Any of these Tartan Asia Extreme DVDs worth getting?

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 30 Nov 2005, 17:24

http://www.play.com/play247.asp?page=pr ... 502&pa=prp

I'm specifically looking at Old Boy, 2046, Sympathy For Mr Vengeance, Joint Security Area, A Tale Of Two Sisters, Versus, The Eye, The Isle, Shiri, Days Of Being Wild & As Tears Go By.

Now, my questions are:
(a) Is each film any good? (no, I haven't been keeping up with Asian cinema for a while!)
(b) Are there better versions of each film available?
(c) Which are the best & worst of my list?
(d) Can they be bought cheaper elsewhere?

I think the main ones I'm after are Old Boy, Joint Security Area, 2046 and Shiri. I know there are more than likely going to be super-dooper LE versions with over the top packaging that some of you like, but I'm really not bothered about things like that.

I just want a DVD that will sit on my shelf without falling apart, has a nice presentation of the film, and a few decent extras.

Are there any on the page I linked to that I haven't mentioned that you would recommend I really should buy?

Can any of you help me out with this? I'm sure you can. I want to get some of these titles while they're cheap - usually I see them in shops like HMV for about £20 each so £7.99 each from Play isn't bad at all...

slasher13 · Post by **slasher13** » 30 Nov 2005, 17:28

I can't believe you haven't see Versus, if you like Evil Dead style camera work, with gore and swordplay then i would say get this. I really liked Sympathy For Mr Vengeance and got the R2 and are happy with it. Alot of people say it is a NTSC to Pal conversion or whatever, but to me i didn't see any ghosting or stuff

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 30 Nov 2005, 17:31

Filmwise I'd recommend THE EYE and DAYS OF BEING WILD. But I don't think the Tartan has the best picture for The Eye and Days of Being Wild was, last time I heard, in the wrong language. A TALE OF TWO SISTERS is crap.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 30 Nov 2005, 18:06

A TALE OF TWO SISTERS is amazing, simply stunning.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 01 Dec 2005, 01:52

romerojpg wrote:A TALE OF TWO SISTERS is amazing, simply stunning

....ly crap.

Sorry just had to finish your sentence. You obviously forgot.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 01 Dec 2005, 04:01

Now, my questions are:
(a) Is each film any good? (no, I haven't been keeping up with Asian cinema for a while!)
(b) Are there better versions of each film available?
(c) Which are the best & worst of my list?
(d) Can they be bought cheaper elsewhere?

R2 UK Oldboy
A: The film is very good. The twist at the end (at least for me) was completely unpredictable (I normally guess the twists Hollywood thrillers like 1/3-halfway through). The violence very brutal. Some people didn't like how at the end they went into "Matrix Reloaded Architect give massive plot-points explain MODE".
B: The R2 UK release is fucking excellent and probably the best option for English speakers. It's has an excellent film-PAL transfer and a rocking full-bitrate DTS-ES 6.1 Discrete track. Plus oodles of worthwhile extras that aren't just back-slapping fluff.
C: The R2 UK release was pretty damn cheap on cd-wow not too long ago, I dunno if they've sold out or not though.

Versus
A: A well done low budget horror-action flick. Probably best to think of it as a cross between Evil Dead and videogame Devil May Cry or one of those action anime shows like Hellsing.
B: The R1 SE (I think by Mediablasters) is the best way to go for English speakers. There's also a Japanese Ultimate Edition that features a new cut of the film with newly shot added footage, but it has no subs on the film or extras. I dunno bout the R2, but avoid the R4 as it only has the shorter theatrical cut and is NTSC-PAL.

Sympathy for Mr Vengeance
B: The R2 is NTSC-PAL. Get the new Tartan R1.

2046
A: Personally I loved the film, but alot of people didn't. They claimed it lacked focus, was over-long and emotionally cold. You also really need to see ITMFL beforehand to properly appreciate 2046.
B: At the moment the R4 2-disc LE was the best release for English speakers seeing as it had worthwhile exclusive extras like a WKW expert/film critic commentary and an hourish-long interview with WKW. But the R2 LE is OOP now (BUT the single-disc version is still available), it'll probably be re-released in a standard amaray at some point. The upcoming R1 from Sony that's out in December also one to keep our eyes on. Also the transfer appears to be a direct port of that from the French release (which globally has the best picture and sound quality).

JSA
A: It's excellent IMO. Tells teh touching tragic story of friendship between a group of North Korean and South Korean guards assigned to the Korean DMZ.
B: The R2 UK maybe NTSC-PAL, but it's the best English friendly release out there.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 01 Dec 2005, 13:20

The R2 UK of JSA is NTSC-PAL but is otherwise a far out DVD.

Highly recommended imo.

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 01 Dec 2005, 14:44

ok, thanks for your help so far...

I've decided I'm definitely going to get Old Boy and Joint Security Area, and probably 2046 too (because I love Zhang Ziyi!).

I checked CD-Wow for Old Boy but they only have the "Final Edition" (whatever that is) and it's £39.99 so needless to say I'm not buying that!

Does anyone have anything to say about Shiri? I've been wanting to see that for years but held off buying the Korean releases. Is the Tartan release any good?

Thanks!

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 01 Dec 2005, 14:53

SHIRI is one of only TWO Korean films I've seen (the other being A TALE OF TWO BORES, er, SISTERS) . I thought it was fair on a sub-John Woo level. There's worse ways to spend a couple of hours. I saw it on TV so can't comment about any DVD.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 01 Dec 2005, 17:18

You have only seen 2 Korean films!
I thought you would have sen a lot more than that, you better get some more watched then as Shri while ok isnt the best exaple of action from Korea, still I its odd you didnt like TO2S mind you.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 01 Dec 2005, 18:17

Shiri was the first Korean film I saw (I think?) and I loved it

I have seen more since then.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 01 Dec 2005, 18:40

When I first saw Shiri, I was pretty convinced that it was the best movie in the world.

I think the Tartan disc is meant to be decent enough.

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 01 Dec 2005, 18:41

I have only seen a couple of Korean films I think - My Sassy Girl and one other I can't remember right now...

I've got the Premier Asia DVDs of Taegukgi and Champion, but I haven't watched them yet. I think I might just watch Taegukgi tonight...

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 01 Dec 2005, 19:08

BiscLimpkit wrote:When I first saw Shiri, I was pretty convinced that it was the best movie in the world.
.

You did!

scary, its a good film from what I remember, but far from that good. Its no Mortal Kombat man.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 02 Dec 2005, 05:16

romerojpg wrote:Its no Mortal Kombat man.

What the fuck have you been smoking? My 90-year-old grandfather could make a film better than Mortal Kombat.

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 02 Dec 2005, 13:30

Yeah, I hope he was being sarcastic!

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 02 Dec 2005, 13:44

Aye I watched Shiri before Mortal Kombat, so the latter became the best film in the world.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 02 Dec 2005, 16:14

romerojpg wrote:Its no Mortal Kombat man.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 02 Dec 2005, 16:26

Romero was being serious?!

I wouldnt put it past him

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 02 Dec 2005, 17:15

Mortal Kombat is a very good film, so no I am not being sarcastic at all. Compared to the pieces of turd some people on this forum rave about I cannot see how some people can even say a word sometimes and slag films off as their taste is horrific.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 02 Dec 2005, 18:27

To be fair Mortal Kombat is better than the usual Video Game-inspired dirge... but hardly a great film by most standards.

But if Romero loves it then that's what counts...

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 02 Dec 2005, 18:32

Bisk LOVES it . I like it lots

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 03 Dec 2005, 15:40

Wow you really like Shiri!

I may have to give it another spin as its been years now as it was the very 1st Korean film I saw and I liked it, but it has been surpassd by a mile by soo many other Korean movies. If I saw a bad Korean film 1st then I may never have bothered with others, so gladly I saw Shiri.

VERSUS is still the best film of 2002 for me

and the R1 2 dvd unrated version is probubly best for us english language people, but they are re-releasing it again in the future as VERSIS 1.5 with more footage etc.. but its taking a longb time to get it made sadly

they said last year

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 03 Dec 2005, 17:25

bradavon wrote:Shiri... It's up there with the best action films IMO such as Face/Off.

Lol, that's as bad as Romero. Face/Off isn't even John Woo's best American film!!

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 03 Dec 2005, 17:37

That honor falls on Hard Target, or maybe Broken Arrow for me

Bullets 'n' Babes

Any of these Tartan Asia Extreme DVDs worth getting?

Any of these Tartan Asia Extreme DVDs worth getting?

Re: Any of these Tartan Asia Extreme DVDs worth getting?