CHATSWORTH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 3, 2005--Image Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq:DISK), a leading independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming in North America, and Celestial Pictures have reached a long-term agreement under which Image has licensed the U.S. and Canadian video distribution rights to 30 titles from Celestial's Shaw Brothers library, the world's largest Chinese film Collection. Key titles to be distributed by Image include martial-arts classics such as "The Shadow Boxer," "Heaven and Hell," and "The Magic Blade."
Celestial's Shaw Brothers library encompasses 760 Chinese-language films, including many blockbusters featuring stars such as Ti Lung, Lily Ho, David Chiang, and Alexander Fu Sheng, and directed by the pioneers of the Hong Kong film industry such as Chang Cheh, Chu Yuan, and Li Han-hsiang. Under the agreement, Image will distribute Shaw Brothers classics ranging from martial arts to horror, and period dramas to action movies.
"Celestial's Shaw Brothers library is the most extensive collection of Chinese language films in the world," said Barry Gordon, senior vice president of worldwide programming of Image Entertainment. "There is a high demand for these hard-to-find titles of unsurpassed quality, and we will be working with Celestial to make their incredible movies more accessible to audiences throughout North America."
"Celestial Pictures is delighted to have created a long-term relationship for distribution with Image Entertainment, the leading independent home entertainment distributor in North America," said William Pfeiffer, Chief Executive Officer, Celestial Pictures. "Movies from Celestial's Shaw Brothers library are highly celebrated in North America, especially in the martial arts genre, for which the Shaw Brothers set the quality benchmark. We are excited that our partnership with Image will allow us to share the gems of Hong Kong cinema with our current fans as well as new audiences."
Great news. Finally I can share these movies with my non-region-free family & friends!
Quatermass
11-03-05, 07:08 PM
I saw one of the Region 3's at a friend's house and it looked incredible. I'm sure these films have never looked that good in the US. I can attest to the fact that the ones we saw at the drive-in when they were "new" were pretty crappy prints and cut all to hell with the reels frequently in the wrong order.
Here's a link to some comparisons.
http://www.teako170.com/shawscope.html
Cameron
11-03-05, 08:00 PM
good news indeed, this should be cheaper for me, rather than importing. Can't wait for some release dates
The Bus
11-03-05, 08:00 PM
I saw one of the Region 3's at a friend's house and it looked incredible. I'm sure these films have never looked that good in the US. I can attest to the fact that the ones we saw at the drive-in when they were "new" were pretty crappy prints and cut all to hell with the reels frequently in the wrong order.
Here's a link to some comparisons.
http://www.teako170.com/shawscope.html
Wow and wow to the news with the OP. Can't wait!
Mondo Kane
11-03-05, 09:37 PM
Artwork and specs for their first release:
http://www.image-entertainment.com/detail.cfm?productID=33124
I'm a little scared that all I see is "english" listed next to language. But 16x9 and audio commentary is a start.
Linn1
11-03-05, 09:46 PM
Artwork and specs for their first release: I'm a little scared that all I see is "english" listed next to language. But 16x9 and audio commentary is a start.
Fearless Fighters has nothing to do with the Celestial releases. Expect something special for these and NOT ports of the Hong Kong discs. :)
neocheddar02
11-03-05, 11:31 PM
This is great news, I can finally throw away my cheap ebay bootlegs. As close as I was to importing, I can save some cash buying in R1. Not a big fan of the Fearless Fighters cover though.
Linn1
11-03-05, 11:46 PM
Not a big fan of the Fearless Fighters cover though.
It's the original US poster art. Note to dvd companies: US poster art for kung fu films often sucks because they didn't want to spend any money on it. Except for the stuff done by Neal Adams which ruled. :)
Mondo Kane
11-04-05, 03:14 AM
Except for the stuff done by Neal Adams which ruled. :)
Got any examples?
I saw one of the Region 3's at a friend's house and it looked incredible.
Boy, tell me about it. I got my first Celestial R3 (Vengeance) this past summer and was astounded at the clarity of this thing. And they say them chop-socky flicks never looked good -screwy-
flixtime
11-04-05, 07:19 AM
Why have you guys referred to these R1 releases as being a more economical choice vs. importing the R3 IVL's? The MSRP on these R1's is $19.99, correct? So, what will be the street price - $13.99? I mean I understand these new R1 releases will likely be superior to the R3's, but going only by price, I don't see them as being any less expensive, correct?
Cameron
11-04-05, 09:17 AM
msrp of 19.99 means 12.99 for me... after shipping the r3's its was more expensive...for me
marty888
11-04-05, 09:31 AM
Why have you guys referred to these R1 releases as being a more economical choice vs. importing the R3 IVL's? The MSRP on these R1's is $19.99, correct? So, what will be the street price - $13.99? I mean I understand these new R1 releases will likely be superior to the R3's, but going only by price, I don't see them as being any less expensive, correct?
What leads you to believe that the R1 releases will be "superior" to the R3's? The ones I have are all knockouts visually, and some of the best DVDs out there.
Price will be pretty much a wash for some - there are several stores here in NYC's Chinatown selling NON-BOOTLEG Celestial Shaws for $13.50.
I do hope these sell well for Image, and that they can go beyond a mere 30 titles for R1.
RonMexico
11-04-05, 09:48 AM
Im really excited that these titles will be Region 1. I know there is a market for them and I will be the first in line. My local Chinatown does not sell many Kung Fu flicks, and I am really old fashioned where I dont like ordering everything online. I just hope they release the "A-list" titles as well.
js1
11-04-05, 09:58 AM
Im really excited that these titles will be Region 1. I know there is a market for them and I will be the first in line. My local Chinatown does not sell many Kung Fu flicks, and I am really old fashioned where I dont like ordering everything online. I just hope they release the "A-list" titles as well.
Same here! I hope for english audio on these disks , as well as the original language.
flixtime
11-04-05, 10:19 AM
What leads you to believe that the R1 releases will be "superior" to the R3's? The ones I have are all knockouts visually, and some of the best DVDs out there.
I'm sort of a recent convert to these titles and as such have been feverishly searching for some forums that have more discussion on these titles. I see now - from his posts on other forums - that DVDTalker Linn1 is very involved with these. I seem to read (on other forums) that these R1 releases might be superior in the following:
-English dub (if available) - doesn't really interest me, but others seem to like it
-liner notes - perhaps?
-additional extras perhaps? - subbed commentary tracks, etc.
-original mono audio tracks perhaps? - again as a newbie to these, the audio remix issue that bothers others hasn't really bothered me
-uncut version of the film (in some instances) - Linn1 seems to indicate at least one title will be more complete than either the IVL or UK release. I seem to recall that many of the titles will be horror/exploitation titles (perhaps not yet released by IVL?, not sure about this point).
If he is at liberty to do so, perhaps Linn1 can shed some light on the issue.
marty888, don't get me wrong, I love the IVL releases (heck, I just got a batch of 11 in two days ago) and agree wholeheartedly that the image quality is terrific, and the audio changes haven't bothered me (and I'm not a big extras guy anyway). I doubt I will be upgrading any of the R3s I own but I have held off buying one title because Linn1 has lead me to believe the R1 release will be the one to own. I hope I am not misrepresenting what I seemed to have gathered from Linn1's posts on other forums.
Cameron, I see now where you are coming from - thanks. I've sort of been buying these in batches of 10 (give or take) so - without doublechecking - I'd gather I've been getting the R3's for around $13 tops (and probably less especially through layoyo's new lower prices and/or pre-ordering) - and new releases even much better via CD-WOW (at least until a couple of days ago). So, as with marty888, price is a wash with me.
Linn1
11-04-05, 11:52 AM
I'm involved in the Image releases and damn near every kung fu related dvd release next year it seems. I've been writing on kung fu films for nearly 20 years, so NOW it becomes a burden!! :)
To be pointed, these releases will be (if all goes as planned) the best releases of these titles in the world. Well, perhaps outside of France's. :) And they will be releasing titles that have been released in HK, but also ones IVL has not released yet, as well as some titles that only got (or only will get) VCD releases in HK. As stated, the price should be very close to the HK discs. Largely the ones they got are horror and exploitation titles, with some swordplay and kung fu mixed in. As for the make up of the releases, Flixtime hit the nail on the head. Last I heard, they have Celestial looking for cut scenes and doing interviews with casts and directors. The releases should have English dub, original mono soundtrack, etc. They also should have releases that are correctly 16:9 enhanced, true PAL conversions, etc.
RonMexico
11-04-05, 02:40 PM
I'm involved in the Image releases and damn near every kung fu related dvd release next year it seems. I've been writing on kung fu films for nearly 20 years, so NOW it becomes a burden!! :)
To be pointed, these releases will be (if all goes as planned) the best releases of these titles in the world. Well, perhaps outside of France's. :) And they will be releasing titles that have been released in HK, but also ones IVL has not released yet, as well as some titles that only got (or only will get) VCD releases in HK. As stated, the price should be very close to the HK discs. Largely the ones they got are horror and exploitation titles, with some swordplay and kung fu mixed in. As for the make up of the releases, Flixtime hit the nail on the head. Last I heard, they have Celestial looking for cut scenes and doing interviews with casts and directors. The releases should have English dub, original mono soundtrack, etc. They also should have releases that are correctly 16:9 enhanced, true PAL conversions, etc.
Hey Linn, I really need to pick your brain one day about some things but I have one question for right now. I was wondering if you guys plan to release any of the Venoms or the Lau Kar-Leung flicks. I literally have 6 of those movies in my cart at CDwow. I could hold off on buying those until Feb or March and support you guys. I know its early in the process but what do you put the chances at?
Linn1
11-04-05, 02:47 PM
Please note, there's no "you guys," I work as an independent, I'm not really working for anyone. :) As for titles, I can say that Merryaxe got most of the well known Venom and Lau Kar Leung films. If it was released in the U.S., then they most likely got it. BUT, if it didn't get a release in the US, they didn't.
RonMexico
11-04-05, 04:46 PM
I hate Miramax. I have a few of their vids only because I got the Jet Li Collection and OUATIC for a total of 10 bucks on Ebay (thats a steal for 7 movies). They really can sap the joy out of a good movie. Its a shame they have some of the best kung-fu Shaws....I didnt know they had the rights and Ive never seen a Miramax Shaw. What titles do they have? I thought all of the Lau and Venom stuff in the states were boots
I REALLY wanted a copy of Legendary Weapons. I guess I will have to get the import
ftsoh
11-04-05, 05:14 PM
And they will be releasing titles that have been released in HK, but also ones IVL has not released yet, as well as some titles that only got (or only will get) VCD releases in HK
I am speculating "Lost Souls" will be one of the Image's R1 DVD release.
Linn1
11-04-05, 06:05 PM
Merryaxe hasn't released their Shaw Brothers films, but they only have dvd release rights to 50 films. As for speculating, I'd keep it down a bit. :)
LorenzoL
11-05-05, 02:19 AM
I'm excited by this news. :up:
Linn1
11-06-05, 03:37 PM
A little extra info. I got the list of titles a day or so ago and found I was told wrong. The majority of them are swordplay or kung fu films. There's a good mix of different genres (and eras) though and I think all the fans will be happy with what's going on so far.
Cameron
11-06-05, 10:00 PM
and I am guessing its a big no no to post that list on the internet?
Linn1
11-07-05, 02:54 AM
and I am guessing its a big no no to post that list on the internet?
That would be a yes. :)
Cameron
11-07-05, 02:56 AM
thats what i figured...feel free to accidently send me that e-mail...your secrets safe with me.
flixtime
11-09-05, 07:19 AM
Found over at Kaiju Shakedown (via Twitchfilm.net), Image has given them a list of 18 out of the 30 titles to be released (2 per month and scheduled to begin in April).
Following is the list:
Kaiju Shakedown's list of the 18 titles (http://www.kaijushakedown.com/2005/11/go_image_shaw_b.html)
As of right now, I own only 6 of the 18 titles (too bad I purchased all six in just the last couple of months or so). But at least I can still consider doing my part to support their efforts by looking to pick up some of the other titles (at least 7 of the other titles were already on my IVL R3 to-buy list).
flixtime
11-09-05, 07:30 AM
You know...........IVL has now discontinued the slipcovers for their most recent batch (and all future) releases. Not a big deal (and I understand why they did it), but I kind of liked the slipcase packaging. I wonder if Image is going to consider something similar, that is having the additional slipcover packaging? It would kind of be nice for the uniformity of my collection......though that will still be a problem as future IVL releases won't come with slipcases (and "yes", I know I can simply get rid of all the slipcases to make everything uniform.......but again I kind of like them).
marty888
11-09-05, 09:00 AM
Well, I already have 4 of those 18, but there are several others I will definitely grab. I hope these sell well enough so that Image pursues getting a wider selection into their catalog.
Giles
11-09-05, 09:49 AM
I'll be waiting with baited breath for
- Eight Pole Diagram Fighter
flixtime
11-09-05, 09:59 AM
Giles, if I'm correct in how I've read this whole thing, I believe it is almost certain that "Eight Diagram Pole Fighter" is going to end up being one of the fifty or so films under Miramax(e) control. In other words, unavailable for release by Image.
And....for those who might be new to this, "Eight Diagram Pole Fighter" is available via the IVL R3 releases.
Giles
11-09-05, 10:00 AM
Giles, if I'm correct in how I've read this whole thing, I believe it is almost certain that "Eight Diagram Pole Fighter" is going to end up being one of the fifty or so films under Miramax(e) control. In other words, unavailable for release by Image.
oh.... merde
BuddhaWake
11-09-05, 10:29 AM
flixtime, i was going to email you but you don't have an email set up. I was wondering as to what you have picked up and what you felt about them, I've been meaning to pick up some more IVL Shaw stuff but haven't gotten the chance to look more in depth. I do have the Shaolin Masters 8 dvd box set, and of those I enjoyed the Kar Leung (sp?) stuff the best.
chente
11-09-05, 11:37 AM
I'll be waiting with baited breath for
- Eight Pole Diagram Fighter
The R3 Celestial disc of this is outstanding. Don't hesitate.
Giles
11-09-05, 11:39 AM
The R3 Celestial disc of this is outstanding. Don't hesitate.
oh I know, I rented this from Nicheflix and came to the quick conclusion - I gotta own this!!!
Cameron
11-09-05, 12:20 PM
great list....something to look forward to.
Mondo Kane
11-09-05, 01:06 PM
Following is the list:
Kaiju Shakedown's list of the 18 titles (http://www.kaijushakedown.com/2005/11/go_image_shaw_b.html)
Killer Snakes?!?! Awesome!
I was this close to blind-buying the R3 this year. Amazing.
Good to see that Legendary/China is among the first releases.
RaMMaR
11-09-05, 01:08 PM
i've got 9 of the 18 slated for release, but will happily double-dip on Super Inframan.:up: i recommend viewing Heaven and Hell with a slight buzz....
Linn1, since Image is mainly focusing on Horror\Exploitation, when do you expect Image to start releasing Shaws M.A. films? i realize that most of these titles are mired in the morass of distribution rights, but since M.A. films are what the Shaws are best known for...*hee* *hee* i said "morass."
cultshock
11-09-05, 01:27 PM
Uncut HUMAN LANTERNS?? Awesome! :banana:
The only R3 title I have on the list of 18 is KILLER SNAKES, but I'll happily upgrade. And SUPER INFRAMAN was going to be one of my next purchases, but I'll wait for the R1 now. :)
Linn1
11-09-05, 03:35 PM
Linn1, since Image is mainly focusing on Horror\Exploitation, when do you expect Image to start releasing Shaws M.A. films? i realize that most of these titles are mired in the morass of distribution rights, but since M.A. films are what the Shaws are best known for...
Actually, they HAVE got quite a few kung fu films in this first batch. I was told wrong when I was originally told what they had. Now, I see it's actually along the lines of 60% or so is kung fu/swordplay, and the rest a good mix of genres. But please remember, many of the "great" kung fu films were taken my Merryaxe. But as you can see with Legendary Weapons..., they didn't get all the Lau Kar Leung films. They actually got some good stuff, but not even close to all of it. So, if these first 30 do well, Image has already said they will get another batch of 30. And keep your fingers crossed, but I'm thinking I can nudge them in the right direction of some titles. :)
Mondo Kane
11-09-05, 05:36 PM
But please remember, many of the "great" kung fu films were taken my Merryaxe.
Ugh.
I've got nasty thoughts that they'll obtain the "Pei Mei" movies like Fists/White Lotus and Executioners of Shaolin to cash in on Kill Bill. I sure hope I'm wrong.
cultshock
11-10-05, 01:46 AM
I wouldn't be surprised at all that Miramax did acquire those films due to the KILL BILL connection. :(
Cameron
12-09-05, 12:16 AM
have they set any specific dates for any of these titles yet...
Cameron
01-17-06, 08:32 PM
ok...so midway through january, and Still no press releases for anything else...two a month starting in april....where are the dates and features?
Mondo Kane
01-17-06, 08:46 PM
I saw a few copies of Fearless Fighters at Best Buy today. But (Like you) I'm still awaiting word for the big one(s).
Cameron
01-17-06, 08:58 PM
anybody pick up fearless fighters today?
Cameron
01-18-06, 03:38 PM
well, i got fearless fighters...and watched it...not nearly as impressive on the restoration side as the celestial stuff. Don't get me wrong, the picture and sound are good, however in certain parts of the film, the print is by no means pristine, and it only has the english dub....the movie is good though, i listened to bits and pieces of the commentary, and it didn't seem like they had as much insight as "look close, there's the wire on the hat" and narrarating the story like "he now jumps on the table and kicks all 8 of those guys" Nothing spectacular.
if your in to old school kung fu....check it out, if your a casual fan, rent it.
it does come for a mail away for a free theatrical poster reprint thought...no shipping & handling, and you don't even have to pay for a stamp to send the card in.
Cameron
03-08-06, 02:40 AM
updates?
hailmyname
03-08-06, 03:59 AM
region 3 films are quite interesting. they do have a lot of good work and the kung fu scenes really are incredible. pls do inform about any new DVD releases.
Mondo Kane
04-26-06, 02:28 PM
updates?
Bump
thing-fish24
04-26-06, 06:11 PM
Cool! :cool: :toast:
Linn1
04-27-06, 01:00 AM
BLACK MAGIC
RELEASE DATE: 09/12/06
LANGUAGE: MANDARIN
ENGLISH DUBBED: YES
SUPER INFRAMAN
RELEASE DATE: 10/03/06
LANGUAGE: CANTONESE
ENGLISH DUBBED: YES
WATER MARGIN
RELEASE DATE: 10/17/06
LANGUAGE: MANDARIN
THE MAGIC BLADE
RELEASE DATE: 11/07/06
LANGUAGE: CANTONESE
ENGLISH DUBBED: YES
BOXER'S OMEN
RELEASE DATE: 11/21/06
LANGUAGE: MANDARIN
INTIMATE CONFESSIONS OF A CHINESE COURTESAN
RELEASE DATE: 12/05/06
All of these will have some pretty cool extras. I just got done with the liner notes to Black Magic and the Inframan set should be SWEET!
Mondo Kane
04-27-06, 01:29 AM
^Thanks!
Argentoholic
04-27-06, 01:59 AM
Inframan should be a big seller.
I also want to add how much I loved Fearless Fighters!
Cameron
04-27-06, 03:38 PM
awesome, thanks for the updates
grendel824
04-28-06, 04:13 AM
Bwa-hahaha! I used to work for the company that posted that news release - whoever edited didn't do that great a job... several errors there...
Cameron
08-24-06, 12:20 PM
a bump....
any other titles on the horizon
Mondo Kane
10-23-06, 02:42 AM
Alright, I checked out Black Magic via Netflix and.....Well, I had fun with the movie, but....What was up with the transfer? The PAL to NTSC conversion---OUCH!!! It's pretty bad. Even the main menu was cropped! Surely not all of the current releases are this bad (Right?)
marty888
10-23-06, 10:44 AM
Alright, I checked out Black Magic via Netflix and.....Well, I had fun with the movie, but....What was up with the transfer? The PAL to NTSC conversion---OUCH!!! It's pretty bad. Even the main menu was cropped! Surely not all of the current releases are this bad (Right?)
Ok - let me try to understand what these are. Shaw Bros movies have been released many times, by many companies, but it is the terrific Celestial releases in R3 that are most desirable. Initially it appeared that R1 would get the restored Celestial products, but those are all NTSC - so if what you're looking at is a PAL conversion to NTSC, then it's not Celestial.
Are there any R1 editions of the Celestial products?
(These titles were one of the reasons I went region-free over 3 years ago, but they <i>still</i> should be available in R1.)
rocket1312
10-23-06, 11:32 AM
Ok - let me try to understand what these are. Shaw Bros movies have been released many times, by many companies, but it is the terrific Celestial releases in R3 that are most desirable. Initially it appeared that R1 would get the restored Celestial products, but those are all NTSC - so if what you're looking at is a PAL conversion to NTSC, then it's not Celestial.
The R3 Celestials might have been released in HK in NTSC, but even those are PAL to NTSC transfers. After Celestial did all the restorations on the films, they created the masters in PAL for TV purposes. These Image discs are most definitely created from materials provided them by Celestial. In some instances, I believe Image is redoing some stuff that they didn't feel Celestial did a great job on, but that's not the majority.
Linn1
10-23-06, 01:28 PM
rocket is largely correct about Celestial and the PAL issue. Please note, though HK releases NTSC discs, Asia is native PAL. Until recently, most HK films you've seen on DVD were PAL to NTSC transfers. They restored all the films for PAL broadcast in PAL. What I mean is, they were not restored and then PAL versions were made, there's no way to have NTSC remastered versions at all outside of doing it over again. The materials they worked with were pretty bad to begin with, and in most cases, they won't stand up to another mastering process. The ones that will, Image are going to get new, pure NTSC masters of. The Black Magic disc was a mistake though on a different level with the producer of the dvds themselves, as is clear when compared to Image's Super Inframan disc. They have said they'll be announcing a way that fans can trade in the Black Magic release for a corrected one soon.
Chill Pill
10-23-06, 07:27 PM
Does anybody have any idea if 'To Kill A Mastermind' might become available? Its not available in any format, really. Kind of a long shot, but one can hope!
Linn1
10-23-06, 08:05 PM
is a Taiwanese camcorder tape, but it should come out from IVL in 2007. But there's no way to pin that down for sure. But they will be releasing it between 07-08.
LorenzoL
12-02-06, 10:27 AM
Would anybody be kind enough to provide me with a list all of the previously released R1 Image DVDs titles and other announced releases in the near future?
Also how are they in regards to image, audio and extras?
The reason is that I finally have the time and money and would like to purchase all of the R1 Image titles.
Thanks in advance.
Cameron
12-08-06, 10:38 PM
They have said they'll be announcing a way that fans can trade in the Black Magic release for a corrected one soon.
what became of this
cultshock
12-08-06, 11:33 PM
I was wondering this too. I've been holding off on buying the disc until I hear what's happening with a corrected one.
Linn1
12-09-06, 09:09 PM
and the person in charge of the program was fired from the company. But now it's back on track and they placed an order for the corrected disc. Most likely they'll have a system set up in the new year.
drainout
01-03-07, 02:56 PM
Is anyone a big enough Shaw Brothers fan, to create some sort of Buyers guide, with the best versions available. I know there are hundreds of titles, but maybe a list of 50-75 of the "best" I have only seen about 15 Shaw flicks and am interested in more, but there seems to be tons of releases of alot of them, in a wide variety of quality.
Cameron
01-03-07, 03:52 PM
i'd love that as well.
Mondo Kane
01-10-07, 10:36 AM
Bought Legendary Weapons/China yesterday. Good presentation. Although there was often kind of a weird "fish-lens" look whenever the camera would pan across the actors. I'm no expert on the techincal aspects for converting PAL/NTSC, but is this normal?
Another nitpick I have is that the bonus trailers don't have any english subtitles. Will this be handled soon?
Linn1
01-10-07, 01:33 PM
but it depends on what you mean. If you mean the edges of the frame looks strange, this is due to the lenses used on the film. It's quite common in many Shaw Brothers productions. If you mean the film is blury and when you pause it there's digital "bits," then it's a PAL problem. But everyone I've talked to with this disc said it was fine.
OutRun2
01-16-07, 08:24 AM
Kid with the Gold arms?
Iron Monkey?
LorenzoL
03-16-07, 05:10 PM
I recently purchased some of the Shaw titles from Image. I can't wait to check them out pretty soon.
However, looking at their website, I see that there are some Shaw Bros. titles slated for release:
- Vengeance Is a Golden Blade 03/20/2007
- The Shadow Whip 04/03/2007
- Heaven and Hell: Special Edition 05/08/2007
- The Bells of Death 07/03/2007
LorenzoL
03-17-07, 08:10 AM
Bought Legendary Weapons/China yesterday. Good presentation. Although there was often kind of a weird "fish-lens" look whenever the camera would pan across the actors. I'm no expert on the techincal aspects for converting PAL/NTSC, but is this normal?
Another nitpick I have is that the bonus trailers don't have any english subtitles. Will this be handled soon?
I watched this movie last night and I noticed the "fish-lens" look that you are indicating in a couple of scenes (the restaurant scenes to be more specific) and I had an obvious pause/freeze during the layer change.
But overall, I'm very happy with the presentation and the sound.
James Lee
05-01-07, 02:22 PM
I bought Wandering Swordsman and that was a horrendous PAL-NTSC transfer stretched to NTSC speed. It looked disgusting. I'm wary of buying the rest until we can confirm what's what
LorenzoL
05-13-07, 11:28 AM
Any more Shaw titles forthcoming by Image?
LorenzoL
06-02-07, 12:12 PM
Cover image of the upcoming "Deadly Breaking Sword".
Image has updated their website and the following Shaw Bros. title has been announced:
- The Killer Snakes (11/13/07)
http://www.image-entertainment.com/dvd/detail.cfm?productID=48006
According to Amazon.com, the release date has been changed to 12/04/07
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000W8OM9A/thedigitalbit-20
flixtime
02-29-08, 01:11 PM
I don't know if I'm doing the right thing by bumping this thread, but since many of you might not participate in the international forum.....it is there that I read the very sad news that DVDTalker Linn1 died yesterday in a car accident.
Since he was a key participant in this discussion (and most kung-fu discussions in this forum), I just wanted to bump this as a...memorial.
Tenacious D
02-29-08, 09:11 PM
Wow, that's terrible news. I only knew him from his posts on here, but he seemed like a nice guy and always shared good information. My thoughts are with his family.
LorenzoL
04-19-08, 07:03 AM
Image is releasing the title below this week (April 22nd):
Wonder if this will differ from the edit released on the HK edition. Anyone know?
Alkaline
04-23-08, 02:07 AM
Am I correct in assuming that the majority of Celestial's Shaw collection is split up, rights-wise, between Miramax and Image in the U.S. (with Miramax holding many of the 'bigger' titles), and that it is the Miramax-owned titles which are gradually being released through their Dragon Dynasty division? Are there other distributors which hold U.S. rights to a percentage of this collection? Just curious.
dablueguy
04-23-08, 04:34 AM
Am I correct in assuming that the majority of Celestial's Shaw collection is split up, rights-wise, between Miramax and Image in the U.S. (with Miramax holding many of the 'bigger' titles), and that it is the Miramax-owned titles which are gradually being released through their Dragon Dynasty division? Are there other distributors which hold U.S. rights to a percentage of this collection? Just curious.
Media Blasters has maybe a dozen. Some good ones like "Five Element Ninjas"...
LorenzoL
04-24-08, 07:01 AM
I believe that BCI has also has rights to some Shaw Bros. films in Region 1.
LorenzoL
05-11-08, 11:48 AM
Upcoming Shaw Bros. releases from Image:
- 07/08/08 Bat Without Wings
http://www.image-entertainment.com/dvd/detail.cfm?productID=69144
- 08/12/08 Kiss Of Death
http://www.image-entertainment.com/dvd/detail.cfm?productID=69140
- 09/09/08 House Of Traps
http://www.image-entertainment.com/dvd/detail.cfm?productID=69156
- 10/07/08 Corpse Mania
http://www.image-entertainment.com/dvd/detail.cfm?productID=69146
- 12/02/08 Seeding Of A Ghost
http://www.image-entertainment.com/dvd/detail.cfm?productID=69150
Mondo Kane
05-11-08, 02:29 PM
^Thanks!
LorenzoL
05-11-08, 03:12 PM
I believe that BCI has also has rights to some Shaw Bros. films in Region 1.
BCI Titles:
Life Gamble
Opium and the Kung Fu Master
The 14 Amazons
Shaolin Hand Lock
Hong Kong Godfather
Shaolin Prince
Invincible Shaolin
The Bastard Swordsman
The Duel
Return of the Bastard Swordsman
Shaolin Rescuers
Soul of the Sword
The Lady Hermit
The Supreme Swordsman
The Sword of Swords
WillardC
05-11-08, 06:50 PM
I've only seen one Shaw Bros movie, 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin' and loved it.
Can anyone recommend a couple of other movies as a good starting point to a Shaw newbie like me?
riotinmyskull
05-11-08, 08:55 PM
I've only seen one Shaw Bros movie, 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin' and loved it.
Can anyone recommend a couple of other movies as a good starting point to a Shaw newbie like me?
any of the other dragon dynasty shaw bros. releases
Alkaline
05-12-08, 01:04 AM
BCI Titles:
Life Gamble
Opium and the Kung Fu Master
The 14 Amazons
Shaolin Hand Lock
Hong Kong Godfather
Shaolin Prince
Invincible Shaolin
The Bastard Swordsman
The Duel
Return of the Bastard Swordsman
Shaolin Rescuers
Soul of the Sword
The Lady Hermit
The Supreme Swordsman
The Sword of Swords
Thanks for the info Lorenzo. Would you happen to know if they just ported the Celestial transfers or did any tinkering/different transfers altogether?
Ky-Fi
05-13-08, 10:06 AM
Am I correct in assuming that the majority of Celestial's Shaw collection is split up, rights-wise, between Miramax and Image in the U.S. (with Miramax holding many of the 'bigger' titles), .
Actually, I think it's still a minority of Celestial's Shaw collection that were acquired by by US distributors. I think there are somewhere around 700 Shaw titles, and the US distributors are just getting small packages of films. While most of the best titles will probably see a US release, the Shaw studio system generally maintained a very consistent quality control, so there's often not much of a dropoff in quality with their "lesser" titles, IMO. If you become a serious fan of the Shaws, you'll still probably want to go region free when you see how many decent titles are not in Region 1.
Ky-Fi
05-13-08, 10:09 AM
I've only seen one Shaw Bros movie, 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin' and loved it.
Can anyone recommend a couple of other movies as a good starting point to a Shaw newbie like me?
If you've got a bit of time, here's a good resource by a very knowledgeable bunch:
Actually, I think it's still a minority of Celestial's Shaw collection that were acquired by by US distributors. I think there are somewhere around 700 Shaw titles, and the US distributors are just getting small packages of films. While most of the best titles will probably see a US release, the Shaw studio system generally maintained a very consistent quality control, so there's often not much of a dropoff in quality with their "lesser" titles, IMO. If you become a serious fan of the Shaws, you'll still probably want to go region free when you see how many decent titles are not in Region 1.
This is a crucial idea I've promoted in a couple of Hong Kong cinema-related threads here. I've got over 500 of the Shaw titles released in Hong Kong, both on DVD (for premium "must-haves") and VCD (for everything else). I've been region-free since 1998 and it's opened so many doors.
And to folks who are afraid of importing or venturing into the nearest Chinatown, I can safely say that I paid less (on a per-disc basis) on virtually each and every one of those 500+ titles--brand new, though often long after release date to save money--than I would have had I bought them in R1. In fact, I've paid around $2 - $3 for nearly every Shaw VCD I've picked up, and around $5-$7 for each DVD (save for titles in the first few waves, before I realized how quickly legit Chinatown retailers will discount product that no longer sells). At prices like that, I can afford to have plenty of potential misfires on hand as I generally recoup a sizeable portion of the investment when I resell them.
New (and even veteran) fans in the West, particularly here in North America, could have their eyes opened so easily (and cheaply!) to the incredibly diverse Shaw catalogue that exists outside the martial arts period pictures that are being distributed over here. Contemporary pop musicals, crime thrillers, social dramas and romances, screwball comedies, gambling pictures (yes, they existed before Chow Yun-fat), science fiction and so much more.
But most if not all of this stuff will never see the light of day over here as long as the distributors think all people want to see is "old school" martial arts pictures (or, worse, if they continue to believe that a complete set of spine numbers represents a good cross section of Hong Kong cinema to the average U.S. fan :( ). Thus, your observation that "most of the best titles will probably see a US release" is, sadly, only a partial truth. Perhaps most of the best Shaw Brothers martial arts titles will see a release here (though it could be debated, considering the size of the martial-arts catalogue), but most of the best Shaw Brothers films will not.
Ky-Fi
05-13-08, 01:35 PM
But most if not all of this stuff will never see the light of day over here as long as the distributors think all people want to see is "old school" martial arts pictures (or, worse, if they continue to believe that a complete set of spine numbers represents a good cross section of Hong Kong cinema to the average U.S. fan :( ). Thus, your observation that "most of the best titles will probably see a US release" is, sadly, only a partial truth. Perhaps most of the best Shaw Brothers martial arts titles will see a release here (though it could be debated, considering the size of the martial-arts catalogue), but most of the best Shaw Brothers films will not.
Point taken. I've got some fantasy titles like The Monkey Goes West films, and I enjoyed the early horror pic Enchanting Shadow, but I'm mainly a martial arts fan, and those make up the vast bulk of my 150+ Shaw titles---so I did mean to say that the best Shaw martial arts pics will see a US release. And yes, I would also agree with you that even that is debatable, as I've certainly discovered quite a few Shaw martial arts pics that I think are fantastic which I had never heard of before and weren't talked about much among fans---and they probably won't come out in the US. And I concur with your central point: if you really want to experience the full scope of the great Shaw universe, region-free is a requirement.
Alkaline
05-14-08, 02:38 AM
Actually, I think it's still a minority of Celestial's Shaw collection that were acquired by by US distributors. I think there are somewhere around 700 Shaw titles, and the US distributors are just getting small packages of films. While most of the best titles will probably see a US release, the Shaw studio system generally maintained a very consistent quality control, so there's often not much of a dropoff in quality with their "lesser" titles, IMO. If you become a serious fan of the Shaws, you'll still probably want to go region free when you see how many decent titles are not in Region 1.
I've been region free for a long time. :) It was just more of a curiosity thing.
Upcoming release:
- 11/11/08 The Thunderbolt Fist
http://www.image-entertainment.com/dvd/detail.cfm?productID=69152
RonMexico
07-03-08, 06:00 PM
I don't know if I'm doing the right thing by bumping this thread, but since many of you might not participate in the international forum.....it is there that I read the very sad news that DVDTalker Linn1 died yesterday in a car accident.
Since he was a key participant in this discussion (and most kung-fu discussions in this forum), I just wanted to bump this as a...memorial.
wow, i know im really late to this but i havent been on this site in months. I just read this post today, and im saddened by this news. I had quite a few email exchanges with Linn, and he always answered everything thoughtfully and detailed. He really had a passion for martial arts films
RIP
asianxcore
07-28-08, 03:30 PM
So how is the Image release of Magic Blade?
I'm thinking about picking it up soon and wondering how it stacks up against the R3 release.
A/V quality? Cuts/Missing Footage? Original language tracks?
LorenzoL
07-29-08, 06:19 AM
So how is the Image release of Magic Blade?
I'm thinking about picking it up soon and wondering how it stacks up against the R3 release.
A/V quality? Cuts/Missing Footage? Original language tracks?
I have the Image release and it looks to be one of their better effort. Like all other Shaw Image releases, this one is not flagged for progressive scan however it does contain the original mono language track which the R3 does not.
Buy: