the dub speeking monotone

The movie was made in France. The story is also set in France. French people often speak the French language when in France. It's crazy, I know. :rolleyes:

If you don't speak French, the disc has English subtitles.

REALLY? IN FRENCH? FILMED IN FRANCE?? WITH REAL FRENCH PEOPLE?? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: so anyone have an actual answer WITHOUT sarcasim?

^^^ The answer would be No.

Watched it tonight. The transfer looks old and outdated. Lack of detail throughout, unclean edges with ringing, generally a mushy and coarse video look instead of an analogue and finely resolved film look. 2.5/5. Needs to be retransfered.

This movie has sat on my shelf since purchase since I was unaware at the time that it didnt actually have an English audio track. We finally decided to give it a try with the subtitles and must say the wife and I both enjoyed the movie more then we would have thought.

I'd disagree with the above though and say that it had an excellent picture and some absolutely great background shots throughout the movie; plus alot of naked women running around throughout the movie :D

I'd don't know how many times we would re-watch the movie though, only because of the subtitles but overall we were happy with the movie and got to watch something a bit different then we normally watch and I enjoyed the storyline.

Watched it tonight. The transfer looks old and outdated. Lack of detail throughout, unclean edges with ringing, generally a mushy and coarse video look instead of an analogue and finely resolved film look. 2.5/5. Needs to be retransfered.

This post is BS to the highest extreme.

Watched it tonight. The transfer looks old and outdated. Lack of detail throughout, unclean edges with ringing, generally a mushy and coarse video look instead of an analogue and finely resolved film look. 2.5/5. Needs to be retransfered.

yeah, maybe your screen is old and outdated. no idea what you're talking about. this is one of the purtiest movies i've seen on HD. looks incredible.

on another note, i thought the dub on the regular dvd was one of the best i've ever heard. i thought it was perfect, EXCEPT for fronsac. granted, he is the main character, but still. all the other characters were dubbed fantasticly, i thought.

yeah, maybe your screen is old and outdated. no idea what you're talking about. this is one of the purtiest movies i've seen on HD. looks incredible.

on another note, i thought the dub on the regular dvd was one of the best i've ever heard. i thought it was perfect, EXCEPT for fronsac. granted, he is the main character, but still. all the other characters were dubbed fantasticly, i thought.

This HD-DVD looked GREAT. I listened to the French track though. Can't stand dub. I LOVED this movie & transfer.

Ya, the picture looked great. Very luxurious and rich. The movie itself didn't do much for me.

I don't know what the rest of you consider a "great" picture, but mhafner's description of the disc as "generally a mushy and coarse video look" is 100% correct.

I've spoken to someone who worked with the director, who has confirmed that the disc was sourced from an old 1080i HD master with bad color timing and too much Noise Reduction and edge enhancement applied. He was hoping for a remaster on the HD DVD, but the studio didn't want to spend the money.

I don't know what the rest of you consider a "great" picture, but mhafner's description of the disc as "generally a mushy and coarse video look" is 100% correct.

I've spoken to someone who worked with the director, who has confirmed that the disc was sourced from an old 1080i HD master with bad color timing and too much Noise Reduction and edge enhancement applied. He was hoping for a remaster on the HD DVD, but the studio didn't want to spend the money.

Ummm, we consider this disc as having a great picture. The consensus in general seems to be that it looks very good, I've seen more positive than negative comments, and IMO think it looks pretty damn good, especially after suffering the transfer from the 3-Disc Canadian set. :cool:

Can you still buy from the UK?

I don't know what the rest of you consider a "great" picture, but mhafner's description of the disc as "generally a mushy and coarse video look" is 100% correct.
100% agreed also, we got a look at this one and it's really disappointing. DNR'd to the max and lacking in detail.

I was wondering if anyone has run into a bug with the French Studio Canal Edition of Brotherhood of the Wolf. I'm running a Toshiba A2 with the latest firmware. As it stands at this moment I am watching the A2 flashing "Loading" and nothing is happening. I can hear it spinning. In order to stop it the first time I was able to hold the power button in for 15 seconds shutting down the machine. I then fired it backup and pressed eject. That was the only way I could get the disc out. I tried it again and it's still spinning.

Any ideas that could help me getting it to play? Also I now cannot watch Crank, another overseas HD DVD title. I get a message on my TV saying "Region error".

I was under the impression that HD DVD was region free? I have firmware 2.8, which is the latest that I know of.

I was wondering if anyone has run into a bug with the French Studio Canal Edition of Brotherhood of the Wolf. I'm running a Toshiba A2 with the latest firmware. As it stands at this moment I am watching the A2 flashing "Loading" and nothing is happening. I can hear it spinning. In order to stop it the first time I was able to hold the power button in for 15 seconds shutting down the machine. I then fired it backup and pressed eject. That was the only way I could get the disc out. I tried it again and it's still spinning.

Any ideas that could help me getting it to play? Also I now cannot watch Crank, another overseas HD DVD title. I get a message on my TV saying "Region error".

I was under the impression that HD DVD was region free? I have firmware 2.8, which is the latest that I know of.

Not sure on the Brotherhood of the wolf issue but are you using the HD DVD of Crank or the FU disc? The FU disc is a standard DVD (that is PAL as well). Crank plays fine on my A1, A2 and A30 so all 3 generations of player had no issues.

Im using the HD DVD German Version of Crank. It has FU written on the disc.

I am such a noob sometimes, lol. I just realized what you meant. I have pulled out the FU version and stuck in the HD DVD version and it is now playing. Sorry about that.

Now if I can just figure out Brotherhood issue.


Edit
Got the english thing figured out.

Thanks for all your help tormond, it's greatly appreciated.

I am such a noob sometimes, lol. I just realized what you meant. I have pulled out the FU version and stuck in the HD DVD version and it is now playing. Sorry about that.

Now if I can just figure out Brotherhood issue.


Edit
Got the english thing figured out.

Thanks for all your help tormond, it's greatly appreciated.

Yeah it sucks that the extras are on a PAL region (whatever Germany is region wise) SD disc but the movie looks great. Glad to be of help. Sorry onthe Brotherhood of the Wolf issue that is one I haven't found a good enough deal on yet to spring for or I would work on that one for you.

No issues with the UK eddtion on my A1. Id like to get the french version at some point just to have it.

Hello all,

anyone else having issues with Brotherhood of the Wolf, French version?

It just spins & spins in my A2, with out playing, just keeps saying loading.

I have the French BOTW and it plays fine in my XE1 - could it be a firmware problem? Or can you lend it to a friend to see if it behaves the same in their player?

Josh Z[/B]]
Perhaps not due to BBFC mandate, but the UK version of the film is heavily altered in comparison to either the original theatrical cut or the Director's Cut. An entire character and all of his related story points were cut out.



It's mentioned later in the thread that these cuts are the 'royal hunter' scenes. Anyone know if these included in the D-Theater version? I own that, but was looking to the UK version to supplement that with a French audio version (since the D-Theater is dubbed only). It's been a while since I watched the tape, but I think I remember there being one. Would I be better off waiting for a BD of this?



Also, you mention the studio not wanting to pay for a restoration. Who is in charge of the domestic release? Is it the same people who would possibly use the same transfer, or someone else who would use a new one? I'm debating on buying the UK version for ~ $28.50 shipped.

Hello all,

anyone else having issues with Brotherhood of the Wolf, French version?

It just spins & spins in my A2, with out playing, just keeps saying loading.

I have this version, and it plays fine in my A1 and my Samsung 5000 combo player. Except in the Samsung, the subtitles don't work. Other than that though, it works fine for me.

Got it to play finally. I'm not sure what was causing the issue. I left the machine for a week returned home, popped it in and hit play, though it took about 30 seconds of spinning (Loading) and then the movie started. So I guess its' fixed. Thanks for your input and suggestions all. It's greatly appreciated. :)

No issues with the UK eddtion on my A1. Id like to get the french version at some point just to have it.


Is there a difference between the two versions, for example audio, extras, etc.?

Is there a difference between the two versions, for example audio, extras, etc.?

The printing on the box and disk for the UK show the BBFC age rating
http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=11186

It's mentioned later in the thread that these cuts are the 'royal hunter' scenes. Anyone know if these included in the D-Theater version? I own that, but was looking to the UK version to supplement that with a French audio version (since the D-Theater is dubbed only). It's been a while since I watched the tape, but I think I remember there being one. Would I be better off waiting for a BD of this?



Also, you mention the studio not wanting to pay for a restoration. Who is in charge of the domestic release? Is it the same people who would possibly use the same transfer, or someone else who would use a new one? I'm debating on buying the UK version for ~ $28.50 shipped.

Universal is in charge of a U.S. release. I wouldn't expect them to do so with their track record. Not only that they gave us the butchered U.S. release and not the DC. I don't personally see a u.s. release soon if ever.

Universal is in charge of a U.S. release. I wouldn't expect them to do so with their track record. Not only that they gave us the butchered U.S. release and not the DC. I don't personally see a u.s. release soon if ever.

That is why I am so glad I got the French version on HD DVD. With its problems it is still a great film for me.

This was mailed 6 weeks ago from Xploited...still hasn't arrived. Surface Mail?

Anyone else experience audio "popping" when playing Canal version?
Best,
James

No audio poping here just watched this today. I've got the SC UK version. Great movie. Haven't watched in a few months.