The Official "Dragon Dynasty" Thread!

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 24 May 2006, 19:22

My only problem with Tartan's Hold Boiled was the bizzare framing of the credits

JinMode · Post by **JinMode** » 24 May 2006, 21:31

Hard Boiled Tartan was almost perfect (if they had polished the subs and included the extras from the earlier releases, I could have easily owned it!). maybe TWS will make that up. SPL, The Killer, Bullet in The Head, ABT 1-2 and Fist of Legend might be buys for me too if they make it right.

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 24 May 2006, 21:37

bradavon wrote:The Killer - The HKL is fine and a stella release for me, I'll pass. I wonder if Bey will do another commentary?

The HKL release was quite bad picture quality wise. It showed a lot of compression artefacts which makes it look terrible on a big screen...

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 24 May 2006, 21:38

-The Killer - The HKL is fine.
-The HKL release was quite bad picture quality wise.

*On ecstasy*

Let's compare !

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 24 May 2006, 21:54

HKL's soundtrack (gun shots etc.) isn't very good.

But I couldn't care less about the zillion different dvds. I'm only happy with the extended (aka taiwanese aka "original") cut, and since no one is ever gonna release it again, I won't have to buy it again 8)

But some huge The Killer comparison could be fun.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 24 May 2006, 22:17

JinMode wrote:Hard Boiled Tartan was almost perfect (if they had polished the subs and included the extras from the earlier releases, I could have easily owned it!).

You didn't buy it just because the subs weren't perfect (you expect perfect subs from pre-2000 HK films?) and it has no extras?

That's almost as bad as Yi-long not buying Ong-Bak R4 just because it also contains the International Cut

, not that that joke probably means much to you

JinMode · Post by **JinMode** » 24 May 2006, 22:47

bradavon wrote:
JinMode wrote:Hard Boiled Tartan was almost perfect (if they had polished the subs and included the extras from the earlier releases, I could have easily owned it!).
You didn't buy it just because the subs weren't perfect (you expect perfect subs from pre-2000 HK films?) and it has no extras?

That's almost as bad as Yi-long not buying Ong-Bak R4 just because it also contains the International Cut , not that that joke probably means much to you

haha, no worries!

I bought Hard Boiled for the picture/audio quality and for the extras, and I must say I was impressed with what they did with the picture/audio quality though! still I felt some stuff could be better done, subs I had almost no problem with.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 24 May 2006, 23:08

bradavon wrote:
JinMode wrote: That's almost as bad as Yi-long not buying Ong-Bak R4 just because it also contains the International Cut , not that that joke probably means much to you

Well... I wouldnt have cared if it didnt mean the 'right' version was good quality. But by all/most accounts the International version looks pretty good on the R4 disc, but the director's version looks pretty bad. Which probably comes from cramping 2 whole movies on 1 disc.
If I already have the Thai DVD and the R2, why would I wanna buy the R4 when the version Im interested in has bad videoquality? Plus I now have a subtitled bootleg of the Thai DVD, so I'm done with this movie.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 25 May 2006, 01:56

The Tartan Hard-Boiled is the best version currently avaiable for A/V bar none. As you can now get it for well under a tenner there's no excuse... 8)

HungFist wrote:But I couldn't care less about the zillion different dvds. I'm only happy with the extended (aka taiwanese aka "original") cut, and since no one is ever gonna release it again, I won't have to buy it again

Should we tell him that this isn't Woo's preferred cut.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 25 May 2006, 02:17

Tom, if you think that the HKV of BULLET IN THE HEAD is in any way better than the HKL then you should stop smoking whatever it is you smoke.........

Here's my verdict from best to worst:

1. HKL - Consistantly strong in every cap. It's darker for sure, but sharper and richer in tone. Cap 4 easily surpasses the others.
2. NL - Cap 4 is soft and fuzzy, cap 2 over-saturated, but otherwise this is the second best of the images.
3. IVL - Grain hell. Looks washed-out and faded at times. A lifeless looking print.
4. HKV - Awful. The worst of the four remasters (I never checked the MS). Cap 1 is pinky, weak, soft. Cap 4 over-saturated, and check-out Waise's fuzzy bluey-greyish suit. Bleech!

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 25 May 2006, 06:34

I own both the IVL & HKL releases of The Killer and BITH, I could post a comparisons for both. Plus the more DVDs played on the same hardware setup, the better.

bradavon wrote: The Weinstein's of late have released as many decent and as well as piss poor DVDs sure they're far from good but lets not forget the uncut, subbed, and in it's original language, soundtrack and ratio Shaolin Soccer.

You call only having dubtitles that leave entire scenes of the HK DC subless good?.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 25 May 2006, 06:53

bradavon wrote: The Killer - The HKL is fine and a stella release for me, I'll pass. I wonder if Bey will do another commentary?

It can be bettered. With access to the FS master this time and having names like Weinstein & Tarantino attached to the imprint, it could draw Woo himself for involvement.

Hardboiled - I doubt they'll beat the Tartan again I'll pass

Again, yes it can - with Woo's involvement. A commentary track with Woo and Bey would own.

A Better Tomorrow 1 & 2The IVL can be bettered.

The IVL releases were interlaced.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 25 May 2006, 07:20

Markgway wrote:
HungFist wrote:But I couldn't care less about the zillion different dvds. I'm only happy with the extended (aka taiwanese aka "original") cut, and since no one is ever gonna release it again, I won't have to buy it again
Should we tell him that this isn't Woo's preferred cut.

I know. But Woo is wrong. He deleted some of my favourite scenes, made the film too fast paced and made the action scenes worse and sometimes illogical.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 25 May 2006, 08:02

JinMode wrote:Hard Boiled Tartan was almost perfect (if they had polished the subs and included the extras from the earlier releases, I could have easily owned it!)

Tartan did a new translation for the remaster. The subs also have that cool fade-out effect which I haven't seen on any other DVD.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 25 May 2006, 08:29

I would prefer normal subs, but you get used to it pretty soon.

R2J Shinobi uses that during one scene (I don't know why)

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 25 May 2006, 11:12

EvaUnit02 wrote:You call only having dubtitles that leave entire scenes of the HK DC subless good?.

RE: Shaolin Soccer.

I didn't know that and haven't read that in any reviews or rather I knew about the dubtitles but not missing subs. Is the Optimum Asia UK R2 the same? I heard they created new proper subs. It's the version I'm interested in.

EvaUnit02 wrote:Again, yes it can - with Woo's involvement. A commentary track with Woo and Bey would own.

Re: Hard Boiled: If Woo get involved that is.

Bey/Brian/HKL tried to get Woo for the BITH: PE commentary but he wasn't interested. Is he interested in recording a third commentary for Hard Boiled and The Killer?

When I said "it can't be bettered" I really meant the Tartan (like Killer HKL) is perfect for me with very nice AV. I don't see any reason to upgrade. Unlike ABT/ABT2 for example.

EvaUnit02 wrote:The subs also have that cool fade-out effect which I haven't seen on any other DVD.

When does that happen? How do you mean?

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 25 May 2006, 11:45

bradavon wrote:Bey/Brian/HKL tried to get Woo for the BITH: PE commentary but he wasn't interested.

Interestingly, though, he was willing to welcome the HKL team for an interview with him in his office for the "Once a Thief"-disc.

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 25 May 2006, 11:52

An interview can be easier for some than a commentary. Note Steven Spielberg

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 25 May 2006, 11:58

Yes, but what I find interesting is that he wouldn't do an interview for "Bullet in the Head" (they took some other JW interview material for that), but he did one for "Once a Thief". Maybe because HKL had more money to offer him then.

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 25 May 2006, 12:11

Wasn't BITH a flop whilst OAT did quite well. Maybe it's pride.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 25 May 2006, 12:48

hey,

Bullet was not only incredibly downbeat but I believe the connections to Tianaman square was easily made at that time by most. Also a reason Woo made the film, to vent some anger. Hence a lower box-office return compared to his other action films of that sort although I always think Bullet detaches itself from the likes of The Killer in many ways. Many good ways.

Makes sense to mellow out with your next film and when released during the Lunar New Year, OAT was indeed a hit.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 25 May 2006, 14:09

bradavon wrote:Is the Optimum Asia UK R2 the same?

Don't know, I doubt it though.

When does that happen? How do you mean?

The subtitles fade out and it happens through the whole way through the film. I don't know how can I idiot proof that any more, if you still don't get it then it's your problem.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 25 May 2006, 14:18

Chill dude.

I don't remember seeing that I'll check.

chenlung · Post by **chenlung** » 27 May 2006, 03:11

Bey said Woo didn't have time to do BITH commentary.

Those Tartan subtitles aren't great. Fade in/out is too distracting for me and they don't even translate the song sung to the baby in the finale, yet C4 did! Don't like the film that much anyway.

I think we should give DD a chance despite some suspicions of what'll happen. Swamp them with requests now that things seem to be going correctly so they deliver the perfect package 8) !

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 25 Jul 2006, 15:55

Dragon Dynasty will release a 2 disc SE of SPL in R1 in September.

HOWEVER, the name has been changed to Kill Zone (WTF! :x ) and there's no word on runtime yet.

http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/006916.html