Yi-Yi (A One And a Two) (1 Viewer)

[Ryan Peter]

I heard the original release of this DVD was done very poorly. Was it ever fixed?

 

[DonaldB]

It's my understading that the defect which prevented the disc from playing in many players was fixed, but the soft, shimmering transfer remains the same.

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

Without a doubt, a new transfer of this film is badly needed.

~Edwin

 

[Seth Paxton]

Yes, there is definately a noticable shimmer in the first scene when the family is outside under some trees. It's a bit grainy too, but I saw it just 2 weeks before the DVD and it seems to me that the "look" on the DVD was pretty close (except for the shimmer).

 

[Ryan Peter]

Geoff over at DVDTalk reported that Fox Lorber knew of this inexcusable problem and were fixing it. We're not talking about some older Fox Lorber title, like The Killer, where the print could be questionable. I adore this film, but I'd hate to buy a sub-standard version of it. I mean, a brand-new film should have a deluxe, beautiful transfer from the print. The look of the film should resonate onto DVD with the way it captures Taipei in such an inexplicably beautiful way.

Well, if Fox Lorber (is it Winstar now?) didn't do this film right by any means, is there another region that did?

I'm guessing region 4?

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

Well, it was shot on 35mm, so there should be little reason for such a poor transfer. Such a wonderful film and it was treated like some bottom of the barrel catalogue title.

Bruce

 

[DonaldB]

Ryan, the only other DVD edition I'm aware of is one from R2 France. Here it is. Unfortunately, it only has French subs, but I've seen the film so many times that I know most of the dialogue by heart and am tempted to get it anyway.
Seth, there's a big difference between the theatrical print and the DVD image other just the shimmer. Simply compare the trailer on the disc with the corresponding scenes from the film -- the trailer is much sharper and has more accurate color than the main feature.