Vague first review of Dragon Dynasty's DVD of The Killer

[The Running Man]

Call me crazy Fist Of Boss, but I'd say he was upset.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

Come on OPY. You should edit that. It's a really bad run on sentence.

[OldPangYau]

Call me crazy Fist Of Boss, but I'd say he was upset.

Yeah, I was just slightly... hmm... "miffed" at the time. Sorry, I just felt that now that we're getting into blu-ray, anything other than HD-sourced 1080p for film-based movies or shows is just wrong. Meanwhile, I'm predicting if this happened with DD, Well Go's Shaw blu-rays will probably be the same.

Come on OPY. You should edit that. It's a really bad run on sentence.

That's what I was going for

[Killer Meteor]

It has to be an international rights issue. The Fortune Star transfers for The Killer, Swordsman and the A Better Tomorrow films for example were only used in Asian territories. All other releases were sourced from Atlas.

In the UK, Swordsman 1 is with Media Asia/Fortune Star, 2 and 3 with Atlas.

[The Running Man]

Well, Media Asia and Fortune Star are not one but I meant "Swordsman films".

Now that I think about it, I don't know if Atlas even has the first Swordsman. There are releases in France and Germany of all 3 Swordsman films but don't know what the source is for the first film.

[chen lung]

I mentioned somewhere, but it's weird how HKL managed to get a number of Golden Princess films from Media Asia, as opposed to Atlas.

[The Running Man]

Yeah, I figure there must have been a reshuffling of some kind of international rights when Fortune Star took over of the catalog Media Asia once had because HKL's release of the second A Better Tomorrow film still has the Media Asia symbol (meaning they held onto their print from the Media Asia contract) while the Optimum Asia release of the first film is from Atlas.

[chen lung]

Yeah, I figure there must have been a reshuffling of some kind of international rights when Fortune Star took over of the catalog Media Asia once had because HKL's release of the second A Better Tomorrow film still has the Media Asia symbol (meaning they held onto their print from the Media Asia contract) while the Optimum Asia release of the first film is from Atlas.

I thought that too, but then what about the US Anchor Bay releases of 'ABT' films? They were international prints (perhaps the UK MIA DVD was as well).

[Killer Meteor]

More comedy! - http://www.facebook.com/DragonDynasty/posts/107856859238427

[Guest Markgway]

They can't silence everyone - but they'll try!

I've heard that DD have sent men in black suits around to everyone's homes to confiscate keyboards.

I boarded up just in the nick of time.

[The Dragon]

They can't silence everyone - but they'll try!

I've heard that DD have sent men in black suits around to everyone's homes to confiscate keyboards.

I boarded up just in the nick of time.

"Freeze, you jive Turkeys!

I know I was the best Dragon Dynasty customer, that Dragon Dynasty ever had!...

... But I told you Cracka's, I'm out the game!

There are two dead DD muthasuckas in my backyard! Whitey thought he was gettin' this sucka's dough, but I fixed his Honkey a$$ fo' sho'! Can you dig it?!"

"Now scram, split,... I said shake the scene! I'll see y'all tomorrow!"

[gorhama]

"Freeze, you jive Turkeys!

I know I was the best Dragon Dynasty customer, that Dragon Dynasty ever had!...

... But I told you Cracka's, I'm out the game!

There are two dead DD muthasuckas in my backyard! Whitey thought he was gettin' this sucka's dough, but I fixed his Honkey a$$ fo' sho'! Can you dig it?!"

"Now scram, split,... I said shake the scene! I'll see y'all tomorrow!"

BEST POST OF THE DAY!!

[The Running Man]

I thought that too, but then what about the US Anchor Bay releases of 'ABT' films? They were international prints (perhaps the UK MIA DVD was as well).

Good point. Perhaps Anchor Bay specifically wanted international prints? Or maybe them getting the A Better Tomorrow films was the result of another deal? Aside from 7 Golden Vampires and Aces Go Places (aka Mad Mission), they didn't really release Hong Kong movies.

What other movies does Atlas owns?

[The Dragon]

BEST POST OF THE DAY!!

I just couldn't help myself. That movie is burned into my mind!

[Killer Meteor]

Good point. Perhaps Anchor Bay specifically wanted international prints? Or maybe them getting the A Better Tomorrow films was the result of another deal? Aside from 7 Golden Vampires and Aces Go Places (aka Mad Mission), they didn't really release Hong Kong movies.

What other movies does Atlas owns?

Atlas owns the English rights to Goodbye Bruce Lee: His Last Game Of Death, which they licensed to Arrow (UK) and Anchor Bay (US) and the DVDs of those are a good anamorphic print with good dubbing (from Europe rather then Hong Kong).

[inframan]

Call me crazy Fist Of Boss, but I'd say he was upset.

You're lucky he didn't punch a hole in the drywall again.

Bummer about the DVD. So is there a HK relase thats the best version to get? I still have the old Fox version with the yellow Mickey Mouse and Dumbo subs.

[Killer Meteor]

You're lucky he didn't punch a hole in the drywall again.

Bummer about the DVD. So is there a HK relase thats the best version to get? I still have the old Fox version with the yellow Mickey Mouse and Dumbo subs.

The old HKL is probably the best, though its a bit heavy on the noice reduction, its an OK transfer, with good extras and subs.

[Guest I Like Elaine]

Okay i'm starting to feel gyped here. It could be a defective disc, or maybe it's my dvd player. But for anyone else, is the last shootout at the end at night an artifact hell? I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing. The flames from the explosions looked literally like square blocks. It's like something out of tetris. And the muzzle flash everytime a gun was fired, there'd be this weird sort've breakup of the video, and these funny lines. I can't believe this is a 2010 release!!!!!!! Normally I never complain, but this is unacceptable. I checked out my winstar dvd, and it's head and shoulders above this one even though it's letterbox. Better colors, sharpness, etc. To be fair i'll check it out on another dvd player when i have time, but this is a disappointment. Also i'm considering still getting the blu-ray down the line, but are these problems present on the BD for anyone who has this??

[David Rees]

Looks like i will stick with my HK Legends dvd. Shame as i was looking forward to getting the blu ray but even that is sub standard from what i have read....

Shaw Brothers Official All Region DVDs Here

FAR EAST BLU RAY GUIDE

[daisho2004]

I don't understand how they can F@@K-Up these movies all the time! What gives!

[Raul4510]

You know, it's sad that they can never get these movies right but I have to say that the image quality of the Blu Ray is the best I've ever seen this movie look. Anybody who says that there are DVD releases that look better are just kidding themselves. It sucks that it's sourced in 1080i but the truth is my PS3 registers the disc as 1080p and I doubt I could tell the difference on my 32 inch HDTV anyway. Even if I don't agree with the way DD has handled their releases The Killer could have been worse.

[OldPangYau]

1080i is inexcusable for any film-sourced movie or TV show on blu-ray, simple as that. Even worse when it's a PAL-to-NTSC transfer that's not properly converted. At least The Protector SHOULD be a step up. There's no reason at all for that one to not be 1080p.

[Rhythm-X]

1080i is inexcusable for any film-sourced movie or TV show on blu-ray, simple as that. Even worse when it's a PAL-to-NTSC transfer that's not properly converted. At least The Protector SHOULD be a step up. There's no reason at all for that one to not be 1080p.

I bet as far as TOM-YUM-GOONG goes, the Weinstein Company theatrical version (THE PROTECTOR) will be true 1080p24, the uncut TYG version will be an upscale from 480p, and the Dragon Dynasty apologists will explain how this is the best outcome imaginable while simultaneously scolding us as if we went to the Special Olympics and booed the bronze medalists. That's just what I'm expecting. I could be wrong - I hope I'm wrong.

[The Running Man]

Okay i'm starting to feel gyped here. It could be a defective disc, or maybe it's my dvd player. But for anyone else, is the last shootout at the end at night an artifact hell?

I found out that the main disc on the Dragon Dynasty DVD is surprisingly a DVD5. So what you are seeing is the result of compression.

[John]

You know, it's sad that they can never get these movies right but I have to say that the image quality of the Blu Ray is the best I've ever seen this movie look. Anybody who says that there are DVD releases that look better are just kidding themselves. It sucks that it's sourced in 1080i but the truth is my PS3 registers the disc as 1080p and I doubt I could tell the difference on my 32 inch HDTV anyway. Even if I don't agree with the way DD has handled their releases The Killer could have been worse.

"Could have been worse" is not the attitude with which to approach Blu-ray. If BD is going to be successful, it needs to be impressed upon consumers that there is a valuable difference to justify the cost of the disc and the BD player's place in a home theater. FYI, the HKL disc is pretty kickass - I haven't screened this new BD but if these comments are any indication the HKL and the French edition are likely contenders for better PQ.