Page 1 of Am I Being Short Changed with Alien Disc ??

Have just purchased a copy of Alien (Region 2), all the web sites (that I`ve checked) advertise Alien with a duration of 116 mins but the sleeve indicates 112mins. If this is correct then the region 2 version is some 5 mins shorter than the region 1 version! Does anybody know what’s missing?

Also, the sleeve to the VHS tape recording of Alien states 116mins – Are we being short changed with the region 2 DVD disc???

I`d denfinatly take it back for a complete refund, a whole 5 minutes!!!

The slight difference in time-length relates to the different `frames per seconds` used on TV screens in the States, and here in UK.

Don`t worry, you`re not being conned !

PAL (as used in the UK) runs 4% faster than NTSC (as used in the US) and so PAL films are shorter

I’m grateful for your responses, I hadn’t thought about frame rates affecting the run time! Although I understand that PAL uses 25 frames/sec compared to NTSC which uses 30 frame/sec rates (I hope my figures are correct), I would assume that if both versions of the film are composed of the same number of frames then the NTSC version would finish sooner due to its faster frame rate.

A further point to remember is that Region 2 does not necessarily mean PAL! Japan uses Region 2 but its television standard is NTSC and the DVD sleeve still states 112mins.

Also bear in mind that the VHS tape is 116mins (and 28sec) in length – confirmed! So again why is the DVD (region 2) version shorter than even the VHS release?

Perhaps I should have purchased the region 1 version?

........ Clearly I’ve made a mistake here the sleeve definitely states Region 2 with PAL written underneath. ;)

This item was edited on Friday, 20th April 2001, 08:50