French DVDs and Blu-Rays of Asian Movies

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 14 Mar 2006, 12:18

Ow good god! they're STEELBOOKS as well!!!
Goddamn...what have the French ever done to receive these hevanely rewards???
Design-wise, 2LDK looks very good but as far as movies go, I'm most interested in The Chinese Feast. I used to have the horrible VHS with the very tiny subs...

I really enjoyed that movie though. Bearclaw in Honey: hmmmmmmmmm
Also liked the part where they made the leslie cheung-leon lai joke.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 14 Mar 2006, 12:36

Is anyone else seriously aroused right now? 8)

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 14 Mar 2006, 12:41

Just you and me I think.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 14 Mar 2006, 12:41

BiscLimpkit wrote:Is anyone else seriously aroused right now? 8)

Ehmmm... no.... !?

although I guess I now know what 'certain' people do with that hole in the middle of a DVD...

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 14 Mar 2006, 13:21

I never thought I'd see it but that 2LDK cover art is really rope. What a mess.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 14 Mar 2006, 14:40

I'm probably gonna buy Media Blaster's Aragami (hopefully a port of the japanese disc) but I'm interested in the french 2LDK. I was planning to buy the terribly expensive R2J, but now I'm gonna wait till I hear more about the quality of the french release.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 14 Mar 2006, 16:19

I'm interested in the french 2LDK.

http://www.dvdalliance.com/article.php?sid=10604

1:85 Anamorphic.
Stereo japanese soundtrack.
Stereo french soundtrack.
French subs (probably player-generated).

Picture:
Picture is quite grainy, and tends to lack in sharpness. Colours are quite vivid, though.
Sound:
Even though it's only a 2.0 soundtrack, the speakers are used to their fullest.

Note: these reviewers can't be trusted. They know jack about DVD.

So it's impossible to tell whether the lack of picture quality comes from the print or from the guys who made the DVD.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 14 Mar 2006, 17:03

hey,

can't wait for Terracotta Warrior. Once in a lifetime event with a Zhang Yimou in a different field.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 14 Mar 2006, 19:07

Thanks for the info, Tom.

I think I'll be getting the R2J after all. I don't want to take any risks. I already owned the R1 disc and I don't want to end up buying the same film thrice (that happened with Gohatto; first R2UK, then R2J, now I'm saving for R2FR

)

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 14 Mar 2006, 19:58

Knetan wrote:hey,

can't wait for Terracotta Warrior. Once in a lifetime event with a Zhang Yimou in a different field.

Is that only on French DVD Knete?

I've heard its very good.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 14 Mar 2006, 20:05

hey,

there is a mainland dvd or vcd of it, taken from a cinema print so it's burned in subs only. Was missing the original Dolby track which I assume will be intact on the HK Video disc. Review of the film:

http://www.dragonsdenuk.com/reviews/ter ... arrior.htm

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 14 Mar 2006, 20:12

Thanks Knetan, sounds good. I'd love to find the mainland DVD/VCD then, I'm betting the HK Video disc will have no English subs whatsoever

Is the film "Terracotta Warrior" something to do with the Terracotta Army put in the King of Qin's tomb when he was buried? The review mentions Tian is fed an immortality pill, the King/Emperor of Qin did actually take pills of mercury in the hope it would perlong his life.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 14 Mar 2006, 20:28

hey,

I'm not much of a historian unfortunately.

The French disc won't have english subs but there's always ways to solve that. The Mainland dvd I believe is out of print or going out of print.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 17 Mar 2006, 11:29

HKVidéo promotional trailers for Shanghai Blues and Terracotta Warrior:
(kinda like HKL trailers, only with good music and no voice-over man

)

http://rapidshare.de/files/15716067/Sha ... s.rar.html

http://rapidshare.de/files/15716194/Ter ... r.rar.html

Compressed using XVid and MP3.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 17 Mar 2006, 16:02

No English subs for TW then eh Tom?

:shock:

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 17 Mar 2006, 16:10

If only somebody had given me a dime every time you've asked this question...

Unfortunately there isn't a single edition of TW in the world that features player-generated english subs.
So you'll need to wait for somebody to translate the french subs into english.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 17 Mar 2006, 19:39

OK, well just the mainland VCD/DVD would do for me TBH

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 17 Mar 2006, 20:29

hey,

The Mainland dvd will indeed prove pretty useful....for me.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 17 Mar 2006, 20:34

Do you have to review it or something?

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 17 Mar 2006, 20:37

HK Flix have it, but its been backordered (will be back in stock soon). However they call it "Fight and Love with a Terracotta Warrior".

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 18 Mar 2006, 05:47

hey.

it carries that title on yeasasia as well.

And no, Terracotta Warrior will be a subtitle project of mine, in collaboration with a few others. Am working my way currently through the Shanghai Blues subtitles. Bulk of the work done though.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 18 Mar 2006, 08:29

Shanghai Blues subs would be awesome. I haven't seen the film, but that's only because there's no subs are available.

Does anyone have any info about the quality of the french release of The Isle (double pack with Peppermint Candy)? Anamorphic, right?

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 21 Mar 2006, 12:06

Update:

I didn't even notice it, but White Dragon will be released by Gaumont tomorrow:

Can't say I love the cover, although it could be a lot worse.

89 minutes (correct PAL running time).
1:85 Anamorphic picture.
5.1 tracks in cantonese, french and english.
French, english, arab, and dutch removable subs.
There are no extras except a couple of trailers.

Now that I'm writing this, I realize that this is a direct port from the UK DVD. Silly me.

Source: www.ecranlarge.com

---

The Mad Asia label has released Tsui Hark's The Chinese Feast on March 8th.

The first review has arrived:
-Disappointing Anamorphic transfer. Slightly soft and grainy. (it should be noted that french reviewers are never satisfied).
-Stereo cantonese track, stereo french track. Good quality, but nothing special.
-French subs are player-generated but non-removable.

Extras:
-The first DVD contains an alternate scene that wasn't included in any international cut. The french DVD is Tsui's director's cut.
-Audio Commentary by Tsui Hark (51 minutes).
-Exclusive Tsui Hark interview (52 minutes).
-Making of (20 minutes).
-Alternate scene from the international cut.

Source: www.dvdrama.com

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 21 Mar 2006, 16:23

I didn't even notice it, but White Dragon will be released by Gaumont tomorrow:

And editing out Francis Ng from that cover (that has been circulating in various other territories) was needed becauuuuse?

-Disappointing Anamorphic transfer. Slightly soft and grainy. (it should be noted that french reviewers are never satisfied).

The Japanese dvd and the Korean dvd were reportedly using the same transfers and looked fine for what they were. Not the most eye popping but fine nonetheless. Wonder if the French is using the same source.

Extras:
-The first DVD contains an alternate scene that wasn't included in any international cut. The french DVD is Tsui's director's cut.
-Audio Commentary by Tsui Hark (51 minutes).
-Exclusive Tsui Hark interview (52 minutes).
-Making of (20 minutes).
-Alternate scene from the international cut.

So the Vincent Zhao fight scene is included as extra only? Was edited into both the Japs and Korean dvd. Not that the movie truly needs it.

Tsui Hark extras in English language?

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 21 Mar 2006, 16:34

Tsui Hark extras in English language?

They didn't say, but I think they are in english with french subs.
I'll know more when I have it.

So the Vincent Zhao fight scene is included as extra only?

Yep. Who's Vincent Zhao ? Is it Chiu Man-Cheuk or Hung Yan-Yan ?

editing out Francis Ng from that cover was needed becauuuuse?

Don't know. I guess Cecilia is more well-known than Francis over here.