Page 1 of The Terminator = Is R1 Version worth buying over R2 Version?

I recently purchased the Region 2 version of The Terminator on DVD, and to my delight, am amazed by the picture quality, sound quality, and host of superb extras.
Being a fan of this film for many years, I wished to get hold of the DVD of The Terminator that has everything included. Soon afterward I had bought it, I was disgusted to discover that the soon to be released Region 1 version of The Terminator will include narration by James Cameron over the deleted scenes, which is not present on the R2 version. I also heard somewhere that the introduction to the film will have dialogue from Michael Biehn, and not the crude text that is present on the R2 version, and will also include the original mono soundtrack to the film. Is this true, and are there any other differences on the R1 version? Why do the Region 1 DVD`s virtually always get more features than R2 releases - why can`t they all be the same?
Incidentally, does anyone know what kind of packaging the R1 DVD comes in, and basically if it is worth buying this as well as the R2 version that I currently have? Isn`t The Terminator only one of few DVD`s that was actually released in the UK BEFORE being released in the US - ie this isn`t a normal occurence?
Thanks for reading all these questions, and I look forward to any replies :-)

As far as i am aware the differences that you have listed are correct.

As for the packaging of the region 1 disc, it is going to have a holograhic cover of arnold on it, which looks awesome.

I was lucky enouch not to buy the region 2 disc so i will be getting the region 1 disc for sure.

duncsy

Why are you "disgusted"? You did have the option of not buying it, you know :-)

All of what you say is true, but Sod`s law dictates that no matter which version of a film you buy, a better one will always come along sooner or later. No sooner had I bought the R2 Die Hard disc than the R1 special edition was announced... I was a bit miffed, maybe, but that`s life.

Are you seriously saying that MGM should have deliberately held back on R1 features so as not to p*** off people who already owned the R2 version? If you follow that logic, then they should have made hundreds of R2 releases non-anamorphic in order to placate R1 owners. It works both ways - R1 isn`t always better than R2/R4.

Much as I like Terminator, I decided not to buy the R2 SE because (a) it didn`t have the original mono soundtrack and (b) it had already been announced by MGM, even before the R2 release, that the R1 would have the original soundtrack plus extra features. Hence I decided to wait for the R1.

Mike

Mike - is there any particular reason why you desire the mono soundtrack ? Just curious is all ;-)

Another issue about why extras on R1 and R2 differs relates to the the many legal complexities surrounding them. Home Entertainment mag did a fantastic article in issue 92 (pp 44-49) which is well worth reading, if you get the chance.

i also decided to wait for the R1 release of The Terminator but my main reason for not buying the R2 version is because of the way they replaced the text screen at the start with really tacky subtitles. I seen the disk at a friends house and absolutely hated it so i decided, thank goodness i turned out to be right about the R1 disk having the text screen at the start!!

Also, Michael Biehn isnt doing a voiceover at the start of the terminator goodness only knows where that rumour came from.

What is there instead of the cheap text at the beginning of the film on the Region 1 version? On the original film it was a full screen of text, instead of bites of pixellated text like on the R2 DVD. Is is a voice-over on the R1 version? If so - who`s voice? The rumours about Michael Biehn doing the voice over originate from James Cameron originally considering this instead of the on screen text before the original film was released in `84. Michael Biehn was also considered for the voice over at the beginning of T2, and then the older John Conner was considered for it, ending up with Linda Hamilton recording the speech. I guess they thought that Michael Biehn doing this would confuse the audience as to who was saying it, as he didn`t feature in the theatrical release of T2).
By the way - I don`t suppose anyone wants to buy my R2 version from me do they? It`s BRAND NEW, and available immediately!! :-)

I didn`t see that HE article, Clayts, but I`ll have a look for it; thanks for the pointer!

About the soundtrack - I prefer films on DVD to be as "original" as possible, which means original aspect ratio and, yes, the original soundtrack. The 5.1 remix by all accounts sounds very good, but it`s *not* what was originally heard in the cinema; I think DVD releases of older films should primarily be about presenting the original source material as faithfully as possible, not just an excuse to give your DD amp a good thrashing with a killer 5.1 track.

I`m not saying they shouldn`t have remixed it or that remixes are inherently bad, just that I`d like the choice of hearing the original, authentic, bona fide 1984 mix. Not too much to ask, surely? :-)

In a way it`s a bit like the argument about "colourising" old black and white films; just as there are people who won`t watch a classic film "cos it`s in black and white", there are people nowadays who demand DD 5.1 soundtracks, even from ancient films which were never originally released with a Surround track. I think it`s a shame, but I suppose it`s a fact of life. I`ve even seen reviews which actually *mark down* DVDs of films like A Clockwork Orange because they have mono sound, which I find unbelievable, but there you go.

Mike

Yup, totally fair comment, Mike - I totally respect your views, as always.

This item was edited on Tuesday, 4th September 2001, 00:37