Non-MoC Eureka Titles

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swo17
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka titles

#326 Post by swo17 » Thu Jan 28, 2021 11:27 am


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L.A.
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Re: MoC Forthcoming, Wishlist, and Random Speculation

#327 Post by L.A. » Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:44 pm

The SPECIAL FEATURES for our forthcoming release of DUEL TO THE DEATH have now been confirmed as follows:

Limited Edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling | 1080p presentation on Blu-ray from a new 2K restoration from the original film elements | Original Cantonese audio | Optional English dubbed audio | Optional English Subtitles, newly revised for this release (including correct translations for the Japanese characters, incorrect on all previous English language releases of the film)| Brand new feature length audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)| An Interview with Manfred Wong – an extensive interview with the screenwriter, covering his involvement in Duel to the Death and his illustrious and varied career in the Hong Kong entertainment industry | Duel Identity – Archival interview with actor Norman Chui Siu-keung | Flora Cheung on Duel to the Death – Archival interview with actress Flora Cheung | Alternate English credits | Stills galleries including rare production stills, artwork, and ephemera | Trailers | PLUS: A LIMITED EDITION collector’s booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver; and a reprint of Frank Djeng’s original liner notes from the US laserdisc release

DUEL TO THE DEATH, the action-packed kung-fu extravaganza often hailed by critics as ‘the Best Swordplay Movie ever’, comes to Blu-ray from 20 September. PRE-ORDER now https://bit.ly/3vtDTVC

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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#328 Post by Mel » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:21 am

Last week I watched Werewolf (Wilkolak - 2018) from Eureka/Montage Pictures. I noticed very bad color banding (the worst I've seen actually) in the darker scenes. It looks like something went wrong. I also checked the dvd that's included and there it is even worse. The daytime scenes look fine. There are no extra's on the disk and it's a 88 minute movie so I think there is enough space on the disk. It was so distracting that it took me out of the movie. Most reviews talk about the movie and not so much about the technical details. Eureka always deliver top quality so I was very surprised. Does anyone else notice his bad banding in darker areas? The darkes areas seems to move and crawl, like some strange digital compression went wrong.

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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#329 Post by ChunkyLover » Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:49 pm

Mel wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:21 am
Last week I watched Werewolf (Wilkolak - 2018) from Eureka/Montage Pictures. I noticed very bad color banding (the worst I've seen actually) in the darker scenes. It looks like something went wrong. I also checked the dvd that's included and there it is even worse. The daytime scenes look fine. There are no extra's on the disk and it's a 88 minute movie so I think there is enough space on the disk. It was so distracting that it took me out of the movie. Most reviews talk about the movie and not so much about the technical details. Eureka always deliver top quality so I was very surprised. Does anyone else notice his bad banding in darker areas? The darkes areas seems to move and crawl, like some strange digital compression went wrong.
Does the booklet state who did the encoding? I wouldn't be surprised if Eureka give their Montage-branded films to an authoring house like Silversun (who are consistently not good).

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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#330 Post by Mel » Fri Sep 24, 2021 3:07 pm

Unfortunately my copy didn't have a booklet so I can't check who did the encoding.

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L.A.
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#331 Post by L.A. » Thu Oct 14, 2021 3:04 pm

The SPECIAL FEATURES for our forthcoming release of FULL ALERT can now be CONFIRMED and are as follows:

Limited Edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju) | 1080p presentation on Blu-ray from a High Definition transfer from the original film elements | Original Cantonese audio | Optional English Subtitles | Brand new feature length audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) | Audio commentary by director Ringo Lam | Brand new interview with composer Peter Lam | Original theatrical trailer | PLUS: A LIMITED EDITION collector’s booklet featuring new writing by David West (NEO Magazine)

FULL ALERT (Masters of Cinema) is available to PRE-ORDER now https://bit.ly/2UQvmji

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Finch
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#332 Post by Finch » Tue Oct 19, 2021 7:20 pm

One of the titles to be announced on Thursday has been identified as Sammo Hung's Warriors Two. Nice!

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Finch
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#333 Post by Finch » Tue Nov 30, 2021 11:14 pm

Full Alert looks like an old but acceptable HD transfer to me but given how we've been spoiled with 2k restorations of many other HK titles and Joseph Kuo films, you might feel somewhat disappointed by this disc. To be fair, it's at the same low-ish price point as another unrestored HK film, PTU. Subtitles are good (spotted one typo). I got the impression that the audio was occasionally not aligned with the actors' lip movements but since I've only seen the film for the first time tonight, I don't know if that's a fault of the disc or inherent in the source. The film itself is very good. It feels grittier than a Johnnie To flick (not a diss at To whose Exiled and The Mission I still like better than this film) but also not as theatrical as John Woo could be in his 80/90s work. If you liked Wild Search, you might just love this. This was a blind buy for me and it's a keeper until someone hopefully restores the film in 2k or 4k.

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Finch
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#334 Post by Finch » Sun Dec 19, 2021 12:32 am

Midnight is a good example of the strengths and weaknesses of the contemporary South Korean thriller: it's very slickly made and it's often nailbitingly tense and well-choreographed action (more chases on foot at nighttime than in The Chaser) but it also has some implausible character behaviour and writing, especially in the immediate build up to the final confrontation between the killer and the mute girl. Mike Flanagan's Hush is tighter and more satisfying overall but I don't think anyone blind buying the upcoming Eureka disc will be unhappy with this solid film.

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Finch
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#335 Post by Finch » Sun Dec 26, 2021 12:44 pm

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Dreadnaught in 2022 \:D/

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Finch
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#336 Post by Finch » Tue Dec 28, 2021 12:01 pm

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Lady Whirlwind confirmed.

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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#337 Post by Finch » Wed Dec 29, 2021 5:29 pm

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The Shaolin Plot sounds like a decent film if the Letterboxd reviews are anything to go by.

Evil baby Sammo sports a mullet with a clean shaven top and a handlebar beard. He fights with dual flying guillotines, blinds an old man, and then later steals the man's shoes before tricking him into stepping on nail beds and setting fire to his house. What more can you want?

There is a plot about a young man avenging his father in there too, but like a size queen at the club I was here for the Hung.
A solid action movie about a young man who finds himself out for revenge when he crosses paths with a sinister martial-arts-obsessed prince. It's generally entertaining enough, with some great action and a really fun performance from Sammo Hung as the villain's main henchman. But it's awkwardly paced; it runs at a flabby 109 minutes and really shouldn't be a minute over 90 (if that). It probably doesn't help that it's a bit unfocused, and barely even has a main character. I mean, I guess that would be James Tien, but he disappears for long stretches

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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#338 Post by Finch » Thu Jan 27, 2022 11:15 am

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Directed by legendary action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping (THE MATRIX; CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON), Dreadnaught expertly blends majestic action sequences with superb physical comedy, courtesy of stars Yuen Biao, Bryan Leung Kar-yan, and Yuen Shun-yee.
A violent criminal known only as ‘White Tiger’ (Yuen Shun-yee; IRON MONKEY) is hiding amongst a theatre troupe, murdering anyone who discovers his identity (as well as anyone who happens to annoy him). Mousy, a timid laundry man (Yuen Biao; PROJECT A), crosses paths with White Tiger several times but always manages to escape. When the killer instead targets his friend (Bryan “Beardy” Leung; WARRIORS TWO), Mousy must overcome his cowardly nature and acquire the skills necessary to defeat the White Tiger.
Notable for being the final film in which Kwan Tak-hing portrayed folk hero Wong Fei-hung (and, oddly enough, for its famous laundry scene being directly referenced in BATMAN FOREVER), DREADNAUGHT is a cult favourite amongst martial arts fans, and Eureka Classics is proud to present the film in its UK debut on Blu-ray from a brand new 2K restoration!
SPECIAL EDITION BLU-RAY FEATURES:
Limited Edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling [First Print Run of 2000 copies only] | Reversible sleeve design featuring original poster artwork | 1080p presentation on Blu-ray from a 2K restoration | Original Cantonese mono audio | Optional English dubbed audio | Optional English Subtitles, newly translated for this release | Brand new feature length audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) | Brand new feature length audio commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder & Arne Venema | Archival interview with actress Lily Li (21 mins) | Trailers | PLUS: A Limited-Edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver [First Print Run of 2000 copies only] | *All extras subject to change

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Another fast and furious kung fu comedy classic directed by Sammo Hung (THE MILLIONAIRES’ EXPRESS), KNOCKABOUT features a cast of martial arts movie legends including Yuen Biao (THE PRODIGAL SON), Bryan “Beardy” Leung Kar-yan (WARRIORS TWO), and Lau Kar-wing (ODD COUPLE) alongside Hung himself.
Brothers Yipao (Yuen Biao) and Taipao (Leung Kar-yan) are a couple of down on their luck conmen. After getting soundly defeated by the kung fu master, Silver Fox (Lau Kar-wing), the brothers realise it would be in their own self-interest if they learn how to fight, and they ask him to train them. Unfortunately, their new master is actually a ruthless killer, and when the brothers realise this, one of them is murdered. To get revenge, the surviving brother must learn a unique form of kung fu from an unlikely source, a beggar who just happens to be a master fighter!
Featuring one of the greatest action finales in the history of Hong Kong cinema, KNOCKABOUT is yet another classic of martial arts filmmaking from the legendary Sammo Hung, and Eureka Classics is proud to present the film in its UK debut on Blu-ray from a brand new 2K restoration.
SPECIAL EDITION BLU-RAY FEATURES:
Limited Edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling | Reversible sleeve design featuring original poster artwork | Two versions of the film presented in 1080p on Blu-ray from 2K restorations (Original HK Theatrical cut and the shorter Export Cut) | Original Cantonese mono audio | Optional English dubbed audio | Optional English Subtitles, newly translated for this release | Brand new feature length audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) | Brand new feature length audio commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder & Arne Venema | Archival interview with Sammo Hung | Archival interview with Bryan “Beardy” Leung Kar-yan | Archival interview with Grandmaster Chan Sau Chang (aka The Monkey King), a master of Monkey Style | | Deleted Scene | Trailers | PLUS: A Limited Edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver | *All extras subject to change

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A trio of chilling sci-fi tales from the vaults of Universal Pictures, starring a number of genre legends including Lionel Atwill (SON OF FRANKENSTEIN), Lon Chaney, Jr. (THE WOLF MAN), and Grant Williams (THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN).
A mad scientist transforms a carnival performer (Lon Chaney, Jr.) into a murderous monster in MAN-MADE MONSTER (dir. George Waggner, 1941). In THE MONOLITH MONSTERS (dir. John Sherwood, 1957), a giant meteor crashes to Earth and the fragments begin to spread – turning everyone they come into contact with to stone! And finally, fear stalks the seemingly tranquil halls of Dunsfield University in MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS (dir. Jack Arnold, 1958) when a palaeontology professor becomes infected with irradiated blood and begins to devolve into a primitive beast.
SPECIAL EDITION TWO-DISC BLU-RAY FEATURES
Limited Edition O-Card Slipcase | 1080p presentations on Blu-ray | Disc One – MAN-MADE MONSTER and THE MONOLITH MONSTERS | Disc Two – MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS (available in both 1.33:1 and 1.85:1 aspect ratios) | MAN-MADE MONSTER – Brand new audio commentary with author Stephen Jones and author / critic Kim Newman | THE MONOLITH MONSTERS – Brand new audio commentary with Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby | MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS – Brand new audio commentary with author Stephen Jones and author / critic Kim Newman | Optional SDH subtitles | PLUS: A Limited-Edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the films included in this set by film scholar Craig Ian Mann | *All extras subject to change

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Drucker
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#339 Post by Drucker » Wed Feb 09, 2022 3:24 pm

The Bride With White Hair limited edition is about to sell out (posted on Instagram).

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Maltic
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#340 Post by Maltic » Wed Feb 09, 2022 5:30 pm

Truly not much effort put into these HK releases in terms of extras. But I guess they sell anyway.

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swo17
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#341 Post by swo17 » Wed Feb 09, 2022 5:56 pm

Not sure what you mean--they've generally been pretty loaded and, crucially, including numerous audio and subtitle options. They're often more impressive than the MoC offerings

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tenia
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#342 Post by tenia » Wed Feb 09, 2022 6:07 pm

They often offers many audio tracks and subtitles, plus alternative cuts, but in terms of extra features, many Eureka HK releases indeed don't offer so much and are often limited to one or two audio commentaries and a couple of (usually short) archival interviews.

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Maltic
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#343 Post by Maltic » Thu Feb 10, 2022 6:56 am

Commentaries by the same guy(s) every time at that.

Compare it to Shawscope #1 which showed a bit more variation, although the extra/film ratio perhaps wasn't the highest due to the size of the set.

The audio options and improved subtitles are indeed essential, and the presentations usually great, so I'm not complaining.

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tenia
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#344 Post by tenia » Thu Feb 10, 2022 7:34 am

I'm not complaining either, as I quite like having this level of care at least applied to the main features, with original audios, alternative cuts and all, but I do understand people feeling these aren't packed in "traditionnal" extra features (interviews, essays, making of, etc).

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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#345 Post by MichaelB » Sat Feb 12, 2022 6:13 am

Maltic wrote:Commentaries by the same guy(s) every time at that.
To be fair, they did try to branch out with Mr Vampire, but I turned them down. I adore the film, but fundamentally lack the relevant linguistic/cultural expertise to be able to talk authoritatively about it for 90-odd minutes - I remember Kim Newman saying something similar decades ago when he apologised for not being equipped to delve as deeply into the film as it clearly deserved.

I’ve listened to enough HK film commentaries to appreciate that it’s a highly specialised skill, so it’s not surprising that there’s not a wide range of people to choose from. It also doesn’t help that one of the pioneers of the form is no longer considered persona grata, at least as far as boutique labels are concerned.

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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#346 Post by Orlac » Sun Feb 13, 2022 5:46 pm

I feel between Tony Rayns, David Desser on the Arrows, then Mike Leeder and Arne Verena on the 88s, you get an interesting mix.

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Finch
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#347 Post by Finch » Thu Feb 24, 2022 12:41 pm

Ollie and Sollima, I'm in. Between this and Arrow's upcoming two-fer, this is a great time to be a poliziotteschi fan.

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SPECIAL FEATURES

Limited Edition O-Card slipcase [2000 copies]
1080p presentation on Blu-ray from a 4K restoration
English and Italian audio options
Optional English Subtitles, newly translated for this release
Brand new audio commentary by author / critic Kim Newman
Brand new interview with film scholar Stephen Thrower, author of Nightmare USA
Archival interview with actor Fabio Testi
Original Trailers and Radio Adverts
A Limited Edition collector’s booklet featuring two new essays by author Howard Hughes; one covering the background to the making of Revolver, and an extensive piece on Ennio Morricone’s “Eurocrime” soundtracks [2000 copies]

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L.A.
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#348 Post by L.A. » Mon Mar 28, 2022 1:20 pm


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therewillbeblus
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#349 Post by therewillbeblus » Sun Apr 03, 2022 9:37 pm

Is there any reason to get the Eureka Once Upon a Time in China trilogy over the Criterion box set? As in, are there any worthwhile films in the Criterion six-film box that aren't on this trilogy?

I'm also curious for any non-English-language recs from the Eureka line. So far, I have the Jackie Chans, Zu, Duel to the Death, Encounter of the Spooky Kind (only seen Zu), and am looking at the Sammo Hung films, The Bride with White Hair, Mr. Vampire, One-Armed Boxer... but so many of these releases look cool. Someone please help to stop me from spending a fortune, or help me feel more secure about spending a fortune

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swo17
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Re: Non-MoC Eureka Titles

#350 Post by swo17 » Sun Apr 03, 2022 10:14 pm

therewillbeblus wrote:
Sun Apr 03, 2022 9:37 pm
Is there any reason to get the Eureka Once Upon a Time in China trilogy over the Criterion box set? As in, are there any worthwhile films in the Criterion six-film box that aren't on this trilogy?

I'm also curious for any non-English-language recs from the Eureka line. So far, I have the Jackie Chans, Zu, Duel to the Death, Encounter of the Spooky Kind (only seen Zu), and am looking at the Sammo Hung films, The Bride with White Hair, Mr. Vampire, One-Armed Boxer... but so many of these releases look cool. Someone please help to stop me from spending a fortune, or help me feel more secure about spending a fortune
The Criterion China set has all the same films and then some, plus the presentation is better. The Eureka set has some unique extras I think but I didn't go through them before selling it off. Out of the films you don't yet own, I'd prioritize the Sammo Hung titles, which are in the same vein as the Chans, though if you get the 3-film set, one of the films is more 18-rated and, ahem, rapey than what you might have come to expect from these two

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