Bullets 'n' Babes

bradavon wrote: add to that I don't always want all the films in the box set (the Bruce Lee box set being a fine example).

That definitely crops up abit with IVL boxsets. I remember I bought their A Better Tomorrow trilogy boxset, but only wanted ABT1&2.

ABT3 was Tsui Hark's Vietnam story, which was far inferior to John Woo's superb Bullet in the Head. IMO it was way over-long and the platonic love triangle between CYF, Anita Mui and (the lesser) Tony Leung K.-F. was uninteresting. Hark's emulation of Woo-style action was inferior too.

Markgway wrote:Hmm... I dunno? I mean I can well imagine "from the action director of The Matrix and Kill Bill" splashed across the front. (I hope not!)

In the west yes but in the east Donnie Yen is well known.

Maybe more so than YWP.

Markgway wrote:Right, but with no mono on Fox's ITLOD4, IVL has the chance to score a winning goal. And Fox won't be releasing Iron Monkey in the US, so that's another IVL plus.

Yep on both. I'll decide after reading reviews or seeing the spec. at least.

Markgway wrote:Can you not rent them on disc or tape?

Possibly but that would cost £9, nearly half the cost of buying it.

It really comes down to my lack of interest for the films (I have more interest in COF than POF/POF2). I can't buy all the HK films you guys think I should.

EvaUnit02 wrote:That definitely crops up abit with IVL boxsets. I remember I bought their A Better Tomorrow trilogy boxset, but only wanted ABT1&2.

IVL are bringing out an ABT1&2 box set later this year, early next. You can then sell your current box set.

bradavon wrote:IVL are bringing out an ABT1&2 box set later this year, early next. You can then sell your current box set.

No point really, already own the trilogy boxset. Plus I plan on double-dipping for the ABT2 HKL, IF it has the FS print and original mono.

* Did anyone buy the Donnie Yen box set?

* How does IM compare to the HKL PE?

* How do the ITLOD4 subtitles compare to the R1 dubtitles?

Thanks

* Did anyone buy the Donnie Yen box set?

Yes, me.

* How does IM compare to the HKL PE?

Audio, better as it has clear mono.
Picture, not as good as the original HKL (didn't compare it to the PE)

* How do the ITLOD4 subtitles compare to the R1 dubtitles?

Don't have the R1.

* FYI the R1 ITLOD4 is the same as this but it has dubtitles. Considering how cheap the R1 cost me and considering the quality of the film (good but it isn't IM!) I'm not bothered with dubtitles.

* Interesting on IM considering the IVL is from a FS print. Could you give more details please? I assume you prefer the IVL overall.

Here's a good comparison IM from DVD Heaven:

http://web12.dvd2web.de/ironmonkey/ironmonkey.htm

The reason I don't know if the R3 has dubtitles is because I don't have an English language version to compare it with.

Wierd, I think the original HKL looks better than the IVL for Iron Monkey too. Its' sharper, and the colours are warmer.

Tom2681 wrote:The Cinémasie team have uploaded an interview with Fortune Star manager, Peter Poon:

http://www.cinemasie.com/fr/fiche/dossier/229/

The interview is 100% english.

Top interview cheers Tom. It's finally answered why they only release box sets.

OMG:

Probably end of next year, or at latest, beginning of 2007, we will be releasing the Bruce Lee titles again, with a quality improved of 40 to 50% compared to what we have already done now with our restoration. I saw the test for one of the Bruce Lee movies, it's amazing, it looks like a new film.

Markgway wrote:Here's a good comparison IM from DVD Heaven:

http://web12.dvd2web.de/ironmonkey/ironmonkey.htm

Cheers Mark. OMG what on earth went wrong?

I'll stick with the lovely 2 Disc PE then.

Yeah, I'll try to pick up the PE myself when it's a good price again. I wish someone would do a comp between the standard and PE editions of HKL's Iron Monkey so this difference in quality rumour can be put to bed once and for all.

I wish someone would do a comp between the standard and PE editions of HKL's Iron Monkey

I wrote a post a while ago with 2 screencaps to compare the HKL PE and SE.
Don't know where it is now.

Basically:
-The PE uses the same master as the SE.
-The PE has a higher bitrate
--> sharper picture when there's movement.
--> more grain when there's no movement.

The SE looks better on a small screen (the PE looks too grainy).
The PE looks better on a big screen (the SE looks blurry).

Tom2681 wrote: The SE looks better on a small screen (the PE looks too grainy).
The PE looks better on a big screen (the SE looks blurry).

I have a 28" WS set - what do you think?

Platinum.

BTW:
The screencaps I mentioned earlier are on page 3 of this thread.

Cheers, Tom.

The Platinum looks a tad brighter, revealling more detail in the darker areas. Eg. the sign in the background.

Is there anyway you can make those caps bigger?

Sure. Working on it...

EDIT: My caps on page 3 were already at full resolution.
I can't really make them bigger.

Here's Iron Monkey in all its anamorphic glory.
All shots have been resized to 1024x576 (full anamorphic PAL resolution).

Shot 1 CE:
http://img498.imageshack.us/img498/3608/ce18ax.jpg

Shot 1 PE:
http://img498.imageshack.us/img498/449/pe11sj.jpg

Verdict:
Quality is the same. The edges are slightly sharper on the PE because of the higher bitrate.

Shot 2 CE:
http://img498.imageshack.us/img498/9787/ce26gm.jpg

Shot 2 PE:
http://img498.imageshack.us/img498/9113/pe22le.jpg

Verdict:
Yuen Shun-Yi's face has more grain on the PE (again, higher bitrate).

Shot 3 CE:
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/644/ce37io.jpg

Shot 3 PE:
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/6997/pe37qx.jpg

Verdict:
The net is invisible on the CE. + The chinese text is blurry as hell.

---
Note that the Jpg compression tends to make both screencaps look blurry.
---
CE

PE

Why would just upping the bit-rate make that much difference?

There used to be an excellent DVD Debate comparison which concluded the SE was better. The thing is IMO both are very good and there is so little in it BUT the PE has oodles of extras.

I'm surprised you want the PE when the IVL has Mono Mark.

Why would just upping the bit-rate make that much difference?

Because the bitrate on the SE/CE was extremely low.
Low bitrates result in:
-macro-blocking when there's movement.
-loss of detail.

So upping it introduces grain, huh???

bradavon wrote:I'm surprised you want the PE when the IVL has Mono Mark.

Yeah, but the picture on the HKL is noticeably better, and it's a case of audio versus image. The fact that HKL don't do arse remixes is in its favour. If it had been mono vs a fortune star remix then that would be a different kettle of fish.

Looking Tom's caps - thanks Tom - I'd say the first two comparisons are too close to call and I doubt I'd see any difference in my TV. But the third one is where the PE scores and as Tom correctly asserts has the detail on the curtains and the writing in the background.

Markgway wrote:If it had been mono vs a fortune star remix then that would be a different kettle of fish.

I happen to love Fortune Star's in your face remixes but that's another discussion.

We can all agree those Mei Ah Tai Chi Master type remixes are AWFUL though.

bradavon wrote:We can all agree those Mei Ah Tai Chi Master type remixes are AWFUL though.

Universe.

p.s - I've been waiting months to use that picture 8) . It's Universe Laser anyway

Brad, stop posting pictures of your fat sister.