Chinese Zodiac aka CZ12 3D Blu-ray (2012) [Region B Locked / Free] [123m uncut]

[levcore]

Jackie Chan's CZ12 aka Chinese Zodiac aka Armour of God 3 was released on 3D Blu-ray in Hong Kong, Germany and the Netherlands.

The Hong Kong release contains the full-length (123m) original version with English subtitles for all the dialogue (the film is mainly in Chinese, but has a few scenes in English and other languages). Though the packaging indicates that it's Region A locked, it is in fact REGION FREE.

The German and Dutch releases are locked to Region B and contain only the shorter (103m) international cut despite the Dutch release listing a 119m running time on the packaging. Both discs contain an English audio track but please note that this still includes some foreign language parts and there are no English subtitles.

There is also a Russian release, but this has no English audio or subtitles and at 94 minutes appears to be cut even shorter.



Original post:
Hello I didn't see any thread for this 2012 movie directed by and starring Jackie Chan. So I only saw this for the first time last night. I didn't even realise there was a 3D release of it all then when I was considering picking up the 2D UK blu I noticed that there was a German 3D disc that didn't seem to be an autoconvert.

It's a fun Jackie Chan action romp with some absolutely terrific fight scenes and action. The 3D is very nice too, it looks like a conversion but it's generally well done. I assume it was done primarily for the Asian market. It's fairly medium 3D and it added a lot to the action scenes and the nice locations. What was interesting though was the disc is encoded with top/ bottom 3D so I actually had to change the 3D settings on my TV to watch it. I have literally never had a retail 3D disc play 3D this way. I would suspect it was a bootleg but I got it from Amazon Germany direct and to my knowledge I wouldn't expect them to sell bootlegs. I know there's an Asian disc out there which perhaps some posters here have so I'd be interested to hear their thoughts.

The disc is stamped with only a region B logo so I presume the German release is locked. For any fans of adventure and action I highly recommend it. It's very cheesy but the set pieces are excellent, with special mention going to the big finale fight, and a fantastic opening where Jackie is escaping a facility wearing a suit with wheels on every part of him so he can skate down a mountain road to escape the baddies. It's very funny, inventive and visually exciting.

Anyone else seen this? btw the release I got has reversible artwork.

[Biss Skyler Bluray]

Originally Posted by levcore

Hello I didn't see any thread for this 2012 movie directed by and starring Jackie Chan. So I only saw this for the first time last night. I didn't even realise there was a 3D release of it all then when I was considering picking up the 2D UK blu I noticed that there was a German 3D disc that didn't seem to be an autoconvert.

It's a fun Jackie Chan action romp with some absolutely terrific fight scenes and action. The 3D is very nice too, it looks like a conversion but it's generally well done. I assume it was done primarily for the Asian market. It's fairly medium 3D and it added a lot to the action scenes and the nice locations. What was interesting though was the disc is encoded with top/ bottom 3D so I actually had to change the 3D settings on my TV to watch it. I have literally never had a retail 3D disc play 3D this way. I would suspect it was a bootleg but I got it from Amazon Germany direct and to my knowledge I wouldn't expect them to sell bootlegs. I know there's an Asian disc out there which perhaps some posters here have so I'd be interested to hear their thoughts.

The disc is stamped with only a region B logo so I presume the German release is locked. For any fans of adventure and action I highly recommend it. It's very cheesy but the set pieces are excellent, with special mention going to the big finale fight, and a fantastic opening where Jackie is escaping a facility wearing a suit with wheels on every part of him so he can skate down a mountain road to escape the baddies. It's very funny, inventive and visually exciting.

Anyone else seen this? The below is not my pic btw I just found it online but this is the release I got, it has reversible artwork.

the German release that you have is the 103 min version, the original runtime for CZ12 is 2hrs 3mins, I have the hong kong release (regions a & b friendly) that's out of print that at the original runtime and in 3d encoded in MVC codec as well as the deleted scenes also presented in 3d with English subtitles included.

the 3d indeed added a lot to the action scenes and the nice locations, yes CZ12 is indeed a stereoscopic conversion, not an autoconvert, I thought the 3d is very nice as well, I would watch it again especially at it's original runtime and in 3d.

[levcore]

Originally Posted by Biss Skyler Bluray

the German release that you have is the 103 min version, the original runtime for CZ12 is 2hrs 3mins, I have the hong kong release (regions a & b friendly) that's out of print that at the original runtime and in 3d encoded in MVC codec as well as the deleted scenes also presented in 3d with English subtitles included.

the 3d indeed added a lot to the action scenes and the nice locations, yes CZ12 is indeed a stereoscopic conversion, not an autoconvert, I thought the 3d is very nice as well, I would watch it again especially at it's original runtime and in 3d.

Wow really? Thanks for the info, so the German 3D release is missing a good chunk. Any chance you wouldn't mind just giving me a brief rundown on what kind of stuff is missing perhaps? I take it the HK release isn't encoded with top/ bottom 3D either?

[Biss Skyler Bluray]

Originally Posted by levcore

Wow really? Thanks for the info, so the German 3D release is missing a good chunk. Any chance you wouldn't mind just giving me a brief rundown on what kind of stuff is missing perhaps? I take it the HK release isn't encoded with top/ bottom 3D either?

yes jackie chan cut about 20 mins of footage for release in the USA, Canada, UK, Germany and other countries.

no, the HK release is not encoded in top/ bottom 3d, it's encoded in MPEG-4 MVC codec.

there the element of language barriers, there was a mixture of English, French and Chinese which is not present in the English overdub, some scenes with the lost in translation topic were cut too.


there's a different shot of the guys and the woman's remarks are much more extensive.

there are some that might be slightly extended as well.
there were also some short shots of Jackie sneaking away from the dogs missing in the International Version.

some more protesting in the HK bluray.

[levcore]

Originally Posted by Biss Skyler Bluray

yes jackie chan cut about 20 mins of footage for release in the USA, Canada, UK, Germany and other countries.

no, the HK release isnot encoded in top/ bottom 3d, it's encoded in MPEG-4 MVC codec.

did you notice any cuts in the German version?

To be honest no, not having seen the movie before I didn't notice any egregious edits or anything like that. It's interesting to know though, I wonder what he cut. At least I know the UK release is the same cut anyway.

Only problem was no subtitles for French spoken sections and some other brief foreign dialogue. But these moments were few and far between.

[the13thman]

Originally Posted by levcore

What was interesting though was the disc is encoded with top/ bottom 3D so I actually had to change the 3D settings on my TV to watch it. I have literally never had a retail 3D disc play 3D this way.

CZ12 (aka Chinese Zodiac) is basically Armour Of God 3

I didn't realise the German version was presented OU (over/under), am doubly glad I got the HK one now.

[levcore]

Originally Posted by the13thman

CZ12 (aka Chinese Zodiac) is basically Armour Of God 3

I didn't realise the German version was presented OU (over/under), am doubly glad I got the HK one now.

Yes sorry I probably should have mentioned its Armour of God connection as I'm a big fan of those first two.

Yeah it was fine really with the over/ under, the only issue is if you look at the black bar at the top or bottom it looks ever so slightly ghosty but other than that it was fine. Of course a traditionally encoded blu is far preferable.

[Zivouhr]

Thanks for the information. Are these Armour of God films the same as the Operation Condor films in the US for Jackie Chan. Been a fan of his martial arts since I saw Rumble in the Bronx in 1995 or so in theaters. Drunken Master 1 and 2 are his earlier classics.

Thanks for the details on the two versions. Good to hear the 3D has good, medium 3D layers.

[the13thman]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

Thanks for the information. Are these Armour of God films the same as the Operation Condor films in the US for Jackie Chan.

Yes, Operation Condor is the first sequel to Armour Of God

[levcore]

Originally Posted by the13thman

Yes, Operation Condor is the first sequel to Armour Of God

That reminds me I think there's a UK blu for the first Armour of God, I need to pick it up. I have the above release of Operation Condor but the PQ is very mediocre.

[xbs2034]

Originally Posted by the13thman

Yes, Operation Condor is the first sequel to Armour Of God

Yeah, in the U.S., Operation Condor came out first, so the original film was renamed Operation Condor 2: Armour of God in the U.S., and I believe the third film actually removed references to the previous films in its U.S. version to function as a stand-alone.

The Jackie Chan movies Dragon Blade and Skiptrace also got 3D releases in China, though they were only 2D in America with their home and limited theatrical releases (not surprising given they were released by Lionsgate).

[the13thman]

Originally Posted by levcore

That reminds me I think there's a UK blu for the first Armour of God, I need to pick it up. I have the above release of Operation Condor but the PQ is very mediocre.

The PQ is a bit soft but I think that's as good as it gets. It's a definite improvement compared to my pan & scan dubbed VHS though.

The UK release of Armour Of God got delayed for some reason but is out now, I may upgrade myself as apparently it's not an upscale (but again, is reportedly a bit soft)



If you want a classic Jackie Chan triple, you can't get better than Armour Of God, Project A and Police Story.

Originally Posted by xbs2034

The Jackie Chan movies Dragon Blade and Skiptrace also got 3D releases in China, though they were only 2D in America with their home and limited theatrical releases (not surprising given they were released by Lionsgate).

Dragon Blade at least got a 3D blu ray in Hong Kong (and Germany, though I think that release is not English friendly).



Skiptrace didn't, sadly. I think Police Story Lockdown was also 3D in China, as was Kung Fu Yoga recently.

[MercurySeven]

Originally Posted by the13thman

If you want a classic Jackie Chan triple, you can't get better than Armour Of God, Project A and Police Story.

I used to watch that fight sequence at the end of Police Story over and over. Jackie was always two seconds away from getting his a#! completely handed to him, and had to dig deep to win. I think that's why he's still my favourite of the Asian masters. Legend of Drunken Master is another I used to rewatch endlessly for the fight scenes. If those were ever converted for 3-D I'd be in chop-socky heaven.

[Biss Skyler Bluray]

Originally Posted by the13thman

The PQ is a bit soft but I think that's as good as it gets. It's a definite improvement compared to my pan & scan dubbed VHS though.

The UK release of Armour Of God got delayed for some reason but is out now, I may upgrade myself as apparently it's not an upscale (but again, is reportedly a bit soft)



If you want a classic Jackie Chan triple, you can't get better than Armour Of God, Project A and Police Story.



Dragon Blade at least got a 3D blu ray in Hong Kong (and Germany, though I think that release is not English friendly).



Skiptrace didn't, sadly. I think Police Story Lockdown was also 3D in China, as was Kung Fu Yoga recently.

and at it's original runtime also, at 2hrs 7 mins, it was released in the USA, Canada as well as the UK, Australia and France with 24 mins removed, at a runtime of 1hr 43mins.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by the13thman

Yes, Operation Condor is the first sequel to Armour Of God

Thanks! I have Operation Condor and the other Condor film on video also.

Originally Posted by xbs2034

Yeah, in the U.S., Operation Condor came out first, so the original film was renamed Operation Condor 2: Armour of God in the U.S., and I believe the third film actually removed references to the previous films in its U.S. version to function as a stand-alone.

The Jackie Chan movies Dragon Blade and Skiptrace also got 3D releases in China, though they were only 2D in America with their home and limited theatrical releases (not surprising given they were released by Lionsgate).

Thanks for those details xbs. Does this newest one have as much action as the prior two? I should watch those again. I remember the first one has him teaming up with those two women and going on an expedition into a cave. The beginning he's in that giant bubble, going over the cliff if I remember. Saw it in theaters and then again on video back then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan_filmography
Seen 80% of his films over the years, but my Favorite Jackie Chan movies are:
Drunken Master 1 and 2
Heart of Dragon
EDIT: Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
Super Cop
Rumble in the Bronx
Who Am I?
Rush Hour 1
First Strike


I need to check out Skip Trace. Renny Harlin (Cliffhanger, Driven) has a great sense of action cinematography/editing if he has a say in that as the director.
Monkey King: Hero Is Back, with Chan as the Monkey King sounds promising. On that subject, I want to see the 3D Monkey King movies but have to save up for them as they're in the $40 range most times and I usually buy newer films, games instead.

I heard Dragon Blade 3D is on video, though I haven't heard about the 3D. It was supposed to hit theaters in the US but never in my zone.

[Interdimensional]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan_filmography
Seen 80% of his films over the years, but my Favorite Jackie Chan movies are:
Drunken Master 1 and 2
Heart of Dragon
EDIT: Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
Super Cop
Rumble in the Bronx
Who Am I?
Rush Hour 1
First Strike

On the subject... Is this one any good? Looks like a fun time, although apparently the dvd release had to remove certain well known theme music.

[Trailer] 飛渡�雲山 (Magnificent Bodyguards) - YouTube

[Louis Saphire]

Magnificent Bodyguards Is one of those older kung fu flicks where the film drags endlessly on until there is a fight sequence. Which in this movie the assault on the viewer becomes rampant. Almost too much for the eyes to take in 3-D. Should mention some of the fight sequences are very well choreographed for 3-D, Jackie is meticulously using the 3-D space to great effect. The stereo-photography is solid through out the film. Not sure if the 3-D elements still exist. Side note; around the same time frame of its release (mid to late 70's) three other 3-D chop socky films were also released, North and South Chivalry, 13 Golden Nuns (aka Revenge of the Shogun Women) and Dynasty (which is the film actor Tony Anthony saw that inspired him to make Comin' At Ya!)

[grazina31]

Found a seller on ebay with a copy available.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Chinese-Z...A/174205346513

[pixote]

Originally Posted by grazina31

Found a seller on ebay with a copy available.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Chinese-Z...A/174205346513

Looks like the same guy recently sold the Detective Dee everyone is after

[Blu-Ray 3D President]

Oh I've seen this movie prior. Great movie as always from Jackie Chan.