The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
09-24-25 | 08:44 PM
#2526
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From: Greenville, South Cackalack
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
09-24-25 | 11:27 PM
#2527
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
Seeing these recent posts had me thinking there was already a previous Blu-ray of WILD STYLE, but a search said otherwise. The search revealed, though, that Arrow promoted it on their YouTube channel a couple of weeks ago, so I’m not sure why the social media posts needed to be in the form of a mystery tease.
Interestingly, that trailer and another clip are two of Arrow’s higher-viewed uploads in a while, so there does seem to be some demand.
Interestingly, that trailer and another clip are two of Arrow’s higher-viewed uploads in a while, so there does seem to be some demand.
Last edited by Brian T; 09-24-25 at 11:35 PM.
09-25-25 | 08:27 AM
#2528
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From: Greenville, South Cackalack
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
AV Forums leaked the December slate, complete with cover art.
And good news for me:
Spoiler:
And good news for me:
Spoiler:
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Brian T (09-25-25)
09-25-25 | 01:39 PM
#2529
DVD Talk God
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
Shawscope Volume 4 comes out in December
09-25-25 | 04:57 PM
#2530
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
Stole this list from, umm, someplace else, where it was reposted this afternoon from yet another location. Wink wink. There’s speculation about its veracity, but some there suggest it might be fairly accurate. If it is, it certainly ups the ante at 16 titles in one of these, and 16 DVDs I may be unloading down the road, and possibly some barebones 88 Films Blu-rays I may have as well. 
(assuming disc 10 is more soundtrack cuts, it’s almost possible to make out 16 titles across the other nine discs, with a couple of standalones).
(assuming disc 10 is more soundtrack cuts, it’s almost possible to make out 16 titles across the other nine discs, with a couple of standalones).
The Super Inframan
Oily Maniac
The Battle Wizard
Black Magic
Black Magic 2
Hex
Hex Vs Withcraft
Hex After Hex
Bat Without Wings
Bewitched
Bloody Parot
The Fake Ghost Catchers
Demon of The Lute
Seeding Of A Ghost
Portrait in Crystal
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Oily Maniac
The Battle Wizard
Black Magic
Black Magic 2
Hex
Hex Vs Withcraft
Hex After Hex
Bat Without Wings
Bewitched
Bloody Parot
The Fake Ghost Catchers
Demon of The Lute
Seeding Of A Ghost
Portrait in Crystal
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Last edited by Brian T; 09-25-25 at 05:08 PM.
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Adam Tyner (09-25-25)
09-25-25 | 05:07 PM
#2531
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
An easy skip for me. Not my jam. I'm kind of glad there aren't even one or two in there I want because I probably would have been tempted to buy it. Of course if they end up doing a vol.5 that's more to my tastes and I have a gap on my shelf, I can't promise I won't cave.
09-25-25 | 05:11 PM
#2532
DVD Talk God
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
I missed when Volume 3 had the quick flash sale on Amazon during the summer. Now I have to patiently wait again until it drops to that price range again.
09-25-25 | 05:35 PM
#2533
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
An easy skip for me. Not my jam. I'm kind of glad there aren't even one or two in there I want because I probably would have been tempted to buy it. Of course if they end up doing a vol.5 that's more to my tastes and I have a gap on my shelf, I can't promise I won't cave.
This one obviously won’t drop for ages, so plenty of time to ponder.I’ve often posted here that I wish any of the boutiques would do more than just the Shaw martial arts films and, now, the horror/fantasy stuff. So far, only Eureka has given us something different in their 60’s spy movie set. But it does stand to reason that martial arts and horror have built in audiences with decent revenue pretty much guaranteed, even on sale.
Semi-related: Not sure if anyone here follows the official Shaw channel on YouTube, but they’ve been regularly adding all of their ‘other’ films, which suggests little of it has been sought out by licensees this far down the road. Time marches on, but at least exploring the broader Shaw catalog is getting much easier. So, in case of a rainy day, or for those who might just be in a swingin’ 60’s or groovy 70’s mood at some point
(spoilered so as not to digress the thread too much!):Spoiler:
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Adam Tyner (09-26-25)
09-26-25 | 10:03 AM
#2534
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Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Greenville, South Cackalack
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
I know I’m in a different part of the country and these coupons are often regional, but I’m seeing a coupon that brings vol. 3 down to $84.99 right now.
09-26-25 | 12:48 PM
#2535
DVD Talk God
09-26-25 | 03:39 PM
#2536
DVD Talk Hero
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
09-26-25 | 03:47 PM
#2537
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
Specs for Vol. 4 are up. Sixteen films as suspected. Extras are predominantly commentaries (no surprise), plus a few interviews with people connected to the films. Disc ten is more interviews with contemporary people that really don’t seem like they needed an extra disc. That said, the inclusion of supposed theatrical trailers does raise the eyebrows: Celestial has been peddling their early-2000’s ‘home video trailers’ (made for the original DVD line) for so long that it was easy to think the original 60’s/70’s/80’s trailers no longer exist, so it’s great that they apparently found some; it’s just unfortunate that we’ve had so many Shaw Blu releases from many boutiques that have only included the ‘remade’ trailers (none of which are particularly good).
I’m in this boat. If I get wind that Vol. 3 quantities are getting low before that kind of a drop, then I’ll pony up $90-ish or whatever. I got Vol. 1 for a wee bit less then that, and then Hamilton blew a bunch out at $60, so reselling one of those ‘offset’ the earlier one in a way. Keep hoping Arrow will have a website ‘too-low pricing error’ like they did on Vol. 2, but that seems unlikely.
A LONG TIME AGO, IN A MOVIE STUDIO JUST OFF CLEARWATER BAY....
As special effects-driven horror and sci-fi cinema dominated the global box office in the 1970s, Hong Kong's mightiest film studio Shaw Brothers not only followed suit but took things one step beyond!
One of Shaws' most beloved cult classics, Hua Shan's tokusatsu tribute Super Inframan stars Danny Lee (The Killer) as the titular high-kicking superhero, defending the planet against a demon queen and her legion of subterranean mutant minions. Lee also stars as a monster vigilante issuing vicious justice in Ho Meng-hua's creeptastic Oily Maniac and as the prince granted magical powers in Pao Hsueh-li's fantastical wuxia Battle Wizard. Director Ho next treats us to a double-helping of occult mayhem with Black Magic and its sequel, where Ti Lung battles wicked voodoo doctors with the power to cast spells and raise the dead. Four more doses of unhinged madness follow from Kuei Chih-hung in the form of Bewitched and the Hex trilogy, an unforgettable quadruple serving of possession and witchcraft that presaged his notorious brain-melting classic The Boxer's Omen.
Master filmmaker Chor Yuen adds a hefty dose of horror to his trademark wuxia-mystery style in Bat Without Wings, in which a young sword fighter must end a deranged martial arts master-turned-multiple murderer's perverted rampage. Hua Shan returns with Bloody Parrot, an eye-poppingly vivid horror fantasy about two swordsmen hunting a demon that offers to grant wishes, only to leave a messy trail of destruction in its wake. Lau Kar-wing's kung fu jiangshi comedy The Fake Ghost Catchers sees two conmen unwittingly enlisted to battle spirits from the underworld, while Tang Tak-cheung's hair-raising wuxia fantasia Demon of the Lute has to be seen to be believed. Yang Chuen's gruesome splatterfest Seeding of a Ghost has a taxi driver enlist a necromancer's help in avenging the murder of his wife, with sickening results; and Hua Shan returns with Portrait in Crystal, a deliriously imaginative tale of a murderous swordswoman brought to life through a crystal sculpture. Last but not least, Alex Cheung's Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is an out-of-this-world comedy in which city girl Cherie Chung is abducted by aliens and taken to a galaxy far, far away...
From slimy creatures to supernatural wizardry to sex-crazed serial killers, the biggest collection in Arrow Video's Shawscope series yet features sixteen of the wildest and weirdest films the company ever made, gorgeously restored in all their gory glory with an amazing array of never-seen-before bonus features.
LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY COLLECTION CONTENTS
As special effects-driven horror and sci-fi cinema dominated the global box office in the 1970s, Hong Kong's mightiest film studio Shaw Brothers not only followed suit but took things one step beyond!
One of Shaws' most beloved cult classics, Hua Shan's tokusatsu tribute Super Inframan stars Danny Lee (The Killer) as the titular high-kicking superhero, defending the planet against a demon queen and her legion of subterranean mutant minions. Lee also stars as a monster vigilante issuing vicious justice in Ho Meng-hua's creeptastic Oily Maniac and as the prince granted magical powers in Pao Hsueh-li's fantastical wuxia Battle Wizard. Director Ho next treats us to a double-helping of occult mayhem with Black Magic and its sequel, where Ti Lung battles wicked voodoo doctors with the power to cast spells and raise the dead. Four more doses of unhinged madness follow from Kuei Chih-hung in the form of Bewitched and the Hex trilogy, an unforgettable quadruple serving of possession and witchcraft that presaged his notorious brain-melting classic The Boxer's Omen.
Master filmmaker Chor Yuen adds a hefty dose of horror to his trademark wuxia-mystery style in Bat Without Wings, in which a young sword fighter must end a deranged martial arts master-turned-multiple murderer's perverted rampage. Hua Shan returns with Bloody Parrot, an eye-poppingly vivid horror fantasy about two swordsmen hunting a demon that offers to grant wishes, only to leave a messy trail of destruction in its wake. Lau Kar-wing's kung fu jiangshi comedy The Fake Ghost Catchers sees two conmen unwittingly enlisted to battle spirits from the underworld, while Tang Tak-cheung's hair-raising wuxia fantasia Demon of the Lute has to be seen to be believed. Yang Chuen's gruesome splatterfest Seeding of a Ghost has a taxi driver enlist a necromancer's help in avenging the murder of his wife, with sickening results; and Hua Shan returns with Portrait in Crystal, a deliriously imaginative tale of a murderous swordswoman brought to life through a crystal sculpture. Last but not least, Alex Cheung's Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is an out-of-this-world comedy in which city girl Cherie Chung is abducted by aliens and taken to a galaxy far, far away...
From slimy creatures to supernatural wizardry to sex-crazed serial killers, the biggest collection in Arrow Video's Shawscope series yet features sixteen of the wildest and weirdest films the company ever made, gorgeously restored in all their gory glory with an amazing array of never-seen-before bonus features.
LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY COLLECTION CONTENTS
- High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentations of all sixteen films, all newly restored in 2K from the original negatives by Arrow Films
- Illustrated 60-page collectors' booklet featuring new writing by David West, Jonathan Clements and Grady Hendrix, plus cast and crew listings and notes on each film by Ian Jane
- New artwork by Matt Frank & Jolyon Yates, Mike Lee-Graham, Chris Malbon and Ilan Sheady
- Newly restored lossless Mandarin, Cantonese and English mono audio
- Newly translated English subtitles, plus optional hard-of-hearing subtitles for the English dub
- Option to view the film in its US theatrical version, Infra-man, with lossless "Stereo-Infra-Sound" surround audio
- Brand new commentary by martial arts cinema experts Frank Djeng & Erik Ko
- Shaws' Little Dragon, a newly filmed interview with co-star Bruce Le
- Super Ultra Infra Action!, a brand new video essay on Shaws' tokusatsu films written and narrated by Steven Sloss
- Theatrical trailers, TV spots and radio spots
- Newly restored lossless Mandarin mono for both films, plus English mono for Battle Wizard
- Newly translated English subtitles for both films, plus optional hard-of-hearing subtitles for the English dub on Battle Wizard
- Brand new commentary on Oily Maniac by critic Ian Jane
- Brand new commentary on Battle Wizard by Jonathan Clements, author of A Brief History of the Martial Arts
- Newly restored lossless Mandarin and English mono audio for both films
- Newly translated English subtitles for both films, plus optional hard-of-hearing subtitles for the English dubs
- Brand new commentary for Black Magic by critic James Mudge
- Brand new commentary for Black Magic Part 2 by critic Samm Deighan
- Alternate US opening for Black Magic Part 2
- Newly restored lossless Cantonese and Mandarin mono audio for both films
- Newly translated English subtitles for both films
- Brand new commentary for Bewitched by critic James Mudge
- Newly restored lossless Cantonese and Mandarin mono audio for both films
- Newly translated English subtitles for both films
- Additional Mandarin voiceover clip for Hex Vs. Witchcraft
- Newly restored lossless Mandarin mono audio for both films
- Newly translated English subtitles for both films
- Brand new commentaries for both films by critic Samm Deighan
- Newly restored lossless Cantonese and Mandarin mono audio for both films
- Newly translated English subtitles for both films
- Brand new commentary for Demon of the Lute by martial arts cinema expert Frank Djeng
- Newly restored lossless Cantonese and Mandarin mono audio for both films
- Newly translated English subtitles for both films
- Brand new commentary for Seeding of a Ghost by critic James Mudge
- Newly restored lossless Cantonese and Mandarin mono audio
- Newly translated English subtitles
- Seamless branching option to watch Cantonese version with additional scene from Mandarin version
- Brand new commentary by martial arts cinema expert Frank Djeng
- Newly filmed interview with director/co-writer Alex Cheung
- Newly filmed appreciation by film scholar Victor Fan
- Theatrical trailer
- Hong Kong: The Show of Mister Shaw, a 1972 French TV profile of Shaw Brothers
- Brand new video essay on Ho Meng-hua written and narrated by Grady Hendrix
- Newly filmed appreciations of Super Inframan by Leon Hunt, Luke White and Kim Newman
- Newly filmed appreciation of Bat Without Wings by Wayne Wong
- Newly filmed appreciation of Demon of the Lute by Luke White
- Newly filmed appreciations of Battle Wizard and Demon of the Lute by Victor Fan
- Theatrical trailers for most of the films in the set, some never seen on video before
Last edited by Brian T; 09-26-25 at 03:58 PM.
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Dan (09-26-25)
09-26-25 | 05:29 PM
#2538
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
^ Well I’ll be darned. Arrow uploaded that reel of original trailers to YouTube earlier today.
Last edited by Brian T; 09-26-25 at 05:51 PM.
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Adam Tyner (09-26-25)
09-26-25 | 06:18 PM
#2539
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
And another update . . .
Arrow’s separate 4K and Blu-ray of Ringo Lam’s CITY ON FIRE are up for preorder. The Blu is Region B, which is fine by me, and at least they’re not forcing people to accept the 4K if they don’t need it, unlike Shout (although it stands to reason that I just bought the Shout edition ). They sent an email today with their pre-order offerings and this wasn’t even on it. It ports over all of the Shout extras, and adds these vintage ones from the Hong Kong Legends DVD:
The listing says “brand new” commentary by Djeng and DeSanto. Really hope these guys aren’t double-dipping and it’s just ported over too:
Arrow’s separate 4K and Blu-ray of Ringo Lam’s CITY ON FIRE are up for preorder. The Blu is Region B, which is fine by me, and at least they’re not forcing people to accept the 4K if they don’t need it, unlike Shout (although it stands to reason that I just bought the Shout edition
). They sent an email today with their pre-order offerings and this wasn’t even on it. It ports over all of the Shout extras, and adds these vintage ones from the Hong Kong Legends DVD:- An archival interview with director Ringo Lam
- Portrait of Anger, an archive interview with cinematographer Andrew Lau
- Long Arm of the Law, an archive interview with co-star Roy Cheung
Last edited by Brian T; 09-26-25 at 06:25 PM.
09-27-25 | 01:46 PM
#2540
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
All of the City on Fire special features Arrow is porting over from the Shout are described as "brand new" on the Arrow announcement, so I see no reason to think the commentary isn't the same.
Not mentioned in the announcement is that Dylan Cheung, who wrote the essay for the booklet, has re-done the subtitles. Cheung has done many subtitle translations for various boutiques in the last few years and has been openly critical of the work being done by some of the other contributors doing similar work. His primary concern is that some of the people doing the subtitles are not native Cantonese speakers and that a lot of the flavor of the local vernacular is being lost in translation. He had some pointed comments about the Shout City on Fire translation on Twitter a couple of months ago and it caused quite the kerfuffle for about a week over at the other forum. One comment he made (I don't think this was about City on Fire specifically, but about many of these HK releases in general) was something along the lines of "the subtitles make everyone sound like they're at a job interview".
I don't know more than like 3 words in Cantonese, so I can't speak to the accuracy of the translations, but I've certainly noticed the same sort of thing. I find many of these new translations kind of clunky and robotic in places. They're often written in a way that doesn't reflect the way people actually talk. They seem more focused on translating every single word exactly as spoken rather than accurately conveying the meaning and tone.
I guess you could make an argument for either methodology (and both are obviously superior to the often half-assed subs supplied by the licensor), but in this case I side with Cheung. So I'm pretty happy that he's being allowed to take another pass at City on Fire. I had a hunch that Arrow might take this route which was one of a number of reasons I preferred to wait for their versions of these movies.
Not mentioned in the announcement is that Dylan Cheung, who wrote the essay for the booklet, has re-done the subtitles. Cheung has done many subtitle translations for various boutiques in the last few years and has been openly critical of the work being done by some of the other contributors doing similar work. His primary concern is that some of the people doing the subtitles are not native Cantonese speakers and that a lot of the flavor of the local vernacular is being lost in translation. He had some pointed comments about the Shout City on Fire translation on Twitter a couple of months ago and it caused quite the kerfuffle for about a week over at the other forum. One comment he made (I don't think this was about City on Fire specifically, but about many of these HK releases in general) was something along the lines of "the subtitles make everyone sound like they're at a job interview".
I don't know more than like 3 words in Cantonese, so I can't speak to the accuracy of the translations, but I've certainly noticed the same sort of thing. I find many of these new translations kind of clunky and robotic in places. They're often written in a way that doesn't reflect the way people actually talk. They seem more focused on translating every single word exactly as spoken rather than accurately conveying the meaning and tone.
I guess you could make an argument for either methodology (and both are obviously superior to the often half-assed subs supplied by the licensor), but in this case I side with Cheung. So I'm pretty happy that he's being allowed to take another pass at City on Fire. I had a hunch that Arrow might take this route which was one of a number of reasons I preferred to wait for their versions of these movies.
09-27-25 | 11:32 PM
#2541
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
^ Good to know. I’m connected with him on Facebook, but virtually never use Facebook at this point (and visit the other forum randomly because it’s all a bit much ), so I’m rarely up to date on which releases he works on. If he’s doing Arrow’s other editions, that’s another reason to consider a switch, especially if they intend to port over Shout’s extras. Knowing that the subs might be ideal translations would go some ways to making the Arrow editions more definitive. Out of curiosity I found the Twitter post regarding the shout COF subs, for folks who might be curious:
On a related note, one of my favorite HK “movie” books is A Dictionary Of Cantonese Slang from 20 years ago. It’s OOP now and ridiculously expensive, but it was a cool companion piece to the movies in general (and the triad/gang movies in particular). I’m sure there are others that might even be even better, but in an era (early 00’s) where hardcore HK movie nuts were still stuck with the shitty import subtitles and their barely-improved UK/US re-dos, books like these really clued you in to what you were missing, at least on a rudimentary level:
Alas, the sad reality is that Mr. Cheung can’t do all of them, so we’re kinda stuck in many cases, and I suppose there’s no guarantee he’ll do all the Arrow editions.
Another point in Arrow’s favour, though, is that slipcover by Tony Stella, and the use of the original HK art on the sleeve. While I’m glad that Shout is including the original HK art on their editions as well for the most part (and matching it on the slip in the case of CITY ON FIRE), a lot of the newly-commissioned art for their slipcovers is pretty weak. The artists have some skill, but so far they don’t seem to capture the essence of the films very well, so we end up with pencil-crayon-y looking collages of actors (the CHINESE GHOST STORY BOX in particular is overkill). If the slips for Arrow’s next HK releases are as well-composed as the one for CITY ON FIRE, that would be a nice bonus.
Finally, there’s the fact that the Arrow editions will more frequently go on sale down the road compared to Shout. I suppose the Blus would need to be imported which could come with issues (aggressive duties in Canada, aggressive tariffs in the U.S.), but I presume the 4Ks can be sold and shipped from their U.S. site? Or would Shout have arrangements preventing that?
), so I’m rarely up to date on which releases he works on. If he’s doing Arrow’s other editions, that’s another reason to consider a switch, especially if they intend to port over Shout’s extras. Knowing that the subs might be ideal translations would go some ways to making the Arrow editions more definitive. Out of curiosity I found the Twitter post regarding the shout COF subs, for folks who might be curious:On a related note, one of my favorite HK “movie” books is A Dictionary Of Cantonese Slang from 20 years ago. It’s OOP now and ridiculously expensive, but it was a cool companion piece to the movies in general (and the triad/gang movies in particular). I’m sure there are others that might even be even better, but in an era (early 00’s) where hardcore HK movie nuts were still stuck with the shitty import subtitles and their barely-improved UK/US re-dos, books like these really clued you in to what you were missing, at least on a rudimentary level:
Alas, the sad reality is that Mr. Cheung can’t do all of them, so we’re kinda stuck in many cases, and I suppose there’s no guarantee he’ll do all the Arrow editions.
Another point in Arrow’s favour, though, is that slipcover by Tony Stella, and the use of the original HK art on the sleeve. While I’m glad that Shout is including the original HK art on their editions as well for the most part (and matching it on the slip in the case of CITY ON FIRE), a lot of the newly-commissioned art for their slipcovers is pretty weak. The artists have some skill, but so far they don’t seem to capture the essence of the films very well, so we end up with pencil-crayon-y looking collages of actors (the CHINESE GHOST STORY BOX in particular is overkill). If the slips for Arrow’s next HK releases are as well-composed as the one for CITY ON FIRE, that would be a nice bonus.
Finally, there’s the fact that the Arrow editions will more frequently go on sale down the road compared to Shout. I suppose the Blus would need to be imported which could come with issues (aggressive duties in Canada, aggressive tariffs in the U.S.), but I presume the 4Ks can be sold and shipped from their U.S. site? Or would Shout have arrangements preventing that?
Last edited by Brian T; 09-28-25 at 12:16 AM.
09-28-25 | 05:08 AM
#2542
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
The Japanese translation issue is one of my hangups with my purchase of the Kurosawa 4k’s. I know almost zero Japanese, but from what I read it’s also open to interpretation similar to Cantonese.
I prefer the transfer of the BFI’s over the Criterion’s, but I’ve seen some of the subs and I much prefer the Criterion releases.
I prefer the transfer of the BFI’s over the Criterion’s, but I’ve seen some of the subs and I much prefer the Criterion releases.
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Adam Tyner (09-28-25)
09-28-25 | 07:00 AM
#2543
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
^ That reminds me of the old 60’s and 70’s samurai / ninja / swordplay movies that Animego (I think?) released on VHS and DVD back in the 90’s and maybe early 00’s, where the subtitles as I recall were reportedly very well translated, and when characters would reference something ‘behind’ the surface dialogue that a Japanese audience would inherently “get” but a western audience would not, they’d add another subtitle in a different color as context. Sometimes that meant a bit more reading, or even pausing the tape/disc, but it really added a lot to the experience. Mind you, that was for very traditional chanbara type stuff so there probably wasn’t a lot of slang or colloquialisms in the scripts to begin with, but I’d still love to see something like that done today on newer editions of older Asian films in general, as long as it didn’t lead to too excess clutter in the sub tracks, and could be written by someone who was not only a super-fluent speaker but also possessed the gift of concision.
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story (09-30-25)
09-28-25 | 10:48 AM
#2544
DVD Talk Legend
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
I don't know more than like 3 words in Cantonese, so I can't speak to the accuracy of the translations, but I've certainly noticed the same sort of thing. I find many of these new translations kind of clunky and robotic in places. They're often written in a way that doesn't reflect the way people actually talk. They seem more focused on translating every single word exactly as spoken rather than accurately conveying the meaning and tone.
^ That reminds me of the old 60’s and 70’s samurai / ninja / swordplay movies that Animego (I think?) released on VHS and DVD back in the 90’s and maybe early 00’s, where the subtitles as I recall were reportedly very well translated, and when characters would reference something ‘behind’ the surface dialogue that a Japanese audience would inherently “get” but a western audience would not, they’d add another subtitle in a different color as context. Sometimes that meant a bit more reading, or even pausing the tape/disc, but it really added a lot to the experience. Mind you, that was for very traditional chanbara type stuff so there probably wasn’t a lot of slang or colloquialisms in the scripts to begin with, but I’d still love to see something like that done today on newer editions of older Asian films in general, as long as it didn’t lead to too excess clutter in the sub tracks, and could be written by someone who was not only a super-fluent speaker but also possessed the gift of concision.
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story (09-30-25)
09-28-25 | 11:51 AM
#2545
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
I don't think that's the case at all. I think it's mostly well intentioned enthusiasts trying to do the very best job they can, but who lack the cultural context or training in the art of translation to capture all the nuances of a difficult language.
These boutiques are basically employing a small group of fans online who are volunteering to do this work (possibly for free) because they know that the subs provided by the studios/licensors often stink. On the surface this is admirable, but the unintended side effect is that the act of translating/subtitling has now been devalued and professional translators who may command a higher fee are out of a job. Whether or not the labels would actually spend money for new translations if there weren't fans willing to do cheap labor is a different question. My guess is that they would not, but who knows. They certainly wouldn't be released at the volume they are. That's why this is kind of a tricky situation. I do think everyone involved has the best of intentions. And in that respect we've come a long way since the days of Miramax redubbing/rescoring these films after hacking them to bits.
These boutiques are basically employing a small group of fans online who are volunteering to do this work (possibly for free) because they know that the subs provided by the studios/licensors often stink. On the surface this is admirable, but the unintended side effect is that the act of translating/subtitling has now been devalued and professional translators who may command a higher fee are out of a job. Whether or not the labels would actually spend money for new translations if there weren't fans willing to do cheap labor is a different question. My guess is that they would not, but who knows. They certainly wouldn't be released at the volume they are. That's why this is kind of a tricky situation. I do think everyone involved has the best of intentions. And in that respect we've come a long way since the days of Miramax redubbing/rescoring these films after hacking them to bits.
09-28-25 | 04:08 PM
#2546
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
AnimEigo added such context captions to their anime releases on DVD as well, even as far back as Laserdisc. While well-intentioned, to be honest, they often got to be cluttered and annoying. Some context clues should be picked up by viewers in context without needing to be explained. Imagine watching a Mafia movie with captions all over the screen defining what a "goomba" or a "capo" are every time those words are uttered. That's basically how AnimEigo treated everything.
I recall their LDs (maybe?) and definitely some of their DVDs also came with ‘liner notes’ (either printed or onscreen menus, maybe both?) packed with glossaries of cultural references and terminology to augment the viewer’s understanding. Those were helpful but had their own drawbacks in terms of referring to them while watching the movie. Usually I’d just read through them beforehand, and then maybe skim specific entries afterward. How times have changed.
I also appreciated it when they would translate simpler things, like signage. Sometimes it helped in understanding the story, other times it was just cool to know what was written on some banner hanging on a wall, and in fairness that’s something that still pops up on subtitle tracks today. Pretty sure a few of these boutique HK titles have done it in situations where the signage is germane to the plot but not obvious by the interior of the location for example (ie, no need to subtitle the signs on a storefront when the characters are walking inside a moment later and we can see what it is).
10-31-25 | 11:44 AM
#2547
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From: Greenville, South Cackalack
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
10-31-25 | 12:25 PM
#2548
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
^ Posted about these earlier, but when Insaw your post I suddenly realized I posted the details in the sales forum by mistake!
Anyway, some details on the extras on SNAKES, UNDER SIEGE, and EVIL DEAD RISE, plus a couple of full-set pics:
SNAKES LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
UNDER SIEGE LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
EVIL DEAD RISE LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
Anyway, some details on the extras on SNAKES, UNDER SIEGE, and EVIL DEAD RISE, plus a couple of full-set pics:
SNAKES LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
- • Brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films
- • High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
- • Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio
- • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- • Brand new audio commentary by critics Max Evry and Bryan Reesman
- • Archival cast and crew audio commentary, featuring director David R. Ellis, actor Samuel L. Jackson, producer Craig Berenson, associate producer Tawny Ellis, VFX supervisor Eric Henry, and second unit director Freddie Hice
- • Snakes on a Page, a brand new mini-documentary exploring the movie tie-in novelization phenomenon, featuring publisher Mark Miller, historian David Spencer and Christa Faust, author of the Snakes on a Plane novelization
- • Pure Venom, an archival feature on the making of the film, featuring interviews with the cast and crew
- • Meet the Reptiles, an archival featurette on the work of snake wrangler Jules Sylvester and the various snakes featured in the film
- • VFX, an archival featurette on the use of CGI to bring the snakes to life
- • Snakes on a Blog, an archival featurette on the online hype surrounding the film prior to its release
- • Snakes on a Plane music video
- • Making of the music video
- • Gag reel
- • Trailers and TV Spots
- • Image gallery
- • Easter eggs
- • South Pacific Airlines safety instruction card
- • Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options
- • Collectors' booklet featuring new writing by Daniel Burnett and Charlie Brigden
UNDER SIEGE LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
- • Brand new 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by Arrow Films approved by director Andrew Davis
- • 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- • Original lossless stereo audio and a brand new Dolby Atmos mix
- • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- • Brand new audio commentary with director Andrew Davis and writer J.F. Lawton
- • I'm on a Boat (With a Bomb), a newly filmed interview with director Andrew Davis
- • One of the Guys, a newly filmed interview with actor Erika Eleniak
- • A Tight Ship, a newly filmed interview with actor Damian Chapa
- • The Introvision Files, a newly filmed interview with visual effects supervisor William Mesa
- • Theatrical trailer
- • Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options
- • Collectors' booklet featuring new writing on the film by Vern and a serial fiction by Martyn Pedler
EVIL DEAD RISE LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
- • 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- • Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 and Dolby Atmos audio options
- • English audio descriptive track
- • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- • Audio commentary with director Lee Cronin and actors Alyssa Sullivan and Lily Sullivan
- • Come Get Some, a brand new interview with actor Lily Sullivan
- • Mommy Deadite, a brand new interview with actor Alyssa Sutherland
- • The Deadite's Daughter, a brand new interview with actor Gabrielle Echols
- • The Levitating Dead, a brand new interview with actor Anna-Maree Thomas
- • Conjuring Deadites, a brand new interview with special make-up effects designer Luke Polti
- • Chopping Up Deadites, a brand new interview with editor Bryan Shaw
- • Sonic Possessions, a brand new interview with sound designer Peter Albrechtsen
- • Music to Swallow Your Soul, a brand new interview with composer Stephen McKeon
- • The Sound of Evil Dead Rise, a 2023 interview with Cronin and Albrechtsen by Glenn Kiser, director of the Dolby Institute
- • Raising a New Evil Dead featurette
- • Ghost Train, a 2013 short film directed by Lee Cronin
- • Behind-the-scenes video clips and still gallery
- • Concept artwork gallery
- • Storyboard gallery
- • Trailer and TV spots
- • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Waldemar Witt
- • Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Waldemar Witt
- • Collectors' booklet featuring new writing on the film by Michael Gingold
10-31-25 | 12:51 PM
#2549
DVD Talk Legend
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
Yeah, I'll probably get the Evil Dead Rise one. I waited for the steelbook re-release since I knew these movies always get good special editions but I don't mind buying multiples of stuff like this.
10-31-25 | 12:52 PM
#2550
Re: The Official Arrow Films 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
Under Siege! Yes! I don't know if this was expected, but if it was, I wasn't aware. What an awesome surprise. The best Segal, the best Die Hard clone and what is sure to be a monumental upgrade over an archaic Blu-ray.
Speaking of Die Hard clones, how do you do a special edition of Snakes on a Plane and not include the edited for tv dub? No monkey fightin' snakes on this Monday to Friday plane = no sale.
Speaking of Die Hard clones, how do you do a special edition of Snakes on a Plane and not include the edited for tv dub? No monkey fightin' snakes on this Monday to Friday plane = no sale.