Dinotasia aka Dinosaur Revolution ?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Still no U.S. release info.. :/

[scallenger]

Although there is still isn't any more info. on U.S. release dates (but come on, it's bound to come out sometime this year to other places, right... right?), I have dug up another review! Check it all out!

http://cinesthesiac.blogspot.ca/2012/05/tooth-and-claw-dinotasia.html

This comment:

Rendered using fair-to-middling computer effects

seemed a bit harsh, imo. Although I have not seen Dinotasia obviously, I can't imagine the effects looking worse than they did on Discovery. And for a television production they were mostly pretty darn good if you ask me! Perhaps this reviewer isn't keeping that in mind since he is seeing it as a theatrical film.

However... the reviewer does confirm another scene that will be in this version!

an avian creature slingshots its young off the edge of a cliff in the (in turns out vain)

Yes! I once thought perhaps this wouldn't make the cut, but glad it did.

And there is yet one more confirmed scene from this review... one that I was begging would be left in, and thank goodness it has:

the highpoint may be the episode involving a dinosaur who snacks on a mushroom and starts woozily tripping (to the accompaniment of sitar music!) while trying to flee a couple of predators, which is an incredibly cool thing to discover in the middle of a PG-rated movie, but one which may have no basis whatsoever in fact.

YES!!! So now the confirmed scene list can be updated to this:

* Allosaurus
* T-Rex
* Protoceratops
* Beelzebufo
*Pterosaur
*Shroomosaur

Lovely! You know, even if they didn't include any more than what is listed above, I'd say that is a pretty well-rounded compilation of the best bits. The first three being the most dramatic bits, and the following three being the more bizzare and comedic. Definitely the perfect balance! I do still wonder if there is more included (I'm still hoping for the raptor attack on the sauropods).

Also, reading more about the narration from the review... Krentz, who actually wrote the narration for this version? Was it you, Herzog himself, or someone else?

EDIT NOTE:
I did my crazy "time adding" again and calculated the times of all the sequences listed above. The result is... interesting. The footage from the Discovery version of the above sequences adds up to 1:23:41. Now, you may look at that and say "oh, well that's exactly right then, that's the runtime Krentz said and it is also the runtime appearing on most sites". But, no. This time I came up with is just for the dinosaur footage itself. It does NOT account for any opening/end credits or the Herzog intros (since the narration is said to introduce, not talk OVER). So, what does this mean? This means that at least one or more sequences that are actually in this version are actually shortened for this version compared to their presentation on the Discovery Channel version. Since most of the sequences listed are about 5 minutes a piece, I think it is safe to assume they shortened either/both the Allosaur and T-Rex sequences. I think I theorized this would happen, although now I am wonder where the cuts on these two parts were made. One could also now theorize that both sequences have been cut into much shorter sequences to make room for even more sequences that aren't listed above.  It's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out!

[SBell]

I finally saw DR, and it looked very pretty. But it was so loud. What is it with dinosaur-movie people and screaming predators? Is the idea of 'stealth' seemingly a mammals-only thing?

And why doesn't Spinosaurus eat fish?

I think it would be more fun to get a version that is made up primarily of the talking scientists, with only brief clips of the dinos to augment what they are saying. Not very theatre-worthy, perhaps, but more informative (I bet there is a lot of that stuff on a cutting room floor somewhere).

[Sharptooth]

And why doesn't Spinosaurus eat fish?

Huh? There wasn't a Spino in DR 

[SBell]

And why doesn't Spinosaurus eat fish?

Huh? There wasn't a Spino in DR 

Then what was I thinking of...I know there's one in Planet Dinosaur, but it's a (generally) quiet fish-eater.

No, wait, it was Monsters Resurrected. Another Discovery show with Thomas Holtz.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

And why doesn't Spinosaurus eat fish?

Huh? There wasn't a Spino in DR 

Then what was I thinking of...I know there's one in Planet Dinosaur, but it's a (generally) quiet fish-eater.

No, wait, it was Monsters Resurrected. Another Discovery show with Thomas Holtz.

Yeah Monster Resurrected was pretty ostentatious. Lots of exciting visuals but not many truthful ones.

[scallenger]

Well, Dinotasia has now been released in theaters in the UK. If ANY of you have seen it, please post your own reviews here, and please reveal to us all which sequences were in this version, and if either the Rex or Allosaur stories had any cuts in them, or even additions! Just tell us all what you thought!

[SBell]

Having seen the whole series now, and the trailer featuring Herzog's narration, I can honestly say that I would take the Discovery Version over whatever the theatrical release turns out.

But it doesn't appear that I'll get to make that choice anyway.

[scallenger]

Really? Why do you say that? The only reason why the Discovery Channel version is worth holding onto is because of the sequences that won't be included in this abridged version. This new version is closer to the intended vision since it has no dialogue during the stories, just introductions. They are stories, not meant to be a regular documentary like Walking With Dinosaurs or even Planet Dinosaur. I can see how that may be unappealing to some people, but it definitely has an audience, I believe. Or at least I'm one of them.

I would hope to believe that when the Bluray comes out that it will also include the segments not used as bonus features. Or maybe we will still get a release of the Discovery version itself stateside as well. Otherwise you'll need a Region B BluRay player to play the currently available BluRay, or there is a DVD version out there apparently from China that is Region-Free, though I am not sure if it is PAL or NTSC.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Really? Why do you say that? The only reason why the Discovery Channel version is worth holding onto is because of the sequences that won't be included in this abridged version. This new version is closer to the intended vision since it has no dialogue during the stories, just introductions. They are stories, not meant to be a regular documentary like Walking With Dinosaurs or even Planet Dinosaur. I can see how that may be unappealing to some people, but it definitely has an audience, I believe. Or at least I'm one of them.

I would hope to believe that when the Bluray comes out that it will also include the segments not used as bonus features. Or maybe we will still get a release of the Discovery version itself stateside as well. Otherwise you'll need a Region B BluRay player to play the currently available BluRay, or there is a DVD version out there apparently from China that is Region-Free, though I am not sure if it is PAL or NTSC.

I can't figure why they just didn't give us a dvd with two versions..one including the scientists and narration, one not.  Doesn't seem like it would be too hard to edit.

[SBell]

Really? Why do you say that? The only reason why the Discovery Channel version is worth holding onto is because of the sequences that won't be included in this abridged version. This new version is closer to the intended vision since it has no dialogue during the stories, just introductions. They are stories, not meant to be a regular documentary like Walking With Dinosaurs or even Planet Dinosaur. I can see how that may be unappealing to some people, but it definitely has an audience, I believe. Or at least I'm one of them.

I would hope to believe that when the Bluray comes out that it will also include the segments not used as bonus features. Or maybe we will still get a release of the Discovery version itself stateside as well. Otherwise you'll need a Region B BluRay player to play the currently available BluRay, or there is a DVD version out there apparently from China that is Region-Free, though I am not sure if it is PAL or NTSC.

Mostly I found the show fairly bombastic and loud--the scientists and artists gave a really nice context for why we were seeing what we were seeing.

And judging by the Herzog narration in the trailer, that was pretty much the definition of 'purple prose'. I like my dinosaurs grounded in science, and when they are presented in this kind of format, it is really necessary to explain what is going on and why.  Not add a bunch of silly melodramatic sound bites that really just serve to try and sound impressive.

Besides, without a narrator, how would people even know what species they are looking at?  Several of the dinos referenced are lesser known, and for the majority of the audience--even general dino fans--they are more likely to guess at things that they know. And if the added narrator is doing that job, then why bother changing it at all?

Not that it matters. It won't be shown anywhere else anyway.  And it will probably never show up in the theatrical form on anything bu Region 2 either.

[scallenger]

I definitely get where you are coming from with your stance on this, and you seem to be in the same league as the critics online that I have seen on sites give the new version a negative review. But it still all goes back to the purpose of this project: it was not meant to be a documentary at all. It was Discovery that forced upon the talking heads and narration. That means that sequences were always meant to be just a series of stories, with music, just like Fantasia (hence the similar title in this version). I really don't think it was meant to be educational at all, so there really is no need to even know which dinosaurs they are. I know that may sound pointless to a lot of you, but I really believe that was the point. Not to be caught up in the technicalities of dinosaurs, but to just witness them in an engaging and fun way. And for that, I give them a lot of props. It's a ballsy thing to try to make, obviously, since people everywhere seem to either love or hate this thing. I think it also really, REALLY helps if you are a fan of the Delgado's "Age of Reptiles" graphic novel works or not. Because the dinosaur segments are very much like those, even reference them in parts, I believe.

But yet, neither one of us has seen this new version at all, and sadly won't for what seems like will be at least a few more months compared to the UK. So again, you awesome UK people, please, someone, for the love of... whatever! Go see this!

*orthocone*

[Yutyrannus]

How are people finding Dinosaur Revolution on DVD?! Also is Dinotasia coming to theaters May 4 2012 or 2013?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

How are people finding Dinosaur Revolution on DVD?! Also is Dinotasia coming to theaters May 4 2012 or 2013?

May 4th of this year but so far only in the U.K.

DR on dvd ? Only a Chinese version that I know of.

Has really no one from here went to check this out yet ?

[SBell]

How are people finding Dinosaur Revolution on DVD?! Also is Dinotasia coming to theaters May 4 2012 or 2013?

May 4th of this year but so far only in the U.K.

DR on dvd ? Only a Chinese version that I know of.

Has really no one from here went to check this out yet ?

There are other means to watch it until proper ones become available. For those of us without TV service, it's pretty all we've got.

[Himmapaan]

From what I've been able to find, it has been on extremely limited release here in the UK. Very few theatres showed them, and even then, for a run of just a few days. I now find out too late that The Hackney Picture House was the nearest place to me to have screened it, but it is no longer showing.  Now, the only place I know of that's even within reasonable distance is a cinema in Bath, and that's a two-hour train journey, approximately. 

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

From what I've been able to find, it has been on extremely limited release here in the UK. Very few theatres showed them, and even then, for a run of just a few days. I now find out too late that The Hackney Picture House was the nearest place to me to have screened it, but it is no longer showing.  Now, the only place I know of that's even within reasonable distance is a cinema in Bath, and that's a two-hour train journey, approximately. 

Ouch. From the reviews online it seemed to be generally regarded as bad by the casual viewer for one reason or the other.  I had no idea it was so limited even in your country...how was this supposed to make money or do anything at all really ?

[scallenger]

Wow, it didn't help that not many people seemed to know about it, even dinosaur fans, as we see here. Seems like another case of bad marketing. Granted, I actually do like the poster work and the trailer made for this version. However, it's all for not when no one really has a chance to see it. They also should have advertised it earlier than March, personally.

I really hope they give it a better chance in the States. Still, if any of you are able to catch this apparently very limited showing, tell us all about it!

[scallenger]

Very sad to not hear any more about this from anyone that has seen it or any new info. on a U.S. release. It seems like people have pretty much forgotten about it and moved on. I haven't, though. This is still something I very much want to see and hope does well.

[scallenger]

Well, no actual news at all to report, sadly. Except that the UK Region 2 DVD of Dinotasia that was supposed to be released this month got pushed back to the very end of August. However, they have now updated it with a cover photo, which uses that awesome poster art that we have seen here. No BluRay release of any kind so far, though. Still hoping for a U.S. release date soon...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dinotasia-DVD-Werner-Herzog/dp/B007PF5UEE/