Weinsteins (w/ Tarantino) announce new asian line: "Dragon Dynasty"
#126
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36th Chamber of Shaolin: Special Collector’s Edition
King Boxer: Special Collector’s Edition
The One Armed Swordsman: Special Collector’s Edition
King Boxer: Special Collector’s Edition
The One Armed Swordsman: Special Collector’s Edition
i know 36th Chamber is Master Killer and King Boxer is 5 Fingers of Death. i dunno about One Armed Swordsman though.
Last edited by Gigantopithecus; 04-09-07 at 09:13 PM.
#129
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Originally Posted by NatrlBornThrllr
OP updated...I think that's all of the information that's out right now. Correct me if I'm wrong.
- Story of Riki
- Dragon Tiger Gate
and in his latest one, he has indicated that DD will be releasing Shaolin Temple.
http://www.dragondynasty.com/blog/show/24
#131
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King Boxer and the Shaw titles don't street until June.
However, Born to Fight is coming out next week and here is a review
http://hkfilmnews.blogspot.com/2007/...vd-review.html
However, Born to Fight is coming out next week and here is a review
http://hkfilmnews.blogspot.com/2007/...vd-review.html
Video: The video quality of this Dragon Dynasty DVD release is excellent and as one would expect anamorphically enhanced. Working most likely from a PAL source (at least at some point in the process) Dragon Dynasty did an excellent job transferring the film as I did not notice any ghosting or problems that typically plague PAL to NTSC transfers. The colors were vibrant and not oversaturated. There is grain in some scenes, but I strongly suspect that they were the original intention of the director or DP to give the film a gritty look at times.
Check out the screenshots:
http://hkfilmnews.blogspot.com/2007/...creencaps.html
Audio: The Dragon Dynasty disc comes with four audio tracks. A Thai 5.1 and English 5.1 Dolby Digital Mix. The English dub is surprisingly decent and was most likely made in the United States and not sourced from a local studio in either Thailand or Hong Kong. Both mixes sound clean and free of hiss. They were well mixed and powerful fitting a modern day action film. The dialogue is never overpowered by the music and sound effects or vice-versa. There is a Thai DTS track (which I think is a first for Dragon Dynasty), but as I do not have a DTS sound setup on my TV I was unable to fully test it. I did sample it on my PC and it sounded very nice and I’m sure will be enjoyed by those who have a system capable of playing DTS. There is also a Bey Logan audio commentary.
Subtitles: While I cannot verify the accuracy of the subtitles, I can say they are free of any grammar or spelling errors. For the main movie there is also a set of Spanish subtitles.
Extras: Dragon Dynasty goes all out giving us a two disc ultimate edition of Born to Fight loaded with extras. The first disc contains the only extra unique to this edition (the others are from the Thai DVD) with an audio commentary by Bey Logan. Bey earns extra points for referencing Gymkata numerous times and making legit comparisons to the use of gymnasts in martial arts films. Although his knowledge of Thai films is nowhere near as large as his information on Hong Kong cinema, its not bad by any means. Bey gives good background info on the background of the film, its actors, the stunts, and Thai culture (and Thai Red Bull). On the second disc we have two trailers, the original Thai (which was not anamorhpically enhanced and looks a little rough) and is subtitled, along with a US promotional trailer. The main extras are two behind the scenes features one is a short electronic press kit that was used to promote the movie in Thailand. The video quality is not great, but that is mostly likely, because it was meant for airings on TV and the internet. The main feature is a 60+ minute behind the scenes documentary that was made for the Thai DVD and that has interviews with the stars and crew and behind the scenes footage of making the movie. The video quality was excellent on this feature. All features come with optional English subtitles.
Overall: Dragon Dynasty offers a solid package for Born to Fight. If you do not own the film yet, then have no fear this is the perfect release for you to pick up. It also retails for far cheaper than its British or Australia counterparts making it the perfect choice for people who cannot play PAL DVDs or do not necessarily want to spend a lot of money. Excellent video and audio quality combined with some serious extras make this an attractive purchase for those interested in the film (and it is quite an enjoyable film). We were very happy with this DVD and cannot wait to see more of the excellent work that Dragon Dynasty has to offer in the future especially with Above The Law and Shanghai Express coming out in May and several Shaw Brother films in June.
Check out the screenshots:
http://hkfilmnews.blogspot.com/2007/...creencaps.html
Audio: The Dragon Dynasty disc comes with four audio tracks. A Thai 5.1 and English 5.1 Dolby Digital Mix. The English dub is surprisingly decent and was most likely made in the United States and not sourced from a local studio in either Thailand or Hong Kong. Both mixes sound clean and free of hiss. They were well mixed and powerful fitting a modern day action film. The dialogue is never overpowered by the music and sound effects or vice-versa. There is a Thai DTS track (which I think is a first for Dragon Dynasty), but as I do not have a DTS sound setup on my TV I was unable to fully test it. I did sample it on my PC and it sounded very nice and I’m sure will be enjoyed by those who have a system capable of playing DTS. There is also a Bey Logan audio commentary.
Subtitles: While I cannot verify the accuracy of the subtitles, I can say they are free of any grammar or spelling errors. For the main movie there is also a set of Spanish subtitles.
Extras: Dragon Dynasty goes all out giving us a two disc ultimate edition of Born to Fight loaded with extras. The first disc contains the only extra unique to this edition (the others are from the Thai DVD) with an audio commentary by Bey Logan. Bey earns extra points for referencing Gymkata numerous times and making legit comparisons to the use of gymnasts in martial arts films. Although his knowledge of Thai films is nowhere near as large as his information on Hong Kong cinema, its not bad by any means. Bey gives good background info on the background of the film, its actors, the stunts, and Thai culture (and Thai Red Bull). On the second disc we have two trailers, the original Thai (which was not anamorhpically enhanced and looks a little rough) and is subtitled, along with a US promotional trailer. The main extras are two behind the scenes features one is a short electronic press kit that was used to promote the movie in Thailand. The video quality is not great, but that is mostly likely, because it was meant for airings on TV and the internet. The main feature is a 60+ minute behind the scenes documentary that was made for the Thai DVD and that has interviews with the stars and crew and behind the scenes footage of making the movie. The video quality was excellent on this feature. All features come with optional English subtitles.
Overall: Dragon Dynasty offers a solid package for Born to Fight. If you do not own the film yet, then have no fear this is the perfect release for you to pick up. It also retails for far cheaper than its British or Australia counterparts making it the perfect choice for people who cannot play PAL DVDs or do not necessarily want to spend a lot of money. Excellent video and audio quality combined with some serious extras make this an attractive purchase for those interested in the film (and it is quite an enjoyable film). We were very happy with this DVD and cannot wait to see more of the excellent work that Dragon Dynasty has to offer in the future especially with Above The Law and Shanghai Express coming out in May and several Shaw Brother films in June.
#132
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Originally Posted by gfanikf
However, Born to Fight is coming out next week and here is a review
#135
Specs on the upcoming releases from the offical site:
THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN
* Feature Commentary by Film Scholar Andy Klein and The RZA
* Interview with Star Gordon Liu
* “Shaolin: A Hero Birthplace” Featurette
* Interview with Film Scholars David Chute and Andy Klein
* Commentator Biographies
* Music Video for Wu-Tang Clan’s “Gravel Pit”
* Posters and Stills Gallery
* Trailer Gallery
ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN
* Feature Commentary by Film Scholars David Chute and Andy Klein
* Interview with Star Jimmy Wang Yu
* Interview with Film Scholars David Chute and Andy Klein
* The Master: Cheng Cheh featurette
* Commentator Biographies
* Posters and Stills Gallery
* Trailer Gallery
KING BOXER
* Feature Commentary by Quentin Tarantino and Film Scholars David Chute and Elvis Mitchell
* Interviews with Directors Chang-Hwa Jeong and Lau Kar-leung
* Interview with Film Scholars David Chute and Andy Klein
* Featurette from the UK Release
* Commentator Biographies
* Posters and Stills Gallery
* Trailer Gallery
MY YOUNG AUNTIE
* Feature Commentary by Film Scholars David Chute and Andy Klein
* Interview with Star Kara Hui Ying Hung
* Interview with Film Scholars David Chute and Andy Klein
* Commentator Biographies
* Posters and Stills Gallery
* Trailer Gallery
THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN
* Feature Commentary by Film Scholar Andy Klein and The RZA
* Interview with Star Gordon Liu
* “Shaolin: A Hero Birthplace” Featurette
* Interview with Film Scholars David Chute and Andy Klein
* Commentator Biographies
* Music Video for Wu-Tang Clan’s “Gravel Pit”
* Posters and Stills Gallery
* Trailer Gallery
ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN
* Feature Commentary by Film Scholars David Chute and Andy Klein
* Interview with Star Jimmy Wang Yu
* Interview with Film Scholars David Chute and Andy Klein
* The Master: Cheng Cheh featurette
* Commentator Biographies
* Posters and Stills Gallery
* Trailer Gallery
KING BOXER
* Feature Commentary by Quentin Tarantino and Film Scholars David Chute and Elvis Mitchell
* Interviews with Directors Chang-Hwa Jeong and Lau Kar-leung
* Interview with Film Scholars David Chute and Andy Klein
* Featurette from the UK Release
* Commentator Biographies
* Posters and Stills Gallery
* Trailer Gallery
MY YOUNG AUNTIE
* Feature Commentary by Film Scholars David Chute and Andy Klein
* Interview with Star Kara Hui Ying Hung
* Interview with Film Scholars David Chute and Andy Klein
* Commentator Biographies
* Posters and Stills Gallery
* Trailer Gallery
#136
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Originally Posted by Mondo Kane
THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN
* Feature Commentary by Film Scholar Andy Klein and The RZA
* Feature Commentary by Film Scholar Andy Klein and The RZA
#137
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Fyi,
Originally Posted by Dr. Forrester
whose commentary for Master of the Flying Guillotine I greatly enjoyed.
#138
Originally Posted by Linn1
his source for much of those commentaries was the IMDB, which is largely crap. While they're not the worst kung fu commentaries for accuracy, they're up there. Even a second go with three people on the two disc release didn't improve things much. I don't have high hopes for many of these actually.
#139
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Originally Posted by Linn1
his source for much of those commentaries was the IMDB, which is largely crap. While they're not the worst kung fu commentaries for accuracy, they're up there. Even a second go with three people on the two disc release didn't improve things much. I don't have high hopes for many of these actually.
Do they explicitly state they used IMDB at one point? It's been awhile since I've given that commentary a listen to be honest.
Also, what errors did they make in the first commentary that weren't addressed in the second? I remember them discussing the issue of the music as well as the release date, but I don't recall reading about any other major gaffs they made.
What I enjoyed most was the interplay between Klein and Wade Major. Both seemed relaxed, and their enjoyment of the film as well as the genre overall came through clear. However, it never became too fanboy, and both were perfectly willing to point out the lesser points of film. At least from the standpoint of this HK novice, they did a good job placing the film and its development in the context of HK filmmaking during that time, particularly the career of Jimmy Yang Yu.
It's this aspect of the commentary that I don't see the RZA being able to contribute, aside from his own personal view of the film's impact on him and his work. I could see his musings on 36th Chamber as a potentially interesting featurette, but based on what the man had to say in that interview, I'm not convinced he'd add anything of real value to the commentary. It strikes me as stunt casting more than anything else.
Ultimately, like yourself, I'm don't hold many hopes for this one. Assuming the PQ isn't greatly improved, I may just be importing the R3.
#140
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Well,
Originally Posted by Dr. Forrester
Do they explicitly state they used IMDB at one point? It's been awhile since I've given that commentary a listen to be honest.
As for the second commentary, I was slated to write a text piece for the booklet for the two disc release. I was told at the last minute that all my notes were going to them prior to the commentary, but I don't know how that went. When I saw the state of the original booklet they had, a LOT of rewrites were in order to make it close to accurate, which took extra time. I redid all the bios and filmographies, as all had just been cut from IMDB. They had even mixed up actors and the films they were in! In the end, I wrote most of the booklet for the second release with the exception of one text piece. There's still stuff on the second commentary that was eyerolling, but I agree it wasn't as bad as the first. It's been too long since I heard it to break it down what EXACTLY was wrong, but FYI, the release date was still messed up. As for Knight Errant, don't get me started.
Originally Posted by Dr. Forrester
they did a good job placing the film and its development in the context of HK filmmaking during that time, particularly the career of Jimmy Yang Yu.
Last edited by Linn1; 05-24-07 at 11:28 PM.
#141
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Thanks for the backstory on the commentary, Linn1. Like I said, I'm strictly an HK novice and while I appreciated the commentary for how accessible it was, it's disappointing to hear how little actual scholarship or research was behind it. Glad to know you were there to pick up at least some of the slack
I'm a big fan of One-Armed Swordsman as well, so I'm glad to hear Chute should be able to do it justice.
I'm a big fan of One-Armed Swordsman as well, so I'm glad to hear Chute should be able to do it justice.
#142
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Sounds like some of these guys do 20 minutes of "research" and then cash their check.
Anyway, I like good martial arts movies, but I hate going in blind because there's so much crap out there (including some films that others love that I wasn't exactly wowed by). I'm also not a fan of obvious wire stunts. Some of my favorite flicks are Fist of Legend and Drunken Master II.
I really hope this Fist of Legend release is uncut with the original language track. I've got the Thakral Chinese release of Drunken Master II, which is (as far as I know) uncut and has a Cantonese track, but isn't anamorphic and is cropped to 1.85:1 instead of 2.35:1:
Which of the Dragon Dynasty releases should I consider as a blind buy? And will these be released in HD DVD down the road?
Anyway, I like good martial arts movies, but I hate going in blind because there's so much crap out there (including some films that others love that I wasn't exactly wowed by). I'm also not a fan of obvious wire stunts. Some of my favorite flicks are Fist of Legend and Drunken Master II.
I really hope this Fist of Legend release is uncut with the original language track. I've got the Thakral Chinese release of Drunken Master II, which is (as far as I know) uncut and has a Cantonese track, but isn't anamorphic and is cropped to 1.85:1 instead of 2.35:1:
Which of the Dragon Dynasty releases should I consider as a blind buy? And will these be released in HD DVD down the road?
#143
DVD Talk Legend
Reviews and screencaps for Above the Law and Shanghai Express at Dvdbeaver. They are positive reviews.
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...ve_the_law.htm
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...ai_express.htm
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...ve_the_law.htm
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...ai_express.htm
#147
DVD Talk God
Really looking forward to getting Shanghai Express and Above the Law. I assume they will probably cost around $14.99 each at any B&M
Here's a question about Cynthia Rothrick.....All her dialogue in her HK movies is dubbed in Cantonese like every other HK movie before they started recording dialogue in the late 90's. Does she actually speak her lines in english and interact with the other characters in english? I assume Cynthia doesn't speak a word of Cantonese.
Here's a question about Cynthia Rothrick.....All her dialogue in her HK movies is dubbed in Cantonese like every other HK movie before they started recording dialogue in the late 90's. Does she actually speak her lines in english and interact with the other characters in english? I assume Cynthia doesn't speak a word of Cantonese.
#148
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by DJariya
Here's a question about Cynthia Rothrick..... Does she actually speak her lines in english and interact with the other characters in english? I assume Cynthia doesn't speak a word of Cantonese.
KFC: Who was you favorite Hong Kong actor and actress to work with?
CR: My favorite actress in Hong Kong to work with was Michelle Yeoh. We became good friends on the set of Yes Madam. My favorite Hong Kong actor to work with was Yuen Biao. He is so talented and our timing was really close so it made the fights much easier to do when both actors are in sync with each other. At the time he didn't speak English so all we ever said was, "hi" and "bye," and did our scenes together, his in Cantonese, mine in English.
KFC: Working on several Hong Kong productions, how did you get around the language barrier to get your point across on the set?
CR: The language barrier was quite difficult for me at first. Hardly anyone spoke English nor understood it. I had a translator there at first. At first they wanted me to say my lines in Cantonese. Do you know how hard it is to learn this language? Never mind that since it was my first film, I didn't know anyone on the set, and saying lines in English was hard enough. I thought ok; well I'll try to remember the Chinese, even though I didn't know what the translation was. Well, Corey Yuen was the director and he yelled action I just started repeating the first two words over and over again. No one seemed to mind. Well then I panicked and the producer came over to me and said no problem just say, "bull shit" and "goddamn." I eventually learned how to communicate through sign language and then I started to take Cantonese lessons, but I wasn't very good at it. When I would speak I don't think anyone understood. We were trying to understand each other, and Corey was trying to speak English. One day he said go closer on my dialog, and I was up against the actor’s ear until I realized he meant farther away.
CR: My favorite actress in Hong Kong to work with was Michelle Yeoh. We became good friends on the set of Yes Madam. My favorite Hong Kong actor to work with was Yuen Biao. He is so talented and our timing was really close so it made the fights much easier to do when both actors are in sync with each other. At the time he didn't speak English so all we ever said was, "hi" and "bye," and did our scenes together, his in Cantonese, mine in English.
KFC: Working on several Hong Kong productions, how did you get around the language barrier to get your point across on the set?
CR: The language barrier was quite difficult for me at first. Hardly anyone spoke English nor understood it. I had a translator there at first. At first they wanted me to say my lines in Cantonese. Do you know how hard it is to learn this language? Never mind that since it was my first film, I didn't know anyone on the set, and saying lines in English was hard enough. I thought ok; well I'll try to remember the Chinese, even though I didn't know what the translation was. Well, Corey Yuen was the director and he yelled action I just started repeating the first two words over and over again. No one seemed to mind. Well then I panicked and the producer came over to me and said no problem just say, "bull shit" and "goddamn." I eventually learned how to communicate through sign language and then I started to take Cantonese lessons, but I wasn't very good at it. When I would speak I don't think anyone understood. We were trying to understand each other, and Corey was trying to speak English. One day he said go closer on my dialog, and I was up against the actor’s ear until I realized he meant farther away.