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written by SPI / photos by SPI
The Germans have begun releasing some Limited Editions over the years and this time it was the movie Braveheart that got a makeover. This movie truly deserved a decent release, but was this the way to go? We will have a closer look into this edition and find out if it is really worth owning and worth the money
First thing I have to mention is that the box was not sealed when I got it and I’ve read different places that other people received it unsealed also. By that I mean the wooden box. The DVD itself was sealed. The Box is limited to 3000 copies and the retail price when it first was released was 99 euro. Many people thinks that is a lot of money and I agree. But you also have to consider the effort that are put into making these set and not to forget it is limited to a very small number. At first sight the box is very nice looking and since it is not sealed they have put a kind of cardboard label on the box. The text on the label is “Jubilaums-Edition” and it explains the content and how many copies have been made. Since this is a German release the writings are in German. But this cardboard can easily be removed.
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The Braveheart letters are embossed and burned into the wood on top of the box. I have to admit that I liked this little touch and it made the wood look thicker than it is. The wood is nice and have a smooth texture. When you put the label back on the it sorts of frames the letters. |
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The box has an little lock of metal that you can easily open and close. When you remove the label, the box itself looks very simple, so I suggest that when you are putting it in your shelves for display keep everything on. It will look so much better.
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The material the box is made of is wood. It is a sort of wood that is light and thin. It is not heavy and thick like the LOTR box and if you compare the photos of the two reviews you can see the difference. The measures of the box is 31cm x 12.5cm x 21.5cm, so it is not one of the biggest sets out there, but not the smallest either. I was not disappointed in the size and thought it was big enough, but then I had no expectations of this release and how it would look.
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When you open the box all it's content are well placed. You got the DVD, the certificate and the sword and the stand. They have filled the box with wood shavings, maybe for protection of the sword or just for adding a more real look to the box. I'm going to keep it in the box so I don't get dust all over the place.
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So, lets have a look at the content of this LE. First of all you've got the DVD. This is the 2 disc Special Edition. I've compared this edition to my French collectors edition and they seem identical.
The DVD has no DTS track and I think that was a real disappointment. What you readers have to understand that the DVD edition that in this boxset is the same 2-disc edition that has been around for a while. I would thought they could make a new edition special for this release, with a new transfer and upgraded sound and bonus features.
The languages are in English
and German with different subtitles. The packaging of the DVD is a amary
in slipcase, similar to the Disneys Platinum releases.
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The sword is a great addition
to this great movie. It looks nice on the shelves and it makes this box
something special. I have to admit that I was more curious about the look
on this sword then the DVD itself. When I first saw the promo pictures
I imagined the sword to be bigger, but when I got the box I realized that
it was not big and huge after all. The sword itself is little and of course
has the same length and measures as the box. "Braveheart" is engraved
in the handle and on the bottom of it is written "20th century fox" which
I thought was unnecessary. The stand that holds the sword is made out
of wood. It is not heavy, but at the look of it you might actually think
it weighs a little and that it could be made of stone. It has a dark colour
and this makes it look heavier and more exclusive.
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The certificate lies in a see-through envelope and was actually the first thing I open-end when I got this set. The certificate explains that you have purchased and collectors item which is limited. The label on the box says 3000 copies but the certificate says 3100. I have never figured that out, but my guess is that is have something to do with the cross.
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Overall this edition is very nice. I think some people actually bought it just because it is numbered and it looks great in display
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- SPI's Verdict -
- Build
Quality: 6 -
The outside look of the box is great and the burned letters on top
of it is a nice touch. My opinion is that they could built the box with
a much more heavier and darker wood. This is because dark wood makes it
looks more exclusive, not to mention more expensive and I think that this
movie deserves that.
- Content
and Extras: 5 -
As for the DVD extras this is nothing special since it is the regular
Special Edition. The bonus material included a commentary by Mel Gibson
and a documentary. As for the sword this was funny and special touch but
it could be a little bigger. But I liked it and thought it was an nice
addition.
- Overall Rating: 7 -
The movie is great but I thought that when they would release a limited edition they would do it the right way. The box is nice and good looking but there are many ways to do it better. They could have chosen a different material and put more work into making a DVD edition special for this boxset. Since this was a gift that was given to me and not something I bought myself it is difficult for me telling if it is worth the money.
If you are a truly fan of this movie-buy the this edition,
If you are a huge collector of LE`s-buy the edition,
If you want this just for having it on display-buy the edition,
But if you already own the 2 disc special edition I see no point in double dipping.
Hope that this review gave you some answers and some of you will find the pleasure owning this limited edition of Braveheart.
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