The 88 Films Blu-Ray Thread

[ShawAngela]

More wuxias, please !!

[saltysam]

I imagine the schedule is so packed it's inevitable some releases will slip into 2023.

[nahnahnah]

On 12/23/2021 at 12:02 PM, Drunken Monk said:

Anyone want to take a swing at what some of these upcoming 88 Films releases might be?

If that is an "H" listed for May, then I can see it being for Hapkido (especially since a 2K restoration was done for it).

[DragonClaws]

On 12/23/2021 at 3:59 PM, WaverBoy said:

LITTLE TIGER OF CANTON (1971/1973)

MAGNIFICENT BODYGUARDS 3D (1977)

 

Looking forward to these two releases, hope I can pick these up.

[KUNG FU BOB]

3 hours ago, DragonClaws said:

 

Looking forward to these two releases, hope I can pick these up.

@DragonClaws these titles have not been announced as upcoming releases. @WaverBoy was only writing hopefully "Now please please PLEASE give us" those titles. Sorry to burst your bubble.

But still... could be that they are coming...

[actionfan93]

I like 88's potential 2022 lineup coming Righting Wrongs and Tiger Cage 1-3 box set now my only hope is they have Angel,In the line of Duty 1-4 and Killer angels waiting in the wings or on the list to try to secure the rights to them and the only others on my list are unfortunately in purgatory and those are Hard Boiled and The Killer should the rights ever be released from their hold I hope 88 or Eureka secure them

[WaverBoy]

So many classics are in purgatory. If only we could get proper restored sets of the Chinese Ghost Story trilogy, the Better Tomorrow trilogy, and the Fong Sai Yuk films.

[mantid]

On 12/25/2021 at 6:35 PM, ShawAngela said:

More wuxias, please !!

It’s what I hope too

[Drunken Monk]

9 hours ago, WaverBoy said:

So many classics are in purgatory. If only we could get proper restored sets of the Chinese Ghost Story trilogy, the Better Tomorrow trilogy, and the Fong Sai Yuk films.

You can still get the A Chinese Ghost Story trilogy here for a cool $50. Shipping prices might be bonkers though.

[ZenkaigerBat]

So....When can we expect Black Mask?

[saltysam]

1 hour ago, ZenkaigerBat said:

So....When can we expect Black Mask?

It'll probably come out before some of us receive the TVP release from DTM Mail order

[WaverBoy]

2 hours ago, Drunken Monk said:

You can still get the A Chinese Ghost Story trilogy here for a cool $50. Shipping prices might be bonkers though.

Except those are upscales with garbage remixes, aren’t they?

[Drunken Monk]

On 12/29/2021 at 3:20 AM, WaverBoy said:

Except those are upscales with garbage remixes, aren’t they?

Oh, sorry. I didn’t know that was the case.

On 12/29/2021 at 3:06 AM, saltysam said:

It'll probably come out before some of us receive the TVP release from DTM Mail order

Black Mask 3 will get a release before we see our orders get delivered!

[ZenkaigerBat]

47 minutes ago, saltysam said:

It'll probably come out before some of us receive the TVP release from DTM Mail order

Ashame that the 701 Squad maybe holding it hostage.

[KUNG FU BOB]

3 hours ago, Drunken Monk said:

You can still get the A Chinese Ghost Story trilogy here for a cool $50. Shipping prices might be bonkers though.

 

59 minutes ago, WaverBoy said:

Except those are upscales with garbage remixes, aren’t they?

I just happened to be discussing this today with @hongkongblurays on Instagram (represented here on the forum by @LiuYiLong), so I'll copy and paste here what I said there.

I picked this set up fairly recently because I was told that due to licensing issues it will not be released outside of Asia on Blu-Ray, and I have been jonesing to re-watch these. The picture quality is nice, and as you can see, the packaging looks classy. But unfortunately the English subs seem to have been copied straight from the old embedded subs on the theatrical prints, and are pretty poor. I recognized some of them specifically (which is a funny thing to remember) as I saw the film both in the theater and with the same print/subs on VHS many times. For me, it's okay as I have long ago figured out what they are meant to say, and I know the story. But it's very disappointing for new viewers- I want to share these with my son- who will be distracted trying to decipher the poor subs' meanings while trying to enjoy the movies. As it's the best option available right now, I'm still glad I own this set, and I'm sure many other old fans will likely feel the same. But for new viewers that have grown accustomed to excellent English translations and subtitles from the likes of 88 Films, Eureka, Arrow, Criterion, etc., they will be sorely disappointed and left scratching their heads at many points.

I'm not an expert on PQ, and especially not audio, but they do appear to be upscales instead of true HD restorations. Based on the first film only, it looks like a significant improvement over the PQ of the Hong Kong Legends DVD. But that release has much, much better subtitles.

Back on topic... So how many of you picked up the ARMOUR OF GOD release? I opened mine and had a brief look at the book and packaging, and I'm extremely happy with it! I'm excited about re-watching the film in style, and checking out all the audio commentaries and special features. We've come a loooong way from this being released in the USA re-scored, edited, and English dub only as OPERATION CONDOR 2: ARMOUR OF THE GODS by Beuna Vista! Sacrilege! The 88 crew even created a Cantonese and English Hybrid track (so characters are speaking the language they're actually supposed to be speaking) just for this release. This looks to be everything we could ever dream of in a Blu-ray of the film, and as a Chan-fan I am absolutely thrilled. We've got a lot going on here, but hopefully once things calm down a bit I'll be able to show the films to my son as a double-bill (or maybe even triple-bill) for his first viewing of them.

[WaverBoy]

2 hours ago, KUNG FU BOB said:

 

I just happened to be discussing this today with @hongkongblurays on Instagram (represented here on the forum by @LiuYiLong), so I'll copy and paste here what I said there.

I picked this set up fairly recently because I was told that due to licensing issues it will not be released outside of Asia on Blu-Ray, and I have been jonesing to re-watch these. The picture quality is nice, and as you can see, the packaging looks classy. But unfortunately the English subs seem to have been copied straight from the old embedded subs on the theatrical prints, and are pretty poor. I recognized some of them specifically (which is a funny thing to remember) as I saw the film both in the theater and with the same print/subs on VHS many times. For me, it's okay as I have long ago figured out what they are meant to say, and I know the story. But it's very disappointing for new viewers- I want to share these with my son- who will be distracted trying to decipher the poor subs' meanings while trying to enjoy the movies. As it's the best option available right now, I'm still glad I own this set, and I'm sure many other old fans will likely feel the same. But for new viewers that have grown accustomed to excellent English translations and subtitles from the likes of 88 Films, Eureka, Arrow, Criterion, etc., they will be sorely disappointed and left scratching their heads at many points.

I'm not an expert on PQ, and especially not audio, but they do appear to be upscales instead of true HD restorations. Based on the first film only, it looks like a significant improvement over the PQ of the Hong Kong Legends DVD. But that release has much, much better subtitles.

I’m fine with inferior subtitles, and could even put up with the upscaled video, but those horrendous 5.1 remixes…that’s where I draw the line.

[KUNG FU BOB]

12 minutes ago, WaverBoy said:

I’m fine with inferior subtitles, and could even put up with the upscaled video, but those horrendous 5.1 remixes…that’s where I draw the line.

Though I don't like the remixes, for me they are the least annoying of the three problems you mentioned. Yes, they suck. But they don't drive me crazy like some other fans.

[AslanBey]

5 hours ago, KUNG FU BOB said:

 

Back on topic... So how many of you picked up the ARMOUR OF GOD release? I opened mine and had a brief look at the book and packaging, and I'm extremely happy with it! I'm excited about re-watching the film in style, and checking out all the audio commentaries and special features. We've come a loooong way from this being released in the USA re-scored, edited, and English dub only as OPERATION CONDOR 2: ARMOUR OF THE GODS by Beuna Vista! Sacrilege! The 88 crew even created a Cantonese and English Hybrid track (so characters are speaking the language they're actually supposed to be speaking) just for this release. This looks to be everything we could ever dream of in a Blu-ray of the film, and as a Chan-fan I am absolutely thrilled. We've got a lot going on here, but hopefully once things calm down a bit I'll be able to show the films to my son as a double-bill (or maybe even triple-bill) for his first viewing of them.

Preordered it donkey's years ago, still waiting 😭

[sifu iron perm]

Wish they get more heroic bloodshed and out do hong kong rescue's 9 months for delivery shit service!!

 

 

[WaverBoy]

3 hours ago, sifu iron perm said:

Wish they get more heroic bloodshed and out do hong kong rescue's 9 months for delivery shit service!!

 

 

Alas, rights aren’t available. Won’t happen. Unless there’s a late Christmas miracle.

[Super Ninja]

On 12/28/2021 at 6:55 PM, KUNG FU BOB said:

Back on topic... So how many of you picked up the ARMOUR OF GOD release?

Got the email today notifying me it's been dispatched. ETA: January 5th. 

[De Ming Li]

On 12/29/2021 at 12:11 PM, sifu iron perm said:

Wish they get more heroic bloodshed and out do hong kong rescue's 9 months for delivery shit service!!

 

 

I was going to keep quiet, but you beat me to it, I can't resist, even though it's kind of taboo on KFF to bring this up. I am still waiting on my blu ray of The Killer from "that other guy" from May 25th. I've written five emails to him with no response and so I simply can't buy from him again.

[JackieRome]

This edition of AOG is a dream. Incredible attention to detail, each element is studied in detail. A dream for any Jackie fan. Congratulations to everyone who collaborated on this masterpiece, keep it up guys, with these Deluxe editions.

[sifu iron perm]

4 hours ago, De Ming Li said:

I was going to keep quiet, but you beat me to it, I can't resist, even though it's kind of taboo on KFF to bring this up. I am still waiting on my blu ray of The Killer from "that other guy" from May 25th. I've written five emails to him with no response and so I simply can't buy from him again.

not just You my friend..likewise and many others!

 

 

[ZenkaigerBat]

10 hours ago, De Ming Li said:

I was going to keep quiet, but you beat me to it, I can't resist, even though it's kind of taboo on KFF to bring this up. I am still waiting on my blu ray of The Killer from "that other guy" from May 25th. I've written five emails to him with no response and so I simply can't buy from him again.

I've spoken to alot of people and they're all angry at him after waiting a year or two for their blu-rays.