SECTION INDEX: Compatibility Issues • Comparative Stills • Original Version • Special Version • BRII • Related Videos • Bootlegs
video
- bootlegs
I'm not entirely opposed to bootlegs. Some movies are
just impossible to find, or are too expensive for those on a limited budget;
there are some movies that have English subtitles only on bootleg "fansub"
copies. With BR, however, there are plenty of affordable, legitimate
copies available, and moreover, many bootlegs have flaws that make them
a less than perfect viewing experience. So my personal recommendation:
save up an extra couple of bucks and pay for a legitimate copy; it'll
save you some grief.
But basically, I'm not judging you if you buy a bootleg--I've got a few myself. I just want you to be informed, to know *if* the item you're getting is a bootleg, because chances are, the seller isn't going to tell you.
|
Wondering
what tie-in goods you can find? Link to the MERCHANDISE
page.
Want to discuss Battle Royale or ask a question not answered here? Check out the BATTLEROYALEFILM FORUMS. |
| Format Region Video Standard | Subtitles | Distributor, Product ID | Release Date | More Images | Playable on standard US players? | |||
BOOTLEG BR & BRII
DVD SET |
DVD-5 R0 NTSC | English (removable) Chinese (removable) |
|
YES | ||||
| Someone was clever enough to make a box similar to the outer container of the $90 BRII Mission Box set and pack it with a bootleg of the Korean BR SE and of the HK BRII DVD; this comes in 2-DVD (movies only) and 4-DVD (with extras) varieties. | ||||||||
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BOOTLEG Hong Kong Release | DVD-5 R0 NTSC | English (removable) Chinese (removable) | "Unit World Video" USM030 |
|
YES | ||
| BOOTLEG of Universe Laser
Video release; missing first 40 seconds (graphic prologue) of feature;
no extras; packaging is a hacked version of the ULV release. "Unit World Video" is a nonexistent company. Whether it's BR or another Asian release, the "Unit World" logo is a sure sign that what you're buying is a bootleg. |
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BOOTLEG Cheezyflicks "American" release | DVD-5 R0 NTSC | English and Chinese (simultaneous, nonremovable) | YES | ||||
| Bootleg of the Universe
Laser Video VCD release. Yes, you heard right--it may be
a DVD, but the images are copied from a VCD, and are VCD-quality.
Also missing first 40 seconds (graphic prologue) of feature.
|
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 |
BOOTLEG CreamDVD Korean SE release |
DVD-5 R0 NTSC |
English, Korean |
YES | ||||
| Bootleg of the CreamDVD
R3 video release, which has a black cover. The cover advertised
for these auctions appear to be nearly identical to the CreamDVD
release, except that the CreamDVD logo is covered up on the spine
and the region specified is "ALL." The CreamDVD release
also has a lenticular slipcover; the bootleg does not. It also helps
to note that the CreamDVD release is no longer being manufactured,
was always Region 3, and its quantities are relatively limited. |
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BOOTLEG Starmax Korean SE release |
DVD-5 R0 NTSC |
English, Korean (removable--on
feature film only) |
YES | ||||
| Probably one of the harder
ones to tell apart, because it's a bootleg of Starmax's legitimate
R0 NTSC edition of the Special Version. Another red flag is that
the seller will have the image of the interior case cover (see left),
but not the tan-colored outer slipcover (see the Special
Version page). Stiller66, who sells this item on eBay, e-mailed
me with a list of satisfied customers and insists that it's "exactly
like" the real thing. "Exactly like" the real thing
doesn't mean it's the real thing. |
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| Other signs that the item is
probably a bootleg: -Dutch auctions with
huge quantities. Online shops and eBay
sellers to avoid if you don't want a bootleg:
|
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THE BR NON-SPOILER INDEX
The
Non-Spoiler FAQ and general information about Battle Royale
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