(aka "Stargate, la porte des étoiles")

 

Directed by Roland Emmerich

USA 1994

 

“StarGate,” Roland Emmerich’s loopy, mostly entertaining sci-fi adventure, begins in 1928 at the foot of the Great Pyramids, where archaeologists have unearthed an enormous ring-shaped artifact covered with strange markings. Immediately the scene shifts to the present, where experts are still baffled by exactly what it is they’ve dug up.

By this time the ring has been transported to an underground military site in the United States. In an act of desperation, the researchers bring in Daniel Jackson (James Spader), a brilliant Egyptologist whose radical—some say insane—theories have alienated him from the intellectual mainstream. In short order, Daniel determines that the ring is actually a sort of map of the heavens that, if properly calibrated, becomes a doorway for instant travel to the far reaches of the universe.

To this point, “StarGate,” which was written by Emmerich and Dean Devlin, holds our attention through a combination of suspense and funky wit. The latter is supplied primarily by Spader. The truth about Daniel is that he’s a little daft—which makes him a great character for Spader. Slowly but surely, Spader is emerging as one of the most accomplished, watchable actors in the movies. With his shaggy hair drooping over his brow, he plays Daniel as a bumbling egghead lost in his own thoughts. Also, like the Richard Dreyfuss character in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” Daniel is something of a child, and his sense of wonder at the miracles opening up before him gives the film its emotional center.


Excerpt from Hal Hinson's review at the Washington Post located HERE

 

Posters

 

Theatrical Release: October 28th, 1994

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DVD Comparison:

Pioneer Germany Region 2 - PAL vs. Kinowelt Dir. Cut Germany Region 2- PAL vs. Studio Canal France Region 2 - PAL vs. Artisan Ultimate Edition US Region 1 - NTSC vs. Artisan Ultimate Edition Dir Cut Region 1

 

NOTE: Artisan have released this film in a 2-disc Ultimate Edition that contains both the original theatrical cut and the Director's cut that contains about 9 minutes of additional footage.

 

DVD Box Covers

  

Distribution Pioneer Germany Region 2 - PAL Kinowelt Dir. Cut Germany Region 2- PAL Studio Canal France Region 2 - PAL Artisan Ultimate Edition Dir Cut Region 1

We can throw out the original German (and old Artisan versions - not shown here). The European editions look almost identical and the Region 1 Artisan comes in a very close 3rd, but it comes down to personal taste as all three newer editions are reference quality. My eye sees the French edition as marginally sharper and that would be my recommendation for image although we may have an issue of forced French subtitles when the original audio is played. If we can verify that we will post that information soon. All three newer editions are excellent and show identical colors.

NOTE: (Thanks Enrico):  The ultimate edition has a very strange transfer bug in the extended cut when Daniel finds the "camel". in that scene you see a burn in the film source itself right over Daniel's face. but this is not to be found in the theatrical cut of the movie on disc 1.

NOTE: For details on the extras, subtitles and audio options of Stargate please see our friends at

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I made screenshots of the burned frame on the Stargate ultimate edition from artisan. both versions are taken from the same print source because there are same scratches to be found. but the big burns are only in the extended edition. Also is the theatrical version cropped on all sides expect the bottom. (Thanks Enrico!)

 

 

 

These captures are courtesy of DVD-Compare, now hosted by DVDBeaver, and very special thanks to Thomas Koeberl (version captures appreciation noted at bottom). They are captured using the "Forced Weave" method with a set resolution (1024 wide), no bi-cubic filtering and jpeg compression of 90%. 

Stargate - Pioneer Germany - RC2 (PAL)

Stargate (Dir. Cut) - Kinowelt Germany - RC2 (PAL)

Please note: The Dir. Cut's extended scenes differ notably from the USA Dir. Cut - see -> here

Stargate - Studio Canal France - RC2 (PAL)

Stargate - Ultimate Edition Artisan USA - RC1 (NTSC)

Stargate (Dir. Cut) - Ultimate Edition Artisan USA - RC1 (NTSC)

Please note: The Dir. Cut's extended scenes differ notably from the German Dir. Cut - see bottom of page here

Stargate - Pioneer Germany - RC2 (PAL)

Stargate (Dir. Cut) - Kinowelt Germany - RC2 (PAL)

Please note: The Dir. Cut's extended scenes differ notably from the USA Dir. Cut - see bottom of page

Stargate - Studio Canal France - RC2 (PAL)

Stargate - Ultimate Edition Artisan USA - RC1 (NTSC)

Stargate (Dir. Cut) - Ultimate Edition Artisan USA - RC1 (NTSC)

Please note: The Dir. Cut's extended scenes differ notably from the German Dir. Cut - see bottom of page

Stargate - Pioneer Germany - RC2 (PAL)

Stargate (Dir. Cut) - Kinowelt Germany - RC2 (PAL)

Please note: The Dir. Cut's extended scenes differ notably from the USA Dir. Cut - see bottom of page

Stargate - Studio Canal France - RC2 (PAL)

Stargate - Ultimate Edition Artisan USA - RC1 (NTSC)

Stargate (Dir. Cut) - Ultimate Edition Artisan USA - RC1 (NTSC)

Please note: The Dir. Cut's extended scenes differ notably from the German Dir. Cut -  see bottom of page

Stargate - Pioneer Germany - RC2 (PAL)

Stargate (Dir. Cut) - Kinowelt Germany - RC2 (PAL)

Please note: The Dir. Cut's extended scenes differ notably from the USA Dir. Cut -  see bottom of page

Stargate - Studio Canal France - RC2 (PAL)

Stargate - Ultimate Edition Artisan USA - RC1 (NTSC)

Stargate (Dir. Cut) - Ultimate Edition Artisan USA - RC1 (NTSC)

Please note: The Dir. Cut's extended scenes differ notably from the German Dir. Cut -  see bottom of page

screen captures rc2 (de & fr) by holger stoehr
screen captures rc1 (us) by stefan paulmayer

Stargate (Dir. Cut) - Extended Scenes - Kinowelt Germany - RC2 (PAL)

Stargate (Dir. Cut) - Extended Scenes - Ultimate Edition Artisan USA - RC1 (NTSC)

Stargate (Dir. Cut) - Extended Scenes - Kinowelt Germany - RC2 (PAL)

Stargate (Dir. Cut) - Extended Scenes - Ultimate Edition Artisan USA - RC1 (NTSC)

screen captures rc2 (de) by holger stoehr
screen captures rc1 (us) by stefan paulmayer

 

DVD Box Covers

  

Distribution Pioneer Germany Region 2 - PAL Kinowelt Dir. Cut Germany Region 2- PAL Studio Canal France Region 2 - PAL Artisan Ultimate Edition Dir Cut Region 1