Shout Factory's Martial Arts Movie Marathon Vol. II

[masterofoneinchpunch]

...I guess I should know this , but how can I tell? If you can tell me how to check, I will do so for you.

PAL-NTSC - I'd suggest ghosting but that could just represent interlacing. I'll take a chance on these anyway, been waiting ages to see The Skyhawk.

Some determine the improper PAL to NTSC transfers by checking the original time versus the time (as long as they are the same prints) on the NTSC discs.

If you have a CRT TV you do not see the interlacing (to differentiate between the two), but you can notice the ghosting of an improperly formatted transfer -- for example the R1 of Shaolin Hand Lock.

Is there other ways?

[Secret Executioner]

According to the news bulletin on the main site, it will have both the English and Mandarin dubs. That's some cool news I say - plus, the films look nice.

[TommyBlade]

The Fate Of Lee Khan (105mins) (Anamorphic Widescreen 2:35:1)

Video: 720*480 (16:9), 23.976 fps, NTSC

Audio: 192 Kbps, 48.0 KHz, 16bits, 2ch AC3 <---- Mandarin

Subs: English

Shaolin Boxers (75mins) (Anamorphic Widescreen 2:35:1)

Video: 720*480 (16:9), 29.970 fps, NTSC

Audio 1: 192 Kbps, 48.0 KHz, 16bits, 2ch AC3 <---- Mandarin

Audio 2: 192 Kbps, 48.0 KHz, 16bits, 2ch AC3 <---- English

Subs: English

The Young Dragons (94mins) (Anamorphic Widescreen 2:35:1)

Video: 720*480 (16:9), 29.970 fps, NTSC

Audio: 192 Kbps, 48.0 KHz, 16bits, 2ch AC3 <---- Mandarin

Subs: English

The Shaolin Plot (109mins) (Anamorphic Widescreen 2:35:1)

Video: 720*480 (16:9), 23.976 fps, NTSC

Audio 1: 192 Kbps, 48.0 KHz, 16bits, 2ch AC3 <---- Mandarin

Audio 2: 192 Kbps, 48.0 KHz, 16bits, 2ch AC3 <---- English

Subs: English

[KUNG FU BOB]

Now THAT'S what I call an informative post TommyBlade! Thanks for that.

[TommyBlade]

Now THAT'S what I call an informative post TommyBlade! Thanks for that.

Thank you KUNG FU BOB. Thank you for all the wonderful things you do keeping us Fu fans on the edge of our seat.

[Secret Executioner]

Now THAT'S what I call an informative post TommyBlade! Thanks for that.

Couldn't put it better myself. Guess we got all our answers (except for cut/deleted scenes, if there's any).

[KyFi]

Can't tell you how much I enjoyed Fate of Lee Khan. About 15 years ago, a local museum was having a Chinese exhibit, and they advertised a "film" showing of this movie. After buying my ticket, it turned out to be a mediocre, full screen VHS showing. I was not happy! Hadn't seen the film since, and the presentation on this collection is excellent. What a great movie.

I feel that King Hu is comparable to Sergio Leone. Now, I love kung fu movies, and I love spaghetti westerns---but I do feel that they were the only ones working in their genre that were really world-class filmmakers.

[David Rees]

I need to go back and check out some of King Hu's work again, but there are not many good quality releases of his movies which is sad. I heard there was a 2k HD scan done of some of his work like A Touch of Zen, lets hope someone gets them out on Blu ray.

[saltysam]

still waiting for this to arrive in the uk,be interesting to see how Lee Khan shapes up to the german dvd i have.

[KyFi]

Touch of Zen and Dragon Gate Inn are both Criterion-worthy---would love to see them release a great blu ray of these films.

[saltysam]

i watch with subs but surprising the german dvd of Lee Khan has an english dub option yet shout!'s doesn't.As for the set Lee Khan is a classic but i found Young Dragons and Shaolin Boxers mediocre at best.Still to watch Shaolin Plot but i'm sure it'll be good.

[GOLDEN DRAGON YIN-YANG]

One of my favorite,

kung fu movies.

Want to see it again.

GD Y-Y

[robbie]

just watched shaolin plot out of this collection. . i would have to say it is one of the best kung fu i have seen. i do not know how it escaped me before as i had never heard of it and i usually watch all the classic films starring sammo hung. The ending is brilliant.it is

woth buying movie marathon 2 just for this film

[masterofoneinchpunch]

OK this is getting close to a full length review (which I might make it later after some more research and/or comments):

The Young Dragons (1974: John Woo)

This is not a bad film by any means though it is probably of more importance for what it means for the future career of the participants than for the actual quality of the film. This is the first directed full-length film from Woo. Originally Woo was co-director of this production, under the title of Farewell Buddy, with Peter Wong Hoi Yi* who had just created an independent movie company with Liu Chi-ho’s money. This was originally done in 1973 but had run afoul by the censors because of violence. It actually had to do mainly with some gloves that had needles in them worn by Fung Hak-on’s character in which you can still see in the film and some of the results of those gloves on Lau Kong (though in the last scene you may wonder where those marks went to on his face and you will notice he never shows that side as well) and Ng Ming-choi. You may wonder why they got such marks when you watch this film. The reason for this was that they had to be cut or the film would not have been allowed to shown. This really hurts the continuity of that particular fight scene. Fortuitously the film was sold to Golden Harvest, Leonard Ho liked it and gave Woo a three year contract.

The story takes place during the Republican era with Henry Yu Yung (The Bloody Fists) as an opportunist Kin who is the leader of small gang of efficient thugs, but is a small cog compared to the smuggling operation of Boss Lung (Chiang Nan) and his hired thug Wang Fai (Funk Hak-on.) Kin steals a load of Japanese firearms and uses them as bait to get even more money (still not sure why he gets rid of most of them.) As he is trying to make money off of this racket in the meantime a government agent Fan Ming (Lau Kong) is trying to stop these smuggler/racketeers.

The fight scenes are decent-to-good. This is one of Jackie’s earliest action director roles (a few of the films he did in 1973 including The Cub Tiger from Kwantung would be reedited and released in a later year.) I was surprised by how agile Ng Ming-choi was given his corpulent nature. Almost like a mini-Sammo Hung (I probably should not have been surprised since he is also known as Yuen Ting as he was one of the Seven Little Fortunes and he is not the only “Yuen” in the movie.)

One good reason to watch this if you are a Woo fan is the early trademarks and influences you can already see taking shape here. The slow-motion reminds me of Chang Cheh in which he apprenticed. He also has a nice habit of experimenting with interesting angles and movement. However, he completely overuses the zoom to the point of extreme annoyance. You can see the friendship and Doppelganger motif between the two main characters reminiscent of Hard Boiled with one good-hearted “bad guy” character and one character on the side of the law and the importance of personal code. Also included is the completely ruthless henchman character Wan Fai and corrupt Boss Lung which parallels both Mad Dog and Johnny Wong in Hard Boiled. While the male relationships seem to work well, the love quadrangle seems somewhat haphazard. Chang Cheh would have ignored it completely. But the ending definitely feels Woo-like.

I had a “hey that’s Dean Shek” moment in the film. The scene seemed compositionally somewhat out-of-place with Shek’s comic shtick and urine. That was one nasty streak. Wouldn’t you worry about slipping on that? Shek would work with John Woo in later films such as Laughing Times (ugh) and A Better Tomorrow II with one being much better than the other.

If you watch the trailer you will notice a nude scene that is not in the main film. I have no idea why that particular scene was cut out. It is not uncommon for trailers to have cut scenes by the director, but given the history of this movie I am curious on when it was cut out (director, distribution, other?)

* Golden Harvest took Peter Wong’s name off of the screen because it was determined he did not direct any of the movie. They also changed the title, added and took away scenes as well. Try to figure out which scenes were filmed years later.

Sources:

Book: John Woo Interviews (2005) Edited by Robert K. Elder

Book: John Woo: The Films (1999) by Kenneth E. Hall

[massa_yoda]

Masterofoneinchpunch - thank you for the background info on Young Dragons. I didn't know any of this and I'll have a greater appreciation for the movie going in now.

[Secret Executioner]

Boy, sounds like a good film and an interesting backstory. Thanks for the review masterofoneinchpunch.

Is the rest of the set that good ? Could be worth taking a look if it is.

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Masterofoneinchpunch - thank you for the background info on Young Dragons. I didn't know any of this and I'll have a greater appreciation for the movie going in now.

Boy, sounds like a good film and an interesting backstory. Thanks for the review masterofoneinchpunch.

Is the rest of the set that good ? Could be worth taking a look if it is.

Thanks. I found that information fascinating, since I am a John Woo fan, so I had to share it.

Godfrey, while I have one more movie to go I do think the set is worth it. The one movie I have not seen Shaolin Plot has got some good reviews in this thread. So far the worst of the four has been Shaolin Boxers.

Note: I learned something new since yesterday. The nude/rape scene in the trailer is indeed in the French release ( HK Video) of the film and not in the Joy Sales release either. Thanks to HungFist (bulletsandbabes) for that information. Here is the the link.

[Tigerstyles]

Only really got this set for Shaolin Plot and it irritated me to hell! Added sound FX BOOM SWOOSH!!!! WHY THE FUCK would you add more outragous sound FX to a KUNG FU FLICK?

[spannick]

yes SHAOLIN PLOT has a horrible Remix sadly, destryoying the whole Movie for me... that was when i said "no more buys from me". and that was it...

[Killer Meteor]

Shout's clip of When TaeKwonDo Strikes on Youtube was the same.

[spannick]

yeah that one was unbearable also. but it didn't matter for me on TAEKWONDO, there were other Alternatives for me. there is no good one for SHAOLIN PLOT at all sadly...

[Takuma]

How about the first Martial Arts Movie Marathon set (The Skyhawk, The Manchu Boxer, The Dragon Tamers & The Association)? Did it have audio issue or problems with cut versions?

[Morgoth Bauglir]

I don't know about cut versions but the only problem I had is that The Skyhawk has bad audio quality on the English dub.

[spannick]

How about the first Martial Arts Movie Marathon set (The Skyhawk, The Manchu Boxer, The Dragon Tamers & The Association)? Did it have audio issue or problems with cut versions?

no Audio issues, but Manchu Boxer is the usual censored HK Print (the very old US DVD has the Action uncut, but other stuff missing)

and Young Dragons is cut as per HK DVD (that Rape Scene). Japan & French DVD are uncut...

[Killer Meteor]

no Audio issues, but Manchu Boxer is the usual censored HK Print (the very old US DVD has the Action uncut, but other stuff missing)

and Young Dragons is cut as per HK DVD (that Rape Scene). Japan & French DVD are uncut...

Is Hapkido mono and in sync - the HKL went out-of-sync during a fight.