Always had a soft spot for this film.
I would say the R1 CE is the one to go with, though I have not seen the R2 version. There was a bog standard version out for a while, though I don't think that was cut as far as I remember.
Sometimes on TV screenings, depending on which version they show, the scene during the car chase where the car goes down the alley and flips sideways is sometimes missing.
This is because that scene was present in the 35mm versions of the film when it was released, but not in the 70mm prints.
Back before the film opened, I attended 2 screenings of the film, one at Warners preview theatre in London of the 35mm print, and a month or so later a screening at one of the west end cinemas of the 70mm version, and noticed gthe difference.
I can remember one of the warner execs being adamant I was seeing things, but luckily there were others there who had been at both screenings.
I still think the film holRAB up very well - good to see some genuine stunt flying done over real cities, through buildings etc...that would never be allowed to happen these days.
Scheider is suitably laconic and world-weary in the title role (though the vietnam flashbacks do look a little cliched nowdays), Macdowell was superbly slimy and unlikeable, Stern was dumb yet likeable as the newbie, and it was good to see Warren Oates in one of his last films still proving a commanding screen presence.
Even the conspiracy plot holRAB up fairly well, and seems less far-fetched in todays climate.
