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Best version of these titles???

Posted: 25 Feb 2014, 00:22
by RetroRobot
What are the best version of these titles, if any? Looked for these everywhere, and only found very little stuff here and there with no usable info.

Stone Age Warriors 1991

Satanic Crystals 1989

Bet on Fire 1988

Thanks...

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 25 Feb 2014, 15:51
by Markgway
Stone Age Warriors 1991 - Hong Kong Laserdisc

Satanic Crystals 1989 - Hong Kong Laserdisc (though there's a German DVD with an English dub)

Bet on Fire 1988 - Universe DVD (5.1 remix only)

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 25 Feb 2014, 17:17
by peterwong
RetroRobot/ Guys,

I hope you guys don't mind me hijacking this thread. I'd like to ask what are the best version of the following movies too.

The Odd One Dies (1997)
兩個只能活一個
http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?i ... ay_set=eng

And which version is the full length? I heard the Peace Hotel Laserdisc and 16:9 Anamorphic dts Mei-Ah is also cut?
和平飯店
Peace Hotel (1995)
http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?i ... ay_set=eng

Thanks in advance guys.

-Peter

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 25 Feb 2014, 17:28
by Masterofoneinchpunch
peterwong wrote:RetroRobot/ Guys,

I hope you guys don't mind me hijacking this thread. I'd like to ask what are the best version of the following movies too.

The Odd One Dies (1997)
兩個只能活一個
http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?i ... ay_set=eng
...-Peter
All I can answer is about the release I have (grabbed the following from my review on HKMDB; there is still no US release):
This DVD is not the easiest film to get a hold of as there is no R1 edition out there or any non-OOP version anywhere. Luckily there have been a decent amount of used copies available from a Mei Ah R0 1997(?) release though it is now OOP. It looks exactly like a LD port and I have read that some copies do not necessarily work on all DVD players. Thank goodness mine did. There are no extras unfortunately. There are Chinese and English subtitles (surprisingly decent subtitles) and Cantonese and Mandarin language tracks. This film is desperately in need of an update and rerelease.

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 25 Feb 2014, 17:35
by peterwong
Masterofoneinchpunch,

AHhh.. okay, so the best version is probably still the LD huh? Okay, just wanted to double-check since I've been away for SOOoo long, thought maybe there might have been another version out.

Since lately, there hasn't been much new Hong Kong movie releases...I've been trying to focus on collecting the best versions/remasters of older films

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 25 Feb 2014, 17:44
by Masterofoneinchpunch
peterwong wrote:... AHhh.. okay, so the best version is probably still the LD huh? Okay, just wanted to double-check since I've been away for SOOoo long, thought maybe there might have been another version out.

Since lately, there hasn't been much new Hong Kong movie releases...I've been trying to focus on collecting the best versions/remasters of older films
Always a good goal. I'm a pretty big fan of The Odd One Dies (and of Johnnie To, he is uncredited director on that film), so one can only hope that it could/should get more love.

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 25 Feb 2014, 18:22
by RetroRobot
Thanks, Mark... getting that German SC, do you know the German title? Amazon.de can be a bitch to search in when you don't know the titles.

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 25 Feb 2014, 21:53
by Markgway
RR: This should be what you're looking for:

http://www.ofdb.de/view.php?page=fassun ... &vid=44090

PW: The best version of Peace Hotel (IMHO) is the Optimum Asia (UK) DVD.

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 25 Feb 2014, 22:13
by RetroRobot
Vielen dank, Herr Gway...

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 26 Feb 2014, 05:54
by peterwong
Markgway,

In regards to the Peace Hotel HK Laserdisc. Is that the cut version or the extended?

How about Swordsman II? Which is the best release at the moment?

Any recommendations regarding Fong Sai Yuk and Fong Sai Yuk II, which is the preferred/best released on home video?

Is the God of Cookery Laserdisc the uncut theatrical release?

Sorry for all the questions, just needed additional clarification, if I need to seek out a more complete release.

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 26 Feb 2014, 13:59
by Markgway
Peace Hotel: AFAIK, the HK laserdisc is the extended version.

Swordsman II: Best version, IMO, is the Optimum Asia (UK) DVD.

Fong Sai Yuk 1&2: Honestly, I can't recommend any extant version of these films. The HK DVDs are awful; most others cut by Miramaxe. If you speak Cantonese then the unsubbed French DVD is the one to go for. Otherwise it's fan project time.

God of Cookery: Don't know about this one. Every other release is cut, so you'd be taking a chance.

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 01 Jun 2014, 20:38
by RetroRobot
Can anyone speak on these titles below? Opinions. Best versions (if any).

The Incorruptible-1993 (Ray Lui, Simon Yam)

Guns of Dragon-1993 (Ray Lui, Mark Cheng)

The Hunting List-1994 (Ray Lui, Vivian Hsu)


Thanks....

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 02 Jun 2014, 01:16
by Markgway
The Incorruptible-1993 (Ray Lui, Simon Yam)
Letterboxed Universe DVD, despite suggestions that its cut.
I don't know if there's an uncut version available on another format.

Guns of Dragon-1993 (Ray Lui, Mark Cheng)
There's a UK DVD (which I think is called American Dragon) and a HK DVD, but both are cut for violence and/or sexual violence. I believe the HK DVD is letterboxed.

The Hunting List-1994 (Ray Lui, Vivian Hsu)
HK versions are reportedly all cut.
Japanese DVD is uncut and anamorphic, but no subs.

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 02 Jun 2014, 01:45
by RetroRobot
Thanks for the info, Mark. I love that there is still stuff for me to discover, with this many years in the game. I guess Ray Lui always kinda flew under my radar, cuz I found him a bit dull. But rewatching some of his films, I took another look at his filmography and these titles popped out, of the ones I haven't seen.

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 02 Jun 2014, 01:55
by Markgway
None of them are 'good' films but the first two are at least watchable (a fair bit of Gun of the Dragon is in English which makes it a curiosity).

The Hunting List I remember being pretty bad Taiwanese schlock notorious for its bloody True Romance rip off.

Re: Best version of these titles???

Posted: 02 Jun 2014, 02:08
by RetroRobot
Well, Hunting List is the one that looked most interesting, based on the trailers etc. But hey, I likes me some schlock.