"Fist of Legend" - Original Language?

[HungFist]

Also, when watching the movie without those scenes, it actually LOOKS cut, as in the scenes don't 'finish' naturally', but rather chopped off.

The exact same thing with The Killer. The Taiwanese cut is a clearly better movie.

Still, I don't consider it the "uncut" version.

[Yi-Long]

Also, when watching the movie without those scenes, it actually LOOKS cut, as in the scenes don't 'finish' naturally', but rather chopped off.

The exact same thing with The Killer. The Taiwanese cut is a clearly better movie.

Still, I don't consider it the "uncut" version.

I don't have a clue, as I haven't seen the taiwan cut of The Killer I think (maybe, don't know). I'm not a big fan of The Killer though. Unlike Hard Boiled, it hasn't aged well.

[Markgway]

You don't judge whether a movie is 'uncut' or 'extended' by the quality and placement of the additional footage (which is subjective at best). The version released in Hong Kong theatres is the standard version and unless Yuen Wo-Ping comes out and says that the Taiwanese release is his director's cut - or that he was forced to make cuts for Hong Kong - we can't assume otherwise. It may well be that the Taiwanese version is better - that's really not the issue. As for The Killer John Woo cut the film himself for the final edit so unless he was forced to do so we can only assume it represents his preferred version. It's worth bearing in mind that preview cuts are often released in Taiwan before editing is even finished. These aren't isolated cases.

[Yi-Long]

You don't judge whether a movie is 'uncut' or 'extended' by the quality and placement of the additional footage (which is subjective at best). The version released in Hong Kong theatres is the standard version and unless Yuen Wo-Ping comes out and says that the Taiwanese release is his director's cut - or that he was forced to make cuts for Hong Kong - we can't assume otherwise. It may well be that the Taiwanese version is better - that's really not the issue. As for The Killer John Woo cut the film himself for the final edit so unless he was forced to do so we can only assume it represents his preferred version. It's worth bearing in mind that preview cuts are often released in Taiwan before editing is even finished. These aren't isolated cases.

I'm saying it's not 'additional' footage, but clearly part of the scenes, which have been cut out. But I don't want to turn it into a Brad-a-thon or something where we're going to tapdance around phrases...

I don't know which cut was originally aired in Hong Kong, or the whole story behind the different versions or YWP's preferred version. I wasn't in HK when it was released and I haven't spoken to YWP in a while either. He stopped returning my calls when I asked him about when he was going to come up with something decent again.

But having seen the 'taiwanese' cut (on my australian Siren VHS), it 1: makes absolutely no sense to me why a director would even consider cutting out these parts, and 2: it absolutely feels like they were CUT, and not like they were added, or padded, or out of place, or whatever. They very much feel part of these scenes, and you very much miss them when they're gone, and the scenes end abruptly without them.

Have any of you seen the taiwanese cut btw? Cause pretty much everyone who HAS agrees that it's probably the intended version.

[Shingster]

I don't agree it's probably the intended version, I think it's next to impossible to determine what is the intended version with these past HK films without conferring with the original director or actually being in HK when the film was released. IMO the Taiwanese cut fleshes out Chin Siu-Ho's character a little more and adds little else, so I can sort of see the logic of the "cuts" if YWP was trying to quicken the pace of the film by keeping the focus on Chen Zhen.

[monzo44]

Surely it's Gordon Chan we should be asking about the preferred director's cut, no?

As for different cut's being tried out before the official release, it's been a common practice for forever in HK. Jackie Chan used to have a premiere cut for the official gala screening of one of his films, usually followed by a midnight screening for fans with a different cut again and then the next day release of the "official" theatrical cut. That's three cuts screened in 24hrs. You could spend your lifetime just tracking down the different HK cuts of his films, not taking into account the numerous different cuts he'd prepare for the Japanese release and then the GH international cut for overseas release!! Mental!!

monzo

[Shingster]

Of course! I keep bleedin' forgetting it was Gordon Chan's film!

[grim_tales]

I didnt know the Taiwanese cut had been released in Australia with the audio from the Cantonese track put on, is that what you're saying Yi?

[Yi-Long]

I didnt know the Taiwanese cut had been released in Australia with the audio from the Cantonese track put on, is that what you're saying Yi?

Yes I am, Grim. That's what I'm saying.

It's the taiwanese cut (or at least it's a cut that has those scenes that are in the taiwanese cut), and it has the cantonese language.

[Markgway]

I'm saying it's not 'additional' footage, but clearly part of the scenes, which have been cut out.

You're getting into semantics now. By additional footage I meant anything not present in the standard release. We have no idea why these scenes were cut? Maybe it was felt the film was too long... too slow... or that (as Shingster suggests) too much focus was being placed on Chin Siu-Ho. You're not basing you opinions on evidence, rather personal preference.

Of course! I keep bleedin' forgetting it was Gordon Chan's film!

I'm guilty too.

I think it's because poor Gordon Chan is viewed as a hack and Yuen Wo-Ping the auteur.

[grim_tales]

I used to have the AUS VHS of Police Story 3 and when the FOL trailer came on I just assumed it was for the same MIHK version I already had, interesting...
I remember the print used for their trailer looked awfully dark.

[grim_tales]

Is the Siren VHS still available by any chance? It wouldnt be the first time a curio version of a movie has been released in some places and not others (see extended Japanese version of Police Story 2 in IVL's set, and a longer version of A Better Tomorrow 3 in IVL's set).

[gasteropod]

It wouldnt be the first time a curio version of a movie has been released in some places and not others (see extended Japanese version of Police Story 2 in IVL's set)

Yeah I wish they hadn't done that

[Markgway]

The 122m extended cut of PS2 is boring.

Best is the 96m export cut but it only comes with English dub.

[grim_tales]

I thought the extended cut of PS2 was a bit too long, I liked the HK cut better.

[gasteropod]

Yeah, Jackie's cut is definitely the best.

[Markgway]

Hong Kong cut is better, but could still do with losing a few scenes. That's why I like the export cut so much.

[Yi-Long]

I'm saying it's not 'additional' footage, but clearly part of the scenes, which have been cut out.

You're getting into semantics now. By additional footage I meant anything not present in the standard release. We have no idea why these scenes were cut? Maybe it was felt the film was too long... too slow... or that (as Shingster suggests) too much focus was being placed on Chin Siu-Ho. You're not basing you opinions on evidence, rather personal preference.

Have you seen the taiwanese cut?

[Shingster]

Of course he's seen the Taiwanese Cut Yi, most members here have! If you remember the Ritek DVD was the only way to watch the film in a non-Miramaxed form on the medium for years before HKVideo came along with their release.

[Markgway]

Actually I saw this one on bootleg VHS before the advent of DVD.

How old school is that?

[gasteropod]

I haven't even seen the fucking film

[luckystars]

Of course he's seen the Taiwanese Cut Yi, most members here have! If you remember the Ritek DVD was the only way to watch the film in a non-Miramaxed form on the medium for years before HKVideo came along with their release.

I've had the superb MIHK vhs forever tho.

[bradavon]

I haven't even seen the fucking film

It's . . . Overrated . It's okay I guess. I used to own a bootleg of the French DVD with English subs.

I much prefer the OUATIC movies myself.

[thelostdragon]

Damn, I still have that Ritek DVD somewhere here. I only ever watched it once. The first time I ever saw 'Fist of Legend' was the Miramax version. Damn, did I love that film. Don't know, but I really liked the music they used. My ideal version would be the uncut version of the film (HK or Taiwanese cut, I couldn't care less), in Cantonese and with the Miramax musical score.

Preparing to get stoned, but that's the way I always wished to be able to watch that film.

[Yi-Long]

Damn, I still have that Ritek DVD somewhere here. I only ever watched it once. The first time I ever saw 'Fist of Legend' was the Miramax version. Damn, did I love that film. Don't know, but I really liked the music they used. My ideal version would be the uncut version of the film (HK or Taiwanese cut, I couldn't care less), in Cantonese and with the Miramax musical score.

Preparing to get stoned, but that's the way I always wished to be able to watch that film.

Cue Brad & Mark for mentioning 'getting stoned' isn't very much allowed being a muslim, thus calling you a hypocrite.

Cue the rest of us laughing and pointing at them for going with the wrong definition of 'getting stoned'.

Cue Mark for saying that kinda stoned IS actually very much in islamic tradition.

Cue the rest of us going; 'Dude...(!)'


Anyway ...(not sure how that joke will go over so I'm gonna refrain from using ANY smilies and slowly back away...)

LD, there is a slight suspicion the german DVD's that were release in recent years, and/or the recent BR/DVD of Fist of Legend, MIGHT be the extended taiwanese cut. So far, I've not been able to find anything to confirm it, also due to my lack of german skills. Would you have any german friends who might have bought this/these releases and who could give clarity!? Or maybe a german website or something?

For the recent BR, amazon.de mentions it has a running time of 103 minutes, but when I check the sleeve of the BR here in Holland, it says around 99 minutes. And on youtube there are some clips of the german release, yet not the scenes I meant, except MAYBE the chess scene, but because of the german language I can't make out of it has the little bit of extra dialogue on the end of the scene....