Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003)

[OrlandoEastwood]

Blu-ray.com Hot Deals Forum. Best Buy - 1/31 - 2/06

Supposedly, Best Buy is releasing it. I might buy it.



Ong Bak- The Thai Warrior Blu-ray

[NJ_RAMS_FAN]

Originally Posted by nekz

best buy search results

hmm, don't see it

is that an 8-Bit mega man? looks like it.

[AnimeOnBlu]

Wonder if it will be the Besson cut or the fully uncut Thai version?

[cardiac161]

Nice to see both Ong Bak & Ong Bak 2 being released at the same day.

[OldPangYau]

I dunno... something seems "off" about this. I figured an announcement would've been made, or something. Plus if it's coming out the same day as Ong Bak 2, I wonder if Magnolia/Magnet now has home distribution rights as opposed to Fox. I dunno, I'll believe this when I see it.

And if it DOES come out, I'm 99.99% certain it's the Besson/Europa cut.

[madpropz01]

FOX announces last-minute plans to bring the original 2003 film “Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior” to Blu-ray in February | HighDefDiscNews

this confirms it

[steve_dave]

Damn, its through Fox so it is going to be the international cut by Luc Besson as that is the only one they have the rights to.

[UniSol GR77]

The DVD version pretty much sucked in terms of picture quality, so I'm happy now.

[OldPangYau]

Originally Posted by madpropz01

FOX announces last-minute plans to bring the original 2003 film “Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior” to Blu-ray in February | HighDefDiscNews

this confirms it

Wow, that is last minute. Well, let's at least hope they fixed the subtitles this time. On Fox's DVD release, the subtitles were only "HOH" subtitles, so you'd see subtitles saying things like "[crowd cheering]" or "[man yelling]" or things like that.

[xradman]

I wonder if that means The Protector slated for release by Vivendi in April is no longer happening...

The Protector aka Tom yum goong was also released as Ong bak 2 in Thailand in 2005. No wonder I'm confused. So there is

Ong bak (2003) - slated for release by Fox in February 2010
Tom yum goong aka Ong bak 2 aka The Protector (2005) - slated for release by Vivendi in April 2010
Ong bak 2: The Beginning (2008) - slated for release by Magnolia in February 2010

[steve_dave]

Tom Young Goong is the official title. Ong Bak 2 was the title given to it by the press and it was a working title at one time.

There will be four Tony Jaa films on Blu-ray Disc by the middle of this year:

Hard Gun - Out of print, so buy it if you can find stock.
The Protector/Tom Young Goong - Which should have both the US & original Thai versions.
Ong Bak - Which is going to be the Besson/Europa International version.
Ong Bak 2 - Which is the original Thai version.

[OldPangYau]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Tom Young Goong is the official title. Ong Bak 2 was the title given to it by the press and it was a working title at one time.

There will be four Tony Jaa films on Blu-ray Disc by the middle of this year:

Hard Gun - Out of print, so buy it if you can find stock.
The Protector/Tom Young Goong - Which should have both the US & original Thai versions.
Ong Bak - Which is going to be the Besson/Europa International version.
Ong Bak 2 - Which is the original Thai version.

I'm wondering if Dragon Dynasty/Vivendi will have an HD transfer of the Thai cut of The Protector/Tom Yum Goong, or if they'll just slap on the SD transfer from the DVD. Wouldn't shock me entirely if it's the latter.

[Snake Plissken]

Originally Posted by OldPangYau

I'm wondering if Dragon Dynasty/Vivendi will have an HD transfer of the Thai cut of The Protector/Tom Yum Goong, or if they'll just slap on the SD transfer from the DVD. Wouldn't shock me entirely if it's the latter.

I am presuming it will be both the "western version" and the longer, uncut "Thai version" since that is how Dragon Dynasty did the initial release.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by Snake Plissken

I am presuming it will be both the "western version" and the longer, uncut "Thai version" since that is how Dragon Dynasty did the initial release.

The Weinstein Company's Dragon Dynasty DVD for The Protector/Tom Young Goong is a two disc set:

Disc One is the US version of the film retitled The Protector with exclusive extras. The US version is presented in Thai DTS & DD 5.1 and English DD 5.1 sound with English subtitles.

Disc Two is the original Thai version for the film with its original title with the making-of and a contest footage. This is presented in Thai DD 5.1 and English DD 5.1

So The Weinstein Company could just get lazy and only remaster the US version of the film in 1080p HD on Blu-ray with lossless audio and have Vivendi just sitck the second disc from the DVD set in the case with it.

[OldPangYau]

Originally Posted by Snake Plissken

I am presuming it will be both the "western version" and the longer, uncut "Thai version" since that is how Dragon Dynasty did the initial release.

That's what I meant, the original DVD had both cuts, and I'm sure the blu-ray will too. It's just a matter of whether or not BOTH cuts will be in HD, or just the US cut.

[OrlandoEastwood]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Damn, its through Fox so it is going to be the international cut by Luc Besson as that is the only one they have the rights to.

What's different from the original Thai version?

[steve_dave]

RE: Changes in Ong Bak,,,

1. The original Thai techno score has been replaced in the international cut with a new French techno score approved by Besson. Oddly, the UK release of the international cut replaces Besson's score with a traditional orchestral score.

2. The subplot with Ngek (Muay's older sister) is almost completely removed with only one scene left intact and this creates confusion in the international cut:

[Show spoiler]
The scene kept in the international version is the cocain overdose of Ngek and Muay is upset but due to the cuts, its not clear why he is upset.

3. Also removed were the scenes dealing with Ting's early childhood and a fight sequence was shortened.

[Snake Plissken]

Originally Posted by OrlandoEastwood

What's different from the original Thai version?

If memory serves, there was alot more backstory into the Sgt. Mark character, more historical context for the "Protectors" of elephants leading more into the diabolical nature of sending Thailand's elephants into Australia for mistreatment and the transsexual crime boss character was expanded.

I seem to remember it being cut differently, as well.


EDIT

oops. didn't read that question was regarding Ong-Bak. Disregard!

[OrlandoEastwood]

LOL, yeah. I have the uncut version of The Protector (Tom-Yum-Goong). But, Ong Bak puzzles me. I thought the FOX release was true version from Thailand.

[OldPangYau]

Originally Posted by OrlandoEastwood

LOL, yeah. I have the uncut version of The Protector (Tom-Yum-Goong). But, Ong Bak puzzles me. I thought the FOX release was true version from Thailand.

Nope, pretty much all non-Asian releases are taken from Luc Besson's cut. Only exceptions I can think of are the UK Premiere Asia DVD (but has a different music track) and the two disc Australian DVD (the only version released, as far as I know, that has both the Thai cut and the Besson cut).