Drunken Master (1 Viewer)

[Max Knight]

It's really too bad that they messed up the soundtrack on this film, it's a classic in my book. However, it's not a film for everyone (as Ron pointed out). This is classic Hong Kong cinema, before the polish of Once Upon a Time in China, Drunken Master 2, Fist of Legend, etc.

I currently have a number of classic Hong Kong titles on VHS that I'm really hoping will get DVD releases that will do them justice. I'd love to see:

Drunken Master

Shaolin Temple

Master Killer

Enter the Fat Dragon

and many more!

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Apparently they claim that the Cantonese master was damaged too much

I have 4 friends who are willing to lend their LDs right now.

If it's so damaged, where did HK Legends get a good one?

Columbia, if you're reading this, if you're going to lie, please do it in a manner that is not so easily debunked

 

[JohnJB]

Just a couple of issues:

a) why do people try to denegrate the Legend of the Drunken Master edition, surely most non Cantonese speakers would rather listen to Jackie dubbing himself very well in English than listen to a somebody else dub him in Canotonese (people say it sinc sound but I find this hard to beleive unless they've mastered a way of making sinc sound sound like a bad dub) also the picture is very good and all I beleive all that is cut is some joke at the expense of the handicapped, which you'd think most people could live without.

b) please don't take offence Ron but however ugly the acting in the original Drunken Master I find it hard to beleive you prefer the pathetic wire-fu of CTHD cack, the number of times when the legs are just flaying (spelling?) without making contact as they jumping on the roof tops was IMO very ugly indeed and what the hell was that Lawrence of Arabia desert shot about???

c) until you see an HKL release a lot of people keep saying I guess it's the best they can do with the old materials, but HKL from little old Hitching in England have proven that with enough effort you can make these things look absolutely fantastic, I seriously think (on my 56" RPTV) their release of The Big Boss looks better than Rush Hour 2, go figure.

 

[Matthew Brown]

I am so glad I didn't pre-order this one!

Apparently Columbia knew there was a problem and has done nothing about it.

I'll just wait for the Hong Kong Legends version. It will be a pain trying to figure out which is the good DVD if they do correct this. So much for Destination films.

Matt

 

[Steve Sung]

I also want to confirm that I have the same problem with the Audio on the DVD. I am using Pioneer DV-09. It's too bad they messed up since it is a classic kungfu movie. Hope they will fix the problem. Ron, please let me know if there is any update on the title.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

b) please don't take offence Ron but however ugly the acting in the original Drunken Master I find it hard to beleive you prefer the pathetic wire-fu of CTHD cack, the number of times when the legs are just flaying (spelling?) without making contact as they jumping on the roof tops was IMO very ugly indeed and what the hell was that Lawrence of Arabia desert shot about???

The shot in LOA is much better seen on the big screen, but it looks like Omar Sharif's camel is walking on air. The "flying" that you hate so much is very much part of Chinese popular mythology, and if you'd do some reasearch into the culture, you'd know what it's all about.

 

[JohnJB]

I'm not talking about the flying (I don't have a problem with that Superman is one of my favorite films) I'm talking about when their JUMPING from roof to roof but their feet nearly but not quite touch the roofs (aka leg's flaying)

I love Chow Yun-Fat & Michele Yeoh but that turd CTHD being a big hit really perplexed me, when Miracles (which I beleive is a GOOD film by your definition Jeff) is held in nowhere near as high esteem, but then in a world where the biggest box office draws are Julia Roberts & Tom Cruise I guess least financially sucessful sometimes means most talented, and vice versa.

 

[Jon Robertson]

Hong Kong Legends' current disc DOESN'T have a Cantonese soundtrack, but rather a Mandarin one.

I know they'll try their very best to get a decent-sounding Cantonese track onto the Platinum Edition.

 

[Matthew Brown]

I believe DRUNKEN MASTER was originally shown in theaters with a Mandarin soundtrack but every other form has had the Cantonese track. The actors were actually speaking Cantonese while filming so that looks more natural than the Mandarin.

I also have full faith that Hong Kong Legends will do their best to get both Cabtonese and Mandarin soundtracks.

Matt

 

[JimChan]

I believe DRUNKEN MASTER was originally shown in theaters with a Mandarin soundtrack

Nope. DM was shown in Cantonese in HK back in 70s.

 

[Matthew Brown]

Jim -

Thanks! I must have heard wrong about the Mandarin. I hope the new HKL version has the Canotonese track.

I won't buy the Columbia version because I hate having to return defective DVD's.

Matt

 

[Max Knight]

The jumping around from roof to roof with little contact is an interperetation of the battles described in Chinese martial arts legends.

CTHD is essentially a Chinese fairytale. You don't hear about people being upset that Tinkerbell has a magic wand, do you?

There are many different styles of martial arts film making, each of which can tell the same story in a different manner. You have the more "authentic" fighting style seen in films like the original Drunken Master and Master Killer, as well as the "wire-fu" of CTHD and New Legend of Shaolin.

 

[Guy Martin]

So is there any word of a recall/fix from Columbia? Or are those of us without region-free players stuck with this release? I saw it at Best Buy yesterday and was sorely tempted to pick it up since it is one of my favorite Chan movies, but I don't want a disc with a screwed-up soundtrack.

- Guy

 

[MartinTeller]

DVDReview gave it a positive review:
http://www.dvdreview.com/quickpeek/collect/678.shtml

 

[Matthew Brown]

I e-mailed DVDREVIEW.com to see if the problem with the audio was evident. I haven't gotten a response yet.

Matt

 

[Matthew Brown]

DVDREVIEW.com didn't answer my e-mail. I hope they change it because it is lying to say that the audio is fine. ALL of the DVD's have this glitch when viewing with the Cantonese track.

Reviews should be more than a press release for the studio.

I would urge anybody who spots reviews that fail to mention the glitch to e-mail the source and inquire about it.

I doubt there will be a fix anytime soon other than to wait for the Hong Kong Legends version.

Matt

 

[Jeff Kleist]

DVDREview probably only watched the dub track and spot checked the OSL one. Sigh

 

[Matthew Brown]

DVDREVIEW.com is ammending the review.

Here is part of the response I received. By the sounds of it, no recall. So I guess, no sale.

The disc is not defective. The problem is that the Cantonese audio track has been defective beyond repair in certain parts of the film. In order to have the gaps filled, Columbia decided to insert he English dub instead in these scenes. While it's a bit distracting, it is certainly still better than having those parts entirely silent, since the music and sound effects would be lost as well otherwise.

Columbia should have made mention of this on the package. They shouldn't have released the movie like this. I would rather they not release it at all.

Matt

 

[rutger_s]

Buena Vista Home Entertainment and Walt Disney Home Video used an impersonator to re-record some of the missing dialogue from the 60th anniversary edition of Fantasia.

Columbia Tri-Star Home Entertainment & Destination Home Video could not not get Jackie Chan and other voice actors to re-record the damaged elements in Cantonese? They paid for an English dub track. If they couldn't get Chan, they could have still re-recorded it properly.

 

[Ted Todorov]

If they couldn't get Chan, they could have still re-recorded it properly.

As far as I know, Jackie Chan was dubbed by a different voice actor in Cantonese anyway, so they don't need to get him.

I can't believe I bought the thing without seeing this thread. Very, very frustrating. Columbia lately is on it's way to the top of the bête noir list for their P&S BS & now this.

There is NO EXCUSE OF ANY KIND FOR NOT HAVING A WARNING STICKER!

Ted