Cardiac161

Sorry if a repost but I just saw Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance.

I must have stared blankly about a couple of minutes after the movie was over because I literally felt like I got assaulted.

The downward spiral of these characters and the brutality of which I haven't seen in a long while were just jaw-dropping. The whole movie was like a slow burn...similar to a red-hot iron that singes your skin but you never feel it until the whole film was over.

Next one to watch is Oldboy. I wonder what I'll find myself ending up to after that since I heard this film was more intense.

axolotls return

You'll dig it also. They both don't hold back do they?

These are the top of my list for Korean Cinema

beefjerky

Sympathy was a powerful movie that just left you feeling emotionally drained and cold. An excellent movie if it leaves you feeling like that.

harosa

If Sympathy knocked you cold then get prepared for worse with Oldboy but Sympathy wins in the F'd up shit happening department overall, i loved this movie so much i wanted to tell everyone about it but felt wrong if I gave anything away, even to people who wont be seeing the movie.

eXcentris

One word, nihilistic.

DVD Smurf

Finally ordered this...

beefjerky

Oldboy was one of those, "OH SHIT" movies instead of the draining experience that Sympathy was. As if the ending for Smypathy didn't hit you hard enough, the credits just glue your ass to the seat and force you to stare blankly at the screen.

malkmuz

After wanting it for months and months, I finally got Sympathy yesterday and watched it... it took awhile to sink in for me, but it just left me empty. Powerful stuff.

Watching Oldboy tonight, I hope I don't end up jumping off of a cliff or something

beefjerky

I watched Oldboy and Sympathy back to back yesterday with some friends that hadn't seen them before. I noticed something in Sympathy that I didn't notice before.

Daniel Windsor

The definitve answer:

Trigger

I still haven't ordered this.

DVD Smurf

I just watch this and.....ouch.....I sat quiet for 20 minutes after the end credits stirring at the black 42 inch screen in front of me. This film is not as violent as Old Man, but it is much more closer to the soul so to speak. I will write a review on this film tomorrow, after I have done some thinking.

A recommended viewing!!!

hulka

Based on the quality of the video, audio, and English subtitles, which DVD of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is better? I know that the second disc of the R3 has no English subtitles (which are required in my case). However, what about the director's commentary on the first disc of the R3? Does said commentary feature English subtitles by any chance? Thanks in advance for all your help. I have looked at several threads, as well as several reviews of the R3 release (I could not find many reviews of the R2 disc), but I have yet to see a solid comparison between the two releases. I cannot wait to buy this film on DVD. Now I just need to figure out which DVD release I should purchase. Thanks again for all your help!

P.S. I realize that if the second disc of the R3 had English subtitles, then it would be the clear winner in my case. Interestingly enough, the Tartan R2 disc is -- for all intents and purposes -- bare bones. Alas, since I need English subtitles, the R3 release is therefore reduced to the same stature as that of the R2 in terms of extras. Hence, I need input from fellow dvdtalkers as to the above questions.

Heliosphann

No English subs on anything other than the movie on the CJ R3 dvd... Just like %99 percent of all Korean DVD releases.

As for the image quality, I can't comment... The R2 UK dvd is lacking the Korean DTS track on the CJ release however.


http://www.dragonsdenuk.com/reviews/..._vengeance.htm

ilan

I had the same dilemma. At the end I decided to purchase the Tartan version, the transfer is very good and it is not bare bones, it comes with a very good 30 minutes making of and a trailer.

Daniel Windsor

If you want DTS get the Korean Region 3 and if you are happy with DD5.1 get the Region 0 UK DVD

Both have excellent soundtracks and very similar subtitles.

If I were in the USA I'd buy the Korean disc because it will sell better (assuming you don't keep it) as it is NTSC and has DTS. Are you buying Oldboy? If yes, that's only available from Korea so buy both there. Oldboy has a great transfer.

It can be difficult to make your mind up when there's so much to choose from, but that's part of the fun! You will have to make that decision yourself.

Good luck!

bobstevens

Can anyone give me a summary of the 8 minutes that are cut between the 129 minute release and the 121 minute release? Just saw the normal region 3 version from YesAsia. Sounds like a whole scene or two were taken out. There was some incoherency around the middle but I don't know if that's what was cut.

Daniel Windsor

Cut? Never heard that. There's nothing to cut.

bobstevens

Heh. IMDB says the full version is 129 minutes but mine is 121 (or so says the box). I don't suppose anyone has seen both versions?

I've seen a lot of people call Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance "incoherent", but I only thought there were a couple spots that fit that description. I bet another watching would clear some things up, but I don't think I'll be up for that any time soon.

DrGerbil

http://us.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.asp...ection-videos/

Both versions of SFMV at yesasia.com show 121 minutes as the running time... those are NTSC. One can only assume that is the correct and (possibly only available) cut of the film.

DVD Smurf

I am happy with my R2 version...

hulka

DVD Smurf, could you please confirm the length of the film on the Tartan disc? I am almost positive that it is the same cut as the one featured on the R3. However, I just want to be sure. Amazon.co.uk lists the running time as 121 on the Tartan disc. Of course, they are most likely not taking into account PAL speed-up. This is why I would like you to confirm the running time of the film on said disc if you could.

P.S. Also, are any of the texts in the film subtitled? I read in another thread that at least two of them are not subtitled on the Tartan disc (I know that none of them are subtitled on the CJ R3). Thanks in advance for your answers to these questions!

Daniel Windsor

There is no cuts to this film anywhere.

I have seen both versions and can confirm that. The Tartan PAL disc runs at exactly 121mins PAL.

Daniel Windsor

...and it's Region 0 remember.

hulka

I figured as much but I just wanted to be sure. I saw your other posts in this thread and I had a feeling that you were correct regarding the above fact. Thanks for your help.