The Official "Dragon Dynasty" Thread!

[bradavon]

HKL and DD were anamorphic because they had access to the materials, extras were sometimes not. I wouldn't bet on 'Come Drink With Me' being anamorphic.

They were/are anamorphic as it's company policy. They made their own anamorphic transfers. Nothing will change here.

the most important part of the hkl Game Of Death disc,the 40 minutes of Bruce Lee footage was non-anamorphic. disgraceful as my artport dvd containing the same footage was anamorphic.

Those are "technically" extras and so don't count in my point.

[Killer Meteor]

Probably the only non-anamaorphic thing ever on a HKL DVD. Pity they wern't so consistent with the aspect ratios

[saltysam]

i'll never forgive them for releasing a cropped to fuck Legend Of A Fighter,probably the last chance to get a decent release of this title

[Killer Meteor]

Yeah, that was dreadful. They got away with such awful treatment of the films for years.

[bradavon]

What about Dragon Dynasty? Are they getting away with awful treatment too?

[chenlung]

They were/are anamorphic as it's company policy. They made their own anamorphic transfers. Nothing will change here.

Cine Vu (http://www.hkflix.com/xq/asp/filmID.542 ... etails.htm) released the film anamorphic, but possibly from a theatrical non-Celestial source.

Earlier Shaws may have been PAL non-anamorphic. The ones from France that are anamorphic (this film included?) were allegedly redone at request of Wild Side (at the price of frame-cuts).

Think Ivan Drago mentioned this process was done for 'Heroes Two' once?

[Killer Meteor]

What about Dragon Dynasty? Are they getting away with awful treatment too?

They've never done anything quite as bad as HKL could, but they are doing silly thinks like slightly stretching the image and tinting the Golden Harvest films a funny colour AKA pinkifying

One problem DD's Shaw titles have that is they aren't re-translating the subs - and the subs done by Celestial for the Shaws are rather clunky, inferior to the original Shaw theatrical subs - though leagues ahead of many of the theatrical subs done for various independant films

[Killer Meteor]

They were/are anamorphic as it's company policy. They made their own anamorphic transfers. Nothing will change here.

Cine Vu (http://www.hkflix.com/xq/asp/filmID.542 ... etails.htm) released the film anamorphic, but possibly from a theatrical non-Celestial source.

Earlier Shaws may have been PAL non-anamorphic. The ones from France that are anamorphic (this film included?) were allegedly redone at request of Wild Side (at the price of frame-cuts).

Think Ivan Drago mentioned this process was done for 'Heroes Two' once?

Yes. The same new version of Heroes Two was used for the UK DVD but all of those were non-anamorphic. Many of the Shaw releases in various countries have been let down by incompetency and laziness

[bradavon]

They've never done anything quite as bad as HKL could, but they are doing silly thinks like slightly stretching the image and tinting the Golden Harvest films a funny colour AKA pinkifying

Thanks. Which titles does this effect?

[Killer Meteor]

Police Story is the most noticeable - it's pinkified and extremly overdone in the contrast department. The mono track is also reportedly out-of-sync in places so I decided to stick with the HKL - which isn't too good either

To my eyes, it wasn't so bad on the others but it is a pointless irritance. I went for the Joy Sales Crime Story and the Tartan Hard Boiled ahead of their DD counterparts. Things like changing the titles of films - eg SPL to KillZone - or getting the wrong language - My Young Auntie - doesn't make me want to spend my money. The Shaw titles are the best on the market but more by default

Between the stupidity of Harvery and the HKL folks, DD is irritating me big time!

[tom2681]

My feelings exactly.

Although I did buy their Police Story DVD. And despite the pinkifying and the edge enhancement, it's a lot better than the HKL.

The HKL suffers from horizontal stretching, muffled sound and bad subtitles.
The DD is in the correct aspect ratio, with a clear soundtrack and improved subtitles.
Really worth the upgrade IMO.

[Markgway]

The DD is in the correct aspect ratio, with a clear soundtrack and improved subtitles.

Mono OOS though?

[Killer Meteor]

That's what a poster at HTF said.

[bradavon]

So the IVL Fortune Star is the best Police Story then? If not which is "considered" the best?

As to Hard Boiled I heard that was decent. I believe it has dubtitles but isn't it a case of dubtitles being based on a new decent English dub? So not dubtitles in the usual sense.

I have the Joy Sales Crime Story too but may upgrade to the DD.

[Markgway]

So the IVL Fortune Star is the best Police Story then? If not which is "considered" the best?

The IVL is definately OOS. I've seen it myself.

As to Hard Boiled I heard that was decent. I believe it has dubtitles but isn't it a case of dubtitles being based on a new decent English dub? So not dubtitles in the usual sense.

The German version is better looking, and the UK has better subs.

I have the Joy Sales Crime Story too but may upgrade to the DD.

It's not an upgrade. The image isn't quite as good as JS.

[tom2681]

@Mark & Brad:
I haven't tried the mono track on DD's Police Story, so I really don't know.
The remix is perfectly synced, though.

[Markgway]

Sod the remix

[DangerousLeeHandsome]

@Mark & Brad:
I haven't tried the mono track on DD's Police Story, so I really don't know.
The remix is perfectly synced, though.

To my ears, the dialogue scenes seemed fine on the mono. The fight scenes however do go in and out of synch.

[bradavon]

Regarding Police Story: You guys are way too flipping picky. The HKL, DD and IVL all look good to me. Pick the best of the bunch and make do with it. All of them are far better than the unwatchable HK DVDs of old.

I never had an issue with the HKL, so what if it's slightly stretched. I couldn't see it outside of screen captures.

The German version is better looking, and the UK has better subs.

It wouldn't matter much if the German DVD was the best looking DVD ever it doesn't have English subs. As to the UK having better subs that doesn't matter to me either if the DD also has "fine" subs and an overall better package. It depends if the DD subs are fine or awful.

It's not an upgrade. The image isn't quite as good as JS.

I'm sure it's fine and has extras. I'm just not half as picky as you guys over every problem a DVD may have.

[Killer Meteor]

Bradavon, stop being a jerk. If we "made do with it" we'd be stuck with poor quality releases for good

There are problems with the Police Story DVDs that could have been avoided. Why should we have to put up with such flaws just to satisfy you

[bradavon]

Bradavon, stop being a jerk. If we "made do with it" we'd be stuck with poor quality releases for good.

I was only commenting for some films I don't honestly think you guys would ever be happy. You'd find "some" fault with it. As long as it's not a complete and utter disaster (not even the HKL is that) make do with what you've got and enjoy the film.

It's bollocks to think moaning makes you get better quality DVDs.

There are problems with the Police Story DVDs that could have been avoided. Why should we have to put up with such flaws just to satisfy you

Because it's futile!

Sure have a moan but at least realise it doesn't solve shit. I'd moan too if a film I loved had a problem but it wouldn't stop me enjoying the film or quickly putting the issues to one side and moving on.

Is it so hard to put it in context? The HKL is stretched, you'd think after all the moaning you'd all own the HK DVD but wait we all know it's way worse.

I remember Police Story 1-2 being released by Deltamac and everyone was so chuffed it had Mono. It got really well praised, yet no one moaned at how uttterly shit it looked. HKL releases a comparatively overall better DVD (or at least as good) and everyone moans. Based on praise vs. moan factor you'd think everyone would've dumped the HKL and get the Deltamac years ago, except they didn't. I wonder why???

Police Story HKL is stretched - Yawn! I've read that so many times. Repeating it doesn't make it any less true. Police Story HKL was released 7 years ago yet you guys are still moaning about it, is it really worth it?

[Killer Meteor]

Well sometimes moaning DOES help. Several times a company releases a poor quality release and pressure makes them reissue

Sadly, HKL never was one of those companies

In the case of Police Story, complaining about the issues on it lets people know if the DVD is worth their cash. Flaws like no original mono, distorition, messing with the image and so can make the diferenace between a sale or renting/borrowing

The Deltamac does look poor. Everyone feels that way. But to have the original sound can make the differance. I wouldn't spend money on Deltamac's blurry mess but if Police Story came out tomorrow in a worn print but with original sound and good subs, I'd buy it

It's only fair

[bradavon]

Well HKL did start adding Mono

Agreed it can help but "most of the time" it's pointless. I completely agree about letting people know but I think we can safely say 7 years on everyone who cares knows.

But to have the original sound can make the differance.

That's why I said "as good" . My point was everyone forgave it's problems, yet the HKL they won't.

[Killer Meteor]

I think because HKL were supposed to turn out first class products. Yet they constantly let us down with cropped and distorted images, no original sound, incorrect languages and so on. Some complained but still they persisted with the flaws - and now on the DD label

[bradavon]

Yeah I know people's expectations are too high. Isn't it something they're still much better than the competition?