Region 3 Shaw Brothers Flicks (1 Viewer)

[JonZ]

All the recent talk about Kill Bill has made me want to upgrade to a region free player.

Does anyone have any of the new Celestial Region 3 Shaw Flicks and how are the transfers.Im tired of waiting and want to replace my old VHS tapes and crappy DVDs.

I also hear there are anamorphic versions of the Bruce Lee films in other regions.

Also anyone who used the Pioneer DV363K, Id appreciate your imput on that player as well.

Thanks!!!

 

[Jeff Mason]

While I don't have any of them, the reviews over at the Kung Fu DVD forum have generally been favorable. Unfortunately, the first batch of releases weren't anamorphic, but that has apparently since be rectified.

The hard core collectors do note the lack of English dubbing (many are partial to the original English dubs since that's how they grew up watching them) and the presence of remixed 5.1 surround (the original films were in mono).

Disney/Miramax have the rights to release these in the U.S., so you can bet the films released in R1 will more than likely have English dubs. Given Disney's poor track record with their treatment of Asian films (poor dubbing, replacing of music scores, editing of "quesionable scenes") you're probably better off buying the R3s from Celestial anyway.

I plan on getting 36th Chamber of Shaolin myself at some point.

 

[James_M]

The difference in transfer is amazing: http://207.136.67.23/film/dvdcompare/36thchamber.htm
And so are the rest of the Celestial DVDs.

But if you want to get into the "Hong Kong Legends" label DVDs http://www.hongkonglegends.co.uk/ind...7af23b7c3a5532 you'd need a regionfree player that can convert PAL into NTSC if you're in the US.

 

[JonZ]

Thanks for the replys.

Jeff,
I know this is blasphemy here at HTF but I love the old dubs. Like you said its probally because I grew up with them and have watched them this way for so long.Its part of the charm.

I have absoltely no faith in Miramax regarding these titles.Im sure theyll butcher them.I belive they bought 50 titles to release in the US - no mention of which ones.
As I said I have about 50 SHaw flicks on VHS tapes from the early 80s so I can always watch them if Im dying for the same 10 actor dubs, but Im curios to see them in the oiginal language as well.

I found a few great reviews for the Pioneer DV363k and didnt even have to buy it. Once my G/F found out I wanted it ,she ordered it for me for Christmas

 

[Jeff Mason]

Hey JonZ,

Not blasphemy at all. Many fans are partial to the dubs they grew up with! I'd just hold on to those old VHS tapes, because those dubs are likely to be gone. I've read a lot of debate about this, but because those old English dubs were done on edited prints, this creates a problem when the "missing" sections are restored on the DVD. Most speculate that future Miramax versions will have new English dubs, but who knows. You can't really win in the end, you either get an edited film or you get the dubs you love.

 

[DustinLC]

And where do you guys buy this? Which site would you recommend?

While I get a kick out of the dubbing, I wouldn't mind having them in there original language.

 

[JonZ]

Here:http://www.hkflix.com/xq/asp/qtype.a.../qx/titles.htm

If the Shaw titles dont come up, just scroll down on the "Genres" tab and go to Shaw Titles

Its a good site with a summary,features,and details of the releases and even a few screen shots fo some.

 

[Michael Warner]

I've bought six of the Celestial Shaw DVDs so far and have been more than pleased with every one. Watching a pristine copy of "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin" is something I never expected to be able to do. I've been buying mine through CD-Wow because of some leftover store credit. They ship for free and average around $13.95 each.

 

[Jeff Mason]

Dustin,

Being from SF, I would probably poke around Chinatown and see if you can find the DVDs. I know in NYC's Chinatown, the Celestial DVDs are around $10 each. CDWow is a great choice, too, as was already mentioned.

 

[DustinLC]

Being from SF, I would probably poke around Chinatown and see if you can find the DVDs

No such luck. I guess you guys have the better Chinatown .

Sure there are plenty of HK flicks but Shaw stuffs are pretty old.

I'll check out the links provided here. Thanks.

 

[Jeff Mason]

Dustin,

Not much to go on, but there is a shop in SF called HEROES CLUB, THE ART OF TOYS 840 Clement St., San Francisco, CA 94118. I believe right next door or at least on the same block is an Asian run shop with a lot of HK DVDs. I scouted out the HK release of Iron Monkey (1993) there a year or so ago before I got the Hong Kong Legends version. If this shop doesn't carry the Celestial Shaw titles, I'd be surprised.

Jeff

 

[DustinLC]

Jeff, they carry those titles in its original Chinese language or the English dubbed?

I can find the English version fairly easy but it's the original Chinese version that I can't seem to locate.

Either way, seems like a store worth checking out. Thanks.

 

[Steve_Ch]

I have a number of the R3 Shaw Brother stuff, they are not great but I am generally please with them, as I have a feeling that some of the 40+ year movies may not have the best of prints. yesasia.com has a full compliment of the stuff, good luck shopping.

 

[Jeff Mason]

Dustin,

The majority of the DVDs at the shop were legitimate Hong Kong imports (not pirates) in Chinese (Mandarin/Cantonese) with English subtitles, not English dubbed DVDs. All of the new Shaw Bros. DVDs from Celestial (and now Deltamac apparently) that have been remastered are coded Region 3, are in Chinese, but have Chinese/English menus and English subtitles. Good luck and happy hunting.

 

[Max Knight]

Jeff,

Any suggestions for stores in NYC? Since China town can be so insane, it's good to have a starting point!

 

[Jeff Mason]

Max,

Unfortunately, while I do get chance to trek around NYC on occasion, I'm not as versed in where to get the R3 Shaws in Manhattan (or the other boroughs for that matter). Discorama in the village has a few of the R3s, but not enough to make it worth a trek from Brooklyn. Others have posted about shops in NYC before; hopefully they can post here for you. If not, I'd go to the Kung Fu DVD forum (www.dvdcult.com/KFDVD.htm) and search around the forum or post a question in the Shaw Bros. section. I'm sure someone there would be happy to help you out if you don't get a good answer here.

Jeff