View Full Version : The Abyss Special Edition
I just got this and...
The scene where the SEAL shows one of the rig crew the "liquid oxygen" used to breath at great depths is different to how i remember it.
I'm sure ive seen a version where the rat is shown in the small tank "in distress".
In the special edition (and the original version on the disc") you see them looking down, then pulling the rat out.
Did i dream the animal cruelty or what?
Did i dream the animal cruelty or what?
Nope, it's been on the telly with that scene included and it's in my R1 copy. :)
Originally posted by pjn
I just got this and...
The scene where the SEAL shows one of the rig crew the "liquid oxygen" used to breath at great depths is different to how i remember it.
I'm sure ive seen a version where the rat is shown in the small tank "in distress".
In the special edition (and the original version on the disc") you see them looking down, then pulling the rat out.
Did i dream the animal cruelty or what?
I assume you have the R2 and it's because it was cut (or rather re-framed) because t is classed as animal cruelty.
Ill have to put a rat in a fishtank below the telly next time i watch it.
See what you have done, BBFC? Happy now?
I think in this instance the RSPCA and/ or the 'law' is more to blame because if the RSPCA advised the BBFC that the scene in question constitutes of animal cruelty then they are pretty much obliged by law (Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937) to cut it (unless the film makers could prove that it was faked - this clearly wasn't).
The scene's very much intact in my R4 copy. :clap:
The R1 copy has it, that's why I changed my R2 to R1! Uncut.:brickwall
Originally posted by 01keith
The R1 copy has it, that's why I changed my R2 to R1! Uncut.:brickwall
You bought a DVD to see a rat drown?
Originally posted by pjn
You bought a DVD to see a rat drown?
True DVD collector mate!
Originally posted by pjn
You bought a DVD to see a rat drown?
Believe me, this is one of his better reasons for so say upgrading discs.:rolleyes:
He has more money than sense.:(
KeyserSoze
26-12-2001, 17:06
R1 also has better pic quality
Martin Veenman
26-12-2001, 17:37
Originally posted by pjn
You bought a DVD to see a rat drown?
The rat DOESN'T drown. That's the whole point.
(This comes from a person who loves rats, btw.)
Steve1977
26-12-2001, 20:18
What do people think of the ending? I think this makes a good film into a fantastic film. Had it been like this at the cinema then I'm sure it would have been a sure fire hit.
The new ending was great, it flesh out the story and made much more sense. It also gave the audiance a good payoff for sitting through the movie while the original made you feel, while depite being a good movie, felt it was a waste of time.
yep, thought the 'new' ending was great as well, kinda changed the whole storyline of the movie for me,
Originally posted by pjn
You bought a DVD to see a rat drown?
id sell my granny to see a rat drown (if it was on dvd) :D
To be totally accurate, the term "R2" in the context of BBFC cuts isn't quite right. The version of this film on sale in mainland Europe (eg Holland) is uncut and R2. Identical, in fact, to the Aussie version. They are both dual coded, R2+4. It is only the special UK version that has suffered at the hands of the BBFC, RSPCA or whoever.
Originally posted by Steve1977
What do people think of the ending? I think this makes a good film into a fantastic film. Had it been like this at the cinema then I'm sure it would have been a sure fire hit.
Preferred the original ending myself; the new one appeared to be rather patronising, although it's been a while since I watched the SE.
Originally posted by KeyserSoze
R1 also has better pic quality
Is that a subjective opinion, or a fact!?
Is ure setup NTSC, or is there another reason
KeyserSoze
28-12-2001, 17:57
the R2 version was supposidly a NTSC to PAL transfer which i heard makes the image looks worse.
im sure someone else will explain it better.
i myself have never compared it, but it is something i heard within the forums.
worth looking into i suppose
have any of you had any problems with this disc(seamless branching)
i bought the r1 about 6 months ago and being on holiday for a few days over xmas thought i would at last get a chance to catch up on a few movies,this being one of them.
after i select either version it starts to play then after about 30 secs it begins to jump all over the place missing out sections of the movie.
the player is a lg2330p.apart from this and a couple of r2s its played every disk ive tried in it.
any ideas???????
KeyserSoze
29-12-2001, 09:37
yeah some players have problems with seamless branching, probably need to wait for a firmware upgrade.
it happened on my PC before, at the point where seamless branching would occur it just skipped a few chapters.
but it only happened once, i went back to that chapter after it had no problems.
MikeToone
29-12-2001, 13:49
Originally posted by tpr007
Is that a subjective opinion, or a fact!?
Is ure setup NTSC, or is there another reason
I have had both the R1 and R2, and the R1 certainly is a better picture quality......
Will the R2 show the same probs with seamless branching?
KeyserSoze
29-12-2001, 17:14
probably yeah.
have you got any other discs which have seamless branching ?
Originally posted by MikeToone
I have had both the R1 and R2, and the R1 certainly is a better picture quality......
Based on seeing the Aussie version (r2+4, but not the same as our "cut" edition) I'd agree, the R1 is much, much better. A classic example, if ever there was one, of the flaw in the "PAL is better" argument.
Originally posted by KeyserSoze
probably yeah.
have you got any other discs which have seamless branching ?
I watched the R2 a few weeks back, and didn't notice any probs :confused:
(I have a Toshiba SD110E)
Originally posted by pjn
You bought a DVD to see a rat drown?
It didn't drown - it really DID breathe that stuff.
Martin Veenman
31-12-2001, 10:55
Originally posted by DamienB
It didn't drown - it really DID breathe that stuff.
Finally, someone who understands.
Originally posted by Martin Veenman
Finally, someone who understands.
:rolleyes:
of course i know the rat didnt drown
wide_inside
31-12-2001, 15:53
Based on seeing the Aussie version (r2+4, but not the same as our "cut" edition) I'd agree, the R1 is much, much better. A classic example, if ever there was one, of the flaw in the "PAL is better" argument.
Not at all. The problem is that it is a conversion from NTSC to PAL, instead of being straight from film stock, which I presume the majority of DVDs are.
This means that there is a degradation in quality by moving to NTSC, and giving it all the inherent problems that involves, and then converting it to PAL, to give it all the problems that involves also.
Pal gives better picture quality (colour and resolution), NTSC has better sound (doesn't speed the sound up, but does skip frames). Pros and cons. Take your pick.
wide
Maybe what I should have said is:
A classic example, if ever there was one, of the flaw in the "PAL is bound to be better" argument.
DVDWotcha
02-01-2002, 15:30
Originally posted by wide_inside
Not at all. The problem is that it is a conversion from NTSC to PAL, instead of being straight from film stock, which I presume the majority of DVDs are.
This means that there is a degradation in quality by moving to NTSC, and giving it all the inherent problems that involves, and then converting it to PAL, to give it all the problems that involves also.
Pal gives better picture quality (colour and resolution), NTSC has better sound (doesn't speed the sound up, but does skip frames). Pros and cons. Take your pick.
wide
It's a pointless argument though, the only way to assess the quality is to do a side by side comparision, the rest is theory and speculation. Unfortuantly, I can't justify buying 2 dvds just to see which is best.
Originally posted by DVDWotcha
It's a pointless argument though, the only way to assess the quality is to do a side by side comparision, the rest is theory and speculation.
Precisely.
mullethead
13-10-2007, 11:37
Big 5 year bump!!!
They're showing this on Sky Movies at the moment with the unedited (it's not 'cut' just reframed) Rat scene.
How come Sky can show this but the UK R2 DVD version had to be edited?
SIMON ADEBISI
13-10-2007, 11:38
Any time this has been shown on irish tv its been uncut. They must source their copies from the u.s.
Its a stupid cut anyway.
pjclark1
13-10-2007, 12:20
How come Sky can show this but the UK R2 DVD version had to be edited?
Tv companies do not have to comply with BBFC rulings.
anephric
13-10-2007, 19:48
As I understand it, Ofcom (previously ITC) guidelines compel a TV channel to seek out a BBFC-approved version of a film if it exists. I know C4 definitely got their bums smacked by the ITC for showing The Abyss "uncut" several years ago. They only ever show the cut version now, afaik.
IndianaJones00
13-10-2007, 20:01
Channel 5 showed the uncut version of 'The Matrix' when only the cut version was available on DVD, strange how things work sometimes.
anephric
13-10-2007, 20:13
I think, in those cases, they consult the BBFC and seek advice on whether they can show the uncut version. Since The Matrix is only still cut since WB couldn't be bothered to resubmit it (iirc) and it would be an uncut 15 if resubmitted now, the BBFC probably told them to knock themselves out. I think the same was true when Re-Animator got shown uncut on FilmFour, since the BBFC had said if it was resubmitted they wouldn't cut it (this was prior to the uncut DVD release).
SIMON ADEBISI
14-10-2007, 10:15
Channel 5 showed the uncut version of 'The Matrix' when only the cut version was available on DVD, strange how things work sometimes.
The Matrix was only cut to get a 15 cert. The Abyss was cut because it was supposed to contravene an act about protection of animals and therefore was actually illegal to show.
The Matrix was only cut to get a 15 cert. The Abyss was cut because it was supposed to contravene an act about protection of animals and therefore was actually illegal to show.
The Matrix is also now approved uncut at a 15 cert. Warner got it recertified last year for the HD-DVD release, so no longer an issue.
Think this animal cruelty issue is stupid for The Abyss, especially as Cameron pokes fun of the UK cutting of this in the extra features, as the rat was not actually harmed. The cut is because the BBFC believe it is a copyable technique, they are worried about a potential craze with kids drowning their pet rats, hamsters etc.
Is there still not an anamorphic version of this anywhere yet?
Nope.
With a bit of luck, Fox & Cameron will get off their collective arses & release one when Avatar comes out (along with the inevitable Blu-ray edition)
Niceguygeoff
01-03-2008, 20:46
Channel Four have screened an anamorphic version recently. The trouble is, the quality of the compression is so crappy and the image is so soft I can't tell if it's proper anamorphic or merely an upconvert.
This doesn't have a bearing on a subsequent DVD release of course, but it's nice all the same as it's another of C4's movies that they've shown in 2.35:1 which makes me velly happy.
BTW the rat scene is not the reframed version as I remember from the widescreen video, but C4 have instead cut around all the shots of the rat taking a bath.
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