Conan the Barbarian Blu-rays - US Missing 90 Seconds

[John Johnson]

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is set to bring John Milius' Conan the Barbarian to Blu-ray on August 2nd, two weeks before Marcus Nispel's adaptation of the same name descends on theaters. Milius' original film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Conan, a slave who sets out to find the sorcerer (James Earl Jones) that murdered his family and people.

Early reports indicate that, in addition to an extended 136-minute cut of the film, a variety of special features will be included, among them:
Extended Cut featuring Never Before Seen Footage
Exclusive U-Control Picture-in-Picture Experience
Conan Unchained: The Making of Conan
All New Cast and Crew Interviews
A Comprehensive Study of Robert E. Howard's Stories
Deleted and Alternate Scenes
The Conan Archives & Vault Production Stills
Exclusive First Look: Conan the Barbarian (2011)

Reports also suggest the film's 1984, Richard Fleischer-helmed sequel, Conan the Destroyer, will earn an August 2nd Blu-ray release as well. Cover art and further details have yet to be revealed.

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=6396

[Monterey Jack]

I hope an option to watch the theatrical cut will be included.

[AndyDursin]

I hope an option to watch the theatrical cut will be included.

I'm not sure there's a huge need for it. The Director's Cut is only extended by 2 minutes, and there aren't a ton of differences between that version and the theatrical cut outside of a few good additions like the ending where Arnie carries the princess off, which provides Poledouris' gorgeous final cue a chance to play out as it was composed. Those cuts -- plus some additional dialogue -- were made by Universal, not Milius, so it's not like they are superfluous additions.

I can't see them putting the theatrical version back into circulation at this point -- I'd be more interested if we could see the other hour or so of footage that was also excised.

Anyway I cancelled my order of the UK Blu-Ray, which might be cut, and seems to lack the extras from Universal's release. Of course if it turns out to be uncut and has a better transfer I might revisit that one!

EDIT - I see they're adding another couple of minutes back in. Can't see any reason not to go along with that, even in its longest version the movie still feels cut at certain points.

[John Johnson]

[AndyDursin]

Now that's a better cover.

[AndyDursin]

I'm going to import the Fox international Blu-Rays which will be region free and can be ordered from DDDHouse (total $50 shipped for the two; come out on July 14th).

Chances are the encodes will be different than Universal's and I love the original so much I'd like to compare them. DESTROYER, enjoyable for what it is (but vastly inferior to part one, needless to say), has a ton of extras not on the American release as well.

Conan the Barbarian Special Edition:
http://dddhouse.com/v3/product_details. ... ctID=12084

Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes


Conan the Destroyer Special Edition:
http://dddhouse.com/v3/product_details. ... ctID=12034

Audio Commentary with Director Richard Fleischer
Audio Commentary with Cast Members Olivia D'Abo and Tracey Walter
Basil Poledouris: Composing the Conan Saga
Conan: The Making of a Comic Book Legend
Original Theatrical Trailer

[AndyDursin]

As I expected, the UK Fox disc is exactly the same as every of Fox's international discs. Only if you select UK as the region do you end up getting the cut version; select anywhere else at the front menu and it plays uncut.

My HK disc should be here in the next couple of days. Looking forward to seeing it and how it compares to Universal's US version.

[John Johnson]

As I expected, the UK Fox disc is exactly the same as every of Fox's international discs. Only if you select UK as the region do you end up getting the cut version; select anywhere else at the front menu and it plays uncut.

I thought that might be the case. I remember watching the film when it was originally released and the cuts were so obvious. I can understand the cuts, so I have no reason to think the BBFC's opinion has changed over the years.

[AndyDursin]

Well I take back my statements that we won't be seeing the theatrical version because it looks like the US Blu-Ray ONLY has the theatrical cut of BARBARIAN on it! At least it certainly looks that way from the back cover...

Universal isn't providing review copies of this title (much like LEGEND) and right now I'm canceling my order and just going with the Fox Blu-Rays from overseas which ought to be here soon. I love the Arnold carries-the-princess-off-into-the-sunset ending with Basil's score running as it was intended to, and DESTROYER also has a load of extras on it that aren't on the US BD as well.

[AndyDursin]

Here's the back cover...129 minutes!

http://www.planetaxel.com/productDetails/025195055512

[AndyDursin]

So just to be clear about the different Blu-Rays:

Conan the Barbarian

Universal US release: 129 minute theatrical cut + commentary, deleted scenes, documentary, Conan Archives, special effects comparison (trailer?)

Fox International Release: 131 min. extended, same extras as Universal release plus additional 20 minute featurette and 10 minute vintage interview reel, trailers

Conan the Destroyer

Universal release: no extras (trailer?)

MGM international release: two commentaries, Basil Poledouris interview featurette, documentary, trailer

[AndyDursin]

OK so it turns out the CONAN US Blu Ray is the 129 min. "international version."

It's missing one 90 second scene where Arnold and Gerry Lopez talk while the princess is chained up:

http://www.conancompletist.com/EN/moby01.htm

That scene which Milius wanted back in was previously on the Special Edition DVD and is also on Fox's international Blu-Ray release.

[Paul MacLean]

It's missing one 90 second scene where Arnold and Gerry Lopez talk while the princess is chained up:

I liked that scene.

[AndyDursin]

It's missing one 90 second scene where Arnold and Gerry Lopez talk while the princess is chained up:

I liked that scene.

Me too -- but you can get it on the overseas Fox region-free BD disc.

You just wonder why stuff like this happens!

[Monterey Jack]

Hey Andy, there's some grumbing at the FSM boards that the choir is missing in some cues in the new sound mix on the Blu. Is this correct...?