"The Idiots" HK DVD -- DO NOT BUY!
10-15-01, 09:17 PM
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"The Idiots" HK DVD -- DO NOT BUY!
I was rather disappointed to see that DVDTalk has put this on their front page as a "special offer," since the HK DVD has been cut to ribbons.
All scenes with below-the-waist male frontal nudity have been completely eliminated -- not simply censored as they were for the U.S. theatrical and VHS releases, but actually cut out. As a consequence, there are many scenes that simply don't make any sense at all. I know that HKFlix' page for the disc mentions the removal of the male nudity, but the magnitude of the cuts is much, much greater than that little blurb suggests.
If you want the film on DVD, get the UK version -- it's been cropped to widescreen format and has poor-quality, burnt-in subtitles, but at least it's uncut (rather remarkable for the UK market). The Asian VCD edition also seems to be uncut, but has both English and Chinese subtitles that are unremovable (it's a VCD, after all). Video Search of Miami may offer it on VCD as well (they say most of their inventory is available in VCD format, but there are certain exceptions), uncut, in the original 1.33:1 ratio, and with English subtitles only. But whatever you do, don't spend $18 on what is nothing more than a vulgar bastardization of an already pretty vulgar film.
All scenes with below-the-waist male frontal nudity have been completely eliminated -- not simply censored as they were for the U.S. theatrical and VHS releases, but actually cut out. As a consequence, there are many scenes that simply don't make any sense at all. I know that HKFlix' page for the disc mentions the removal of the male nudity, but the magnitude of the cuts is much, much greater than that little blurb suggests.
If you want the film on DVD, get the UK version -- it's been cropped to widescreen format and has poor-quality, burnt-in subtitles, but at least it's uncut (rather remarkable for the UK market). The Asian VCD edition also seems to be uncut, but has both English and Chinese subtitles that are unremovable (it's a VCD, after all). Video Search of Miami may offer it on VCD as well (they say most of their inventory is available in VCD format, but there are certain exceptions), uncut, in the original 1.33:1 ratio, and with English subtitles only. But whatever you do, don't spend $18 on what is nothing more than a vulgar bastardization of an already pretty vulgar film.
Last edited by Josh Martin; 10-15-01 at 09:23 PM.
10-15-01, 11:13 PM
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I'm glad someone posted this. I'm a purist myself and I was really excited about getting this, then I noticed the disclaimer. Not that I'm particularly interested in the male nudity itself, I'm sure there is a reason why it is there. Is the Region 2 Tartan Video version the uncut one you were referring to? I was considering getting that one from Poker Industries.
10-15-01, 11:22 PM
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Go for Tartan's.
I'd say definitely go with Tartan's version. The all-region version is released by Fujei (same company that did The Kingdom disc), and the slight edit cuts total about a minute off the full running time. Tartan's is 110 minutes, while Fujei's comes in at 109.
If you have PAL capability, spend the extra couple beans and help support anti-censorship. Although Poker states it as Region 2, it may be all-region, as most of Tartan's discs are. Don't quote me on that though.
-Spider
If you have PAL capability, spend the extra couple beans and help support anti-censorship. Although Poker states it as Region 2, it may be all-region, as most of Tartan's discs are. Don't quote me on that though.
-Spider
