Matthew Brown
Supporting Actor
- Joined
- Sep 19, 1999
- Messages
- 781
Disney/Miramax/Dimension/Buena Vista has bought the rights to several Hong Kong movies. All North American retailers are no longer supposed to be selling any movies that Disney has the rights to. These movies include GOD OF GAMBLERS, HEROIC TRIO, THE EXECUTIONERS, BULLET IN THE HEAD, SHAOLIN SOCCER, CITY ON FIRE, most all movies starring Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, as well as several others.
So what does this mean to the Hong Kong movie fans?
Disney tends to cut, re-edit, re-score, and almost always English dub their Hong Kong movies. Disney does not mention that these movies have been altered anywhere on the packaging or on the DVD. The originals will be unavailable for you. In other words, there will be no region 1 release of these movies in their original form. It is already impossible to get a DVD of FIST OF LEGEND with it's original soundtrack anywhere on earth.
There are two ways around this. You can still order these movies direct from Hong Kong. The prices still aren't bad. It just takes longer to get. The other way is a region free player so you can enjoy the Hong Kong Legends releases from region 2.
I see a lot of threads that ask for uncensored versions of movies or extended cuts. I'm all for those. I'm just asking for the original cut of the movie with it's original soundtrack in the right aspect ratio. Is that asking too much? Apparently, for Disney it is.
By the way, these aren't bootlegs that Disney doesn't want sold. These are legitimate imports.
Matt
So what does this mean to the Hong Kong movie fans?
Disney tends to cut, re-edit, re-score, and almost always English dub their Hong Kong movies. Disney does not mention that these movies have been altered anywhere on the packaging or on the DVD. The originals will be unavailable for you. In other words, there will be no region 1 release of these movies in their original form. It is already impossible to get a DVD of FIST OF LEGEND with it's original soundtrack anywhere on earth.
There are two ways around this. You can still order these movies direct from Hong Kong. The prices still aren't bad. It just takes longer to get. The other way is a region free player so you can enjoy the Hong Kong Legends releases from region 2.
I see a lot of threads that ask for uncensored versions of movies or extended cuts. I'm all for those. I'm just asking for the original cut of the movie with it's original soundtrack in the right aspect ratio. Is that asking too much? Apparently, for Disney it is.
By the way, these aren't bootlegs that Disney doesn't want sold. These are legitimate imports.
Matt