Buy it from a different region!

[Sinny McGuffins]

I hate buying DVDs that have no extras. Because I know that someday a Special Edition will be out, and I'll have to buy it and throw my vanilla copy away. But what's worst than that, is buying a DVD with minimal or no extra features, then realising a different region has the same film with a shed load of extras!

I also hate buying a film that I love, then realising I love the censored version, knowing that people across the globe have the luxury of watching it uncut!

If you ever find yourself in similar situations, I suggest you buy a Region-Free DVD player from Amazon and start gettin' your flicks from the net. Because Region-Free DVD players are a wonderful thing, my friends. :yup:


So, do you know any DVDs that you should buy from a different region? It could be because extra features or un-cut versions, or anything really.

Please, folks. Enlighten me.

[Sinny McGuffins]

I'd advise those who live in R2 and love Rushmore, The Royal Tennenbaums and The Life Aquatic to buy those films from America. As they are all part of the infamous Criterion Collection. In R2, they're just vanillas.

Head over to PlayUSA.com (http://www.playusa.com) or CD Wow (http://www.cdwow.cc) for some good offers.

[SpoOkY]

mmmm never thought about that really because I'm extra careful before buying DVD's so I normally check on the net to see if there are any special editions coming out (this may only be possible because Australia gets everything late, so I can find a US version and wait for an Aus one to come out).

Also I never thought to buy an all-regions player because I've just stuck with my good old Toshiba one that has always worked well. It's an interesting prospect though :).

[Tacitus]

I'd advise those who live in R2 and love Rushmore, The Royal Tennenbaums and The Life Aquatic to buy those films from America. As they are all part of the infamous Criterion Collection. In R2, they're just vanillas.

Head over to PlayUSA.com (http://www.playusa.com) or CD Wow (http://www.cdwow.cc) for some good offers.

Can't vouch for the other two but The Life Aquatic doesn't reek of vanilla on R2. 2 discs, docs and commentary. :)

Without checking I'd say that a good 10-15% of my DVDs aren't R2 - last one I mucked up on was not buying the R1 of Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (the R2 has no extras at all).

[Sinny McGuffins]

I own the R1 version of Blood Simple (because you can't buy it as a single DVD over here), the uncut Japanese version of Kill Bill Vol. 1, the R1 version of Nashville (because the R2 version doesn't exist), the Japanese edition of Scandal and the Criterions of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Royal Tennenbaums and Schizopolis.

I plan on replacing my editions of 8½, Jules & Jim, The Killer, Ikiru, Rashomon, Red Beard, Sanjuro, Seven Samurai, Stray Dog, Throne of Blood and Yojimbo with the R1 Criterion editions.

I'm also going to double-dip on Raging Bull and buy R1's special edition too.

[Tacitus]

I've ordered the Fear & Loathing... Criterion as the only R2 I was able to find was a Dutch vanilla at a record fair.

I think Mike Leigh's Naked is getting a Criterion release soon, which is fantastic news as no R2 exists.

There's a lot of R3 and R0 Japanese and HK movies in my collection too, great value. ;)

[Sinny McGuffins]

DVDCompare.net (http://www.dvdcompare.net) is a great website that compares R1, R2 and R4 releases. I'd advise everyone to check in there before buying any DVD. :yup:

[Escape]

I hate buying DVDs that have no extras. Because I know that someday a Special Edition will be out, and I'll have to buy it and throw my vanilla copy away.
Yeah, I hate it when that happens too. No, I reeeeeeeeeeeealy hate it when that happens. Like that Snatch double disc that just came out. Im stuck with the crappy single disc and am hesitant to spend more money on it.
I also hate buying a film that I love, then realising I love the censored version, knowing that people across the globe have the luxury of watching it uncut!
I think Team America: World Police comes to mind for me there. I know the region 1 has the uncut version whereas region 2 does not.
If you ever find yourself in similar situations, I suggest you buy a Region-Free DVD player from Amazon and start gettin' your flicks from the net. Because Region-Free DVD players are a wonderful thing, my friends. :yup:
I never thought of that before but that's a great idea actually. How expensive are the region free dvd players anyways? Only problem though is buying the other regions online. I still have a tough time trusting putting a credit card on the net.

[Tacitus]

I never thought of that before but that's a great idea actually. How expensive are the region free dvd players anyways? Only problem though is buying the other regions online. I still have a tough time trusting putting a credit card on the net.

In a great many cases, all you need to do to make your existing DVD player region free is to enter a 4 number code from your remote somewhere on the setup screen. You can check here (http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks) to see if your player can be converted.

I wouldn't even consider buying a player thesedays if it isn't R-free out of the box or is listed here. All I had to do with my last one was press 'setup' (without a disc in the tray) and key in 2812. A screen then appeared where you could choose your region, or leave it on 0 to play everything. I'm guessing the menu is there to easily change DVD players at the factory so they can be sold across the globe.

It's safe too - if you see a player advertised on, say, Amazon as region free all they'll generally do is sell you the R1 or R2 etc player and provide a link to a pdf file with the code you need to input. ;)

[Pyro Tramp]

Sometimes i get region 3 dvds as they're out earlier but have trite extras. Sin City and Dogma are soo much better R1, i think the R1 cut of Leon is better as well.