1) Warner Home Video - Region 2, 4 - PAL LEFT

2) Warner (Collector's Limited Edition Box Set) - Region 2 - PAL SECOND

3) Warner (original)  - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Warner (re-mastered)  - Region 1- NTSC - FOURTH

5) Warner (DELUXE EDITION) - REGION FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT

Addition: Warner Blu-ray - August 09': This 'DELUXE' Blu-ray edition creeps into dual-layered territory. Aside from the improved resolution and smoother image the biggest issue may be the aspect ratio resorting to a 1.78:1 frame. Looking at our screen captures it really doesn't give up anything as there was always so much headroom on the 1.33 DVD editions. A marginal amount of extra information appears in the edges. I like it - I think it looks good - skin tones are warmer, detail doesn't advance in leaps and bounds but the overall image seems tighter, and smoother in-motion.  In comparison it, expectantly, has much fewer artifacts. This would be more notable the larger your project the image. The Blu-ray visuals show some minor depth and definitely look stronger - although far from pristine it may be the best we get.

Audio is a huge bump with a linear PCM track at over 4600 Kbps. It's buoyant and works very well with the film. We also get the option of an old inferior Dolby 5.1 and a few foreign language DUBs. This is surely the 'international' version as it has extensive subtitles offered and my Momitsu has identified it as being a region FREE disc playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide.

Supplements are notable for the commentary, albeit chaotic at times, with Adam Baldwin (Animal Mother), Vincent D'onofrio (Private Pyle), Lee Ermey (Gunnery Sergeant Hartman), and Screenwriter/Author Jay Cocks. We also get a featurette - Full Metal Jacket: Between Good and Evil running for 30-minutes. These aren't on any of the DVD versions we compared.

So essentially, it's a better image, audio and extras. One need only watch the film again to remember how impacting it is - another Kubrick masterpiece and who wouldn't want it in the best editions possible?  

****


 

DVD ADDITIONS (PAL versions): Both PAL editions are slightly hazier than the remastered Region 1 - both have substantial subtitle options and Italian and French 5.1 DUBs. The UK "Collector's Edition" has some extra features not seen on any of the DVDs including the musical soundtrack. Both have 16X9 menus. It actually looks like the Region 2,4 DVD may be the same as the film portion of the UK edition. WE still recommend the remastered - Region 1- NTSC edition, although die-hard fans may also want the Silver-boxed "Special edition" for its substantial add-ons.

*****

ON THE REMASTERED DVD: The new remastered image is smoother, slightly darker and the colors are more vibrant (and I suspect more true). Although I had no problems with the older image it had some speckles and dirt/dust that have been completely removed in the newer edition. The remastering appears to have removed some grain and the both images show some zooming and cropping on the side edges. Even on a tube the new remastered image show much more vibrancy. All other details (extras, subtitles etc.) of the edition are the same except of course the 5.1 audio 'bomb' remix on the new edition. We suggest buying the new edition as you will immediately notice the difference.

NOTE: It would have been nice had Warner added the mono track as an option on the remastered edition.