Whedonesque : Comments on 9368 : German Serenity DVD details revealed.

The limited edition cover seems similar to the slipcase edition of the Aussie version. Features seem like they might be the same, also?

The One True b!X | January 25, 11:53 CET

It is a rather smart cover, isn't it? Is that the same extras as the Aussie one, apart from the Aussie one having the Q&A (which I believe is "exclusive" to the Aussie disc)?

I've got the Aussie one on order already (and I've already got the R1), and I don't think I want to get any others unless they have extras I won't already have. But - nice cover!

Kiddo | January 25, 11:55 CET

There's a Q&A on the two-disc German edition.

The One True b!X | January 25, 11:59 CET

Is it a different Q&A to the Aussie one, anyone know?

[Edited to add...]

Actually, I note that a number of the features the Aussie ones claims are "exclusinve" appear on the German (and presumably at least some other R2 discs, when they get announced) edition, so maybe it is the same Q&A. Not so "exclusive" after all, then.

[ edited by Kiddo on 2006-01-25 10:09 ]

Kiddo | January 25, 12:05 CET

I can't understand why britain does not have a complete two-discs edition...

Le Comité | January 25, 12:35 CET

Me neither Le Comité but I've ordered the Aussie Serenity DVD tin edition just to get the extras.

I'll probably get the UK one just to boost the sales figures as well.

Simon | January 25, 13:14 CET

So did I, Simon, but now I see that patience is indeed a virtue and I could have had the same for less money - oh well. Guess I'll just get the 'simple' German DVD then. But, on the upside, the Aussie DVD will be out first.

Ariane | January 25, 13:43 CET

Interesting that they also offer a third ‘Serenity DVD & UMD’ option. Haven’t noticed that before in the other country releases, but I may well have simply missed it. Anybody know?

Not everything gets released on UMD, this must mean Universal has quite a bit of confidence this film will be a cult favourite. Plus another format release = another extra revenue stream for Universal. Sequel anyone?

I am definitely in a glass half full kind of mood today

miranda | January 25, 14:05 CET

Hmm... EzyDVD doesn't take debit cards so I can't order the Australian version, which would make sense if I want all the extra features. I was fine ordering the US version from Play because they do.

Ah well, until I find a way I might have to just make do with the US and UK versions.

Edit: Or, hopefully they'll do a comprehensive special edition at some point in the future...

[ edited by flugufrelsarinn on 2006-01-25 13:34 ]

flugufrelsarinn | January 25, 15:31 CET

Nice to have the details spelled out. I'll order both the plain and the limited version, I guess.
BTW - what is a UMD-Version? I'm confused.

Harridan | January 25, 16:58 CET

UMD is the media format for the playstation portable game player.

eddy | January 25, 17:05 CET

It's mostly the same cover the rest of the world is getting, but I dig the red.

war_machine | January 25, 17:06 CET

war_machine> Unless I'm misunderstanding, the Special Edition cover (lower down the page) is very different, and it is that one I'm lusting over. Not sure whether I'm lusting over it enough to buy the DVD for, though, since I should have the Aussie one (hopefully in a limited edition tin) coming my way soon.

Kiddo | January 25, 17:46 CET

The Red sky makes it stand out. A lot. Very good stuff.

gossi | January 25, 17:53 CET

Here is the lint to the Aussie slip case, which is just like the German slip case, however the Aussie slip case comes with Joss's sig printed on it.

http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvds/id/809477

Zoic_Fan | January 25, 17:58 CET

That's a "LIMITED EDITION JB HI-FI EXCLUSIVE SLIPCASE OFFER", not a general Aussie one, according to the link. Dammit, I want them all...

Kiddo | January 25, 18:02 CET

I don't know if it's the same Q&A as the Aussie edition, but UIP filmed a lot of stuff for their EPK when Joss, Nathan and Summer were in Hamburg, including the Q&A session there (large parts of which have been posted on slayerverse.org) -- so maybe they used some of that material. I'll try and find out.

bschnell | January 25, 19:01 CET

That would be great if you could bscnell, thanks :).

Simon | January 25, 20:05 CET

Simon, all I've got so far is a phone number, but I was too late. I'll try again tomorrow.

bschnell | January 25, 20:22 CET

Australian one remains the way to go, since both countries are PAL format. Even if the same formerly "Australian exclusives" may be on this German version, the Australian menus will at least be in English. At worst, the German extras may have been German-ized (replacing any English narration with German narration, replacing English on-screen titles with German on-screen titles, etc).

willbueche | January 25, 20:36 CET

Australian one remains the way to go, since both countries are PAL format. Even if the same formerly "Australian exclusives" may be on this German version, the Australian menus will at least be in English. At worst, the German extras may have been German-ized (replacing any English narration with German narration, replacing English on-screen titles with German on-screen titles, etc).

Usually, you can configure your DVD player so that it selects the menus in the langage you want. And if there are english subtitles, then there must also be english menus on the dvd. And in general also, dubbings do not *replace* existing original version; they come along, but you can always select the original version (all the more as, on this dvd, the "special" special features are listed in english... my guess is that it is not sure they are even dubbed in german).

I think I'll pick up the german edition, if I have no news from another british edition.

Le Comité | January 25, 21:01 CET

BTW, I notice that the special edition has a cover very much like the one I was thinking of and voting for, when we talked about the different possible covers (except that I would have chosen a black background, but I guess the blue one has more visibility).

Le Comité | January 25, 21:05 CET

So the scale of best to worst at this point, judging only by the amount of extras, may be this:

THE BEST:

Australian 2DVD - Region 4 - PAL - best version (Maximum extras)

German Ltd. Ed. 2DVD - Region 2 - PAL - best version (Maximum extras)

THE SECOND BEST:

UK 1DVD - Region 2 - PAL

German 1DVD - Region 2 - PAL - The one-disc version appears to be the same as the UK version.

South Asia 1DVD - Region 3 - NTSC - Reportedly the same as the UK disc.

THE THIRD BEST (AKA THE WORST):

US 1DVD - Region 1 - NTSC - still a pretty good disc.

And that's all we know of so far. As yet there is no info on what the Japanese version will have, assuming Japan makes one.

[ edited by willbueche on 2006-01-25 19:24 ]

willbueche | January 25, 21:11 CET

Yay they did a normal cover! *doeshappydance*

Kessie | January 25, 23:48 CET

That cover is exactly what I was hoping the US release would look like way back when (yeah, I started thinking about the DVD cover as soon as the movie was announced, is that odd?).

Tycho | January 26, 00:08 CET

>>At worst, the German extras may have been German-ized (replacing any English narration with German narration, replacing English on-screen titles with German on-screen titles, etc).<<

FWIW, most of the time the extras aren't in German at all. With luck (if you don't speak English), you'll get optional subtitles, but often not even that.

But I'd venture to say that for any English-speaking person with a DVD player that plays region 2 DVDs, it's perfectly safe to buy the German version.

bschnell | January 26, 01:48 CET

Anyone got any details on the Dutch DVD release? I thought that was touted in advance as having 2 discs with plenty of extras (probably the same as the German)? I've Googled and failed to find any details.

Kiddo | January 26, 04:15 CET

When the Australian one was first announced see previous thread Universal Pictures Australia said of the second disc “at present, this disc is exclusive to Australia and Benelux - Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg - only but other international territories may decide to release the 2nd disc as well”.

purplehazel | January 26, 09:17 CET

Yes, I do remember that - that's why I was asking about the Dutch disc detail's, I think. I wondered even at the time whether there would be any variation at all, though.

Well, the Aussie one's on order now, and I can't really go for other ones just because the cover is different, if the content is identical.

Kiddo | January 26, 11:32 CET

January 25 2006