Kingdom Of Heaven: DC - 4 Discs R1 - 23/05/2006

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 16 Feb 2006, 22:09

I'll DEFINITELY be getting this, on release probably. It's looking really excellent:

All the juicy details:

Feature Presentation:

* 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
* English DD5.1 & DTS 5.1 Surround
* Spanish Dolby Surround
* French or Spanish subtitles
* Duration 191 minutes, compared with 144 minutes for the Theatrical cut - WOW!

Disc 1: Director’s Cut Part One

* Introduction by Sir Ridley Scott
* Audio Commentaries: Director Ridley Scott and Writer William Monahan by executive producer Lisa Ellzey, film editor Dody Dorn, visual effects supervisor Wes Sewell and first assistant director Adam Somner
* The Engineer’s Guide: Story Notes (Text & Images)

Disc 2: Director’s Cut Part Two

* Audio Commentaries (Continued): Director Ridley Scott and Writer William Monahan by executive producer Lisa Ellzey, film editor Dody Dorn, visual effects supervisor Wes Sewell and first assistant director Adam Somner
* The Engineer’s Guide (Continued): Story Notes (Text & Images)

Disc 3: The Path To Redemption Documentary – Part 1

* Development:
o Part I: Good Intentions (Featurette)
o "Tripoli" Overview & Gallery (Text & Images)
o First Draft Screenplay by William Monahan (Text)
o Story Notes (Text & Images)
o Location Scout Gallery (Images)
* Pre-Production:
o Part II: Faith and Courage (Featurette)
o Screen Tests (Video and Commentary)
o Cast Rehearsals (Video)
o Costume & Weapon Design Featurette (Video)
o Production Design / Conceptual Art / Costume Galleries (Text & Images)
* Production: Spain
o Part III: The Pilgrimage Begins (Featurette)
o Creative Accuracy: The Scholars Speak (Video)
o Storyboard Comparisons (Multi-Angle Video & Images)
o Photo Galleries (Text & Images)

Disc 4: The Path To Redemption Documentary – Part 2

* Production: Morocco
o Part IV: Into The Promised Land (Featurette)
o Unholy War: Mounting The Siege (Video)
o Storyboard Comparisons (Multi-Angle Video & Images)
o Photo Galleries (Text & Images)
* Post-Production:
o Part V: The Burning Bush (Featurette)
o Deleted & Alternate Scenes (Video & Commentary)
o Sound Design Suite (Video & Audio)
o Visual Effects Breakdowns (Video & Commentary)
* Release:
o Part VI: Sins and Absolution (Featurette)
o Trailers & TV Spots (Video & Commentary)
o ShoWest Presentation (Video)
o Press Junket Walkthrough (Video)
o Japanese & London Premieres (Video)
o Poster Explorations: Domestic & International (Images)
o The Director's Cut & DVD Campaign (Video & Images)

Source: http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=60430

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 16 Feb 2006, 22:49

About FUCKING time! Thanks for the heads-up Brad.

This is on my buy list too, now if they'd just digitally replace Orlando Bloom with someone else...

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 16 Feb 2006, 23:29

Yeah! I knew it was worth the wait. Ha ha at those who bought the current version and pretend to be happy with it.

I just hope we get more footage of Salahhuddin.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 17 Feb 2006, 09:15

Was he the leader of the Crusades LD? (Muslim leader).

slasher13 · Post by **slasher13** » 17 Feb 2006, 10:21

I just hope we get more footage of Salahhuddin.

I really hope so as well LostDragon. Also I'm thinking the last battle scenes will be extended.

Grim Tales, Richard was the leader of the Crusades which Saladin was fighting against.
Check out the following link: Saladin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kind Regards

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 17 Feb 2006, 12:05

Shokran Slasher

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 28 Feb 2006, 12:41

Cover art is up:

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=60430

slasher13 · Post by **slasher13** » 28 Feb 2006, 12:49

and it looks very lovely.... I think this is one of my must have for 2006

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 28 Feb 2006, 18:53

UK Cover art courtesy of Play, yuck:

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 28 Feb 2006, 19:42

Are you sure thats official art? The R1 looks MUCH better.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 28 Feb 2006, 20:44

Nope I'm just posting what Play have up. Who have the 22nd of May for the UK R2.

I suspect I'll get the R3 (it's bound to be as good) unless the R1 turns out to have the theatrical cut as seamless branching.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 02 Mar 2006, 21:46

bradavon wrote:unless the R1 turns out to have the theatrical cut as seamless branching.

Who cares if it does or not? The butchered TC is irrelevant now.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 03 Mar 2006, 11:55

Most likely but I like my DVDs to be as definitive as possible and if the R1 is no more expensive then why not?

Considering they'll all probably be very similar DVD wise it will probably come down to cost but yes you're right Gladiator: TC for example has much more worth than KOH: TC.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 04 Mar 2006, 04:25

bradavon wrote:Most likely but I like my DVDs to be as definitive as possible and if the R1 is no more expensive then why not?

Fair enough, I like having the most definitive releases too (or at least what I view as definitive eg the original R1 Gladiator 2-discer - I have zero interest in the new 3-discer since it lacks the awesome DTS track and extended cut sounds like a total waste of time. The TC was Ridley's DC anyway.).

Considering they'll all probably be very similar DVD wise it will probably come down to cost but yes you're right Gladiator: TC for example has much more worth than KOH: TC.

I'll get which ever is cheaper/I have easier access to. The R4 should be about $35NZD by the time it's released here.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 08 Apr 2006, 06:51

The DC has been receiving glowing reviews, a few declaring it to be a classic.

What IGN Filmforce had to say.
What thedigitalbits had to say.

thedigitalbits wrote: Now then... last night, Matt and I had the chance to take in a screening of Ridley Scott's extended cut of Kingdom of Heaven at the Arclight in Hollywood (hosted by our friends over at Collider.com). Let me tell you, you just haven't really seen this film yet. If you've read my review of the 144-minute theatrical cut on DVD, or my initial comments about the film from last year, you'll know that while I really wanted to like Kingdom of Heaven, I felt that there was just too much missing from the story. Too many thing happened too quickly to the character of Balian (Orlando Bloom), and so many of the other characters either lacked motivation or had unresolved stories when the film concluded. At the time, I noted that over 40 minutes had actually been trimmed out of Scott's original cut of the film in order to create a version that the studio considered more theater-friendly. Well, let me tell you, those cuts REALLY hurt this film. I couldn't make myself give the theatrical cut more than a C+. It was a beautifully-lensed, but woefully incomplete story. This new 191-minute extended cut, on the other hand, is a truly great piece of work. I'd give it an A-, maybe even a solid A.

Finally, you understand more of what motivated Balian - you see more of his life and circumstances in France. You see his wife briefly in Balian's memory, and understand his grief better. You learn that he's fought in war previously, and was an experienced engineer, so his cleverness later in defending Jerusalem makes more sense. You learn more of Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson)'s own connections to Balian's home and his village, and why he would not only return to find Balian (his son) but also why the local lord's men would attack them later (it's another family connection). The animosity between Balian and his brother, a local priest, is shown in greater clarity. Once Balian arrives in the Holy Land, you learn that Sibylla's marriage to Guy de Lusignan is really one of convenience only, which puts Sibylla and Balian's romantic relationship into better context. You learn that Sibylla has a son (who was completely cut out of the theatrical version), and that her love of her son motivates almost every action she takes (which in turn makes sense out of her bizarre behavior late in the film). You see more of Balian's interactions with King Baldwin, and their developing respect for one another. And, at last, you not only understand why Guy de Lusignan hates Balian (it isn't just about Sibylla), but their animosity for one another actually pays off in a final confrontation that, again, is completely missing from the theatrical cut.

I can't stress enough how different this version of the film is, and how much better and more rewarding an experience it becomes, with the restoration of the trimmed minutes. The 191-minute cut makes its home video debut on Fox's forthcoming 4-disc Kingdom of Heaven: Extended Edition (due in stores on 5/23 - available here at Amazon.com), and as far as I'm concerned, it's worth owning just for this cut of the film alone. Add to that what promises to be an outstanding batch of special features (produced by Scott's longtime DVD producer, Charles de Lauzirika, and his team), and it's not to be missed.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 08 Apr 2006, 16:13

Not unexpected but still good news. I can't wait to pick this up. I won't be waiting for sales on this one.

I hope the R1 turns out to have both cuts, even though the Theatrical Cut isn't all that good.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 08 Apr 2006, 21:49

Sounds good. Sadly, there Saladin's character development isn't there either, so I doubt it was ever filmed. Maybe written, but never filmed. I would have loved to see that.

From interviews with Ridley Scott I got the impression that he wanted to be as accurate to history as possible. However, I doubt that Saladin's sister's scene has been taken out of the director's cut. In the theatrical we see her getting beheaded. I guess they did that in order to accept Saladin's motivation to behead Reynald. In reality though Reynald didn't behead her. He slapped her in the face, upon which Saladin swore to personally behead Reynald (which he did).

slasher13 · Post by **slasher13** » 08 Apr 2006, 22:16

Yes sadly it seems that Saladin character is not more developed than the Theatrical version, which is a pity. I wonder if the battle of hadin is shown, most likely not. It seems that the director cut is focused on Balian

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 08 Apr 2006, 22:35

Yes, I'm also sure it did focus more on him. I would have loved a balanced amount characterisations of both characters, Balian and Saladin. I don't know how much of a hero Balian has been to Christians over the years, but Saladin is still one of the biggest hero in Islam's history and even until today children are learning about his life in school.

slasher13 · Post by **slasher13** » 09 Apr 2006, 10:47

thelostdragon wrote:but Saladin is still one of the biggest hero in Islam's history and even until today children are learning about his life in school.

Sadly not over here which is a bit of a shame. Also in Madrassa, he was not mentioned, when I was there. I'm actually downloading a movie about him which was made in 1960's in Egypt.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 Apr 2006, 21:10

This thread needs a bump I think. It's only a month to go, can't wait. I think I'll pre-order this come pay day.

Region 1 Cheapest (What is DVD Pacific's track record like of bumping the price after the release date?):

£15.79/$28.14 - http://www.dvdpacific.com/item.asp?ID=716794

UK Region 2 Cheapest (Out 12/06/2006):

£20.65 - http://www.dvdpopcorn.com/product.aspx? ... 76e70bce7f

New UK R2 Cover art vs. R1 cover art:

I still prefer the R1 cover art. The R2 looks to much like the LOTR: Extended Editions.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 22 Apr 2006, 22:54

thelostdragon wrote:Sounds good. Sadly, there Saladin's character development isn't there either, so I doubt it was ever filmed. Maybe written, but never filmed. I would have loved to see that.

Does it really matter? The film was made from the Crusaders' perspective, I'm sure if there was an Islamic film on the Crusades then the key Muslim army figures would be fully developed and the Crusaders would be 2D cutouts. You can't cover everything in the space of 3-4 hours, most adapted films on historical events just pick a perspective of a story and tell it to the fullest that they can in the alotted time.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 22 Apr 2006, 23:11

Man, what's your problem? Go and jerk off over your "Kingdom of Heaven" from Crusaders' perspective, then.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 23 Apr 2006, 00:57

thelostdragon wrote:Man, what's your problem? Go and jerk off over your "Kingdom of Heaven" from Crusaders' perspective, then.

Huh, what's YOUR problem? Where the hell did that hostile reaction come from? So much for constructive discussion.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 23 Apr 2006, 08:40

I agree Brad the R1 looks more distinctive.