A Chinese Ghost Story: R2UK HKL vs R2DE EMS vs R3HK IVL

[tom2681]

I should've done this comparison ages ago, but I just couldn't be bothered.

Let's start with the subs.
Note: the songs aren't subtitled on the IVL.
Note2: the EMS version doesn't have english subs.

HKL top.
EMS middle.
IVL bottom.













In terms of translation, the HKL subs are more precise and accurate, but they are also way too long.
If you're not a fast reader (and if you don't mind engrish subtitles), you might want to try the IVL.

Picture quality:







HKL has an additional yellow colour filter.
IVL just has a typical blueish Fortune Star tint.







The HKL shows obvious signs of contrast boosting and lack of shadow detail.







Funnily enough, the IVL suffers from a form of brightness boosting, resulting in a loss of detail in bright areas.
Lose the blacks or lose the whites, take your pick.

[bradavon]

Overall I'd give it to the FS. I remember the very first few batches of FS transfers looking awesome, what went so wrong Fortune Star?

The problem with all that contrast boosting is it makes the picture look so unreal and fake. I've been playing with it on some of my photos and at first I think it's an improvement (as colours are often more vivid) BUT then you notice how fake it looks. It ceases to look real and becomes a digital image.

[HungFist]

EMS
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/ ... CGTEMS.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/ ... GTEMS1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/ ... GTEMS2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/ ... GTEMS3.jpg

sorry, no subtitle samples. I don't know any german, wouldn't know if I was capping the correct lines
(if somebody really needs them then let me know and I'll try)

[tom2681]

Thanks, Hung.
*Updating comparison*

[Markgway]

Without subs the EMS is irrelevent, so for me it's between the HKL and the IVL.

Both images have flaws, as expected, but it seems to me the IVL is an improvement in many regards.

The IVL subs are less refined, but get the point across, which does me fine.

Tom, how is the audio? That's important as a Fortune Star 5.1 remix is WORSE than an HKL remix.

[Knetan]

hey,

there are fansubs or rather subrips. Took one from kloofy's, added song subs where available and presto, super duper trilogy set. The 5.1 mixes on the German dvd's are quite ok too. Wide mono.

[Markgway]

I can't be arsed making my own DVDs.

Besides it's nice to have a boxed original for my collection.

Neither the HKL or the IVL is that bad that it's worth buggering about with an unsubbed French or German disc.

[HungFist]

Besides it's nice to have a boxed original for my collection.

You think me and Ken threw the german originals away?

The EMS is actually my third version of the film, and the first one I'm satisfied with. HKL was too dark and messy, IVL was remixed (although it was one of their better remixes) and had poor subs... I recall preferring the IVL transfer over the HKL though.

EDIT: from what I recall the HKL audio too has something that doesn't belong there... but to much lesser extent than IVL of course.

[bradavon]

I can't be arsed making my own DVDs.

I can't either. I've done it 3 times for titles that you cannot get with English subs in decent form (1 of them you can now) but it's a right faf. You may have to use more than 1 program and it takes 30-45 minutes then time again to re-burn it.

I doubt I'd bother now. If I really wanted to it's far quicker just to plug my laptop into my TV, and that's too much hassle really. There just aren't that many examples where you cannot get a decent enough DVD to have to do it.

Neither the HKL or the IVL is that bad that it's worth buggering about with an unsubbed French or German disc.

It's not as if the German DVD looks miles better.

[Knetan]

hey,

each to their own but the EMS discs aren't to be counted out of the bigger picture just because a percentage of you lot "can't be arsed making your own DVDs."

[grim_tales]

I'm sure the HKL had stuff that wasnt present on the original theatrical soundtrack, but when I saw it the extra snippets of dialogue ("Which way is South? How come my shoes are so torn?" etc) made more sense to me.

[Markgway]

You think me and Ken threw the german originals away?

Just seems like a waste of money.

If you're gonna create a fan-subbed DVD-R might as well download it for free.

IVL was remixed

Thanks, I'll stick with the less painful HKL.

[Markgway]

hey, each to their own but the EMS discs aren't to be counted out of the bigger picture just because a percentage of you lot "can't be arsed making your own DVDs."

I just said as far as I was concerned.

If other fans want to spend time on such projects that's up to them.

[HungFist]

You think me and Ken threw the german originals away?

Just seems like a waste of money.

If you're gonna create a fan-subbed DVD-R might as well download it for free.

lol

[bradavon]

each to their own but the EMS discs aren't to be counted out of the bigger picture just because a percentage of you lot "can't be arsed making your own DVDs."

From a comparison point of view of course but I wouldn't bother buying them. German DVDs are expensive and as I've already said the German DVD doesn't look any better anyway.

[HungFist]

each to their own but the EMS discs aren't to be counted out of the bigger picture just because a percentage of you lot "can't be arsed making your own DVDs."

German DVDs are expensive

25€ for the 4 dvd box set. Expensive?

and as I've already said the German DVD doesn't look any better anyway.

To your eyes that is.

[DangerousLeeHandsome]

The HKL looks fine. The print looks decent enough that the cropping is forgivable.

[Markgway]

I suspect the HKL's colours are more accurate.

[HungFist]

I only have e-m-s' High Definition Remastered A Chinese Ghost Story DVDs which are very good and much better than the HKL DVDs (too dark) and IVL DVDs (too bright). e-m-s' A Chinese Ghost Story DVDs are also the only anamorphic DVDs that retain the original look of the film.

[Markgway]

Then where did those filters on the HKL come from?

[bradavon]

€25 for a box set is okay but generally speaking comparing UK DVD prices to German DVD prices UK prices win hands down. That's what I meant.

[Markgway]

Two questions:

1. How do you tell if ACGS's mono track is the/a downmix? (I remember some talk about alternate music/dialogue...?). I have a Spanish edition downloaded but no idea if its mono is kosher. Should the scene where Joey hides Leslie in the bathtub be with or without music, for example?

2. Are there any 16:9 remastered versions known to have Cantonese mono for sure? French DVD, perhaps?

[grim_tales]

On the old MIHK VHS I dont remember any extra dialogue at the start... on the HKL theres a bit of spoken dialogue, subtitled as "In books we possess" or something

[HungFist]

Two questions:

1. How do you tell if ACGS's mono track is the/a downmix? (I remember some talk about alternate music/dialogue...?). I have a Spanish edition downloaded but no idea if its mono is kosher. Should the scene where Joey hides Leslie in the bathtub be with or without music, for example?

2. Are there any 16:9 remastered versions known to have Cantonese mono for sure? French DVD, perhaps?

I think the French discs were not released by HK Video, but by another label owned by the same parent company... or maybe it was a late HK Video release. In either case, the risk of FS downmix is notable, even likely.

I've got the German dvd. I think there was something slightly "wrong" the audio, perhaps an additional piece of music or two added effects (by Media Asia?), but in any case it's good enough for me. In sync, no Fortune Star crap, sounds great to me. If you want more detailed info, ask Spannic at KFC, he probably knows.

[Markgway]

OK. I can tell the difference now just from the opening scene.

For anyone interested...

The original mono doesn't have the sound of the howling wind or the lantern hitting the bucket full of water.

If you hear those you're watching a remix (either by Media Asia or Fortune Star).

What we need is a custom fan edition that gives us Fortune Star's image, Deltamac's audio, and HKL's subtitles.

More chance of that than any distributor getting it right.