Page 1 of Fight Club - Definitive Edition.

Decided to double-dip on this one today after reading on the case that the picture and sound have been digitally remastered.

I already had the R1 2 discer but, like the original R2 version, the 5.1 track was abysmally bad and suffered from appalling sound "dropouts" whenever there was a lot of bass on the track, (best example being the "Operation Latte Thunder" scene with the big rolling ball)
There were also several other discs from Fox that had the same problem released at around the same time (The Abyss & Independance Day for example).
The effect can be best described as being a bit like the old "limiters" you used to get on tape decks that used to try to adjust the sound to the same level throughout - the result was that the quiet parts were really loud and the loud parts were really quiet :/

I`m very happy to report that the audio track on this new definitive version has finally been sorted and now sounds the way it`s supposed to!!

Not only that but it is now identical to the R1 2 disc set with regards to special features (3 audio commentaries and some other extras were missing from the previous R2 set), it is also now fully uncut and comes in a nice shiny steelbook.

I love this film and it`s nice to finally have a version that doesn`t p*ss me off every time I watch it!

Now off to put my old one on eBay! 8)

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This item was edited on Saturday, 10th March 2007, 21:30

I never noticed any dropouts listening to the R1, but I haven`t watched it in years (hammered it when I got it and burned myself out). Can`t remember reading about any either. In fact, it got very favourable reviews. Can you give times so I can check? I seem to remember the R1 defaulted to the 2.0 Surround track, which was a pain.

This item was edited on Sunday, 11th March 2007, 02:06

Just go to the "Operation Latte Thunder" chapter using the 5.1 track and go to the bit where the big ball starts rolling, if I remember right the sound levels drop quite severely during this sequence as well as many others, greatly reducing the dynamics of the soundtrack, I think the R1 was slightly better than the R2 but it was definitely still affected.

Tried both the R1 & R2 discs at the time on a variety of different players and sound systems and it was definitely the discs that were at fault.

Any time there`s any really BIG noises the soundtrack dips suddenly and then gradually comes back up again.

Can`t believe I`m the only one who`s noticed this.
There were loads of Fox discs with this problem.

Anyone?
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Just checked it and you`re right. The volume lowers for a few seconds during that scene. I might watch it again to see what other scenes are affected. As I said, I haven`t watched it in years because I played it way too much when it first came out on DVD. I never had 5.1 back then, so I listened to the 2.0 track (which isn`t affected as far as I can tell). I`ve probably only watched it once or twice with 5.1, and then on an all-in-one system (Digitheatre) rather than the separates I have now. It`s clear enough on those though.

I guess people weren`t really educated enough to pick these things up when it originally came out in 2000. By today`s standards it`s a fairly average audio-visual job, but back then it was considered amazing. Every single R1 website at the time raved about it, including The Bits and the other big names.

Oddly enough though, the bit you`d expect it to puss out on - the mid-air collision - sounds okay. If it ever gets a remastered R1 release I might get it, but I don`t watch it often enough to warrant buying what is essentially an identical set with corrected audio. I hate PAL speed-up as well.

What other old Fox discs have the problem? I don`t have many old Fox titles as I`ve upgraded stuff like the Alien series over the years, but I do have a few lurking.

This item was edited on Sunday, 11th March 2007, 03:44

Quote:
Oddly enough though, the bit you`d expect it to puss out on - the mid-air collision - sounds okay.
Not on the original Region 2 version though, I remember that being one of the dodgy bits.

I originally had the first R2 2-disc set which is definitely the worst affected version, I eventually sold it because of this and bought the R1 instead, which was an improvement but still not devoid of the problem.

Other discs I`ve noticed it on are the original Region 2 releases of The Abyss, Independance Day & X-Men, there were others that I rented that I noticed it on too but can`t remember what they were at the moment.

It just really reduces the impact of key scenes, when the volume level should increase, it actually decreases!

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This item was edited on Sunday, 11th March 2007, 12:41

Is there any new footage in this "uncut" edition ? compared to the R2 version from a few years ago. I mean is the film itself actually longer?

g

The R2 version is cut - the R1 has always been uncut. From DVDCompare: Quote:
This film has been cut by 4 seconds for UK release and 3 seconds of minor substitutions have also been made. The film had already been cut to obtain a US rating and was further cut by the BBFC: In the scene where the gangster beats up Brad Pitt, an overhead shot as Pitt receives a punch to the face is completely missing, and in the scene where Edward Norton beats Jared Leto`s face to a pulp, the third punch in the first load of hits has been cut and several hits as his face becomes bloodied during the last load of hits have been removed in two cuts. Straightjacket - where did you get the R1 Definitive Edition and will it be different from the R2 that`s £9.99 at CDWow?

This item was edited on Sunday, 11th March 2007, 18:29

He was talking about the R2, which is now fully uncut and almost identical to the old R1 two-disc set. Only difference seems to be the remastered video and audio. Don`t think Fox have launched the definitive editions in the US; at least I`ve not seen any PR relating to them

Quote:
Other discs I`ve noticed it on are the original Region 2 releases of The Abyss, Independance Day & X-Men, there were others that I rented that I noticed it on too but can`t remember what they were at the moment.

The only one of those I have is the original R1 X-Men, and I haven`t watched that in years.

Yes, sorry I maybe didn`t make it clear that the new version I`m talking about is the new Region 2 Definitive Edition that you can get for under a tenner at most places.

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