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Stargate (Ultimate Edition)
Stars:
Kurt Russell, James Spader, Jaye Davidson, and Viveca Lindfors
Writers:
Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich
Director:
Roland Emmerich
Director’s
Cut Feature Length: 130 minutes
Theatrical
Cut Feature Length: 119 minutes
Extras:
Featurettes, Trailers, Cast And Crew Files, Production Notes, Audio Commentary
With Director Roland Emmerich and Producer Dean Devlin
Languages:
English DTS Digital 6.1 ES Digital Theatrical Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1
EX Surround Sound, and Dolby Surround Sound
Subtitles:
English Closed Captions and Spanish Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Two-Disc Amaray Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 30
Sound:
DTS Digital 6.1 ES Digital Theatrical Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1 EX
Surround Sound, and Dolby Surround Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 1994/DVD Release: 2003
Theatrical
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
Home
Video Distributor: Artisan Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: PG-13
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
“Stargate”
was a surprise hit in the fall of 1994 and inspired a popular TV series that is
already in production on its seventh season to air on the Sci-Fi Channel this
summer. This is the third time “Stargate” has been released to DVD-Video.
The first release came out in the very early days of DVD-Video releases and
featured the theatrical cut with a letterboxed (2.35:1) aspect ratio
presentation over two single layered sides of a DVD-10. Then Artisan released
“Stargate: Special Edition” a few years back, which included a letterboxed
transfer on a dual layered disc with seamless branching giving viewers the
ability to watch either the theatrical or Director’s cut from the same dual
layered DVD and included an audio commentary track with Writer and Director
Roland Emmerich and Writer and Producer Dean Devlin, which had been recorded for
the earlier laserdisc release. Now Artisan Home Entertainment has released
“Stargate: Ultimate Edition – Director’s Cut” as a two-disc DVD set with
the Director’s cut on one disc and the theatrical cut on the other disc.
Both
versions present “Stargate” in an anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) aspect
ratio for the first time on Region One DVD. The results are mixed, but I think
ultimately better than the previous releases as a whole. Since each version has
it’s own dual layered DVD, there are no potential problems with seamless
branching between different cuts and so those with older players that might have
experienced problems in the past or did not like short pauses that occurred
during the branching can watch both versions without this problem and overall I
think the transfers benefit from having a DVD onto itself. The theatrical cut
looks sharper, brighter, and cleaner than the Director’s cut with much less
grain and imperfections. A few imperfections and more visible grain appear to be
inherent to the Director’s cut. I also noticed some shimmering on the
Director’s cut that did not appear present on the theatrical cut. So as far as
the picture quality is concerned, the theatrical cut looks better than the
previous DVD releases in North America, but the Director’s cut does not. At
least consumers still get both versions.
Both
versions feature excellent high fidelity English DTS Digital 6.1 ES Theatrical
Surround Soundtracks as well as very good English Dolby Digital 5.1 EX Surround
Soundtracks, and even an English Dolby Surround Soundtracks as well. I think the
DTS soundtrack option for both versions on both discs justifies the purchase of
this set as an upgrade and Artisan is offering a $5 dollar rebate for consumers
who already own the “Special Edition.” The audio commentary with Writer and
Director Roland Emmerich and Writer and Producer Dean Devlin has been carried
over for the Director’s cut and is screen specific and informative. English
Closed Captions and Spanish Language Subtitles are encoded as options for both
the Director’s cut and theatrical versions of “Stargate” on both dual
layered discs respectively.
The
other extra features are spread across both discs. Mirage Productions produced
these new featurettes in 2002 with disc one containing the “Is There A
Stargate?” (12:11) featurette with Erich von Danken, Author of “Chariots Of
The Gods.” This featurette feels like a TV spot on a news magazine show like
“Sightings.” I found “The Making Of Stargate” (23:32) on disc two to be
far more interesting with new interviews with Special Creature Effects Designer
Patrick Tatopoulos as well as other design and production team members detailing
how some of the effects in the film were brought to make the world of
“Stargate” come to life, including a look at some of the props and whatnot.
Both
the theatrical trailer (2:47) and international trailer (1:08), which I recall
seeing as a teaser before the film opened back in 1994, are presented in
widescreen (1.85:1) aspect ratios with English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Soundtracks. The cast and crew files are only as current as 1998 and there are
onscreen production notes as well as liner notes within the insert inside the
two-disc single size Amaray keep case. An advertisement for “Terminator 2:
Judgment Day: Extreme Edition” also appears within the insert inside the DVD
keep case with an anticipated release date around June of 2003.
The
menus are well rendered with animated transitions to standard interactive still
frame menus and all are easy to navigate. The keep case comes housed in a
handsome cardboard slipcase with identical cover art on both sides. “Stargate:
Ultimate Edition – Director’s Cut” is available on DVD-Video now from
Artisan Home Entertainment for the low suggested retail price of $19.98.
©
Copyright 2003 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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Buy This DVD Now By Clicking On The Text Link Below!
Stargate (Ultimate Edition)