The Official Seven Swords Thread!

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 20 Jan 2006, 10:25

Have you seen the DC of Hero?

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 20 Jan 2006, 12:26

grim_tales wrote:Have you seen the DC of Hero?

No, do plan to buy it eventually though. The cinematography was so fucking gorgeous in Hero, decent action too. The story was mediorce at best. Christ I don't feel like posting why I thought Hero was a mediorce film again.

EvaUnit02 wrote:Visuals and action scenes aside, CTHD is far better than Hero and simply shits all HOFD IMO. Ang Lee's an excellent storyteller (Hulk was a superb character study IMO. It's just flamed because people were expecting brainless popcorn blockbuster crap like the awful X-men movies. Also Hulk's action KICKED ARSE.), judging by Hero & HOFD alone Zhang Yimou isn't as adept in that department.

Hero's story and characterisations were mediorce at best. HOFD is just a badly-written mess and it probably stilll would've been with the Anita Mui plot thread intact.

I liked Seven Swords cuz it was a pure popcorn film with great action and a simple plot (yes, all the character development and melodrama was simple, it was EXACTLY like a fairy tale. Alot like Star Wars really, a big Western-influenced fairy tale in space.) akin to more early-mid 90's wuxia HK popcorn flicks like Iron Monkey (which ain't surprising since Tsui Hark produced most of those films anyway). Rather to some arthouse filmmaker trying his hand at try to strike a balance between action and a serious story but failing miserably because he's a mediorce storyteller.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 24 Feb 2006, 10:33

Hey,

Has anyone read the Teletext review of Seven Swords? They give it 3/5. OK

They don't mention: a) The film has been inexplicably cut by 10 mins.

They also said this:

The original TV series lasted over 400 episodes so it was always going to be a struggle to tell the convoluted story in just over 2 hours.

WTF? When was there a Seven Swords TV series? They also don't mention that Tsui's film is based on just ONE of the SEVEN (I think) novels written by the Seven Swords author. The original film is 153 minutes so I'd hardly call that "just over 2 hours".
I thought it was a simple, easy to follow story so had to laugh at this line:

You'll struggle to follow the plot

Is the plot of Seven Samurai hard to follow? (The film is really Tsui Harks tribute to Seven Samurai). No!

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 24 Feb 2006, 12:10

They don't mention: a) The film has been inexplicably cut by 10 mins.

I seriously doubt "The Contender Group" is advertising that fact.

I thought the cuts were much more than 10 minutes or do you mean it's cut in the UK?

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 24 Feb 2006, 12:15

No its' uncut in the sense that there are no BBFC cuts. Running at PAL speed the HK DVD would probably be about 148/149m (I think) so this Contender version is about 10 mins shorter.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 24 Feb 2006, 13:01

So it is cut in the UK then?

I don't think the NTSC speed length is 158/159mins.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 24 Feb 2006, 13:16

No its 153 mins.
153 at PAL = 148/49 mins ish.
Ergo the UK version is cut by 10 mins

Check the BBFC site.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 24 Feb 2006, 15:51

No offence but a BBFC listing isn't conclusive enough for me to warrant that it's cut.

Where are they sourcing a new cut from? Remember HKL/PA so far haven't ever created their own cut.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 24 Feb 2006, 16:33

No idea....

153m NTSC doesnt equal 140m PAL I'm sure...

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 24 Feb 2006, 16:49

153 NTSC = 146,88 PAL.
7 minutes are still missing.

Maybe they cut the chinese credits at the end, to replace them with english credits later (that would explain the 7 minutes).

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 24 Feb 2006, 16:51

And it would also makes lots of sense. I can't remember are credits left intact or are they usually redone?

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 24 Feb 2006, 16:57

Credits are 5:40 mins long. That might be it.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 24 Feb 2006, 17:09

Well yeah but the English credits would be included in the runtime, no? 7 minutes seems a lot for some credits IMO.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 24 Feb 2006, 17:28

Let's redo the calculations:

NTSC Full film = 2:32:38. (152.633)
NTSC Full film without end credits = 2:27:00. (147.000)
Movie with no credits, and with PAL Speed-up = 2:21:07. (141.120)

When submitted to the BBFC the work had a running time of 139m 59s.

That's a 1-minute difference. Maybe they pre-cut some minor stuff (horsefalls, headbutts...)

And again maybe the info at the BBFC site is wrong, and we're wasting time arguing about nothing.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 24 Feb 2006, 17:55

Guess we'll just have to wait and see. I doubt anything was cut, the BBFC say the film is uncut.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 Feb 2006, 20:34

Is Seven Swords HK 2 Disc Standard Edition digi-pack or keep case?

I'd like to know in advance so I can weigh the pros and cons vs. the HKL when it comes. It may come down to something as little as this, both have/will have English subtitled extras (usually the clincher).

Are the HK DVD English subs decent?

grim_tales wrote:7 minutes seems a lot for some credits IMO.

The LOTR: EE DVDs credits were 20-30 minutes!

Tom2681 wrote:And again maybe the info at the BBFC site is wrong, and we're wasting time arguing about nothing.

I doubt very much it's wrong. The BBFC don't usually make mistakes on their site.

One minute could mean all manner of things. It won't be cut for horsefalls as this would've been mentioned. I really thought it would as one scene is nearly as bad as HOFD.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 26 Feb 2006, 21:23

bradavon wrote:Is Seven Swords HK 2 Disc Standard Edition digi-pack or keep case?

I'd like to know in advance so I can weigh the pros and cons vs. the HKL when it comes. It may come down to something as little as this, both have/will have English subtitled extras (usually the clincher).

Are the HK DVD English subs decent?

grim_tales wrote:7 minutes seems a lot for some credits IMO.
The LOTR: EE DVDs credits were 20-30 minutes!

Tom2681 wrote:And again maybe the info at the BBFC site is wrong, and we're wasting time arguing about nothing.
I doubt very much it's wrong. The BBFC don't usually make mistakes on their site.

One minute could mean all manner of things. It won't be cut for horsefalls as this would've been mentioned. I really thought it would as one scene is nearly as bad as HOFD.

The HK Seven Swords I have (the LE) is a kind of sturdy digipack with something that slips over the top, it is not an amaray case.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 26 Feb 2006, 21:25

Are the HK DVD English subs decent ?

They are timed to the mandarin track (but I suppose that's OK with you) and quite accurate. I don't recall having trouble reading them.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 26 Feb 2006, 21:28

The original language is Cantonese right?

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 26 Feb 2006, 21:39

Yes and no.
The movie was shot in both languages:
-Charlie Young, Leon Lai, Donnie Yen, Lau Kar-Leung speaking cantonese.
-The bad guys (mostly) speaking mandarin.

Officially I believe that the original language is supposed to be mandarin.
But I don't care. I don't want to watch a movie in which the main characters are dubbed.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 Feb 2006, 21:45

Is the Korean left intact on the Cantonese track? Is it Donnie's voice?

It was Mandarin when I saw it in the cinema and that's how I'd want to watch it. I will sample the Cantonese soundtrack though (if I get the HK DVD that is).

Tom2681 wrote:They are timed to the mandarin track (but I suppose that's OK with you) and quite accurate. I don't recall having trouble reading them.

So the Cantonese is out of sync? Is that what you're saying. Thanks btw.

grim_tales wrote:The original language is Cantonese right?

No Mandarin. It's set in Mainland China and is to be authentic.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 26 Feb 2006, 21:58

Is the Korean left intact on the Cantonese track? Is it Donnie's voice ?

Yes and probably yes.

So the Cantonese is out of sync ?

Not completely out of sync. But you know how it is with HK movies, sometimes they like to add dialogue in the mandarin dub.
Also, when the speaking character isn't facing the camera, they don't seem to care much about sync.

It's set in Mainland China and is to be authentic.

I agree 100%.
Still, Charlie Young dubbed in mandarin... Yuck !

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 26 Feb 2006, 22:30

Tom2681 wrote:Yes and no.
The movie was shot in both languages:
-Charlie Young, Leon Lai, Donnie Yen, Lau Kar-Leung speaking cantonese.
-The bad guys (mostly) speaking mandarin.

Officially I believe that the original language is supposed to be mandarin.
But I don't care. I don't want to watch a movie in which the main characters are dubbed.

Aw fuck, The first time I saw the film I watched the film in Cantonese - the language didnt bother me TBH. Next time I watch it I might try it in Mandarin, I mean it is set in t5he 1600's, so the characters should speak Mandarin

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 Feb 2006, 22:51

That was silly

. What made you think it should be watched in Cantonese?

Hero in Cantonese anyone?

Also, when the speaking character isn't facing the camera, they don't seem to care much about sync.

To true, to true.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 Feb 2006, 22:52

When is the UK DVD supposed to be released?

Hold up Play have the 26th of June:

http://www.play.com/play247.asp?pa=srmr ... tle=877264

That's 4 months!

I know it's only just getting a theatrical release but the theatrical releases only delay the DVD when it comes to Asian flicks; as most don't get a theatrical release near me (especially MA type action flicks).