Ha ha, I'm sure many of you knew I'd be looking at another Highlander project now that I'm taking a break from Highlander 2. 

Compared to the other films in the franchise Highlander 3 is a lot more simple; only three versions with minor differences, so I'm going to use this as an experiment to learn about implementing seamless branching in MKVs to allow all three versions to be viewed. 

I own various different releases of this film, but I only own the Director's Cut version on laserdisc. Obviously the visual quality is less than ideal, but on top of that I currently have no way to actually capture video from LD. 

So I'm wondering if anyone has any of the Director's Cut DVDs and could provide me with the following CGI enhanced shots:

Kane teleporting himself to New York
   

Kane using magic to steal a pair of sunglesses
       

The final quickening sequence
   

Sadly I think all releases of the Director's Cut version were 4:3 letterboxed, so the quality won't be much better than the laserdisc, but at least it's something.

Also I was wondering if anyone could clear something up for me regarding Highlander 3's US Theatrical Release. I always understood it that the film was released to theatres without the above CGI effects, and that these were added later for home video. I can't say for sure myself as I'm in the UK, but a US friend swears blind that the version he saw on release day in the US featured the CGI effects, and claims that all the US home releases other than the Director's Cut DVDs have been cut. 

So what actually happened with this film in the US? Most resources I can find online point towards the Director's Cut only being on home video, but I'd love to have it confirmed. 

Thanks in advance for any help.

This film really has fared badly on home video. It doesn't sound as if the BD's anything to write home about. Unfortunately, there's no HDTV version that's on my radar.

The Japanese Blu Ray is fairly nice. I mean it's not going to win any awards but it's the best the film has ever looked on a home release and is far better than the German Blu Ray which is the worst the film has ever looked on a home release...

I didn't know that there was a JP BD!  The DE BD is indeed atrocious.

If you mean the R1 DVD of the directors cut, I have it (and the R2 open matte DVD as well)

Can rip them on Monday if you want

(2020-01-17, 11:27 PM)Bigrob Wrote: If you mean the R1 DVD of the directors cut, I have it (and the R2 open matte DVD as well)

Can rip them on Monday if you want

That would be great, thanks! I've got the R2 open matte disc. It's not the best quality but it's lovely to see the extra frame.

I assume you've checked it's the Director's Cut with the CGI bits? They apparently changed the disc to be the EU cut but kept the director's cut packaging at some point. Part of why I've never gone through the effort of tracking it down on DVD.

(2020-01-17, 11:13 PM)Chewtobacca Wrote: I didn't know that there was a JP BD!  The DE BD is indeed atrocious.

I'll post some screenshots from the Japanese disc for you soon. It's the US cut, nice colours, decent detail, DTS MA Stereo English and Japanese and a really good set of extras. I picked it up second hand in Japan a few years ago along with the H2 set from the same distributor.

(2020-01-17, 11:36 PM)HippieDalek Wrote:

(2020-01-17, 11:27 PM)Bigrob Wrote: If you mean the R1 DVD of the directors cut, I have it (and the R2 open matte DVD as well)

Can rip them on Monday if you want

That would be great, thanks! I've got the R2 open matte disc. It's not the best quality but it's lovely to see the extra frame.

I assume you've checked it's the Director's Cut with the CGI bits? They apparently changed the disc to be the EU cut but kept the director's cut packaging at some point. Part of why I've never gone through the effort of tracking it down on DVD.

Yeah it's the version with the CGI effects. Its the first 1st DVD release

Will fish it out and rip it Monday

(2020-01-17, 11:13 PM)Chewtobacca Wrote: I didn't know that there was a JP BD!  The DE BD is indeed atrocious.

Here are some screenshots from the Japanese Blu Ray. I've tried to match the frames from here : https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=5545&d2=5546&c=2264

The Japanese Blu Ray uses a different source than either of the ones shown on caps-a-holic. The colour timing is nearer to the US DVD than the German Blu Ray, but more natural looking and less red. I'll be using the Japanese Blu Ray as my main visual source for the project, though there are a few bits of visible print damage that I'll try and repair.










The German Blu Ray really is awful. It looks bad in the screenshots, but it looks even worse in motion; there's just so much DNR, bleh.

Recently there's been a Spanish Blu Ray release. I suspect it's based on the Japanese release but I haven't risked it yet as the Spanish distributor is a bit dodgy; my copy of H5 from them arrived on a burnable Blu Ray! Never again.

^ Interesting!  The JP BD definitely looks better than the DE.  As you say, it's generally closer to the US DVD, but a few shots look a bit more like the DE BD.