[Request] Highlander US Theatrical Cut

[TServo2049]

I have no idea what format the sound is in.

[Booshman]

I have no idea what format the sound is in.

Does the DVR have optical out? If you are able to record the audio and put it online, it would definitely get the ball rolling on this. Even a 2.0 track would be better than nothing, and would match the VHS release. If here's a possibility of it being 5.1, then it's a bonus.

[spoRv]

Don't underestimate the quality of VHS Hi-Fi stereo track... if the tape is in good shape, and of course you capture it using an high quality VHS Stereo or S-VHS player and a good capture card, it could be even better than a 192kbps AC3 stereo track...

[crom]

I couldn't find it on Netflix. Has it already been removed?

[Booshman]

I couldn't find it on Netflix. Has it already been removed?

Sorry, It's on Netflix Canada, I was watching it through a VPN.

[chronozoan]

the US Theatrical Version (on VHS) is the one I've watched a thousand times and so I prefer it to The Director's Cut (heresy I know). It's like saying your favorite Beatles' album is "Yesterday...And Today". Some people seem to take offense.

HBO still owns the rights to the US TV and it's available on Cinemax. Even if I was willing to pay the extra bucks every month (which I'm not) my video capture is far from top notch and nowhere near 720i or 1080p.

I contacted Vintage Shack (they used to offer up the laser disc version on DVD) and they're investigating the possibility. I'll check back soon let you know if there are any new developments.

[Booshman]

If you can get the laserdisc version to use as a guide, you could edit the bluray to the theatrical version.

[Bigrob]

The French DVD has the French theatrical version which is closer to the US cut with the exception of two scenes if that helps. Not sure about the audio differences though. It only has a French dub included though

[TServo2049]

I still have the U.S. theatrical cut stored on that DVR, but it was from Encore, so it had a bug. Also, I think the hard drive is dying, the DVR is extremely slow to respond to button presses, it takes forever to load stuff, and some things I'm watching will freeze and stutter. We have to return the DVR to DirecTV so I'm not going to try to crack open the hard drive or anything. This may be unsalvageable, pity I never got an HDCP stripper or tried to copy it before. But it is what it is.

Getting a truly good HD version is probably out of the question. I say that editing the director's cut to match the theatrical is probably the best way - then, inferior sources only need to be used to bridge any gaps. If you want to insert the accurate 80s Fox logo with extended fanfare, I know that the 1.85 version of said logo was on Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.

There may be an HBO/Cinemax free preview weekend on February 17-20, and as luck would have it, ActionMax is airing Highlander once during that weekend. I could try to record it on one of our other DVRs (if we don't get new ones by then), and then get an HDCP stripper and try to run it through our BlackMagic Intensity into USB 3.0 (I have no direct HDMI input card, would USB 3.0 be sufficient to capture HDMI signals?)

If anyone else has HDTV and the means to capture the Cinemax channels in HD, feel free to respond.

[Booshman]

Unless it's been removed, the theatrical cut should still be on Netflix Canada. I can't get on Netflix anymore, as it picks up on me using a vpn and won't work. If someone has the hardware to grab it from there it would be a good alternative should the Cinemax showing be missed.