2011 US releases? or Region 3 IVL's safe to buy?

[LedZilla]

Greetings.

Are the following Region 3 IVL Shaws safe to buy? In other words are any of these rumored to be coming out in Region 1 any time this year? and/or Are there any issues with these releases?

I'm assuming these are all anamorphic with English subs. Correct?

• Avenging Eagle
  
• Clan of the White Lotus
  
• Executioners from Shaolin
  
• Magnificent Ruffians
  
• Masked Avengers
  
• Shaolin Temple
  

I've just recently gotten into classic Shaws and I'm dying to see these for the first time.

Which ones should I get and which of them should I wait?

[KyFi]

All have English subs. The IVL Shaolin Temple is non-anamorphic (but it's a great movie, and the picture quality is still decent). I think all the rest on the list are anamorphic. Avenging Eagle is cut slightly--just during the final fight scene, I believe.

[Sheng]

With the exception of SHAOLIN TEMPLE these are all pretty decent prints, agreed. The PQ does have room for improvement though - its definitely not in the league of the R 1 titles that Tokyo Shock, Dragon Dynasty or, lately, Funimation issued. But to wait on one of those companies to release these films seems to be pretty illusionary at this point...

Stay clear of the IVL copy of SHAOLIN TEMPLE though. Not only because its not anamorphic, the real spoiler is the horrendously blurry picture. Its one of those early IVL's that's fraught with serious PAL/NTSC conversion problems. The German issue is the prefered choice here, anamorphic and with the same English subs as the IVL.

[Nakadai]

Yeah every title there is owned by either DD or MB in the states. DD had a poll on their facebook asking which to release next executioners from shaolin, golden swallow or blood brothers but that was forever ago. MB announced Ruffians and Masked Avengers in their second batch of shaws but their releases are plagued by set backs so there's no telling when they'll finally be released.

Like sheng said I wouldn't bother waiting at this point the IVL's get harder to acquire every year with region 1 releases getting scarcer. We've only gotten as many as we have lately due to funi acquiring BCI's unreleased catalog.

[Blood Sword]

Was shaolin temple really that bad as sheng says?I do not recall it that way but too lazy to check now.If I`m correct subtitles are in black area which made it quite nice viewing:ooh:?

[Nakadai]

It's been years since viewing the IVL but it was definitely blurry even on a fairly new ctr tv. I'd probably import the german disc over watching it on a hdtv these days.

[LedZilla]

Thanks for the feedback KyFi, Sheng & Nakadai

Looks like I'll be ordering all the R3 IVL's except Shaolin Temple (non-anamorphic is a deal breaker for me)

As for ST = Any more German Shaw discs better than the R3 IVL versions? (not available in the US) I like to order stuff in batches from overseas to save on shipping.

[Nakadai]

Unfortunately it looks like MiB releases range from terrible to the best available so it's good to be leery. I believe these are all the ones worth getting:

The Twelve Gold Medallions

Vengeance

The Boxer From Shantung

The Condemned

Shaolin Temple

The Chinese Boxer

Mad Monkey Kung Fu

Emperor And His Brother

Killer Clans (there's a digital flaw early in the film/wrong cover)

Secret Service Of Imperial Court

The Water Margin (not sure about All Men Are Brothers but I assume it's fine)

The Blood Brothers (only the uncut Austrian release)

My MiB copies of Clans of Intrigue and Legend of the Bat are absolutely terrible. Bitrate appears way too low and the subs are way out of sync. Unwatchable as is.

[Sheng]

The German MiB Shaws are a very mixed bag, some are better than their IVL counterparts, some are definitely not. Several have out-of-sync subs and should be avoided at any cost (HUMAN LANTERNS for instance).

I invested in exactly six: BLOOD BROTHERS (the Austrian uncut version), CHINESE BOXER (ok PQ, much preferable audio than the HK version), THE CONDEMNED, VENGEANCE, SECRET SERVICE and SHAOLIN TEMPLE.

Would like to know if HAVE SWORD, WILL TRAVEL is an improvement to the woefully blurry Image/IVL version…?

As for MAD MONKEY KUNG FU and BOXER FROM SHANTUNG, I was more than pleased with the IVL issues and don’t remember the German ones being any better.

Other than that, let me just say that the German dubs that MiG comissioned are generally atrocious and should make anyone capable of understanding even a modicum of German puke after approximately five minutes. As it has been pointed out already regarding the wrong cover artwork of some titles, these people just didn’t give a fuck. Hope they never get their clutches on any further Shaws!

[LedZilla]

Thanks again Sheng & Nakadai

I added BOXER FROM SHANTUNG to my reg 3 IVL order based on your blessing Sheng

Based on both of your feedback looks like I'll get the German editions of BLOOD BROTHERS, CHINESE BOXER, VENGEANCE and SHAOLIN TEMPLE. Just need to find a place to import German DVD's from.

I do have my eye on a few more IVL's for another future order

• 5 Shaolin Masters
  
• Shaolin Martial Arts
  
• The Assassin
  
• Dirty Ho
  

Any issues with the above editions?

[Blood Sword]

I own but not have watched yet dirty ho.Other 3 are very good and I suggest you pick them quickly.

Both shaolin movies are tremendous and while assassin not best jwy shaw it`s still damn good.

I did not notice any tech flaws in those 3 but I am not techjunkie tho,,,

[Sheng]

I do have my eye on a few more IVL's for another future order

5 Shaolin Masters

Shaolin Martial Arts

The Assassin

Dirty Ho

Any issues with the above editions?

No. SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS and DIRTY HO definitely shine and belong to the best IVL transfers. I remember 5 SHAOLIN MASTERS and THE ASSASSIN having a bit too soft, slightly fuzzy PQ, but they're still halfway decent... until something better comes along, that is. (which is not going to happen anytime soon, I reckon)

[LedZilla]

Okay after a few rounds of importing I've managed to finish viewing all the discs and I'm very happy. Thanks again for the feedback I got in this thread. Now two of the the discs I imported were since announced as coming from DD in the US (but that's pretty much a guarantee whenever I've imported anything in the past )

IVL's

Executioners from Shaolin

Masked Avengers

Magnificent Ruffians

5 Shaolin Masters

Avenging Eagle

Clan of the White Lotus

Dirty Ho

The Boxer From Shantung

I waited too long and missed the boat with The Assassin and Shaolin Martial Arts

German MIB's

Shaolin Temple

The Chinese Boxer

The Blood Brothers

Also bought from IVL's of Golden Swallow and Flying Guillotine from razorclam here on the boards (haven't watched FG yet)

Movie wise I'm a bit lukewarm on The Blood Brothers, Boxer From Shantung & Dirty Ho. I might be putting those up on ebay (with a few other US Shaw titles I'm not crazy about) but if anyone here is interested in picking those up PM me.

I do have my eye on importing a few more IVL's

Judgement of an Assassin

Kung Fu Instructor

Rendezvous with Death

Shaolin Avengers

Any issues with the above? All anamorphic?

[vengeanceofhumanlanterns]

The German MiB Shaws are a very mixed bag, some are better than their IVL counterparts, some are definitely not. Several have out-of-sync subs and should be avoided at any cost (HUMAN LANTERNS for instance).

I invested in exactly six: BLOOD BROTHERS (the Austrian uncut version), CHINESE BOXER (ok PQ, much preferable audio than the HK version), THE CONDEMNED, VENGEANCE, SECRET SERVICE and SHAOLIN TEMPLE.

Would like to know if HAVE SWORD, WILL TRAVEL is an improvement to the woefully blurry Image/IVL version…?

As for MAD MONKEY KUNG FU and BOXER FROM SHANTUNG, I was more than pleased with the IVL issues and don’t remember the German ones being any better.

Other than that, let me just say that the German dubs that MiG comissioned are generally atrocious and should make anyone capable of understanding even a modicum of German puke after approximately five minutes. As it has been pointed out already regarding the wrong cover artwork of some titles, these people just didn’t give a fuck. Hope they never get their clutches on any further Shaws!

Get Human Lanterns. You shouldn't be disappointed with this film. The picture quality isn't something to keep you from seeing this film. Have Sword Will Travel is another excellent film. Complaints about the subs are justified, on all of these Celestial remasters, even the US releases. Though, the best thing about the US releases are the english dubs being included, when of course they're the original. I just watched Human Lanterns on my Sony Bravia 40" and hads no problem withe picture. In some of these Shaw releases the director intentionally blurrs the scene for effect. But, I do understand non-anamorphic issues.

[reason108]

And, the U.S. version of Human Lanterns is the most complete/unedited version of the two.

[Sheng]

Originally Posted by vengeanceofhumanlanterns

I just watched Human Lanterns on my Sony Bravia 40" and hads no problem withe picture. In some of these Shaw releases the director intentionally blurrs the scene for effect. But, I do understand non-anamorphic issues.

Which version did you watch? The German, the Momentum/UK or the Image US ? As has been said, the Image is the most complete one, but the picture still appears too soft and somewhat hazy, at least if watched on bigger screens (bigger than 40” probably). And no, I never thought that intentional blurring was a device that Sun Chung used much. I never realized something like this in AVENGING EAGLE, KUNG FU INSTRUCTOR, THE PROUD YOUTH, JUDGEMENT OF AN ASSASSIN or other Sun Chung classics. HUMAN LANTERNS, not my favouite Sun Chung flick by any means, would probably benefit tremendously if issued as a BD.