Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
- feihong
- Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 12:20 pm
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
Welcomeint Co.'s blu ray of Suzhou River is absolutely phenomenal to look at, a 2k restoration of the 16mm original with luminous color and incredible, crisp grain. The film looks incredibly sharp without losing the grungy 16mm look which always made it look so unusual and cool for a feature film. In some of the rough, handheld shots there are still a few instances of dust and scratches, and the occasional hair in the gate remains––I was glad to see some of this remained. Most of the film looks absolutely pristine, as if the film had been made yesterday, instead of 20+ years ago. There are two different 2-channel audio tracks, and the audio seems a lot crisper than in past DVDs of the movie. The disc purports to be region A.
Amazingly, totally unannounced, there is an English subtitle track on the disc. The subtitles are really similar to the old Artificial Eye DVD, but it appears to be a slightly fuller translation. When Mardar asks Moudan how he should ride his bike, in the Artificial Eye subs she replies: "like Schwarzenneger." In this translation, the reply is a little fuller: "like Schwarzenneger. Or at least like Matt Dillon."
For anyone who hasn't seen this movie––and for the most part, it hasn't been too available or accessible––jump at this disc. The disc looks amazing, and the film itself is one of the very best. Elements of Vertigo, a restless, inventive mis en scene which makes the most of what would become Lou Ye's signature handheld style, and a thematic payload which I think is very rewarding. I'm not sure if this was Zhou Xun's debut film, but it was certainly very early in her filmography, and she is pretty great. Jia Hongsheng is also very charismatic and excellent in his role. The music is reminiscent of Vertigo and it gives the movie a very special flavor, as does the cinematography, which makes wonderful use of the smoky light and the grungiest industrial exteriors and interiors of 1999-era riverfront Shanghai. This is one of those movies I revisit again and again, and it remains fresh and absorbing every time. The quality of the disc is first-rate––every classic of international cinema should have treatment this good on hi-def.
Amazingly, totally unannounced, there is an English subtitle track on the disc. The subtitles are really similar to the old Artificial Eye DVD, but it appears to be a slightly fuller translation. When Mardar asks Moudan how he should ride his bike, in the Artificial Eye subs she replies: "like Schwarzenneger." In this translation, the reply is a little fuller: "like Schwarzenneger. Or at least like Matt Dillon."
For anyone who hasn't seen this movie––and for the most part, it hasn't been too available or accessible––jump at this disc. The disc looks amazing, and the film itself is one of the very best. Elements of Vertigo, a restless, inventive mis en scene which makes the most of what would become Lou Ye's signature handheld style, and a thematic payload which I think is very rewarding. I'm not sure if this was Zhou Xun's debut film, but it was certainly very early in her filmography, and she is pretty great. Jia Hongsheng is also very charismatic and excellent in his role. The music is reminiscent of Vertigo and it gives the movie a very special flavor, as does the cinematography, which makes wonderful use of the smoky light and the grungiest industrial exteriors and interiors of 1999-era riverfront Shanghai. This is one of those movies I revisit again and again, and it remains fresh and absorbing every time. The quality of the disc is first-rate––every classic of international cinema should have treatment this good on hi-def.
Last edited by feihong on Fri Jun 04, 2021 6:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 2:03 am
- Location: LA CA
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
Thanks for the review. Ordered!
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:20 pm
- Location: New England
- Contact:
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
feihong -- What online seller carries the Suzhou River blu?
- feihong
- Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 12:20 pm
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:20 pm
- Location: New England
- Contact:
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
Feihong -- Thanks.
- andyli
- Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:46 pm
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
Out of no where, German label Cargo Records (who recently released the 4k restored Royal Warriors) had a limited special editon of Wan Laiming's Uproar in Heaven up for pre-order on Amazon. Hmm... no other information provided. Let the version speculation begin.
- The Fanciful Norwegian
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:24 pm
- Location: Teegeeack
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
Cargo Records isn't really a label, it's a distributor that handles releases for a whole bunch of different labels—kind of like Vinegar Syndrome, except Cargo mainly deals with music labels and movies are a secondary focus. The Royal Warriors disc was from Vision Gate, but this is coming from an outfit called MT Films, whose lineup is... rather eclectic. They haven't released many Blu-rays, but the reviews on Amazon.de for their recent releases of Vilsen, Satan's Blade, and Beyond Terror don't instill confidence, with complaints of awful compression, heavy DNR, extreme ghosting, and MPEG-2 encodes. Brenton Films includes them on their list of pirate labels, though it's admittedly a few years out of date.
- andyli
- Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:46 pm
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
Thanks for the clarification. Expectation lowered accordingly.The Fanciful Norwegian wrote: ↑Wed Aug 03, 2022 2:28 pmCargo Records isn't really a label, it's a distributor that handles releases for a whole bunch of different labels—kind of like Vinegar Syndrome, except Cargo mainly deals with music labels and movies are a secondary focus. The Royal Warriors disc was from Vision Gate, but this is coming from an outfit called MT Films, whose lineup is... rather eclectic. They haven't released many Blu-rays, but the reviews on Amazon.de for their recent releases of Vilsen, Satan's Blade, and Beyond Terror don't instill confidence, with complaints of awful compression, heavy DNR, extreme ghosting, and MPEG-2 encodes. Brenton Films includes them on their list of pirate labels, though it's admittedly a few years out of date.
- L.A.
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:33 am
- Location: Helsinki, Finland
- bad future
- Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2018 6:16 pm
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
The product listing (via google translate) says Mandarin and English subs, and this is supposedly a new 4k master according to the blu-ray.com listing, which makes it pretty tempting! It does seem like a title Criterion or another western boutique might go for, but no telling how long that could take, plus I don't know anything about the rights and if they make that more or less likely lovely film though!L.A. wrote: ↑Sat Aug 27, 2022 6:44 pmAn Autumn’s Tale (Mabel Cheung, 1987)
Any idea if English subtitles?
- andyli
- Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:46 pm
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
That's good news but bear in mind Deltamac Taiwan sometimes screw up good masters. For example, Rouge from them is significantly inferior to the criterion release based on the same restoration.
- ryannichols7
- Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 2:26 pm
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
I could definitely see Criterion or Eureka go for this. especially knowing its a living female director, certainly something Criterion would be interested in. after their awesome Rouge release I hope for it.
I think Eureka wants to branch out and do more Chinese cinema that isn't martial arts (and they did do Execution in Autumn this year) but they know the demand is really strong for those flicks right now, smartly prioritizing them. I somewhat suspect they'll be the ones to rescue A Chinese Ghost Story too
I think Eureka wants to branch out and do more Chinese cinema that isn't martial arts (and they did do Execution in Autumn this year) but they know the demand is really strong for those flicks right now, smartly prioritizing them. I somewhat suspect they'll be the ones to rescue A Chinese Ghost Story too
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:20 pm
- Location: New England
- Contact:
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
I sure wish someone would rescue LOTS of Ann Hui movies -- many of which have been out of print even as DVDs for more than 10 years. (Romance of Book and Sword went out of print on DVD almost 20 years ago).
- L.A.
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:33 am
- Location: Helsinki, Finland
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
Back in print and this time ordered it from HK Book City as we speak. Let’s see how it goes.L.A. wrote: ↑Wed Mar 06, 2019 2:17 pmHong Kong Film Archive released their first Blu-ray in January, Ann Hui’s directorial debut The Secret (1979). HK Book City is probably the only place to order it .
- The Elegant Dandy Fop
- Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 3:25 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
I ordered this on September 10. Using Google translate and the tracking, I discovered it finally shipped October 16th. No updates on tracking since then, but considering it’s arriving via boat, it will take a while.L.A. wrote: ↑Mon Jan 02, 2023 3:53 pmBack in print and this time ordered it from HK Book City as we speak. Let’s see how it goes.L.A. wrote: ↑Wed Mar 06, 2019 2:17 pmHong Kong Film Archive released their first Blu-ray in January, Ann Hui’s directorial debut The Secret (1979). HK Book City is probably the only place to order it .
- yoloswegmaster
- Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2016 3:57 pm
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
A bluray for Suzhou River is coming from Strand Releasing in March. It's going to be sourced from the recent 4K restoration.
- The Elegant Dandy Fop
- Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 3:25 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
After waiting four months, my copy of The Secret arrived. It’s a very nicely designed package and includes some informative essays despite their shakey translations. The transfer itself is a mixed bag as clearly the source material was already not in the best shape and the audio was ripped from a VHS version, but I should note that there is a little too much DNR applied. Additionally, the transfer includes the full frame of the image, so you get the rounded out images of the film frame versus a properly reframed 1.85 image. These are minor complaints though as clearly this package is a labor of love. Also worth noting it features gorgeous cinematography by forum favorite David Chung. It seems they don’t publish many discs (their other films are DVD only) and I’m not holding my breath ever on a western release for this film, but I do hope they consider more releases like this in the future. I’m willing to wait another four months of delivery for more things like this.
Speaking on Ann Hui films, it’s worth mentioning her strange thriller, Zodiac Killer, starring Andy Lau was released about a year and a half ago on Blu-ray. It’s a very solid looking disc for a fun, albeit minor film from Hui.
Speaking on Ann Hui films, it’s worth mentioning her strange thriller, Zodiac Killer, starring Andy Lau was released about a year and a half ago on Blu-ray. It’s a very solid looking disc for a fun, albeit minor film from Hui.
- L.A.
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:33 am
- Location: Helsinki, Finland
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
I ordered The Secret on January 2nd, was shipped on Jan. 19th and arrived today.
- feihong
- Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 12:20 pm
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
I watched this disc today. It looks stunning, beautiful grain structure, and it looks way, waaaayyy more solid than the Welcomeint Co. blu from last year. There is a big, visible difference in the restorations. The Strand disc, however, doesn't have the thorough subtitle translation the Welcomeint disc has––several lines in the first couple of reels are conspicuously untranslated (people just talk and no subs appear). This doesn't really persist, but in general the Strand subtitles seem less detailed, almost like the translator couldn't be bothered to do a good job. It doesn't make the film unintelligible, and it doesn't persist as a problem past the first half of the film, really. But bottom line, there were better sources out there for them to use. But I don't think it ruins the disc, which looks just incredible. And the movie is great, and the disc is on sale now, so it's pretty much worth it across the board.yoloswegmaster wrote: ↑Thu Jan 19, 2023 10:45 amA bluray for Suzhou River is coming from Strand Releasing in March. It's going to be sourced from the recent 4K restoration.
- andyli
- Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:46 pm
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
The Strand disc is unnecessarily encoded at 1080i60. Also, it lacks a 2.0 audio option.
- colinr0380
- Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:30 pm
- Location: Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, UK
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
I was not entirely sure where to put this and just chose this thread but following our conversation about Zhang Yimou a few months ago I came across this really interesting Spectator discussion about Chinese cinema which works as a good introduction to the "Fifth Generation" of filmmakers as well talking a bit about the period before that and going up to the more recent commercial blockbusters that barely get seen beyond China. Although surprisingly no mention at all of Raise The Red Lantern.
It was particularly interesting to hear things in that interview that backs up the comments by pistolwink in our previous discussion and that really the celebrated filmmakers of that period were not particularly considered popular with general audiences in China (except for Zhang Yimou who was "the exception that proved the rule", perhaps for the underlying reasons we were discussing a while back) and instead were more of an entertainment for a certain circle of arthouse fans within China too (I really wanted when they get to the point about the Chinese audience 'not wanting to revisit upsetting topics and/or periods of history' to note that this is probably not particularly specific to China and you could say much the same about Ken Loach and his arthouse dramas that often take Cannes by storm), and then the other point about how now China is picking up on South Korean and Hong Kong (ironically, but not surprisingly given how many Hong Kong stars and filmmakers have had to move to working within China over the last decades since 1997) modes of filmmaking to try and produce an 'international blockbuster' to rival Hollywood, but have not quite managed to do that as yet. The discussion does mention the jingoism of the films like Battle at Lake Changjin (and its sequel Water Gate Bridge), although there is a fair amount of jingoism in American films too (Independence Day comes to mind) and that never seems to prevent them working internationally, so maybe it is more of a distribution thing? Or maybe they are stuck in the same kind of situation as Bollywood is of the language being a barrier to 'pure entertainment' films?
But mostly this is another plea to any disc labels to try and get Tian Zhuangzhuang's excellent film The Blue Kite released on some format, as that is distressingly neglected at the moment.
(And just a warning to those sensitive to such things, I found my long-dormant librarian instincts being relentlessly prodded by wanting to neaten up those books on the shelf behind the interviewee!)
It was particularly interesting to hear things in that interview that backs up the comments by pistolwink in our previous discussion and that really the celebrated filmmakers of that period were not particularly considered popular with general audiences in China (except for Zhang Yimou who was "the exception that proved the rule", perhaps for the underlying reasons we were discussing a while back) and instead were more of an entertainment for a certain circle of arthouse fans within China too (I really wanted when they get to the point about the Chinese audience 'not wanting to revisit upsetting topics and/or periods of history' to note that this is probably not particularly specific to China and you could say much the same about Ken Loach and his arthouse dramas that often take Cannes by storm), and then the other point about how now China is picking up on South Korean and Hong Kong (ironically, but not surprisingly given how many Hong Kong stars and filmmakers have had to move to working within China over the last decades since 1997) modes of filmmaking to try and produce an 'international blockbuster' to rival Hollywood, but have not quite managed to do that as yet. The discussion does mention the jingoism of the films like Battle at Lake Changjin (and its sequel Water Gate Bridge), although there is a fair amount of jingoism in American films too (Independence Day comes to mind) and that never seems to prevent them working internationally, so maybe it is more of a distribution thing? Or maybe they are stuck in the same kind of situation as Bollywood is of the language being a barrier to 'pure entertainment' films?
But mostly this is another plea to any disc labels to try and get Tian Zhuangzhuang's excellent film The Blue Kite released on some format, as that is distressingly neglected at the moment.
(And just a warning to those sensitive to such things, I found my long-dormant librarian instincts being relentlessly prodded by wanting to neaten up those books on the shelf behind the interviewee!)
Last edited by colinr0380 on Fri Apr 21, 2023 11:47 am, edited 5 times in total.
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- Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 3:07 pm
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
I asked Kino Lorber about The Blue Kite, and they said that the rights haven’t been with them in a long time. It’s an absolutely devastating film that I cannot believe was even greenlit by China’s film authority, but their DVD is an exceptionally muddy piece of trash.
I’m still holding out for someone to finally give us Yellow Earth on disc, too. I think New Yorker released it on VHS 30+ years ago, and that is its sole release in the West.
I’m still holding out for someone to finally give us Yellow Earth on disc, too. I think New Yorker released it on VHS 30+ years ago, and that is its sole release in the West.
- The Fanciful Norwegian
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:24 pm
- Location: Teegeeack
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
This doesn't really belong here (at least not yet), but Lou Ye's The Shadow Play got a belated Japanese theatrical release a few months ago billed as the "complete version," running about five minutes longer than the one that played at Berlin 2019 and opened in China a couple months later. It seems to be the same cut that premiered at the 2018 Golden Horse Festival, and notably includes Edison Chen, who was completely cut from the shorter version (he pops up briefly in the Japanese trailer).
What's more exciting is that the making-of doc Behind the Dream, directed by Lou's wife and collaborator Ma Yingli, has also received a Japanese release; this had previously been seen only at two festivals in 2018 (the Golden Horse and Tokyo FILMeX) to a downright rapturous reception. From the reviews it sounds like one of the most unvarnished behind-the-scenes docs ever made in China or anywhere else. I've seen no word yet of a video or streaming release for either, but hope springs eternal...
What's more exciting is that the making-of doc Behind the Dream, directed by Lou's wife and collaborator Ma Yingli, has also received a Japanese release; this had previously been seen only at two festivals in 2018 (the Golden Horse and Tokyo FILMeX) to a downright rapturous reception. From the reviews it sounds like one of the most unvarnished behind-the-scenes docs ever made in China or anywhere else. I've seen no word yet of a video or streaming release for either, but hope springs eternal...
- feihong
- Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 12:20 pm
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
Thanks for this amazing information! I really loved The Shadow Play, and I'm excited to see Behind the Dream, too. Hopefully there's some kind of release for the complete version of the film and for the documentary.
I assumed Edison Chen had just aged a lot when I saw the film, so that I didn't recognize him. Had no idea he was cut from the Chinese version of the movie.
I assumed Edison Chen had just aged a lot when I saw the film, so that I didn't recognize him. Had no idea he was cut from the Chinese version of the movie.
- The Fanciful Norwegian
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:24 pm
- Location: Teegeeack
Re: Chinese Cinema on DVD/BD
So I looked into it a little further and it turns out he's still in the shorter cut—he's the "Alex" that Yang Jiadong visits at the restaurant in Hong Kong. But the editing somewhat hilariously cuts away any time the camera is about to show his face, so you only get his voice and bits of his hands, the back of his head, etc.
Most of the other additions in the longer cut are extensions of the sex scenes and some more violence. Naturally it also loses the de rigueur "and then the forces of law and order made everything better" text coda.
Most of the other additions in the longer cut are extensions of the sex scenes and some more violence. Naturally it also loses the de rigueur "and then the forces of law and order made everything better" text coda.