Member robertobobson Posted May 24, 2011 Member Share Posted May 24, 2011 A very good movie that really needs to be more readily available. Yuen Biao is great in an understated role, Pat Ha and Charlie Chin perform consistently well throughout. Were it not for some fairly woeful acting in the latter part of the movie, it would really sit as one of the top 10 HK action movies...as well as a really fine example of film noir. I think the movie just about dies towards the end when the lead villains start laughing around a table of money, and the grave is danced on when multiple characters start to burst into tears and seem unaffected by shots to the chest and neck. Can anyone recommend the best available DVD release? I have the old UK Made in Hong Kong VHS, but will look to upgrade on this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member thedirtytiger Posted May 25, 2011 Member Share Posted May 25, 2011 I agree it is the closest HK has ever come to maaking a real film noir and was also quite funny in places, highly reccomended viewing. I have the MIHK video and the Mega Star DVD, I think since it's a few years old the picture quality is not so good. There must be a better version somewhere by now...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Asmo Posted May 25, 2011 Moderator Share Posted May 25, 2011 HKVideo released a remastered, uncut print. Apparently the transfer is interlaced. No English subs. Maybe Joy Sales will release it in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Phoenix Posted May 25, 2011 Member Share Posted May 25, 2011 This is a great film and it's a shame it hasn't had a western release on dvd. I didn't really think of any flaws like the op seemed to pick up on, I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Wasn't Biao disappointed that he didn't get more recognition for his work on this film? Or am I imagining that? The team of villains was cast perfectly, they were pretty menacing and sinister throughout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TibetanWhiteCrane Posted May 25, 2011 Member Share Posted May 25, 2011 The op is right, the ending kills it. But there were plenty of flaws before that. This movie is overrated in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member odioustrident Posted May 25, 2011 Member Share Posted May 25, 2011 Isn't there an uncut Czech or Russian dvd release with Cantonese language and English subs? May not be Czech or Russian, definitely Eastern European though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted May 25, 2011 Member Share Posted May 25, 2011 I guess I need to revisit this film at some point. When I got it years ago, all I knew was the title sounded good and it had Yuen Biao in it. I was expecting some good MA but Biao throws, like, one kick. That's it. I thought it sucked. Never watched it since. Knowing what I know now about it, I might appreciate/enjoy it a little more. But it has Biao in it not doing any kung fu so......I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member 66 Mantis Posted May 25, 2011 Member Share Posted May 25, 2011 One of my Top 10 Hong Kong movies. Absolutely loved it. Really wish the original ending (where the two of them get away by boat) would be put back in at some point. Cutting it out and replacing it with hastily written text (and completely changing the outcome) was the worst possible type of censorship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted May 25, 2011 Member Share Posted May 25, 2011 This is one of my personal favorites with Yuen Biao. There's no martial arts here the way we expect Biao to do because that's the point, it's a crime drama. He just came off the success with his opera brothers and wanted to break away from his popular screen persona so he participated in this movie to show that he's not just all about martial arts. The violence is brutal and it's a bonus for the more touching story and the depth of the main characters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member dionbrother Posted May 25, 2011 Member Share Posted May 25, 2011 Love this movie and it deserves a bells and whistles treatment. If you expect a martial arts movie, you will be disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Asmo Posted May 26, 2011 Moderator Share Posted May 26, 2011 One of my Top 10 Hong Kong movies. Absolutely loved it. Really wish the original ending (where the two of them get away by boat) would be put back in at some point. Cutting it out and replacing it with hastily written text (and completely changing the outcome) was the worst possible type of censorship. The ending's been restored, to the remastered version. Now we just need a release with subs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member 66 Mantis Posted May 26, 2011 Member Share Posted May 26, 2011 The ending's been restored, to the remastered version. Now we just need a release with subs. That's good to hear. One step at a time, I guess. It would be nice to finally get a definitive version with subs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Asmo Posted May 26, 2011 Moderator Share Posted May 26, 2011 That's good to hear. One step at a time, I guess. It would be nice to finally get a definitive version with subs. It would be, indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted May 26, 2011 Member Share Posted May 26, 2011 HKVideo released a remastered, uncut print. Apparently the transfer is interlaced. No English subs. Maybe Joy Sales will release it in time. Speaking of Joy Sales, do anyone know what happened with them? They haven't released anything in almost a half year now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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