One of the more interesting points (for the final 3-DVD Vista Series release in January) is the 30-minute "multiple-angle" attack sequence, which also has different audio tracks, including (seemingly) an isolated music track.

http://www.dvdfile.com/images/box_art/blow_ups/pearlharbor_twoshot.jpg

But, on a score related note, it will be interesting to hear the ISO score for the invasion sequence...some of the best music in the movie, and not even Zimmer's if I remember correctly.

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Originally posted by Hornerfan:
Also, I wonder what this "director's cut" will be like. Maybe it'll make it a better film...

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Well, it's only 5 more minutes of extra violence........ I doubt that's going to improve the shoddy storyline and flat characters.

Dan

1. commission a new score
2. add much needed nudity...
3. ...while cutting out 5 hours of the wuv story

hey isolated score on this thing. cool.

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Originally posted by JJH:
hey isolated score on this thing. cool.

Now you too can bootleg another mediocre score!

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There is no full isolated score - just part of it (supposedly) for that multi-angle thingy.

Of course, expect all sorts of things to change between now and then; after all, this press release reads like a "battle plan" of what they WANT to do!!

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Originally posted by scoreguy16:
I don't know if this was mentioned already, but it is THX Certified and in DTS and Dolby Digital. So good picture and sound!

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Well, that info was in the press release, so I didn't think it was worth repeating..... it's like: "I don't know if this was mentioned already, but it is widescreen and in color. So good aspect ratio and spectrum!"

You're probably right. But hey, I could have just hoped for something, you know, better!

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Originally posted by dgoldwas:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=1 face=arial>quote:</font><HR size=1>Originally posted by scoreguy16:
[b]I don't know if this was mentioned already, but it is THX Certified and in DTS and Dolby Digital. So good picture and sound!<HR size=1></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, that info was in the press release, so I didn't think it was worth repeating..... it's like: "I don't know if this was mentioned already, but it is widescreen and in color. So good aspect ratio and spectrum!"

Dan[/B]

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Smart @$$

You've got to love the marketing though...release a more expensive and lesser set before Christmas and the real prize after Christmas...and as someone pointed out...for less.

I don't know if any of you have seen the USA Today interview with Michael Bay about the DVD in regard to the extra scenes. Here is a quote:

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Although the 40-minute sequence of the actual bombing was the most praised in the film, "I think it will have more of a profound effect," Bay says. "The gore that has been interspersed gives you a moment to pause. It makes it more real."

Only four or five minutes will be added to the original's 183-minute running time, but scenes will be cut and replaced with more graphic alternatives that were shot at the same time.

"There will be more R-rated setups in the hospital, the kind of stuff that unsettles the stomach. You'll see that a 50mm round can cut a body in half. You don't need a lot to get the point across."

The language will be stronger, including more racial slurs against the Japanese. The love triangle involving nurse Kate Beckinsale and pilots Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck will be downplayed, and the focus will shift to the men's friendship. "The DVD cut is more male-oriented," Bay explains. Hence, the addition of a Beckinsale butt shot.

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So as you can see from that, nothing of any substance is being put back, so don't go wishing the gore will make up for it's many faults. I don't hate this movie, don't love it either, but I'm frankly feeling that if anything, the addition of blood and swearing could only really make it's faults worse.

This is a point I raised over at the HTF, constantly Bay and Disney were asking everyone to put aside the movie's historical faults and look at the movie as a love story, and now here comes bay with his cut where the love story is toned down and the gore is cranked up. If it was always the intention to deliver a PG-13 love story, the racial stuff along with the blood and guts really should not exist.

To me, it's as if they've sat around a room and said "ok, so we targeted this audience and it didn't go down too well, lets man it up, paint the screen red and try to target another audience" and when you think that way after the movies thatrical release, you sense trouble. It's as if those who made it were, and still are, somewhat clueless over what they wanted to do with the movie...

I'm getting the 3 disc, regardless of my thoughts for the movie, the extras interest me, I just hope those involved dont tip toe around discussing their aims along with where and why they failed. I know I can expect the honest truth out of Affleck in his commentary contributions.

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Originally posted by Dan Brecher:
I know I can expect the honest truth out of Affleck in his commentary contributions.

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Yeah - he's always been rather candid. And now I know why - it was probably the alcohol.

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Originally posted by dgoldwas:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=1 face=arial>quote:</font><HR size=1>Originally posted by Dan Brecher:
[b]I know I can expect the honest truth out of Affleck in his commentary contributions.<HR size=1></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah - he's always been rather candid. And now I know why - it was probably the alcohol.

Dan[/B]

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I'm doubting. Ben seems like a pretty cool guy, but then lately after a few things went horribly wrong in his life, he took the road being travled by more and more super-stars. But at least he was able to be honest, true to himself, and realize he has a problem. It takes a lot of courage to check into one of those places. FYI - on the "Dude, Where's My Car" commentary they're all 3 drinking. Sean William Scott actually leaves the room to go to the bathroom and get drinks for the 3 of them.

With his alcohol abuse and shoddy voting habits, he'll make a perfect public official!

Dan

Regarding the multi-angle/multi-soundtrack thingy:

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There is no full isolated score - just part of it (supposedly) for that multi-angle thingy.

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That's true, and it wont be the full attack sequence you get to toy with either, just part of it, so you may find an unreleased cue of music ends abrubtly since the segment is cut down a little too.

If you have a number of disney DVDs (Unbreakable, Toy Story toy box, Dinosaur..etc), look to the option which lets you isolate specific aspects of the soundtrack, it's just the same kind of deal here on Pearl Harbour only expanded upon in that you'll have multiple video options going on at the same time.

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Of course, expect all sorts of things to change between now and then; after all, this press release reads like a "battle plan" of what they WANT to do!!

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Well most of it is actually already done. Everything listed is either finished or in production so it is all likely to be there on the disc, Prior isn't one to mess about in saying stuff will be there but is eventualy never to be seen. They're right now working hard on the menus I believe.

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This is kinda off the topic but still on, I was wondering if anyone knew where I could get a 6.1 or 7.1 channel reciever that decodes DTS and so on and so forth. Preferable THX-Ultra certified. And I need it to be pretty cheap. Like under $1000. Thanx!

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THX Ultra for under 1000 is asking a lot, but THX is really a bit of a farce these days, yes its got a better reputation in hardware then in software now (their software quality control unit is a mess) and it's REALLY not something you need to lust for in good home theater gear.

I'm into seperates for home theater, but if you're looking to get an integrated amp with DD and DTS, I'd check out some Demon and Yamaha amps.

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Originally posted by Dan Brecher:
Prior isn't one to mess about in saying stuff will be there but is eventualy never to be seen

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I was more referring specifically to the mention here:

"d) Commentaries from veterans, potentially moderated by an ABC NEWS personality (Peter Jennings, Sam Donaldson, Ted Koppel or David Brinkley)"

Seems kinda 'uncertain' - hence, anything is subject to change!

Dan pretty much summed it up. Don't sink big dollars into THX...is is merely a "certification"...and honestly who knows what that is.

Denon and Yamaha are excellent and you should be able to get a 5.1/DTS receiver in the realm of $800 that sounds great.

As is often the case (to this day I dont know why), the Rock uses a DD and DTS track both sourced from alternate 6 track masters. A lot of people over praise DTS thinking its a great format because the soundtracks sound so much better, well, often its just down to the fact they're sorced from alternate materials (Gladiator and Pvt Ryan are excellent examples, amongst many, many others). Then, subsequenelty, everyone gets all shocked if the DTS doesnt quite match the Dolby's performance (The Rock is a good example, as is Titan A.E).

Kind of makes me angry when they dont just use the best master possible to make both tracks out of, still, at least at the end of the day one can chose the better one, better then not having it at all I guess.

You'll notice that model is THX Select certified. A few years back, on hardware, THX decided to create different signatures for various grades of harware. THX select, right through to higer end stuff stamped with THX Ultra. I have no idea if they give one thing more attention then another. Who knows, if they do, that's bad form in my opinion.

Basically they ensure components of the highest quality are used in the hardware within it's price range whilst also offering THX decoding which, they say, will bring the performance more in line with that of a real movie theater. I dunno, I run THX processing on my TAG processor rarely.

That looks like a nice amp actually, just taking in mind that when buying a THX certified product you're paying a bit more just to have their seal of approval on it.

$750 for that is superb nevertheless, I must say. I started off with a Pioneer, they're good solid performers. That price for that kind of gear still confirms to me England is the biggest rip off of all when it comes to good like this.

When in doubt, demo! Find a place where you can buy HT gear and go get demos of various things in your price range.

I asked David Prior about the lack of trailers listed in the press release, some may recall another VISTA Series release, Unbreakable DVD, was unfortunately void of any of its theatrical trailers due to (I believe) rights issues on the Nine Inch Nails song.

Fearing the same about Pearl Harbour (with the thin red line music) I asked Prior over on the HTF, he's confirmed the teaser and theatrical trailer will be there on the DVD.

He's also managed to comment more on the director's cut, he said Bay is adding more and more little bits near daily, apparently he added another shot back just the other day. I've asked if any subsequent material, cut though not restored into the DC, will be available on either of the two supplemental discs or if its just stuff Bay doesnt want people to see.

Zimmer's score was so low-key the film could have omitted a score and had the same effect. The one exception was the setup for the attack sequence: that music was appropriatly composed and mixed.

As for the "Director's Cut"...if Bay wanted to turn the film into a passable (I'm not saying great) "A" movie in my book, he would do the following.

CUT:
-much of the love triangle,
-some of the bombing sequence,
-the entire raid on Tokyo. Why can't Disney put out a movie that does not have a heroic, happy ending? Must America win in EVERY film they produce?

ADD:
-Language that is more fitting of soldiers running for their lives,
-one more ariel dogfight,
-some Japanese character development.

This is all I can think of off of the top of my head, and it has been quite a while since I saw the film.

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Originally posted by Bozman:
As for the "Director's Cut"...if Bay wanted to turn the film into a passable (I'm not saying great) "A" movie in my book, he would do the following.

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But then it wouldn't really be the "Director's Cut", would it? It would be like, "let's go back and try to fix a movie that wasn't very good".

See, the problem is that Bay kept proclaiming that the version released WAS his vision of the film: a love story set against Pearl Harbor.

Then the film didn't do as well as they hoped.

So now he's adding more violence and gore, and downplaying the romance. It's like, "well, let's try it THIS way".

Isn't that what TEST AUDIENCES are for?? Did they forget that part? (Apparently!)

So I think that this new cut is less of a "Director's Cut" and more of a "Redux".

I disagree about the test audiences. By the way, most directors and actors hate how their film get chewed up by the studio after a test screening. For example, Barry Levinson's film An Everlasting Piece was test screened in the Hollywood Hills area. Would conservative rich white people like that film? Probably not. And the reaction from that test screening was that they hated it, and, as far as I know that film has not yet been released.

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Originally posted by sean:
Pearl Harbor was an awful piece of American propaganda; actually, the best propaganda film I've ever seen. It doesn't really matter what they can do with the 5 or so minutes of footage they add, it will still be a piece of **** .

Who really cares what they've done to "improve" the film? It's still gonna suck. The only two stars of that film were Hans Zimmer and ILM.

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Well, that's like, your opinion, man.