El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
07-28-14, 07:55 PM
#1
DVD Talk God
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El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
EL REY NETWORK AND CELESTIAL PICTURES BOOST MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP TO BRING VIEWERS THE BEST IN CLASSIC MARTIAL ARTS
Austin, TX and Hong Kong - July 28, 2014 - El Rey Network, maverick filmmaker Robert Rodriguez's new genre-busting cable network, and Celestial Pictures Limited (Celestial Pictures) announced today a long-term programming partnership. The new five-year deal begins October 1, 2014, extending and expanding on an existing program licensing agreement. The new deal will provide the network with access to 255 iconic martial arts titles from the Shaw Brothers vault - the world's leading martial arts collection, many on an exclusive basis. Financial terms were not disclosed. The parties are also in discussion on new original programming concepts based on the Shaw Brothers' films.
New titles available to El Rey through the deal include "The Five Deadly Venoms," "Mad Monkey Kung Fu," "The Brave Archer Trilogy" and "Have Sword Will Travel," which will air throughout the schedule as well as during the network's monthly Kung Fu marathons. All films come with English subtitles and/or English dubbed tracks.
Robert Rodriguez, El Rey Network founder and chairman, said: "These iconic films have really resonated with our viewers and we are excited to be the American home of this incredible library. As a kid, I found this kind of content wildly entertaining and these dazzling, kinetic and epic spectacles are still a great inspiration in the work I do to this day."
Kristen Tong, Chief Operating Officer of Celestial Pictures, added: "We are delighted to build on our strong relationship with El Rey and Robert. The network has already proven to be a great platform to showcase our classic titles to a new audience, and we look forward to pursuing further exciting opportunities together."
About El Rey Network:
El Rey Network is a new 24-hour English language network founded by maverick filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. Curated by Rodriguez and his artistic collective, the network unites the most culturally diverse generation in history through fearless, badass and original content that awakens the renegade in everyone. The network's action-packed content is anchored by original signature dramas, feature films, grindhouse genre, cult classic action, and horror/sci-fi. El Rey Network LLC (www.elreynetwork.com) is jointly owned by Robert Rodriguez and FactoryMade Ventures with a minority stake held by Univision Networks & Studios, Inc.
About Celestial Pictures Limited:
Celestial Pictures Limited (Celestial Pictures) is a diversified entertainment company bringing the best in Asian entertainment to the world. The company focuses on film and television content origination, aggregation and worldwide distribution.
Celestial Pictures owns the Shaw Brothers library, the world's largest Chinese film collection, with over 760 feature films originally released over a fifty year period. The library has inspired countless filmmakers with its vast pool of classics including THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS, HEX, THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN, ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN, KING BOXER and THE FLYING GUILLOTINE. These award-winning films have been digitally restored frame-by-frame for global distribution. The company has also been active in producing new film content, both originals and remakes based on the Shaw Brothers library films. Recent releases include PERHAPS LOVE, MY KINGDOM and CONTROL.
Celestial Pictures has a substantial investment in Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE), a venture with Saban Capital Group and Lionsgate. It operates branded pay television channels and produces and distributes content for Asian audiences. CTE's channel bouquet includes CELESTIAL MOVIES, CELESTIAL CLASSIC MOVIES, CELESTIAL MOVIES HD, cHK,KIX, KIX HD and THRILL, with a footprint that spans Asia and Australia.
Headquartered in Hong Kong, Celestial Pictures is owned by ASTRO Holdings Sdn Bhd (ASTRO), a leading integrated consumer media entertainment group in Malaysia and South East Asia. ASTRO owns a portfolio of international and regional investments in Pay TV, Radio, Publications and Digital Media. ASTRO's Malaysian domestic Pay TV business has a customer base of over 3.5 million residential customers (approximately 52% penetration of Malaysian TV households), and offers 170 TV channels, including 37 HD channels, delivered via Direct-To-Home satellite TV, IPTV and OTT platforms. # # #
Read more at http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2...jgX1JAxyRQi.99
1st of all, this is awesome news seeing the old school martial arts library from Celestial Pictures and Shaw Brothers get broadcast on American television. They currently air some of the movies every Thursday night.Unfortunately Directv doesn't carry El Rey in HD, not for these old school flicks it probably doesn't really matter honestly.
I know some of you are probably saying WTF is the El Rey Network?
07-28-14, 07:57 PM
#2
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
http://www.elreynetwork.com/#/vault/kung-fu
Here are some of the current crop of Shaw Bros. movies that El Rey is broadcasting in July. Looks like the new deal with the added library is effective in October.
Here are some of the current crop of Shaw Bros. movies that El Rey is broadcasting in July. Looks like the new deal with the added library is effective in October.
07-28-14, 08:19 PM
#3
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
<----Regular El Rey viewer (Mostly for the movies though)
I'm certainly down to see more Shaw stuff.
Some new ones that I HOPE to see:
The Shantung Boxer
Duel of the Iron Fist
Mistress of the Thunderbolt
The Weird Man
Five Shaolin Masters
I'm certainly down to see more Shaw stuff.
Some new ones that I HOPE to see:
The Shantung Boxer
Duel of the Iron Fist
Mistress of the Thunderbolt
The Weird Man
Five Shaolin Masters
07-28-14, 08:34 PM
#4
DVD Talk God
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Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
Cool.
It's a fun niche channel.
I'd like to see them broadcast The Five Venoms. I haven't seen it since Celestial released it on DVD/VCD.
Part of the charm of seeing alot of these old school flicks is the bad english dubs. Some of them are hilarious and you can tell when they use the same voice over actors over and over.
It's a fun niche channel.
I'd like to see them broadcast The Five Venoms. I haven't seen it since Celestial released it on DVD/VCD.
Part of the charm of seeing alot of these old school flicks is the bad english dubs. Some of them are hilarious and you can tell when they use the same voice over actors over and over.
07-28-14, 08:54 PM
#5
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
I love El Rey, I wish, they'd show One showing of the film, dubbed and then subtitled. Also, please get rid of the damn logo and other bumpers, on the bottom of the screen.
07-28-14, 11:24 PM
#6
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Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
I'm awaiting Ash Ketchum's response to this. I don't have cable or whatever but this sounds cool.
07-29-14, 04:37 AM
#7
DVD Talk Legend
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
I wish we had this channel here in Canada for its Shaw Brothers movies. The lineup for July was some of SB biggest known movies.
I'm resigned to the fact that we will never get all of the SB movies in physical format here in NA. It's also unlikely that Celestial will do a streaming deal with Netflix for example for their movies. This is what I was hoping for in order to see some of their "lesser" known films.
I'm resigned to the fact that we will never get all of the SB movies in physical format here in NA. It's also unlikely that Celestial will do a streaming deal with Netflix for example for their movies. This is what I was hoping for in order to see some of their "lesser" known films.
07-29-14, 04:49 AM
#8
DVD Talk Legend
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
Cool.
It's a fun niche channel.
I'd like to see them broadcast The Five Venoms. I haven't seen it since Celestial released it on DVD/VCD.
Part of the charm of seeing alot of these old school flicks is the bad english dubs. Some of them are hilarious and you can tell when they use the same voice over actors over and over.
It's a fun niche channel.
I'd like to see them broadcast The Five Venoms. I haven't seen it since Celestial released it on DVD/VCD.
Part of the charm of seeing alot of these old school flicks is the bad english dubs. Some of them are hilarious and you can tell when they use the same voice over actors over and over.
07-29-14, 04:52 AM
#9
DVD Talk Reviewer & TOAT Winner
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
Also, please get rid of the damn logo and other bumpers, on the bottom of the screen.
07-29-14, 05:18 AM
#10
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
I'd be a lot more impressed if they opened up the range of films they're showing to include some of those impressive Shaw Bros. historical epics like MAGNIFICENT CONCUBINE, EMPRESS WU and LAST WOMAN OF SHANG. Or some of the contemporary crime dramas like THE DELINQUENTS and TEMPTRESS WITH A THOUSAND FACES. Even a drama like THE BLUE AND THE BLACK would be pretty groundbreaking for American audiences. I don't think any of these were ever dubbed, so they'd have to show them subtitled. which wouldn't hurt the audience any.
Even within the vast range of Shaw Bros. action genres, they could show stuff outside the kung fu genre like the superhero masterpiece INFRA-MAN or some of the wild fantasies like DESCENDANT OF THE SUN, BATTLE WIZARD, BUDDHA'S PALM, HOLY FLAME OF THE MARTIAL WORLD, LITTLE DRAGON MAIDEN, etc.
And Celestial Pictures' version of FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH is called KING BOXER. Since they evidently won't be showing the dubbed Warner Bros. cut, that advertising is clearly misleading.
07-29-14, 11:59 AM
#11
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
How are they showing these films? English dubbed or subtitled? Or both? It's not clear from the press release.
I'd be a lot more impressed if they opened up the range of films they're showing to include some of those impressive Shaw Bros. historical epics like MAGNIFICENT CONCUBINE, EMPRESS WU and LAST WOMAN OF SHANG. Or some of the contemporary crime dramas like THE DELINQUENTS and TEMPTRESS WITH A THOUSAND FACES. Even a drama like THE BLUE AND THE BLACK would be pretty groundbreaking for American audiences. I don't think any of these were ever dubbed, so they'd have to show them subtitled. which wouldn't hurt the audience any.
Even within the vast range of Shaw Bros. action genres, they could show stuff outside the kung fu genre like the superhero masterpiece INFRA-MAN or some of the wild fantasies like DESCENDANT OF THE SUN, BATTLE WIZARD, BUDDHA'S PALM, HOLY FLAME OF THE MARTIAL WORLD, LITTLE DRAGON MAIDEN, etc.
And Celestial Pictures' version of FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH is called KING BOXER. Since they evidently won't be showing the dubbed Warner Bros. cut, that advertising is clearly misleading.
I'd be a lot more impressed if they opened up the range of films they're showing to include some of those impressive Shaw Bros. historical epics like MAGNIFICENT CONCUBINE, EMPRESS WU and LAST WOMAN OF SHANG. Or some of the contemporary crime dramas like THE DELINQUENTS and TEMPTRESS WITH A THOUSAND FACES. Even a drama like THE BLUE AND THE BLACK would be pretty groundbreaking for American audiences. I don't think any of these were ever dubbed, so they'd have to show them subtitled. which wouldn't hurt the audience any.
Even within the vast range of Shaw Bros. action genres, they could show stuff outside the kung fu genre like the superhero masterpiece INFRA-MAN or some of the wild fantasies like DESCENDANT OF THE SUN, BATTLE WIZARD, BUDDHA'S PALM, HOLY FLAME OF THE MARTIAL WORLD, LITTLE DRAGON MAIDEN, etc.
And Celestial Pictures' version of FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH is called KING BOXER. Since they evidently won't be showing the dubbed Warner Bros. cut, that advertising is clearly misleading.
It's still not really clear. I have to assume it will air dubbed. It was mentioned in the press release too that the films are available both ways for El Rey.
The ones that have aired so far have been all dubbed. Also, they have all gotten TV MA ratings, which I'm led to believe means uncut.
07-29-14, 12:01 PM
#12
DVD Talk Legend
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
07-29-14, 12:27 PM
#13
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Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
It's still not really clear. I have to assume it will air dubbed. It was mentioned in the press release too that the films are available both ways for El Rey.
The ones that have aired so far have been all dubbed. Also, they have all gotten TV MA ratings, which I'm led to believe means uncut.
The ones that have aired so far have been all dubbed. Also, they have all gotten TV MA ratings, which I'm led to believe means uncut.
07-29-14, 01:55 PM
#14
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
^They're using the old dubs.
6:33 is still the greatest dubbed voice I've ever heard
6:33 is still the greatest dubbed voice I've ever heard
07-29-14, 02:05 PM
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Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
I wonder if they are the true uncut films with these dubs. I know even with the Celestial remasters, there are some scenes in certain movies (nudity) that didn't make the remastered versions like Water Margin (aka Seven Blows of the Dragon) and the above Five Element Ninjas (aka Chinese Super Ninjas).
07-29-14, 02:32 PM
#17
DVD Talk Hero
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
I prefer dubs on most classic Kung Fu movies. It's not like the native language for these films were Shakespeare in writing quality and the dubs have their own entertainment value.
07-29-14, 02:35 PM
#18
DVD Talk God
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Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
Ugh, do you have the words logos and bugs set on a special word search or something.
07-29-14, 02:37 PM
#19
DVD Talk God
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Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
It's not like I'm missing some brilliant dialogue recitations by Ti Lung and David Chiang.
07-29-14, 02:46 PM
#20
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
I wonder if they are the true uncut films with these dubs. I know even with the Celestial remasters, there are some scenes in certain movies (nudity) that didn't make the remastered versions like Water Margin (aka Seven Blows of the Dragon) and the above Five Element Ninjas (aka Chinese Super Ninjas).
07-29-14, 02:50 PM
#21
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
For the classic Shaw Brothers titles & many classic Kung Fu movies, the Mandarin audio is dubbed with voice over actors since they didn't record live audio on sets back then. So, seeing these in English dubs is perfectly fine with me.
It's not like I'm missing some brilliant dialogue recitations by Ti Lung and David Chiang.
It's not like I'm missing some brilliant dialogue recitations by Ti Lung and David Chiang.
07-29-14, 03:13 PM
#22
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Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
I am more familiar with the old English dubs. I think it's what most were introduced with. There was a handful that I saw in the original language in theaters while I grew up in Hawaii. I was surprised by what Fu Sheng actually sounded like.
Looking at the July schedule... http://www.elreynetwork.com/#/vault/kung-fu I pretty much have all of these as a bootleg and/or Celestial R3 remaster. I will mark out for Challenge of the Ninja and I will pay close attention to Five Element Ninja... and the kunoichi boobies if they are there. This is the scene. It's not here, or in the remaster, but I have a bootleg which shows it completely. Basically, after he slashes the red ninja, camera cuts to the torso and he sees it's a woman cuz her boobies are visible. Which is why he's got the surprised look on his face.
Looking at the July schedule... http://www.elreynetwork.com/#/vault/kung-fu I pretty much have all of these as a bootleg and/or Celestial R3 remaster. I will mark out for Challenge of the Ninja and I will pay close attention to Five Element Ninja... and the kunoichi boobies if they are there. This is the scene. It's not here, or in the remaster, but I have a bootleg which shows it completely. Basically, after he slashes the red ninja, camera cuts to the torso and he sees it's a woman cuz her boobies are visible. Which is why he's got the surprised look on his face.
Last edited by devilshalo; 07-29-14 at 03:29 PM.
07-30-14, 07:35 PM
#23
Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
Finally a new "Director's Chair" episode airing tonight (Guillermo Del Toro!)
07-30-14, 08:09 PM
#24
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Re: El Rey Network signs long-term deal to broadcast 200+ films from Shaw Brothers
I liked the John Carpenter one... the side by side of RR's shots to JC's was too funny.
07-30-14, 08:51 PM
#25
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
To be honest, we're so phobic of them in this country that I think hell will freeze over befor mainstream TV shows subtitled movies. Are their still under the jurisdiction of the Weinsteins and Drago Dynasty? I wish I had this channel.