Fox's Collection of Bruce Lee DVDs are going OOP on 9/30/05 (1 Viewer)

[Nils Luehrmann]

On September 30th, Fox will be retiring the 5-disc Bruce Lee - The Master Collection as well as the four individual Bruce Lee titles:
[url=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000065B07.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg] [/url]Bruce Lee - The Master Collection
UPC: 024543051794
* Fists of Fury
* The Chinese Connection
* Return of the Dragon
* Game of Death
* Bruce Lee: The Legend (1977)[url=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005BCKC.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg] [/url]Fists of Fury (1971)
UPC: 024543018018[url=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005BCKA.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg] [/url]Chinese Connection (1972)
UPC: 024543014157[url=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005BCKD.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg] [/url]Return of the Dragon (1972)
UPC: 024543018049[url=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005BCKB.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg] [/url]Game of Death (1978)
UPC: 024543017981

 

[PaulaJ]

Is this a prelude to a release of superior anamorphic versions of these movies in Region 1? The new and improved versions are out there (IVL's Region 3 box set...)

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

who cares, the set stinks.

I'm trying to find a copy of the R3 'HK Contemporary' Korean remastered DTS box set from Spectrum that comes in a silver book similar to the "Better Tomorrow" collection...

 

[PaulaJ]

>who cares, the set stinks.

Definitely -- which is why I suspect its retirement is a prelude to a re-release of the nice new remastered versions. Fox has done a great job with its Region 1 releases of HK martial arts classics and I wouldn't be surprised if they were getting ready to announce a brand new Region 1 Bruce Lee box set.

Maybe that's why we haven't had any news yet about the next Fox martial arts wave...

 

[Ruz-El]

I've seen this box new for under $30, and I still can't bring myself to buy it. the one film I've seen out of it was a horrible quality transfer, with horrible source material.

I'll gladly buy an updated set! After Warners superb "Enter The Dragon SE", I'd love to see similar treatment on these.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

I just bought the Spectrum set on Ebay so I dom't really care eitherway, I doubt any studio is going to top that set. Perhaps in the audio department?

 

[PaulaJ]

I don't know about the Spectrum set, but IVL/Fortune Star's NTSC region 3 set is very good. Hong Kong Legends (R2 PAL) has better extras, though.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDRev...eleeboxset.htm

Again, I wouldn't be surprised if a R1 set were on the way...

 

[Matthew Brown]

If Fox does release these, expect them to be identical to the IVL and Spectrum releases as far as Sound and Video quality. Sometimes the sound options differ as far as mono tracks being used. I doubt they will do a box set because what is called GAME OF DEATH II is already out from FOX and I think Warner Bros has the rights to Enter the Dragon.

Game of Death II is just some outakes of Bruce Lee mixed into a movie. On it's own, it's fun to watch but don't watch it expecting a Bruce Lee movie.

The HKL DVD's are great for the extras but they look almost painted compared to the detail in the IVL releases because of the digital restoration process they use. The IVL release isn't perfect but it looks a lot more like film.

Matt

 

[Jeff Adkins]

I thought that I read that these films had been purchased recently by Dimension Films? Or was that just a rumor?

 

[PaulaJ]

>If Fox does release these, expect them to be identical to the IVL and Spectrum releases as far as Sound and Video quality. Sometimes the sound options differ as far as mono tracks being used.

Yup... that's why I'm not buying some of the IVL/Fortune Star releases because they're already out on Fox DVDs and I'm happy with those, esp. since they started including mono and better subtitles rather than "dubtitles."

> I doubt they will do a box set because what is called GAME OF DEATH II is already out from FOX and I think Warner Bros has the rights to Enter the Dragon.

Yes, WB recently re-issued Enter the Dragon on a 30th anniversary DVD with picture much improved from the 25th anniversary edition.

>Game of Death II is just some outakes of Bruce Lee mixed into a movie. On it's own, it's fun to watch but don't watch it expecting a Bruce Lee movie.

But it's kind of fun to watch esp. since Sammo Hung choreographed a lot of the action.

>The HKL DVD's are great for the extras but they look almost painted compared to the detail in the IVL releases because of the digital restoration process they use. The IVL release isn't perfect but it looks a lot more like film.

I prefer IVL too. But I have the HKL box too for the extras.

Haven't heard anything about Dimension buying the rights to the Bruce Lee movies -- I sure hope not. Because they're... ugh... MIRAMAX.

 

[Matthew Brown]

It's possible that Dimension just has TV rights. When aired recently I believe there was a Dimension logo somewhere.
I think this is possible because in the not so far away future, tv and Video On Demand rights will mean more than rights to distribute on a physical medium. Miramax purchased 700 Shaw Bros. films for Video on Demand but only 50 for DVD.

I hope that's the case, at least.

Matt

 

[PaulaJ]

>Miramax purchased 700 Shaw Bros. films for Video on Demand but only 50 for DVD.


They've been in a big rush to release those 50 on DVD, haven't they.

Sorry... I always feel a big snark coming on when Miramax enters the conversation.

 

[Matthew Brown]

Paula -
There are a couple of reasons why they aren't released. They buy the rights in some cases specifically to sit on them so nobody else can release them. This also allows them to make remakes without fear that the original would be released and dilute there intake.

For the Shaw Brothers movies, bootlegs are rampant. Considering it would be highly doubtful that the original soundtrack would be released on a Miramax/Dimension titles, they wouldn't offer much better than a bootleg. Sure, they would look great, but they would probably be totally rescored and re-dubbed. Miramax probably doesn't expect to seel too many of these movies so they don't bother making DVD's.

Matt

 

[LorenzoL]

Matthew -

Have you heard anything about the next wave of Fox/Fortune Star titles?

 

[PaulaJ]

Matthew, I know all that. Though I really don't get the logic behind it, especially since who in the U.S. is going to do remakes of old Shaw Bros. classics? The reason they're not going to sell many copies of any R1 releases is BECAUSE they sit on them. Celestial keeps on releasing titles in R3 and any Asian film fan worth his or her salt has a multi-region DVD player and has been happily buying or renting those Celestial R3 releases. I might have held off on a couple of purchases if I had known for sure they were coming out in R1, but since it's Miramax -- I know they won't be.

(P.S. I wouldn't mind if Celestial started putting out second editions of some of their older SB titles, i.e., new anamorphic transfers of movies previously released in non-anamorphic format, Come Drink With Me being top of this list.)

Meanwhile this from another thread:

Fox has announced:

BRUCE LEE ULTIMATE COLLECTION (10/18)


HA! I'm not surprised at all.

 

[Matthew Brown]

Lorenzo -
I think one title in the next wave may be an old school Jackie Chan movie. I don't think Fox is promoting the next wave like the previous ones. There probably won't be any early reviews this time around.

Matt

 

[LorenzoL]

Thanks Matthew. I hope Fox is not considering in dropping this series. That will be a shame.

 

[Matthew Brown]

I also hope they don't drop them. I think not sending out screeners will hurt sales. People really liked seeing the reviews before buying them.

For those with muti region players, check this out ,http://www.asiandvdguide.com/. It's a list of upcoming Fortune Star titles. Some are box sets.

Matt

 

[PaulaJ]

A smidgeon of info re the upcoming Bruce Lee box set from Fox. This is from ign.com.

Bruce Lee Lives Again on DVD
Boxed set offers five classic kung fu films.
by Todd Gilchrist

July 26, 2005 - On October 18, 2005, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release Bruce Lee: The Ultimate Collection on DVD. The five-disc set will include Lee's classic movies, retitled to reflect the original release information of each film: The Big Boss (a/k/a Fists of Fury, Fist of Fury (a/k/a The Chinese Connection), Way of the Dragon (a/k/a Return of the Dragon), The Game of Death, and The Game of Death II.

Game of Death II was released earlier this year in the same format as the forthcoming boxed set: Remastered picture and sound are the disc's chief features, but trailers are included as well. Additional bonus materials will appear on the boxed set, which will be offered for the MSRP of 49.98, but details were not provided as of press time.

 

[oscar_merkx]

what's going to be different with these new dvds