Hong Kong films-where to find information on the best versions

[captainsolo]

These are all the other ones they had:
Swordsman
Fong Sai Yuk 1
Fong Sai Yuk 2
Full Contact
City on Fire-analog only
ABT1-analog only earlier issue
Once a Thief
Organized Crime and Triad Bureau-older pressing
Tai Chi Master
Righting Wrongs-This one was $50 and I think it was the defective copy.

[Stamper]

Yes, I need to point out, that is how those films were seen in theaters, I experienced it myself in Hong-Kong.

It's like, would one be OK if the opening credits were removed from films, and replaced with subtitles? (I know, it happens on some discs like the recent Inglorious Basterds UHD). The burned-in, dual language subs were on all the prints, worldwide, that was the original presentation.

I'm a sucker for original theatrical presentation, and sadly, when it comes to HK films, these are gone forever. The majesty of the dual language subs (that sometimes went up and down and half off-screen) was part of the exotic charm!

[wongfeihung]

I suggest saving as many LDs as you can from the HK 80's era. As far as I am concerned, there's no suitable version of those films on home-video anymore because they used to be shown with burned-in dual language subtitles.

For more than a decade, that was the only presentation these films had, on VHS and LDs.

Then when DVD appeared, they began to release them with optional subs.

It takes away a lot of the charm, and also, many of the badly subs translations which sometimes were hilarious, got lost in the process.

You'll say, "well you would say that..." but I can't agree that the charm of Hong Kong Cinema was ever in bad subtitling. They may have provided unintentional amusement, but I think only a very tiny minority would ever advocate keeping them in favour of newly translated, literate and accurate subtitles. Keep LDs by all means, but do it for the audio, and the possibility of alternate cuts/footage.

[Stamper]

Let's say it's a time capsule... That's how the tiny minority discovered them in real time!

[captainsolo]

I did go back and get Once a Thief, ABT1 and Bullet in the Head. I might get City on Fire later but it’s just the original analog only disc.

Speaking of City, what’s the best version with proper English subs and original mono for COF these days? Is it dvd since the BDs are upscales?

[LucasGodzilla]

You'll say, "well you would say that..." but I can't agree that the charm of Hong Kong Cinema was ever in bad subtitling. They may have provided unintentional amusement, but I think only a very tiny minority would ever advocate keeping them in favour of newly translated, literate and accurate subtitles. Keep LDs by all means, but do it for the audio, and the possibility of alternate cuts/footage.

I think it's a love-hate relationship. I do agree that it'd be nice to see the original subbing included in some form, but a newer, superior translation would be my preference if given the choice. Would be interesting to see the utilization of the aforementioned PGS method to retain the same font / style in the subs in general though.

Speaking of City, what’s the best version with proper English subs and original mono for COF these days? Is it dvd since the BDs are upscales?

Not sure about the DVD situation as the only release I am aware of in the States is my copy from Dimension which contains only a dubbed 5.1 remix and it is one of the worst audio tracks I've ever had the displeasure of hearing in my life (up there next to The Legend of the Red Dragon dub).

[zoidberg]

It's strange how few HK movies have been released in HD, there were a huge amount of VHS and DVD releases in the UK alone and multiple releases of particular titles on DVD. I don't know if it's down to rights, lack of master materials or just a perception that they wouldn't sell

[wongfeihung]

Speaking of City, what’s the best version with proper English subs and original mono for COF these days? Is it dvd since the BDs are upscales?

Obviously not brilliant, but the IVL R3 DVD is the best there currently is... and for the forseeable future. It has the original mono (sync would need to be checked though), is remastered (not a recent remaster, but one that dates back to the mid-00s) and optional subtitles (which I don't remember the quality of).

[LucasGodzilla]

I don't suppose by any remote chance anyone has any ideas as to what is the best version of the 1989 John Woo – Wu Ma collaboration Just Heroes?

Been itching to give it a watch for some time now, but unfortunately, it seems to be another one of those Hong Kong titles that fell into rights purgatory and the most information I can really find about it was that there was a Blu-ray release of it overseas that ended up being an absolutely terrible upscale of a French DVD.

[wongfeihung]

There's no good English-friendly edition out there on disc.

My advice would be to get a copy of the French DVD and add subtitles.