Screen Format	16:9 Enhanced (2.35:1)
	Audio Tracks	English MPEG5.1 (Default) English DD5.1
	Subtitles	None
	Region Code	4
	Chapters	22
	Running Time	123 minutes (PAL)
	Classification	M15+

Like many others, I was anxiously awaiting the release of Die Hard: With A Vengeance, or DH3 as it has become known around the traps. 
Why?  Several reasons.  Firstly, Roadshow promised to release it as a 16:9 Enhanced/Digital 5.1 DVD, and secondly Roadshow would be releasing it LONG BEFORE the eventual US release through 20th Century Fox.
Well the wait is over.  DH3 is here in OZ, but looking at Roadshow's previous track record with DVD's does that overhaul mean they have learnt from their mistakes?

Being as Hollywood is, they try and milk a series for as long as the box office returns allow...and with DH3 being the 3rd in an on-going series (4 is in the pipeline as I type), you'd expect it to be sagging by now.... While it has lost some of the fun and freshness of the first two, DH3 is still quite an enjoyable no brainer action flick.... The addition on Samuel L. Jackson as Zeus is a welcome addition, as is Jeremy Irons as the migrained stammering German terrorist.
Gone is the high rise and airport and in their place is the New York City Federal Reserve.
John McTiernan, who helmed the original is back, and in great form, I guess you're best to stick with what you know, and his forte' seems to be action....so...

Anyways...enough of the babbling...now for the big question...

How does this transfer hold up?

Word had it that this transfer was fabulous....Word was wrong!!!!!!!! Granted, Roadshow have finally given us the first 16:9 Enhanced 2.35:1 movie since Evita, but the approach they seem to have taken with this transfers leaves little to be desired.  Rather than using my PAL settings for colour, etc. I had to use my NTSC settings, as the colour, contrast and brightness levels were way too high.  At the NTSC level things look pretty good, some very good, but throughout the entire movie I was distracted by a constant shimmering, that raised it ugly head even with the slightest movement from some of the images.  The big offenders were moving vehicles, signs on buildings, venetian blinds.  In general, it's objects of a brighter intensity.  The best way to describe this undesirable effect is to look though a fly screen and move from side to side. Objects behind the screen appear to shimmer and it's very annoying. Try it out for fun...woo-hoo. Had it not been for this "shimmer" effect this would have been a pretty good transfer.  You can still see great some detail coming through this transfer with rich accurate colours (perhaps a little too rich), but this is far from being it's saving grace.

However, the audio side of things is another story.... Encoded is MPEG5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1...all I can say is...it's about bloody time!!!! DH3 has been presented with a great 5.1 sound mix that is very active and I guess if I become desperate I can always watch the news or something else with DH3's DD5.1 audio playing. There was one other constant problem...oh no, not another one....oh yes.  I found that when listening to the DD5.1 track the image paused occasionally, yet the audio continued on. This happened more than half a dozen times...a friend reported it happened some 12....BUT it only occurred on the DD5.1 track and NOT the MPEG5.1 track. After some investigations, it turns out the problem is related to some of the early model DVD players.  The like of the Early Samsung and RCA players DO NOT decode DD5.1 properly, and thus a DVD with an MPEG 5.1 track causes the OTHER audio tracks (be they MPEG 2.0, or any Dolby Digital track) to have image pauses)

Samsung have admitted there is a problem on their DVD905 and are suppose to be replacing the DVD905 until the end of 1999...the other problem with teh DVD905 is that of RSDL layer change problems....THIS is the problem to report, along with the image pauses if you wish to pursue this matter with Samsung

Oh yes the features....Quite a few of them here....Granted, some are stupidly accessed in the same way as with The Mask's cast interviews....who wants to hear only a snippet from an interview and have to select another part from the menu again....streaming them all together as one interview from each actor would be a far more practical idea...At least they are of a far better quality than the actual movie.

Other features on this DVD include a theatrical trailer (again, better encoding here, just not as detailed), the main theme song as a clip, and cast biographies. The menu isn't too bad, and the intensity of the colours is still a bit much, but I do like the fire flames along the edges. Oh my god, was that a compliment??

Video Shift is selling this title for $AUD34.95 (including shipping in Australia)...Is it worth it??...Not really....Find a rental store instead, 'cause it much easier to be unhappy about wasting $6 on a rental than it is trying to justify how this DVD is worth $35 in its current incarnation....PLEASE TRY AGAIN...or wait for the NTSC release instead.

Review Equipment: TV: Mitsubishi DIVA 68cm TV, DVD: Samsung DVD905, Receiver: Marantz SR870, Speakers: Front - B&W 602's, Rears - Jamo, Subby - M&K V125 (grumble-growl-BOOM). Cinema Chairs (Gilberton Recliners....okay so there not REALLY cinema chairs but they're very comfy..)