Pedicab Driver and Panmedia DVDs in general

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 21 Oct 2007, 19:27

bradavon wrote:As strange as it sounds I don't believe Pedicab Driver has ever been released on DVD. Except that is for a 2 Disc or 1 Disc USA version, disc 1 looks to be the same.

The pedicab Driver DVD is a bootleg. Do not buy it.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 21 Oct 2007, 19:38

Personally I wouldn't care if it's a bootleg, it's not like we have anything better to tempt us. A DVD being a bootleg doesn't immediately disqualify it IMO.

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 21 Oct 2007, 20:57

By buying those bootlegs, you are preventing legit releases. If you're buy them, it's not just stupidity but selfishness

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 21 Oct 2007, 22:09

If you want Pedicab Driver get a copy from a trader but don't buy from theives.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 21 Oct 2007, 22:19

Pfff... if you can find a good quality bootleg of Pedicab Driver or Fist of Legend or Drunken Master 2, you should buy it! The companies who have the rights to release those movies dont give a SHIT about these movies, or else they would have released it (properly) a long long time ago.

You dont owe the copyright holders of Pedicab Driver NOTHING, except your disgust about their treatment of that movie and it's fans.

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 21 Oct 2007, 22:50

I don't give a damn about the copyright holders of Pedicab Driver. But I care about all the little companies who have been affected by Panmedia. Do you realise how many great titles we lost the chance to see because of Panmedia

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 21 Oct 2007, 23:04

Ivan Drago wrote:By buying those bootlegs, you are preventing legit releases. If you're buy them, it's not just stupidity but selfishness

How?

No legit versions exist. You could wait forever on the assumption one may come. Buying bootlegs is going to prevent a legit studio buying the rights and releasing it. No offence but that doesn't make any sense.

Markgway wrote:If you want Pedicab Driver get a copy from a trader but don't buy from theives.

Assuming you can find one.

Based on my own experience (which I tend to trust) I've had no problems with HK Flix. I've only used them once mind you.

Yi-Long wrote:Pfff... if you can find a good quality bootleg of Pedicab Driver or Fist of Legend or Drunken Master 2, you should buy it! The companies who have the rights to release those movies dont give a SHIT about these movies, or else they would have released it (properly) a long long time ago.

Exactly.

If anything buying bootlegs of these "particular" films tells them how disgusted you are at there treatment of them. Personally I wouldn't but FOL now though as I suspect DD will be doing that one right at some point. DM2 or PD definitely though.

Ivan Drago wrote:Do you realise how many great titles we lost the chance to see because of Panmedia.

No. Which ones?

While I suspect there is an element of truth to what you say, to not buy a title on the assumption a better one may come when you or no one else really has any clue is stupid IMO.

Besides many of these old school Hong Kong films are released in such a shoddy fashion I'm actually more annoyed I have to pay full retail pricing. I'm by no means condemning bootlegs but at least they release cheap shit quality bootlegs.

My full legit HK DVDs of "Ashes of Time", "Tai Chi Master", "Fong Sai-Yuk" and "Fong Sai-Yuk 2" are an absolute joke and these are legit and legal releases. They may as well be bootlegs, they look so bad.

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 21 Oct 2007, 23:13

Bradavon, you are stupid. I've had said repeatedly that Panmedia are a bunch of crooks. That's why I don't buy from them. Linn Hayes has emphathised on this forum and others the problems caused by Panmedia and you just ignore them

Companies in the US have been set for years to release Golden Harvest and Taiwanese indie films for years. Panmedia's DVDs of said titles mean that stores won't buy the remastered ones when cheap DVDs of the same already exist

And if you want Pedicab, ask on the forums. I have a DVD-R of the UK video which I got in a trade

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 Oct 2007, 00:13

I didn't say you were stupid. I said the idea was stupid. There's a difference!

Whose Linn Hayes? She's not a regular on this forum, not under that name anyway. I'm not ignoring anything I've never heard of this Linn Hayes.

I'm still waiting for examples.

Panmedia's DVDs of said titles mean that stores won't buy the remastered ones when cheap DVDs of the same already exist.

Presumably Panmedia themselves are a legitimate company otherwise they wouldn't be able to distribute in the first place. I presume you mean by crooks that they use unofficial sources to get hold of the films and don't go through the proper channels.

If that's so there is nothing against another company going to the official source, buying the rights and also releasing them. This happens all the time. I don't believe for a second stores won't stock two versions of the same film, more expensive or not. It happens all the time. If people are so sure why has no one sued Panmedia.

It all sounds like hear say to me. It reminds me of when many people claimed some Korean DVDs were bootlegs just because they looked very similar to Criterion DVDs. That's not proof. I've heard of this Panmedia talk before and as yet have never seen any actual proof.

I have a DVD-R of the UK video which I got in a trade.

I'd rather a proper DVD bootleg than a DVD-R from a Video. At least the Panmedia DVD there is some assumption it's better quality to a video. They even offer a 2 Disc SE, oop though.

Besides back on topic the Panmedia DVD bootleg or not is the only DVD version worldwide and Panmedia should at least be applauded for actually bothering to release it. As Yi-Long phrases well above.

The fact it maybe bootleg is immaterial to me when no other versions exists, a two-bit VHS to DVD-R doesn't count. Anybody can create one of those.

I once bought Way of the Dragon: Fortune Star Remaster from HK Flix. It was a Mainland Chinese DVD, which many said was bootleg. Having seen it I agree it probably was a bootleg but again it's not like I had any choice. The only other versions of "Way of the Dragon: Fortune Star Remaster" are in the HK, Korean, USA or Japanese (probably) box sets. I only wanted "Way of the Dragon".

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 Oct 2007, 00:17

I didn't say you were stupid. I said the idea was stupid. There's a difference!

Whose Linn Hayes? She's not a regular on this forum, not under that name anyway. I'm not ignoring anything I've never heard of this Linn Hayes.

I'm still waiting for examples.

Panmedia's DVDs of said titles mean that stores won't buy the remastered ones when cheap DVDs of the same already exist.

Presumably Panmedia themselves are a legitimate company otherwise they wouldn't be able to distribute in the first place. I presume you mean by crooks that they use unofficial sources to get hold of the films and don't go through the proper channels.

If that's so there is nothing against another company going to the official source, buying the rights and also releasing them. This happens all the time. I don't believe for a second stores won't stock two versions of the same film, more expensive or not. It happens all the time. If people are so sure why has no one sued Panmedia.

It all sounds like hear say to me. It reminds me of when many people claimed some Korean DVDs were bootlegs just because they looked very similar to Criterion DVDs. That's not proof. I've heard of this Panmedia talk before and as yet have never seen any actual proof.

I once bought Way of the Dragon: Fortune Star Remaster from HK Flix. It was a Mainland Chinese DVD, which many said was bootleg. Having seen it I agree it probably was a bootleg but again it's not like I had any choice. The only other versions of "Way of the Dragon: Fortune Star Remaster" are in the HK, Korean, USA or Japanese (probably) box sets. I only wanted "Way of the Dragon". Should I have not bothered because possibly it was a bootleg?

And even if it was it would be me who was missing out by not getting it, the same goes for Panmedia's Pedicab Driver.

I have a DVD-R of the UK video which I got in a trade.

I'd rather a proper DVD bootleg than a DVD-R from a Video. At least the Panmedia DVD there is some assumption it's better quality to a video. They even offer a 2 Disc SE, oop though.

Besides back on topic the Panmedia DVD bootleg or not is the only DVD version worldwide and Panmedia should at least be applauded for actually bothering to release it. As Yi-Long phrases well above.

The fact it maybe bootleg is immaterial to me when no other versions exists, a two-bit VHS to DVD-R doesn't count. Anybody can create one of those.

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 22 Oct 2007, 01:11

Christ allmighty, Brad. I know you're not the sharpest pencil but this is getting ridiculous

Linn Hayes is a highly respected author on martial arts movies.

Panmedia is not a legit company. They exist soley to boot. In itself this isn't a bad thing. Acting as a trader or limiting themselves to exclusive sites -see Rare Kung Fu Movies for an example - allows for fans to see the films and the booter to make some money. But it does not - AFAIK - affect any legitimate attempts to get the films into shops

But Panmedia sells them in stores, competing with the legit products. The stores aren't willing to stock the more pricey items when there's a cheaper one out there. Multiple Lord Of The Rings DVDs fine. But two DVDs of say, Hapkido? They'd go for the cheaper one

All of Panmedia's stuff is copied from other DVDs, tapes or laserdiscs. They've even copied extras from companies like Soulblade and Rarescope. They are not legit.

If, at this stage, you still think they are to be "appluaded" that you are dumber than I thought

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 Oct 2007, 01:25

Ivan Drago wrote:Christ allmighty, Brad. I know you're not the sharpest pencil but this is getting ridiculous

Hey less of the personal insults. Have your opinion but there is no need to make it personal.

Ivan Drago wrote:If, at this stage, you still think they are to be "appluaded" that you are dumber than I thought

Applauded for actually releasing Pedicab Driver yes. Like I already said.

Otherwise I'm done with this discussion. I don't even like the film, but yes I would buy a Panmedia DVD if it was up to scratch (as I presume their Pedicab Driver DVD is).

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 22 Oct 2007, 01:29

From all accounts it's very poor

Sorry about the insults. Just lost my cool.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 Oct 2007, 01:34

That's a shame.

No worries. I get it a lot.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 22 Oct 2007, 08:26

Ivan Drago wrote:From all accounts it's very poor

Thank God. That may prevent some idiots (not aimed at brad) from buying it and now we actually have a better change of getting an official release some day.

Read more: http://adg.invisionzone.com/index.php?s ... =2173&st=0

bradavon wrote: Whose Linn Hayes? She's not a regular on this forum, not under that name anyway. I'm not ignoring anything I've never heard of this Linn Hayes.

https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... file&u=423

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Oct 2007, 09:18

Brad do you mean the Zoke release of Way of the Dragon? They seem official to me. Maybe Zoke licensed FS's prints? (A similar thing could have happened with the Thai "Lone Wolf and Cub" DVDs).

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 22 Oct 2007, 12:38

I think there was a case of bootlegs being sold being packaged to look like Zoke titles. Zoke itself is legit

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Oct 2007, 12:42

I wondered if I should get the Zoke release of "The Big Boss" for the Mandarin track

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 22 Oct 2007, 14:30

There's not much I can added to what Ivan's already said.

He's spot on.

I can understand people like Brad not being aware of Panmedia and the damage they do, but now you've been told, there's no excuse for ignorance.

Don't argue with Ivan, he knows what he's talking about.

A DVD-R of Pedicab Driver taken from the uncut MIHK tape will be BETTER quality that the Panmedia boot which is taken from the old cut HK laserdisc with theatrical subs.

So now you know.........

And Linn is a bloke. Apparently.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 Oct 2007, 14:59

HungFist wrote:Thank God. That may prevent some idiots (not aimed at brad) from buying it and now we actually have a better change of getting an official release some day.

I don't think it will tbh. It's a USA DVD so at most will not prevent a European, Asian or Australasian DVD distributor from having a go.

grim_tales wrote:Brad do you mean the Zoke release of Way of the Dragon? They seem official to me. Maybe Zoke licensed FS's prints?

Yes. I wrote all about it at the time. It certainly looked like it was probably a bootleg. They could've licensed it from FS but then so could many of these other apparent bootleggers have licensed their films from official sources.

TBH I don't give a shit if it's bootleg or not. I explained why above.

Ivan Drago wrote:I think there was a case of bootlegs being sold being packaged to look like Zoke titles. Zoke itself is legit

I could've very well received one of those from HK Flix. I'll never know I've since sold it on.

grim_tales wrote:I wondered if I should get the Zoke release of "The Big Boss" for the Mandarin track

You're not still debating that one are you

. I seriously doubt it beats the HKL: PE in the PQ department, if that helps you at all. The FS Bruce Lee transfers without further remastering could be better. What HKL did on top of the FS Remaster is outstanding.

Markgway wrote:I can understand people like Brad not being aware of Panmedia and the damage they do, but now you've been told, there's no excuse for ignorance.

Firstly don't single me out I wasn't the only one saying what I said. I suggest you read Yi-Long's comments above too.

I already said I knew something about this but also said in my opinion I think you'd be mad to not pick up specifically the Pedicab Driver DVD if you're a fan and want the film. No other version is on the horizon and no one knows if another version will ever come. Along with OUATIC4-5 there must be some pretty big legal wranglings behind them.

Don't argue with Ivan, he knows what he's talking about.

Sorry Mum

With respect to Ivan and everyone else I've still seen no actual proof they're bootlegs.

Markgway wrote:A DVD-R of Pedicab Driver taken from the uncut MIHK tape will be BETTER quality that the Panmedia boot which is taken from the old cut HK laserdisc with theatrical subs.

That depends how you define quality. I didn't know it was based on a cut version but I'd imagine a laserdisc master is considerably better than a VHS master.

I've no idea how much Pedicab Driver is cut but I'd definitely give it ago, if I was a fan. I don't know what other films Panmedia have released to be able to comment.

Markgway wrote:So now you know.........

And you say I can be pretentious

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 22 Oct 2007, 15:02

The Fox Big Boss release has the Mandarin track but it goes severely out of sync during a fight scene.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Oct 2007, 15:12

Possibly the "Zoke" would be the same. Poo

The "Fox" doesnt have a seperate release does it?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 Oct 2007, 15:14

That's only in a box set though AFAIK.

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 22 Oct 2007, 15:16

I've got the Fox Big Boss for trade if anyone's interested?

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 22 Oct 2007, 15:49

bradavon wrote:
HungFist wrote:Thank God. That may prevent some idiots (not aimed at brad) from buying it and now we actually have a better change of getting an official release some day.
I don't think it will tbh. It's a USA DVD so at most will not prevent a European, Asian or Australasian DVD distributor from having a go.

It was said that most asian films released in the US sell 5000 copies at best. How much do you think these films will sell in smaller market areas? You think international sales (people importing the disc) don't matter? At the moment japanese dvd stores are importing Synapse's Horrors of Malformed Men (the official US release) and I even saw it at HMV japan yesterday. Japan yahoo auctions is also full of these discs.

Now, if you can expect a film to sell 5000 copies at best, and fans around the world already own the film, is it worth even trying anymore? Maybe, maybe not. But if the answer is no, it better not be because of bootlegs.