The Sad State of Terminator 2 on Home Video (plus T1)
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- Опубликовано: 21 июл 2024
- #Terminator #Bluray #Laserdisc
The status of T2 and the original film are still a bit of a mess on home video. Transfers vary wildly and having the original audio presentation is apparently not desired by those in charge. The discussions are endless in forums yet it remains another part of James Cameron films that have a complete lack of care to theatrical fidelity on disc. The 4K UHD of T2 is not just appalling but easily the worst disc ever released on the format to this day. It is so bad the previous 1080p Blu-ray is far superior. It is for this reason along with attempting to best recreate the original audio experience that I decided to make this general overview video. Keep in mind this pertains only to the US editions as they formed the basis of most other foreign editions and I simply can't afford the rare Japanese squeeze Laserdisc and MUSE versions.
Intro and why to avoid the 4K UHD: 00:00
The Theatrical Cut Laserdiscs: 03:20
The Special Edition Laserdiscs: 09:16
Mention of other versions, Japanese squeeze LD and MUSE discs: 19:25
The late release ac3 LD/First release 1998 ac3 DVD with CDS theatrical audio 5.1 mix: 20:51
2000 ultimate Edition DVD: 27:01
2003 Extreme Edition DVD: 29:43
Blu-ray releases and the Best overall 2015 BD: 31:29
T2 video editions summary: 36:24
The Terminator video editions:
T1 HBO Video LD: 39:08
T1 Hemdale first letterbox LD: 40:07
T1 THX remastered LD: 41:12
T1 THX first DVD (LD port): 41:54
T1 MGM Special Edition DVD: 42:38
T1 MGM Blu-ray: 44:32
T1 MGM 4K mastered Blu-ray: 45:30
T1 video editions summary: 46:36
Final comments: 48:27 
Кино
This guy: “I’m not much of a James Cameron fan.”
Also this guy: “Here are my 11 million copies of T1 and T2.”
😅
This is what happens when you make a legendary film, but then ruin the home video releases of that same film
If you don't hear the metal-scraping sound in the T1 title sequence, shut it off.
The HD version of T2 from the 2003 DVD is an interesting oddity. The files can be found on the DVD if you know where to look, but they are protected by old 2003 DRM that relies on servers that aren't up anymore. There are programs that can remove the DRM, so that version can still be seen, just not easily. It's an odd resolution, like 1440x816, and the movie is split into 4 parts. So you can't watch it directly from DVD 2, but if you copy the files over and "fix" them, you can see it that way. I imagine it's on par or slightly worse than the D-Theater release, probably worse due to 2003 compression. Still a neat piece of history.
It's such a sadness how much garbage a novice must plow through to get a single decent release of a popular studio film these days.
Hey Pauline, surprised to see you here!
And these days most films get a wash of teal 🤢
90% of studios are just shoveling films onto Blu-Ray/4K with extras that are years (in some cases, even decades) old, which are previously released, and/or just throw on some generic marketing materials and call it a day.
@@crazyrabbitsHD-DVD release T2
...$5..ok
I can only imagine incompetence, apathy, nepotism and greed have been plaguing studios for quite some time now.
0:03 “This’ll be a short video...”
I always intend them to be short…I guess it’s short for me…😂
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusaderdon't be so hard on yourself, we love your long videos.
I like the original mono audio version of the terminator because it sounds more intimidating and scary and it feels more like a horror as the remixed audio is good but it lacks the horror and intimidation and it feels over done
I'm going to get the MGM Terminator DVD. Can't stand the teal.
I really would have wished Cameron had used the original sound effects for the 5.1 mix. I think that would have been cool too it's also available unofficially
The nightmare terminator’s minigun also sounds like a typewriter in the newer mix.
The Extreme DVD version also has the original theatrical version of the film on Disc 1 as some sort of easter egg. To get the theatrical version you have to select the middle option in the main menu, but don't go into that option. The press right 5 times until you seenred text saying The Futire Is Not Set, select that, and the "Play Special Edition" button will change into the "Theatrifal Version" button.
It seems do ridiculous that anyone would hide a theatrical version away like that.
@@lancebaylis3169
Not as ridiculous as hiding the extended special edition in the Ultimate edition of T2.
To get to that version , once you're in the menu, you have to use the number buttons on the remote to activate the extended special edition. The numbers are 82997.
Ive had this dvd for years and I found out about this last year. Blew my mind, but also frustrated me
question is it the same EX soundtrack or is it the original 5.1? An another note, anyone hack the 1080i version on disk 2? That one only lists 5.1 surround. It be funny if the best overall version is the one we can't access due to being on a dead Windows encrypted format.
I found that version at goodwill. It was brand new. It has an HD theatrical release on the second disc. I’m not sure how to get it to work. My laptop doesn’t have a disc tray.
There's a high quality 35mm print of T2 floating around on MySpleen, with original theatrical mono mix, and it's beautiful albeit a little faded. It becomes instantly clear that the 4k scan shares almost zero resemblance to the warm flesh tone/ against "steel blue" contrast that the original had.
So which home video release do you think has the most accurate color grading?
@@Takeshi357 Of T2 ? Has to be The Ultimate edition . But the 2009 Skynet Blu Ray and 2015 Blu Ray are both transfers from the Ultimate but in HD and has slightly different colour but more or less the same .
So I tracked down the DVD release with the theatrical 5.1 CDS audio track and I was blown away. It's such a punchy mix. Very well balanced and put together and I do not know why later releases exclude this sound mix in favor of newer, heavily altered ones.
Which one was that? How can you tell if it has the 5.1 CDS audio track? I've got three copies of T2 on DVD would like to see if any of them have the 5.1 CDS.
It's the 1997 DVD release that he show on screen at 25:00 @@koneking2569
@@koneking2569 its the original 1997 Snap Case DVD that has the CDS track
@@newmedia2862 Yeah finally figured out which version it was, this video is confusing because there are early T2 releases that are different region with no CDS track that look exactly the same.
The CDS track DVD from what I'm aware was only released in the U.S region 1, I live in Australia so after shipping etc not sure I can justify importing a DVD from the U.S at $40+ USD haha.
The 1997 DVD release of T2 is on the Internet Archive for some reason, so if you want HD and the CDS mix together, you could synchronize it with a rip of the 2015 Blu Ray with something like mkvtoolnix. It's sad to see T2 and T1 in such a state, at least Star Wars has a crap ton of fan restorations.
Hi,can you share that link? Thanks in advance
@@tanishq3039I can't find the link anymore unfortunantely, (might have been taken down) but I was able to extract the AC3 file. I'll upload it sometime later so watch for an upload.
@@pepsiforbread1416 It's a long shot. But maybe you have Mission Impossible ac3 mix from Laserdisc?
@@jakubp8641 I can't record AC3 audio because I don't have a decoder
What about t1?
There's something about the original 2006 Blu-ray (barely mentioned) in the video that gives me the warm and fuzzies. The encode for that one is so old and rough around the edges that it feels like seeing (if not necessarily hearing) a cleaned up Hi-Vision or Squeeze LD. Though more likely it's a port of the D-Theater tape.
Funny how T2 joined each new video format at the very start as a barebones Theatrical cut disc.
When it comes to The Terminator I have got the Special Edition DVD because it has the original Mono mix and it's exclusive extras and then I have got the remastered edition on Blu-Ray from 2013.
I know that lots of fans are mixed on the remastered Blu-Ray because of the colour timing but I honestly think that MGM did a superb job with that video presentation. For a long time I didn't think that The Terminator could ever look perfect on home video but I think it really does on there. I am however disappointed that the original Mono mix was not included. I actually don't mind the new 5.1 mix but I think that the original sound mix for a movie should always be included if a newer mix is going to be made and included.
Now I have never seen or owned The Terminator on LaserDisc but the THX Mastered Edition is one that I would like to own.
The ultimate edition actually has 3 cuts of the film. For each edition, one or the other of the terminator eyes would light up. If you enter a code on that screen with the remote, both eyes will light up indicating the third cut.
Really loved when time was taken for the menus. Watching a movie was an experience from the time you put the disc in. T2 Ultimate had one, if not the best, interactive menus.
Is that the best version of the film to get you think ? The Ultimate DVD ?
@@CockneyClint It certainly has probably the most extras of any version you can get. The edition I have is more rare in that it's the version with the metal sleeve and the disc is a dual-sided four layer disc. Later editions got rid of the metal sleeve and used two discs instead of one. I guess the only real downside is that it's only DVD quality. Wish they would reissue this 'version' so to speak, but on 4K. Hope that helps.
@@purringc5552 Thanks Man I ordered that one and the Live entertainment
One . I’m in London so had to order a region free player and oh man the menu for the Ultimate version was fantastic
@@purringc5552 thanks for the reply man 👍
Skynet Blu-ray has all three as well
The 1998 LaserDisc is also the only release to retain the film's original TriStar Pictures logo. TriStar distributed Carolco's films in theaters for about 10 years, but Carolco had retained home video rights due to being the sole copyright holder (even though StudioCanal has owned Carolco's library since 1996, Live, later renamed Artisan, which was bought by and folded into Lionsgate, have retained home video distribution). Television & digital distribution rights to Carolco films are owned by Paramount, due to buying out Spelling Entertainment, who had those rights before.
Good thing the digital, TV, and 1998 laserdiscs versions restore the TriStar logo, just for people to know that it's TECHNICALLY a Sony movie.
Thank you for the informative discussion. Though George Lucas is often blamed for starting all this "Director's Cut"/"Special Edition" stuff (though it might actually have been Steven Spielberg with "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"), James Cameron has clearly taken it way past outrageous. Choice is a good thing but films should be respected as a product of their time and the property of their audience. I particularly love the example of a resurrected da Vinci arriving at the Louvre and re-painting the Mona Lisa as a blonde because he "didn't get it right" the first time. Sadly, I don't think the tinkering with these films will cease anytime soon.
Peter Jackson also has gone crazy with it on the lord of the rings.
Each format has a different color grade & sound mix; only the dvds released at the time have the theatrical presentation. Those new 4ks are just his special editions made to match the hobbits while the blu-rays like the matrix over saturated the color grade.
I just hope like with the Halloween 4k they give you both options to watch what they currently want the films to look like & the original colors
I Wish... ARROW VIDEO would release a Big Box Set of TERMINATOR and TERMINATOR 2 INCLUDING all Cuts of both film on 4K ULTRA HD.
That would be lovely. If they ever did a set to match their Robocop release it would fix everything.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader I Would Pre Order Day One...
I've watched this video three times. It's nice to find someone who knows what they're talking about.
but he doesnt, he doesnt even know the correct colour grade ffs
@@thesmf1210 😮
Great stuff! As a Cameron fan it's unforgivable they can't get it right and still waiting on his other films to come out in 4k
I already own the 2015 blu ray, but after watching your video I decided to track down the 2007 DVD for that CDS mix. Not only does it sound amazing, but given that it’s in anamorphic widescreen and not a bad transfer, I have no problem making this my de facto way of viewing this film. I do occasionally miss the HD, but my player upscales well enough. It also pairs well with my MGM Terminator DVD which I also picked up for the mono mix and is now my main version. Your channel has made me focus on audio presentation just as much as visual.
I’m not a genuine physical media collector. I probably have a couple hundred disk. But…. After watching this I CANNOT wait to see what version of T-2 I have…
Love this video - well structured and delivered in a calm, concise way 👍🏻
I’m glad there are others who care about this so much
Excellent video mate. Currently editing together my own version of both movies, including all extras with the best quality audio tracks so this was extremely helpful.
Would love to see something similar for RoboCop if you've got a few different versions.
Great video as always. Living in the UK I only got the US special edition LD and US Extreme DVD. I was tempted to get the Vinyl 4K set but passed glad I did. After the information you just said.
Thanks. If you can find it the 2015 USA bd is the way to go.
I adore these very granular and nerdy deep-dives into versions of movies and video games. Great job with such a complicated topic!
I wish you’d do a commentary for the terminator. I enjoy your commentaries very much.
that would be awesome
Great video. I did not know MGM's DVD release had the mono mix on there. I think I'll add that one to my collection because the Heimdale release is rough looking. Between that and the 2015 Blu-Ray I should have the best two ways to watch T1 and T2.
Thanks for reviewing these. A 4:3 pan & scan version is still something I'm looking for since it adds footage which you don't see otherwise.
I got that one but for Jurassic Park
Really enjoyed this. Great content! T2 is in my top 3 all time favorites.
A great run down on one of my favorite movies of all time terminator 2 as i am happy to say i have the 2000 ultimate edition on
DVD and the blu-ray skynet edition from the UK that both have their differences with sound and picture indeed.
Excellent video. It finally pushed me to buy the Theatrical edition laserdisc box set.
Id be great if you could do one for Jurassic Park. From laserdisc to UHD.
DVD still reigns supreme in the digital format. I went to goodwill this morning 1st store I found both DVDs you mentioned
Thank you for going through all versions. I picked up the 2015 and 1997 dvd. I have the skynet Blu-ray and it sicks tbh I hate the color timing. I saw this in theaters way back so getting a close to theatrical is something I been looking for. I had the vhs and recorded from cable long ago.
I was just needing some references, thank you for this upload
No problem! Glad it was helpful!
I have a pretty unusual release of T1 myself, a region 3 Thai Special Edition DVD which comes in a really nice cardboard digipak and slipcase. I got it from ebay when the US SE went OOP and I couldn't find it anywhere anymore, but then I remembered that region 3 also maintained the mono mix so I tracked down one of those instead.
Seemed impossible to get the theatrical cut for a while
@Damn Fool Idealistic Crusader Just to clear it up, If the initial DVD version is a quickie port of the LD, does this mean the initial Live Entertainment DVD has the original TriStar logo retained before the Carolco logo pops up? (like the in the 1998 AC-3 LD)
I like the ones I have. For Terminator 2, that is the 2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray and for Terminator 1 that is the 2015 MGM Blu-ray and the old MGM Special Edition DVD with the original mono mix and all the extras that never ported over. I do not see a reason to upgrade either of these as I just don't see Cameron improving them or releasing definitive versions. Really had hoped a company like Arrow Video, who have done other horror films, would remaster them and use the original color timing and audio mixes avoiding revisionism. I thought their Blu-ray of The Thing was great, I even like it more than the 4K. It's too bad no one will remaster some other movies with that level of quality.
That’s pretty much the best and easiest way to have solid versions on disc without having a giant stack of versions like I do. Those are the versions I would recommend to people today if they asked me.
Hi man so in your opinion and I’m talking strictly T1 , is the image entertainment first dvd mono track better than the later released MGM Mono track ?
So mono Track only
Image Vs MGM what’s the better one and if and why ?
I really had hoped MGM would have had Kino Lorber remaster Terminator 1 for 4K. This is my favorite movie of all time and I really hope they do not let James Cameron destroy this with his revisionism and AI stuff.
It would be MGM doing the work as all of their new 4K masters are done. MGM merely licenses their new masters to Kino to put on a disc. Sadly, the quality of MGM’s 4K masters does vary and a lot of their newer ones that Kino has been releasing have various issues and problems.
Hello, What are the general differences between the 1997 DVD audio mix and the audio track on every other home video release? thanks and have a great day!
I'm not a huge Terminator franchise fan but I do have a fond 90's childhood memory of watching the special edition T2 Laserdisc. My father worked at a custom installation high-end home theater company and their showroom had a killer projector/sound system demo room I visited once. Definitely remember it being an intense aural experience. Also watched "The Thing" that day (R-rated movies for kids with awesome soundtracks, hell yeah). I know a bit about film scanning/grading and the fact this film has been botched so much in high def is definitely avoidable. I'm sure a 4K pre-DNR scan of the negative exists from the time of the 3D version, would just need a new HDR grade accurate to the original prints. Super 35 inherently doesn't have larger/more visible grain as 35mm Academy anyway. Whether they'd actually bother to do it is another story.
Absolutely true. There’s no reason why it can’t be done right. That goes for all Cameron films but they just remain in video limbo.
All it would require is a hands off scan with proper color grading and each cut having their original audio mixes. As it stands the old LD 2.0 matrixed audio mixes still pack a punch and at times are more engaging than the modern remix!
And with T1 there’s no excuse. The new scan is great but the color timing and lack of mono ruins it.
Amazing breakdown!! This is the most comprehensive video on the topic. I found the Hemdale DVD at Goodwill last year for like 5 bucks. I also have the Special Edition MGM DVD. I can't believe they've ruined the Blu Ray release with the color grade and lack of the original mono track. Guess we'll have to hope Arrow Video puts out a true HD/4K version. For now, MGM DVD and 2015 T2 are the best out of the bunch
That's not a bad way to go with what's currently available. It is silly that fans have to have a multitude of editions to see the films as originally presented and to have every extra available. With MGM licensing to all kinds of labels you'd think T1 at least would've gotten deluxe treatment but Cameron likely has held it up. Arrow getting their hands on T1 to do a Robocop-esque box would really be something.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader right! I shouldn't have to resort to regrading or ripping to put together a Frankenstein copy just to have the perfect cut all on one disc.
Wow, great video. I hear James Cameron now regrets the Terminator movies and for using lots of gun in them? Sad to hear him say that, oh well, these Directors when they get older seem to lose it or something? and start saying nonsense. He also said he wants to reboot the Terminator movies, I think they should just let them rest, they should have stopped at T2, the rest is just a mix of quality.
Great videos, I enjoy seeing what videos you do next.
I stuck with the Artisan T2 one because of the bonus features. If a proper HD release with every bonus feature that was ever featured for a home release on it, I'd get it.
On those same grounds plus the mono mix, I'll be getting the T1 MGM 2-disc.
So I am not sure if anyone heard but Disney and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment made a deal where Sony would start distributing titles from them in North America (this includes marvel, 20th century studios, searchlight, touchstone pictures and Hollywood pictures), and how James Cameron has a deal with 20th Century Studios (who will be distributing the next Terminator, and all new sequels to it).
Cameron also got Buena Vista Home Entertainment to code Paramount’s 4K ultra HD of Titanic (same language menu and menu screen, only difference was the MPAA screen at the start, and had Paramount’s warning and interview/commentary screen at the end).
So you might be thinking, what does that have to do with this? A lot actually. Sony also distributes Lionsgate titles on home video, but they’re like New Line Cinema releases from the late 90s and 2000s where their home video distribution was autonomous from Warner Bros, and they do their own authoring, unlike the Disney deal where Sony will be manufacturing/authoring of the discs.
Maybe Lionsgate should re-release Terminator 2 on 4K and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment can do the coding instead of lionsgate (lionsgates logo would replace SPHE’s at the start, and at the end the warning/attention and interview commentary screens are replaced with lionsgates. Only difference would the blue MPAA screen and Dolby vision logos at the start), due to the deal Cameron now has with them, and I’m sure he’d want to approach this idea, as even he himself wasn’t pleased with the 4K blu ray of T2 from 2017, and was mostly the fault of StudioCanal for that botched release.
I got the skynet edition when it first came out. I enjoyed it because it gave me three versions of the film. The theatrical cut, special edition, and special edition with the alternate ending.
It also has the extra scene with the T-1000 searching John Conner's room.
I wonder if anyone's made a definitive edit combining the image of the 2015 blu ray and the audio of that particular dvd...
I currently own the theatrical cut on VHS as part of the Duology boxset and the Ultimate Edition DVD. I'm actually glad I own the 2-Disc variant of the Ultimate Edition DVD. I enjoy the special features of the film (including the making of the film) I saw it in DTS-ES Matrix 5.1 twice (my most recent viewing was on the day before Super Bowl LVI).
Very nice video. Thank you!
Have you seen the 35mm scan floating around online?
I thought I had the T1 MGM special edition that you have until you showed the flipper disc. Mine is not. Same art on the package, but it’s a 2006-2007 release with one disc and a 4x6 photo of Arnie with an uzi as a bonus. It’s got Dolby EX 5.1 as well as mono.
MGM was pretty bad about that. Repackages with the same art but it’s a later disc. For the longest time it was very difficult to find the 1998 dvd of The Good The Bad And The Ugly to avoid the 2003 extended cut dvd.
I think the one you’re describing is a reissue with the feature side of the flipper disc.
Terminator 2 in the filmic range. Hey, just what you see pal.
I do enjoy the 4:3 FULL FRAME version on Laserdisc as the whole film is reframed from the SUPER-35 Neg so you see more top and bottom info that was cut from the theatrical widescreen. Both transfers were shot by shot reframes of the Super-35 Frame resulting in two unique films of the same scenes. I think thats the SILVER LOGO Laserdisc I have both boxsets LOL
Also that FULL FRAME EDIT would look great on a IMAX screen
I have the uk studio canal blu ray with i suspect in a port of the of the 2015 disc as it has that earphones sound mix option
I too have several home video copies of Terminator 2. I have the individual version of the Special Edition on LaserDisc, the Ultimate Edition DVD, the Extreme Edition DVD, and the Skynet Edition Blu-Ray.
I want to get the Deluxe Edition box-sets of both the Theatrical Cut and Special Edition on LaserDisc, the 1998 DVD with the original 5.1 audio, and the 2015 Blu-Ray.
I love both the 2.0 Surround Mix on the LaserDisc of the Special Edition and the DTS 5.1 ES on the Ultimate Edition DVD.
It is too bad because Terminator 2 had great treatment on LaserDisc and DVD but it is extremely unfortunate that Terminator 2 has not yet had a "Definitive" release on Blu-Ray and now 4K Disc. I hoped that the 4K remaster would finally do the movie justice for Blu-Ray but it didn't go that way.
Great video. I wish we were friends
I remember that original T1 Hemdale DVD (snapper case) having a transfer I liked better than the next one that came later (MGM), but it may be the later releases were redone to look best on LCDs rather than CRT. I wasn't sure.
That issue still kinda exists to this day when older masters are utilized. Depending on the age and who made them they might have been mastered for crt or broadcast or for lcd and hdtv. Eventually most HD masters were being designed and graded on plasma monitors.
A lot of times I find that I prefer older more hands off crt era masters when having to choose between two older sources. But those aren’t perfect and you usually have to deal with trying to tame a bit of the NTSC red push to the color. Sony had an incredible built in monitor color mode in their last era CRTs which automatically defeats ntsc red push.
They should do a new Terminator Complete collection boxset with blu ray and 4k with all features included and not seen, but have either Shout Factory and or Arrow make it!
A boutique label would definitely put in more effort. The trouble is in getting allowed to do it right.
Terminator needs the arrow video conan treatment. The original mono on Conan is amazing
What about the T2 DTS HD MASTER 6.1 Bluray with 3 versions of the movie
The Terminator was also on Betmax and CED
You have really piqued my interest in Laser Disc. There used to be a store called Laser Land in Denver where you could rent LD movies and even a player and I really enjoyed that process. Do you have any recommendation on brands, models or where to acquire a LD player. Thanks so much, really enjoy your channel, whether its books or movies.
It’s a little tough to get into now because working players are more scarce. Pioneer is the standard brand but Panasonic and others made great players. The trick is finding a good condition working player near you that isn’t super expensive.
The other thing besides what player features you may want to have is that the video output quality can vary depending on the player model. Because it’s analog video it’s a bit more difficult to get a setup going and configured. If you do get the bug though it’s a fascinating learning experience.
My advice would be to keep an eye out for a good 1990’s era player from Pioneer or Panasonic with digital audio output. It doesn’t have to be a fancier model but if you’re patient you can usually find a good unit to start with. The only other thing would be if you get interested in having Dolby ac3 capability which would require a player with special output and a separate decoder.
The Pioneer CLD-D700 series is a good benchmark. My first player was a 702 and most people get a 703 or 704. Currently I use a Panasonic LX-900.
If you look at Laserdisc Forever on Facebook that’s where most of the community is. People will posts discs and sometimes gear for sale as well.
In 2022 any working LD player is a good LD player.😂
I’ve got the special edition clv and the Japanese widescreen anamorphic ac-3 Dolby digital both are great
I have the dvd with the holographic cover for t1 with the mono audio & the open matte laserdisc which I’m fine with those until we get a proper 4K with the original
Mono of the original.
T2 is a film I’ve never liked, I know blasphemy, but I’m glad you made this video so I can finally see what version I can buy of it for the true original experience.
Thanks again for the video
I’m just glad I’m not the only one who prefers the original. I like things in T2 and it is very good but what always gets me is the more action and juvenile at times oriented tone. What the film needed was a more relentless grim tone. Instead of matching Aliens it needed to be more like the masterpiece sequel Quatermass 2.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader I couldn’t agree more! I was always ok on aliens as I’m a huge alien fan; I honestly prefer the producers cut of alien 3 over aliens.
So when I first saw t2 I was equally as soft on it since I also liked the original terminator more. I have a soft spot for t3 and find it easily the best of the attempted sequels after Cameron left.
T2 has always been matrix reloaded to me. Both taking exceptional films to new places but the heavy focus on spectacle over story just isn’t all that engaging for me.
Quartermass 2 is a perfect example of what they both should have been!
@@Thecatdrums3 I can’t believe I only now thought of the Quatermass comparison. It’s really perfect as what Terminator two needed was the grim intensity that you get in Hammer’s first two black-and-white Quatermass films.
That's the DVD I have, the early Artisan with "Live" logo. Only way to get the theatrical mix/design on dvd, bluray, and UHD.
i have the hemdale vhs of terminator 1 and its my favorite way to watch the movie. something about the grungy look of the transfer on it. i like it alot better than my blu ray where it has more color saturation and greyscale values
The 2 dvds of the terminator(1984) i have are variants that you have. I have the mgm dvd but has a kinda holographic art to its cover.(bought in store in 2001/02) and the image dvd(ebay 3-4 years ago) except it is in a JEWEL CASE but slips out from the bottom. There is like a black groove that you press down and slide out. Dvd is in a tray but isnt pushed in or anything. Just sitting in the tray. Never saw dvd packaging like that ever.
Fantastic video dude.
I have most the widescreen theatrical LD, SE WS LD, Special Edition silver plate boxset, the 2000 UE w/metal slipccase, Extreme Edition, Skynet Endoskull steelbook and the 2015 master.
Good job that should cover most of all the bases.
Where in the back does it says CDS?
I read that there was a problem with my silver SE copy but I can't remember what it said. It plays back with black dots on my 1983 player, 1989 player is fine.
I have held on to the Ultimate Edition dvd with the metal slipcover. The dvd is a "flipper" and it plays fine today but on early dvd players I struggled to access all the extras on it.
I’ve always been after the Japanese T2 Theatrical Edition DVD with the original CDS in full bitrate DTS. If there’s no tinkering around, it should be the best quality version of it around.
My current release is the Theatrical Edition CAV LD box set, though I still have to get the 2015 BD as well.
Also best experienced on smartphones.
Think RUclips deleted previous comment. Whoops.
Yes what happened to ScottishGuy. Well he was told to Please post somewhere else". Never once was it stated don't start your own dedicated Blu-ray forum.
I'm not a business man, but yeah. And even worse when it states all your staff act as representatives for your business. Worse still when you literally and kindly instruct someone to post somewhere else.
So I've doing as I was instructed at bluray fan forum (all one word with the (dot) with you know what).
So far ScottishGuys posting has resulted in a thread for every title Criterion has released on Blu-ray media with cover art, a "Keeping It Blu For You Footer". All thread's have spine numbers in the title.
I've also posted a complete master list of all 750 something Criterion titles released on HD Blu-ray with spine numbers. Each entry links to the applicable thread.
Fortunately we are looking for people with more qualifications than knowing a janitor at Warner Bros to staff this place eventually.
T2: 2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray for A/V quality, and both the Ultimate and Extreme DVDs for the best swath of features viewable with common home theater equipment. There’s a Walmart release of the Blu-ray with a slipcover that looks like a beaten-up VHS rental tape. 🙂 Try to avoid the Extreme Edition with the metal slipcover; it’s too tight and the edge folds tend to rip up the case when sliding in/out.
T1: 2001 MGM DVD for both the mono soundtrack and MGM’s stellar hour-long documentary “Other Voices.”
Hi mate just a quick one I went ahead and purchased the first dvd for Terminator 2 with the 5.1 CDS
but on the back it just says Dolby Digital 5.1 ? ……… should it state that it’s CDS somewhere on it ?
It doesn’t credit it but the Dolby 5.1 ac3 of the dvd and final LD contain the original 5.1 CDS sound design. The only other version is a particular hard to find foreign dvd from Japan or Hong Kong I believe.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader Thanks bro it’s My Birthday on the 27th so I ordered a multi regional player ( I’m from London ) and this dvd 📀 to specifically watch on my Birthday . I’ll let you know what I think of the sound 👍
Dat shelf sag, yo. LOL Having had shelves break before its a bit distracting.... Grab some L brackets and from the bottom to the top build a center bracing structure or two, the one above attaching to the top of the shelf below over the brace below it. So a given shelf is sandwiched between brackets on the back. If the shelf backing is strong enough you can just bolt to that, but if its that flimsy luan(?) stuff, forget it. Though, you could get some good thin plywood(NOT PARTICLE BOARD!!! And bias ply is a good idea) and replace the backing all together, and bolt the L brackets to that. Use a router to slot the shelves and flat hardware so it wont interfere with whats on the shelf. Trust me....Its not fun waking up to keepsakes scattered all over the floor....
Source: Lots of backstage theater construction.
Love the break downs of the media though. Good work, mate. :D
Yeah these are some cheaper shelves that have that sagging effect as soon as you put them together. I need to upgrade to fancier ones but in spite of the sagging look these sauder media units do hold up pretty darn well if you’re not overloading them.
An L bracket for extra bracing is a good idea but the backing is sadly the flimsy material.
Thanks so much for all the nitty grittys of T1 & T2! Now im gonna head up to our local used movies store and see what they have!
That’s the way to go to try it for yourself. Originally I just wanted to get one or two but they’re so cheap you might as well go for the lot to look at everything.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader well i found the original T2 on dvd with original audio. Was around 10$ at the local store. Disk is in great shape! Cant wait to throw it on my 5.1.2 system haha
Sorry, but what's wrong with Skynet Edition?
Oof I like the 4k look but I never noticed how bad the problems are. I wish they had the changes of the remaster like the fixes but used natural colors to have 4k
No mention of the HDDVD release from Germany back in 2008 with DTS HD 7.1 ?😮
Strange, isn't it? It's the best transfer out there!
I had the UK and French HD-DVD editions which came in a lot on eBay. They look pretty nice
Just found this channel, I like it!
Thank you!!
What is the aspect ratio meant to be? I just found this 4K scan of the 35mm film (if you poke around the web, you can find it as a download) and it cuts off the left and right of the screen slightly (I Only know this by studying the Red Terminator code that the Terminator sees in his vision and you can tell it cuts off text).
Super35 is variable but essentially it is intended and shot for being masked off to scope dimensions and throwing away the top and bottom areas.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader But this one threw away the left and right.
I have the 2015 blu ray but I bought the 6 in 1 blu ray set and that T2 blu ray is 2019 and has 3 versions of the movie is that the blu ray in the 4K
Excellent video. I tracked down some of those releases on ebay after watching. I'd love to see more videos like this for other films. Blade Runner would be a good one.
That’s an excellent idea! I just need to track down one or two other copies and then I could cover the main usa releases.
32:18 another slam for the "Skynet edition" (or at least my copy anyways) is the attached THX Optimizer has incorrect black levels. They're highly raised. My guess is they are in SD and mastered with the US IRE levels so if u ever try and calibrate your 1080p display using THX logo drop shadow test? Then you'll watch your content in PAL territories far far to dark. Thankfully I had a Spears & Munc DVE test disc at the time so T2 itself looked fine but was gutted that the only Blu Ray I own had the wrong settings on was a sign of how far the THX programme had slippe from its Laserdisc days
44:13 how random!!! So our UK MGM was a 2 disc affair, and came completed with corrupted menus so any soundtrack changes away from Dolby were off the table. Did go for The MGM limited edition Steelbook from them & FOX HV. beautiful above reference picture but alas 5.1 mixes only. So I flip between THX Mono for a Cameron " Crank it up" view or slump down and marvel at a (I feel) good DVD picture experience. But had to giggle ahhh... man! Typical! When you held up the one disc flipper 😊
would you buy a newly remastered t2 uhd if it had a massive “FROM THE DIRECTOR OF AVATAR 2” label on it?
If it was somehow magically done as an archival minded release it could be a disc in a bag and I’d be happy.
The extreme dvd is pretty good, with the theatrical cut as an Easter egg(!).
Personally, I still break out the laserdisc when I just want to watch the film. The original sound mix on the CAV set is earthshattering
That CAV box 2.0 is really good! I’m pretty much convinced it must be the theatrical 2.0 Dolby SR mix. That’s why I think the theatrical cut older LDs are important. Plus the CAV box transfer is noticeably better than the SE box master.
How do you get the theatrical cut to play?
@@Ron2600_ In the main menu, press "right" (the directional button) on your remote a bunch of times, and some words will appear on the side that you can select.
How to play the EE with the servers being down?
A while back I noticed that T1's sound effects (such as gunshots) had been changed and were way weaker and less punchy than the originals, even though the original film wasn't even recorded in stereo because the budget was so low. Pretty sad when a remastered and "upgraded" version of a film has inferior sound design to the original mono mix from almost 40 years ago. It's just a reflection of the laziness, sloppiness, and lack of craftsmanship that has overtaken film production at every level, which is especially evident in the horrible films Hollyweird makes these days. The whole industry is infested with incompetence.
The recent directors cut of pet semtary is the same. They basically did a new scan & remaster were they “fixed” effects so they were stable and didn’t move. Similar to what the new jaw hd-4K releases did which imo really hurt the film.
Jaws kept its original audio with the new changed visual presentation but pet semtary only gives you the new visuals and new audio option. While both can be considered by many to look very nice they are certainly not original or authentic to the theatrical presentation.
The original stereo audio for pet semtary is especially atmospheric which the new mix tries to recreate with newly added sounds coming from each speaker but it still doesn’t match what the original mix had.
Only recent changes done this way that sounded technically better was the lord of the rings 4ks which had effects & colors completely changed to match the hobbit films. The atmos mix is way more encompassing than the original 5.1ex audio but I still wish I could get that original look and sound on a format better than dvd but that unfortunately won’t be happening like with Star Wars being stuck on LD.
@@Thecatdrums3 What are you on about, the tweaks to Jaws are amazingly and much preferred by Spielberg. Plus it has the original stereo!
@@Thecatdrums3about that, Spielberg likes to go in and try to correct stuff that are errors much to the annoyance of Purists just like George Lucas, however unlike George he gives it up on the Universal blu-rays he likes to give restored theatrical audio as an option. And I mean it, both ET and Jaws are their theatrical audio. (There is a bit of a difference with the 2005 and 2012 mono however with the placements of certain sound effects, but however it is not a downmix, as for ET, it's the full uncut theatrical audio with the terrorist line reinstated.)
I have the original UK Blu-Ray release from 2008. It's bare bones and only has the special edition cut (very annoying for those of us who prefer the theatrical), but the transfer is virtually the same as the 2015 US disc and from what I'm told the audio is very close to the original theatrical mix so it's the only HD version worth owning if you can only play Region B discs like me.
I’m not surprised there’s a particular uk edition to go after as a solution. It’s amazing how many variants of the BD master alone exist. Hopefully you can get the 2015 US disc at some point if you go region free.
I haven’t ever looked at any of the pal LDs but I’m sure they have their own quirks too.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader The laserdisc was actually the only way to see the film uncut in the UK back in the 90s, as the cinema and VHS versions were cut for a 15 certificate. Which was unusual because the BBFC had a rule at that time where you weren't allowed to have two releases of the same film with different age ratings on the market, but for some reason they made an exception T2 (and Die Hard 2 as well IIRC) and allowed the distributor to put it out as an uncut 18 on laserdisc.
And then they passed the uncut version at 15 for the DVD release about 10 years later anyway, which just makes the whole thing bizarre.
What version of the Blu-ray comes with the 4k?
It’s a 1080p version of the awful 4K master I believe.
which Bluray of The Terminator is in the T4 box set? I have that, the 91 laserdisc(unopened) The Extreme T2 dvd, the theatrical LD and the 3 disc T2 LD.
I think you mean the 4 film anthology Blu-ray set. That has the original Skynet edition Blu-ray for T2. So the 2015 BD would still be a good upgrade as it removes some of the DNR from that master.
With everything else you’ve got I think adding the 2015 bd and the original 1998 dvd would cover all the bases.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader Yeah that's the bluray set I was checking just as I got the notification that you responded lol. T1 is in my top 3 movies of all time, so to know that I have one of the coolest versions and on LD is awesome.Which I'm actully waiting for a special occasion to open, like a fine wine. I dont really have any qualms with the Anthology edition of either film. But I do prefer the Extreme T2 DVD mostly because the badass slip cover lol
@@MadMykesWorld those DVD slip covers are very cool.
If you do ever get the 2015 disc you should notice a definite uptick in picture quality over the Skynet.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader I got mine back around 2008 I think, used but near mint. love it! Cool, Ill keep my eyes open for a copy, thanks!
I think if you remove the number 2 from the title you can get away with both of these, just edit the video in a way that T1 is first and finish it off with T2 😊 because really...no one cares about anything else lol extremely informative thank you! Ebay here i come
This was a trip down memory lane for me. I had both of those T2 box sets back when they came out and I loved them both! I'm in the minority when it comes to the 4K, though. There are about 3 or 4 closeup shots that look really bad because of all the DNR, but other than that, I think the digital, non-filmic look of the transfer suits the movie quite well.
A copy of a film should look exactly like that: A FILM. The hatred of the look of FILM is irrational.
@@RobertR3750 If that's the look you personally like, then by all means...
@@batman.darthmaul Why are you watching film if you don't like the look of it?
@@RobertR3750 Your turn of phrase is interesting. When did I say I didn't like the look of film or film grain?
@@batman.darthmaul If you liked film grain, you wouldn't be happy with killing it.
In your list of domestic US releases, you forgot the short lived HD D-Theater version of T2 (theater cut) released in 2002. Picture definition was much better than on the laserdisc but not as sharp and defined as the bluray that was released later due to 1080i resolution limitations.
As for me, the version of T2 i prefer as of today is the one from the french HD-DVD released by studio canal in 2007. It has both the Theater version as well as the Director's cut version (each one on a separate disc). The master used is different from the one used in any other US bluray version and has better picture quality and colour grading. But the best part is that the theatrical version is proposing a very nice DTS-HDMA lossless soundtrack based on the original CDS audio mix 😊
I threw this together as an aside after seeing some T2 discussion pop up again. Afterwards like an idiot I realized I didn’t mention the D theater release.
Since this video when I do one of my dedicated video histories I try to make sure and cover every major US release.
What edition of terminator is in the box set.
Which boxset do you mean? For Laserdisc the silver box is the theatrical cut whereas the big faux leather box is the special edition.
The first Terminator 2 special Edition was a dual layer tool side release not a two disc release I still have it I bought it from Circuit City on day one it's also played the THX logo and the Dolby Digital or DTS logo before the movie started and I remember you could put in the code if you wanted to have an alternate ending at the menu
Would you recommend the Skynet edition if you had no other option? Because the only release from my region (Mexico) that includes the Latin American Spanish audio track is based on the skynet edition. Nice video, by the way, =)
Thank you! All the main BDs are based on the same HD master but only the 2015 US Lionsgate disc presents it more as-is and without the DNR of the Skynet release. However in your area you're limited to an older BD and the Skynet which should be two versions of the same master. I think both have the Latin audio track as 2.0 but I have no idea as to the quality or specs of the older release. You should be fine with either option but if you do get the chance to see the 2015 US disc it would be the Skynet without any additional processing to the image. It's a shame the 2015 version wasn't released worldwide.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader In fact, believe it or not, there is a nationally manufactured edition that is based on the 2015 master, unfortunately it only includes the extended version of the film, (which I particularly despise), in addition to only including its original Audio track in English. 5.1, DOLBY DIGITAL.
I know, a deplorable standard of quality, but unfortunately that's the distributor Zima Entertainment =(
I knew to avoid the remaster of T2 due to the horrendous teal job, but I've only just realised how bad T1 got it too.
I might have to get a 2006 T1 to go alongside my 2009 T2 for colour accuracy, sacrificing quality for accuracy.
In your opinion what are your best options if your in the UK looking for a Blu Ray or DVD copy of T-2 and don't have a region free blu ray player?
That’s a good question. As far as I know your best bet is the old Optimum UK Blu-ray which is only the extended cut. I believe it’s the old master without DNR.
The only other region B version worthwhile would be the older French Blu-ray from Studio Canal. That’s a two disc affair with both cuts and should also be without DNR.
Neither is as good as the 2015 USA release but they will get you very close and not require importing and region free capability.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader many thanks
@@groundzerorocks I had to double check on BD.com where the UK options are mentioned a few times in different threads. Those two seem like your best options.
@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader any idea of the release date of either of those?
@@groundzerorocks I think 2008 or so for each. They should be on the list of release by country on the Blu-ray.com listings