Dragons Forever (88 Films)

[Magic Monkey]

Release date: February 27th, 2019

LIMITED EDITION FEATURES

• Limited Edition Gloss O-Card slipcase [First Print Run Only]
• Limited Edition Booklet Notes by Scott Harrison also featuring rare stills and lobby cards from the film [First Print Run Only]
• 2nd DISC with 2 additional 4K restored cuts of the Film [First Print Run Only]

SPECIAL FEATURES (DISC 1)

• Brand New 4K Remaster of the Original Hong Kong Version
• Remastered Cantonese Mono with Newly Translated Subtitles
• Remastered Cantonese 5.1 DTS-HD MA created exclusively for this release with Newly Translated Subtitles
• Classic English Dub Hybrid Audio
• NEW Benny Forever: Interview with Benny “The Jet” Urquidez
• NEW Discussing Dragons Forever: Interview with David Desser
• NEW Hong Kong Cinema Forever: Interview with Mike Leeder
• NEW Working with the Dragons: Interview with Jude Poyer
• NEW The Legacy of Dragons Forever Featurette
• Double Jeopardy: An Interview with Brad Allen
• Beyond Gravity: An Interview with Joe Eigo
• Thai Breaker: An Interview with Billy Chow
• Deleted Scenes
• End Credits from the Japanese Version
• Behind the Scenes Footage
• English Trailer
• Hong Kong Trailer
• Reversible Sleeve

SPECIAL FEATURES (DISC 2)

• Full Japanese Cut of the Film with remastered Yuen Biao deleted scenes and Comedy Out-take Credits. Newly restored Cantonese Soundtrack in Mono or 5.1 options and newly translated English Subtitles
• Recreated Export Version of the film with the Full Classic English Dub and optional English SDH subtitles

TECHNICAL SPECS

• Region Code: B
• Audio: LPCM Stereo / 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
• Picture: 1080p HD 1.85:1
• Runtime: 94 mins approx
• Language: English / Cantonese
• Subtitles: English

Buy from: 88 Films / Amazon UK

[Joppers]

What a disappointment.

[OldPangYau]

Originally Posted by Joppers

What a disappointment.

I have mixed feelings here... Pleasantly surprised that this got the 4K treatment, but let down that Eureka didn't snag it. Better hold onto to that HKL platinum edition for the extras.

[chen lung]

Originally Posted by OldPangYau

I have mixed feelings here... Pleasantly surprised that this got the 4K treatment, but let down that Eureka didn't snag it. Better hold onto to that HKL platinum edition for the extras.

Again, nothing has been announced yet, but what I can probably say is, it won't be extra-less (contrary to what people convey about 88).

[psychik]

I would like to have a version of the film with the two scenes with Yuen Biao included.

[grim_tales]

The artwork used looks rather goofy and makes the film look like just a comedy (it has comedy elements but amazing action as well). I'm guessing that's HK poster art or something?

[gZa]

Did Eureka have some sort of deal/connection with HKL?

They've certainly set the bar very high with their JC releases but hopefully 88 Films will follow suit. Especially as these are arguably far more prestigious titles than the Lo Wei flicks they've released so far. Have 88 Films ever used Fidelity in Motion (DM) for their authoring?!

[DK1979]

DB Entry: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Drago...lu-ray/240416/

[chen lung]

Originally Posted by grim_tales

The artwork used looks rather goofy and makes the film look like just a comedy (it has comedy elements but amazing action as well). I'm guessing that's HK poster art or something?

Yeah, it is a bit strange-looking (and I'm not a big fan of hand-painted ones) given it's a somewhat serious film overall. It's as though the designers hadn't seen the film.

There is the international one, but it's not that great either.

[chen lung]

Originally Posted by psychik

I would like to have a version of the film with the two scenes with Yuen Biao included.

From what I gather, they were added for the Japanese market on account of Yuen Biao's popularity. The international one had them, of course.

Originally Posted by gZa

Did Eureka have some sort of deal/connection with HKL

I think I remember reading that they licensed them anyway.

[grim_tales]

The HKL cover has the same shot of Jackie

[Shingster]

Well, this sucks.

[chen lung]

Originally Posted by Shingster

Well, this sucks.

Why?

[Shingster]

Because Eureka working with Fidelity in Motion and IronGod are a sure thing. 88Films are a giant question mark. Their latest Jackie Chan release is sitting on shelves with only a SDH subtitle track on it if you want to watch it in the original language, and we still don't know for certain whether they are applying any noise reduction to these films, every single JC film they've put out so far is just riddled with processing. We're all hoping all of that is being done on the Fortune Star/Ritrovata side of things, but until 88Films put out a film given a better restoration, we just don't know.

Are you working with them to ensure they use the correct Canto mono tracks and translations on these films, or is it just the latter? If it's both, I'd feel a lot more optimistic about these announcements.

It's also sad to see that Eureka couldn't finish off the Three Dragons trilogy after Project A and Wheels on Meals.

The good point of these announcements is that IF 88Films don't figure out a way to **** these up and do as good a job as Eureka have been doing, we now have two companies flooding the market with HK Blu-ray goodness, but like I say: 88Films have got to prove themselves to be more than a "concentrate on producing extras and decent translations, just slap whatever HK rights holders give us onto the disc" outfit.". In that scenario, 2 out of 3 definitely isn't good enough.

[chen lung]

Originally Posted by Shingster

Because Eureka working with Fidelity in Motion and IronGod are a sure thing. 88Films are a giant question mark. Their latest Jackie Chan release is sitting on shelves with only a SDH subtitle track on it if you want to watch it in the original language,

And the other three titles?

Not my intention to slate them, but Eureka's releases weren't all perfect (and they too have often taken what they're given). They don't seem to really bother about SDH at all; at least 88 tried, and listened.

And as you probably have seen, IronGod and 88 are willing to cooperate.

and we still don't know for certain whether they are applying any noise reduction to these films, every single JC film they've put out so far is just riddle with processing.

I'm told they did not apply noise reduction.

Are you working with them to ensure they use the correct Canto mono tracks and translations on these films, or is it just the latter? If it's both, I'd feel a lot more optimistic about these announcements.

Both. Also gathering information about versions, extras, and other stuff.

The good point of these announcements is that IF 88Films don't figure out a way to **** these up and do as good a job as Eureka have been doing, we now have two companies flooding the market with HK Blu-ray goodness, but like I say: 88Films have got to prove themselves to be more than a "concentrate on producing extras and decent translations, just slap whatever HK rights holders give us onto the disc" outfit.". In that scenario, 2 out of 3 definitely isn't good enough.

Constructive critisism is fine, but I just see irrational and disproportionate anti-88 feeling, when they really aren't all that bad.

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by psychik

I would like to have a version of the film with the two scenes with Yuen Biao included.

Yes, those scenes are crucial to the plot.

Originally Posted by chen lung

Yeah, it is a bit strange-looking (and I'm not a big fan of hand-painted ones) given it's a somewhat serious film overall. It's as though the designers hadn't seen the film.

There is the international one, but it's not that great either.

The HK posters are a bit goofy for my taste, but I do like the international ones -- and this is no exception.

Originally Posted by chen lung

From what I gather, they were added for the Japanese market on account of Yuen Biao's popularity. The international one had them, of course.

It's ironic that Fortune Star remastered the JP cut of Police Story 2 - the very film least improved by the extensions - and not the others.

The HKL DVD had good quality (from memory) versions of those scenes with Cantonese mono. Would be worth re-inserting them. Although this being a 4K restoration FS might say no. Buggers.

Heart of Dragon is another film way improved in the JP cut (except for the soundtrack but the Germans fixed that).

[OldPangYau]

Originally Posted by chen lung

Again, nothing has been announced yet, but what I can probably say is, it won't be extra-less (contrary to what people convey about 88).

Not extra-less, per se, just not as packed as Eureka tries with their releases.

[Shingster]

Well I feel A LOT better about the announcements knowing there are fans on the case now, but at the end of the day chen you have to admit that the SDH fiasco on Snake & Crane was an astonishingly incompetent decision on the part of a distributor of foreign language films. It's not so much that they cocked that up, it's the fact that they didn't even realise it would be a problem to begin with. If there is any fan hesitancy and cynicism at this point - and BTW it's not just me judging by the early posts in this thread - then I'm sorry: It's been well earned.

Eureka have cocked things up too, but when they did they offered a replacement scheme because they're a bigger outfit and could afford to - that's another reason for fans to mourn the loss of Dragons Forever and Crime Story from their future output.

The ball's now in 88Films's court, if they double backhand smash the crap out of these releases I'll be praising them to high heaven, but until then I'll remain a little hesitant.

[reason108]

Originally Posted by Shingster

Because Eureka working with Fidelity in Motion and IronGod are a sure thing. 88Films are a giant question mark. Their latest Jackie Chan release is sitting on shelves with only a SDH subtitle track on it if you want to watch it in the original language, and we still don't know for certain whether they are applying any noise reduction to these films, every single JC film they've put out so far is just riddled with processing. We're all hoping all of that is being done on the Fortune Star/Ritrovata side of things, but until 88Films put out a film given a better restoration, we just don't know.

Are you working with them to ensure they use the correct Canto mono tracks and translations on these films, or is it just the latter? If it's both, I'd feel a lot more optimistic about these announcements.

It's also sad to see that Eureka couldn't finish off the Three Dragons trilogy after Project A and Wheels on Meals.

The good point of these announcements is that IF 88Films don't figure out a way to **** these up and do as good a job as Eureka have been doing, we now have two companies flooding the market with HK Blu-ray goodness, but like I say: 88Films have got to prove themselves to be more than a "concentrate on producing extras and decent translations, just slap whatever HK rights holders give us onto the disc" outfit.". In that scenario, 2 out of 3 definitely isn't good enough.

Certainly some good points that you are making. But, since 88`s previous masters used were from, what, 2010-ish; then, perhaps that explains why they appear as they do? I have no idea what else 88 have added on top (as far as compression, noise reduction or whatever would be required to produce a disk) of the masters they got. I am shocked that neither Dragons Forever nor Miracles are being handled by Eureka. Personally, I`m not as interested in The Protector and Crime Story and was expecting that 88 would get those if they were to be released at all. But, Eureka already have their plate full this year and we wouldn't be seeing those titles until next year probably. Personally, I can wait as long as they are done correctly. But, I am guessing that the mentality now for Eureka, 88 and WB was to strike while the iron is hot, sorta speak. I`m keeping my fingers crossed and hope that if these truly are new masters (2017/18/19) then I am hoping we should be ok. I hope. But, yeah, they don`t have the guy (forgot his name) that does the compression for Eureka. But, if DF and Miracles can turn out as good as the SB titles that 88 release then I will hopefully be happy. Well, if 88 screw this up then the fans will probably be done with them and that will probably be that.

[Shingster]

Yeah don't get me wrong, 88Films were given crap masters so I'm not blaming them for the lacklustre transfers of their releases, but at the same time they've never been given a great master so we don't know exactly how hands off or on they've been with the masters, if you get my drift. Now they're handling 2K/4K restoration of "premium" films we'll see what they're made of, but until then they're a bit of an unknown quantity and fan hesitance is just natural at this point.

Oh and for the record, I was only disappointed really with the announcement of Dragons Forever on 88Films, again because it's such an important film to me and I was hoping Eureka would have it to finish off the three dragons trilogy.