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feihong wrote: Mon Apr 25, 2022 10:08 pmMy favorite HK comedy, It's Now or Never, has different cuts on VHS and VCD, where scenes run longer or shorter, and where the scenes appear in a different order.

Do you have a preferred version of this? I can only find one cut online and it seems to be from VCD

I'm not sure if rarewaves offers pre-orders for sale. I've just been ordering from them every few months with whatever has recently come out from BFI, Second Run, etc. I also recently noticed that they stock a lot from Edition Filmmuseum

swo17 wrote: Mon Apr 25, 2022 11:52 pm I'm not sure if rarewaves offers pre-orders for sale. I've just been ordering from them every few months with whatever has recently come out from BFI, Second Run, etc. I also recently noticed that they stock a lot from Edition Filmmuseum

Rarewaves has the Get Carter BFI UHD for preorder at the cheapest price I've seen from these bargain sites, and they also have Arrow's Lux Aeterna which is out later next month. I haven't searched for much else, but I imagine those aren't the only two pre-orders for sale

therewillbeblus wrote: Mon Apr 25, 2022 11:46 pm

feihong wrote: Mon Apr 25, 2022 10:08 pmMy favorite HK comedy, It's Now or Never, has different cuts on VHS and VCD, where scenes run longer or shorter, and where the scenes appear in a different order.

Do you have a preferred version of this? I can only find one cut online and it seems to be from VCD

The cuts seem to trade scenes in a tit-for-tat way. I didn't find that one version or another seemed superior. The one generally out there online (I think the whole movie is on Youtube) is, as you say, the VCD cut––there's never been a DVD edition of the film––though there is purported to be a very, very rare laserdisc. The primary beneficial addition here is of Cheung Man and Cynthia Khan working a perfume counter and flirting shamelessly with the sleazy men they then start to date in later scenes. This bit is not in the VHS version. I think the final text crawl might not be translated in the VCD version? If I remember right, it explains some sort of seriocomic fates that befall all the various characters later on.

feihong wrote: Tue Apr 26, 2022 12:10 am I think the final text crawl might not be translated in the VCD version? If I remember right, it explains some sort of seriocomic fates that befall all the various characters later on.

Correct, untranslated- I haven't seen the film yet (just skipped to the end to check) but man, I have a feeling like I'll want to know what it says by the time I get there!

therewillbeblus wrote: Mon Apr 25, 2022 9:14 pm Are there alternative placed to pre-order these new releases aside from Amazon UK?

Diabolik should end up listing these once they’re officially announced.

Dragons Forever 4K UHD - DELUXE COLLECTOR'S EDITION

Release Date: 22nd Aug

4K UHD with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos
Dragons Forever has never looked or sounded better! we have also created new interviews, new audio commentary and it comes in a limited edition Rigid Slipcase with booklet, poster and postcards for the first press only.
We will also release the 4K in the UK and a blu-ray version in the US only

therewillbeblus wrote: Tue Apr 26, 2022 12:24 am

feihong wrote: Tue Apr 26, 2022 12:10 am I think the final text crawl might not be translated in the VCD version? If I remember right, it explains some sort of seriocomic fates that befall all the various characters later on.

Correct, untranslated- I haven't seen the film yet (just skipped to the end to check) but man, I have a feeling like I'll want to know what it says by the time I get there!

Sadly, though I have the VHS tape, I no longer have a VHS player. I remember the titles translated on that version, but in a way that was mostly incoherent. I've heard people tell me that text is quite funny, though.

Adam X wrote: Tue Apr 26, 2022 5:29 am

therewillbeblus wrote: Mon Apr 25, 2022 9:14 pm Are there alternative placed to pre-order these new releases aside from Amazon UK?

Diabolik should end up listing these once they’re officially announced.

To go back to swo's question: Are they officially announced when 88 films lists them on the website forever down the line, or does it happen on social media at a predictable time of the month?

therewillbeblus wrote: Tue Apr 26, 2022 5:40 pm To go back to swo's question: Are they officially announced when 88 films lists them on the website forever down the line, or does it happen on social media at a predictable time of the month?

They are officially announced when they post it on social media or when it gets leaked on Amazon or whatever third party vendor they use. The listing on their own website doesn't appear until closer to its release date for whatever reason

Right, I guess that's where I become confused- since that's not an "official" announcement outside of a social media post perhaps. Haven't they already leaked on Amazon, and what with cover art already leaked, hasn't there been some "announcement" already?

Also, are 88's LEs worth spending extra for? I'm debating whether or not to pre-order a few, though I'm not exactly looking to shell out considerably more for every title if there's just a slipcase like most of MoC's

From my experience, they always leak a day or 2 on Amazon with the cover art before they make any sort of official announcements on their social media pages. You're honestly putting more thought into their announcement plans than the people who work at 88 Films do. Hell, 'The Seventh Curse' is being released in 2 months and there is still no preorder page that appears on their website. I guess they don't want people to give money to them directly.


I only have the LEs for 'Heroes Shed No Tears' , 'Dragons Forever' and 'Riki-Oh' and I'm honestly not even sure if they are worth it. You're really only pay extra for the slipcovers/hard-cases since the booklets don't tend to have much value in them, as I distinctly recall the booklets for the first 2 aforementioned titles containing more pages for the images rather than the essays and neither of the essays being all that interesting (I haven't read the booklet for the Riki-Oh release but I've heard that it's not particularly good).

I think the limited edition of Dragons Forever has two discs and I'm not sure if 88 drops discs when they issue a regular edition of their limited editions. So , if they do drop bonus discs, that might sway some people towards picking up the multi disc limited editions instead of waiting for a standard release.

I have the LE for Dragons Forever and from what I can tell, the standard version still has that second disc that contains the 2 cuts, with the booklet and slipcover being the only things missing. I also looked at the other LE releases and none appear to be missing extras on the respective standard editions.

Brandon Bentley (Old Pang Yau) has implied that the release of Righting Wrongs will feature both cuts and soundtracks.

Meanwhile, specs for Tiger Cage set (I've added in corrections that the collaborators asked 88 to issue on social media):

Brand-new artwork by Sean Longmore • 100 page booklet featuring interviews with Vincent Lyn, Stephan Berwick & Michael Woods by Matthew Edwards

TIGER CAGE I // Remastered 2K Transfer from the Original Negative • 2.0 English Mono • 2.0 Cantonese Mono with English Subtitles • Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng and Vincent Lyn • Vincent Lyn never before seen ‘Behind-the-scenes’ • Donnie Yen - Interview • Alternate and Extended Shots • Triads - Easter Egg with Vincent Lyn and Frank Djeng • Original Hong Kong Trailer • English Trailer

TIGER CAGE II // Remastered 2K Transfer in original Aspect Ratio from the Original Negative of the Hong Kong Cut & Malaysian Cut • 2.0 English Mono • 2.0 Cantonese Mono with English Subtitles • Original Hong Kong Trailer • Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng

TIGER CAGE III // Remastered 2K Transfer from the Original Negative • 2.0 English Mono • 2.0 Cantonese Mono with English Subtitles • Audio commentary by Kenneth Brorsson & Phil Gillon of the Podcast On Fire Network • English Titles • Original Hong Kong Trailer

feihong wrote: Tue Apr 26, 2022 5:04 pm

therewillbeblus wrote: Tue Apr 26, 2022 12:24 am

feihong wrote: Tue Apr 26, 2022 12:10 am I think the final text crawl might not be translated in the VCD version? If I remember right, it explains some sort of seriocomic fates that befall all the various characters later on.

Correct, untranslated- I haven't seen the film yet (just skipped to the end to check) but man, I have a feeling like I'll want to know what it says by the time I get there!

Sadly, though I have the VHS tape, I no longer have a VHS player. I remember the titles translated on that version, but in a way that was mostly incoherent. I've heard people tell me that text is quite funny, though.

Here's my translations of the titles (one of which is, well, pretty questionable, to the point that it's actually cut from the copy streaming on Tencent Video):

[spoiler]

Shing was sentenced to seven years for obstruction of justice and released after four.

Tat was sentenced to three years for intimidation and extortion. His business boomed in prison.

Chewing Gum's selection as Miss Hong Kong was dogged by scandalous rumors, after which she committed suicide.

After three years, Little Bun married a Black U.S. Marine and subsequently enjoyed a happy sex life.

Rose strove to amend her errors, studying business and becoming a secretary. Six years later, she married Shing and they lived happily ever after.

Tracy worked hard to improve herself and eventually graduated from university to become a licensed pharmacist. She was arrested and imprisoned in 1972 for producing and selling psychedelic drugs in a hospital.

Little Bun's postscript is the one I referred to above, but the one about Chewing Gum (Pauline Chan's character) is a lot less amusing in hindsight.[/spoiler]

Many thanks!

Diabolik DVD tweeted that Righting Wrongs will he getting a US release from someone.

therewillbeblus wrote: Tue Apr 26, 2022 7:28 pm Right, I guess that's where I become confused- since that's not an "official" announcement outside of a social media post perhaps. Haven't they already leaked on Amazon, and what with cover art already leaked, hasn't there been some "announcement" already?

Well I personally wouldn’t consider a leak an official announcement. I meant on their social media. Diabolik only lists titles once they’ve been provided with all the info by the label. Non-US stuff takes a little longer usually. But they’ve announced them all now.

To answer you’re other question, 88 don’t really seem to have any sort of announcement cycle. They’re out there when they’re out there.

It looks like Tiger Cage trilogy is on Diabolik, still waiting on Righting Wrongs. Also, on the topic of whether or not LEs are worth it, it seems like standard editions can take a while to come out, so unless these timelines are briefer than they appear, it may be worth it solely to be able to get the film much sooner..

I can't remember now if it was 88 Films officially or Brendan but it was confirmed that they are carrying all the extras over from previous Dragons Forever releases as well as adding new material for the UHD and the new BD.

The Fanciful Norwegian wrote: Tue Apr 26, 2022 10:43 pm

feihong wrote: Tue Apr 26, 2022 5:04 pm

therewillbeblus wrote: Tue Apr 26, 2022 12:24 am

Correct, untranslated- I haven't seen the film yet (just skipped to the end to check) but man, I have a feeling like I'll want to know what it says by the time I get there!

Sadly, though I have the VHS tape, I no longer have a VHS player. I remember the titles translated on that version, but in a way that was mostly incoherent. I've heard people tell me that text is quite funny, though.

Here's my translations of the titles (one of which is, well, pretty questionable, to the point that it's actually cut from the copy streaming on Tencent Video):

[spoiler]

Shing was sentenced to seven years for obstruction of justice and released after four.

Tat was sentenced to three years for intimidation and extortion. His business boomed in prison.

Chewing Gum's selection as Miss Hong Kong was dogged by scandalous rumors, after which she committed suicide.

After three years, Little Bun married a Black U.S. Marine and subsequently enjoyed a happy sex life.

Rose strove to amend her errors, studying business and becoming a secretary. Six years later, she married Shing and they lived happily ever after.

Tracy worked hard to improve herself and eventually graduated from university to become a licensed pharmacist. She was arrested and imprisoned in 1972 for producing and selling psychedelic drugs in a hospital.

Little Bun's postscript is the one I referred to above, but the one about Chewing Gum (Pauline Chan's character) is a lot less amusing in hindsight.[/spoiler]

Amazing. Thank you for this! The general bad taste does seem in-keeping with the rest of the film, though the Little Bun line doesn't really have much to do with anything we've seen of her character or of any other character in the film, as I can recall. One of the strong themes of the film as I see it is the idea that no one cares about people on the bottom rung of society––and that the people on the bottom rung internalize this as a sort of a script, so Chewing Gum's fate does seem to follow in that vein. I guess future events cast a pall over that? I don't know the events that relate to that. I like Rain Lau's character getting arrested for selling psychedelics. Very in-character.

feihong wrote: Wed Apr 27, 2022 8:09 pmI guess future events cast a pall over that? I don't know the events that relate to that.

[spoiler]Pauline Chan⁠—who came to public notice as a Miss Asia contestant, something I'm sure the postscript is deliberately referencing⁠—committed suicide in 2002 after multiple unsuccessful attempts (including one at the Taiwanese premiere of Ōbayashi's Sada) and years of drug addiction and mental health issues (which cost her the lead role in Millennium Mambo).[/spoiler]

Whoa. Didn't know that about Pauline Chan. That's crazy. On the wiki it says the actress who played her in a bio-pic also killed herself? You couldn't make that up.

Based on all the stuff I read on the wiki––trying to kill herself on a talk show, stripping in public, sorcery, etc., it makes me wonder if the text at the end of It's Now or Never was influenced by the filmmakers' interaction with Pauline Chan on the film? She sounds like she had kind of a turbulent personality. I wonder if tension on set with the actress may have inspired that particular title card. This is early in Chan's career––I wonder if she just seemed unusually intense, or overly-dramatic, prompting that title card. Just a guess, because I don't recall anything in the film that would lead us to assume her character is potentially suicidal. But it is a while since I saw the movie. I should watch it again and see if the card makes more sense to me.