Arrow Films acquires Hong Kong classics from Shout Factory for the UK market

[dykesy]

Originally Posted by stigdu

Terrible news.

They're not going to be able to keep tabs on their disc replacement programmes!

I can't keep track of the labels that this forum likes and doesn't like. One minute they don't like Shout Factory and prefer Arrow Video and the next minute it's all "Arrow Video bad"

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by dykesy

I can't keep track of the labels that this forum likes and doesn't like. One minute they don't like Shout Factory and prefer Arrow Video and the next minute it's all "Arrow Video bad"

Both are true, and not true at the same time.

Schrödinger's Boutique Label

[dykesy]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Schrödinger's Boutique Label

That rolls off the tongue with such beauty

[stigdu]

Originally Posted by dykesy

I can't keep track of the labels that this forum likes and doesn't like. One minute they don't like Shout Factory and prefer Arrow Video and the next minute it's all "Arrow Video bad"

It was tongue-in-cheek really. They're pretty great. Looking forward to these!

[Jackie Scanlon]

Originally Posted by dykesy

I can't keep track of the labels that this forum likes and doesn't like. One minute they don't like Shout Factory and prefer Arrow Video and the next minute it's all "Arrow Video bad"

Even if stigdu's comment was tongue in cheek, I don't think anyone would disagree with it. Whilst Arrow are in the top tier globally when it comes to video and audio quality, since Jabba took over their QC and customer service is definitely in the bottom tier globally. And I don't think anyone would disagree with that comment either. If we totted up all the replacement programs and uncorrected errors with Arrow releases for the last few years I'm sure they'd be comfortably higher in number than any other boutique label.

That being said, most are happy that Arrow have snagged this treasure trove. I think the only other label that could have properly done the films justice is 88, given their attention to detail with multiple cuts and audio tracks, but there's no way they have the money for it. My personal preference of all the UK labels for this project was 88, but I knew they were never in realistic contention because of the finances involved. Arrow was my second choice.

[Mr. Chaverria]

Originally Posted by Yautja_Warrior

Amazing news, the savings on import costs alone is enough to make me very happy lol

Savings for you, ****ing tariffs for me cuz I don't trust Shout releases.

Goddamn you, Trump.

[FreddyK]

I hope they are not doing just 4K. I would like to upgrade some HKL titles if they come out.

[filmlover22]

Originally Posted by FreddyK

I hope they are not doing just 4K. I would like to upgrade some HKL titles if they come out.

I would be surprised if they limit their HKL titles to 4k only as they would be missing out on a large population who would buy the blurays, imho.

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by filmlover22

I would be surprised if they limit their HKL titles to 4k only as they would be missing out on a large population who would buy the blurays, imho.

Arrow should do combo packs. I really, REALLY hate the fact that Arrow doesn’t do combo packs.

[grim_tales]

Originally Posted by filmlover22

I would be surprised if they limit their HKL titles to 4k only as they would be missing out on a large population who would buy the blurays, imho.

Some 90's/2000's stuff like Purple Storm or Beast Cops could be good. In fact I'm surprised these weren't considered by 88/Eureka earlier. And Naked Killer would fit with 88's CAT III stuff.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by filmlover22

I would be surprised if they limit their HKL titles to 4k only as they would be missing out on a large population who would buy the blurays, imho.

Someone needs to do a Hong Kong Legends/Premier Asia thread on here & state which have had upgrades etc.

[cooey]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

Someone needs to do a Hong Kong Legends/Premier Asia thread on here & state which have had upgrades etc.

Crack on then

[drush9999]

There's a list of HKL releases here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Legends

No idea if it's complete though

[dykesy]

Originally Posted by Mr. Chaverria

Savings for you, ****ing tariffs for me cuz I don't trust Shout releases.

Goddamn you, Trump.

Just go on holiday to the UK and buy all the titles you want whilst here.

[Jackie Scanlon]

Originally Posted by drush9999

There's a list of HKL releases here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Legends

No idea if it's complete though

Pretty sure everything is there. I acquired most of them.

For absolute complete coverage though you'd also want to include Cine Asia (which released a few additional - mainly later - titles not under the previous HKL banner) and Premier Asia which started off as a partner label for films from other east Asian territories but also later released some HK films and re-released a few HKL titles before the entire lot went down the tubes.

Some people mistakenly go by the HKL magazine releases for reference purposes, but only about half the original HKL line were released via that.

I think there were also a few HKL VHS releases that didn't get a DVD, and then you also get into the MIA and Made In Hong Kong VHS releases, which cover a lot of other films that never made it to DVD at the time (the only ones I can think of off the top of my head at the moment are Pedicab Driver, Buddhist Fist, Curry & Pepper, City War, Pom Pom & Hot Hot and, one of my favourite triad films of that era, To Live & Die In Tsim Tsa Tsui).

[FreddyK]

Originally Posted by drush9999

There's a list of HKL releases here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Legends

No idea if it's complete though

For years I thought I had most of them until I saw that list. I have about half of them (and some Cine Asia). I wouldn't mind seeing some get a new release.

[Alexcap]

i've got 89 of them but i'm missing some of them some i didn't get and some i lost and the ones i lost was purple storm, 2000 AD, Dragon from Russia, Legend of a Fighter, New Dragon Gate Inn and the film Outlaw Brothers,

[FreddyK]

Originally Posted by Alexcap

i've got 89 of them but i'm missing ten some i didn't get and some i lost and the ones i lost was purple storm, 2000 AD, Dragon from Russia, Legend of a Fighter, New Dragon Gate Inn and the film Outlaw Brothers,

Got 3 of those, I now wished I got them all. Just counted got 43 and not got 63. Back in the day they were £15 which was a lot of money for me.

[Mr. Chaverria]

Originally Posted by dykesy

Just go on holiday to the UK and buy all the titles you want whilst here.

Sex, food, HK films on UK home media, and checking out the UK wrestling scene.

Doesn't sound too bad.

[Anthony Thorne]

Originally Posted by FreddyK

I hope they are not doing just 4K. I would like to upgrade some HKL titles if they come out.

With the investment wanting to be recouped and Arrow having a lock on the UK market, and a likely total lock on 'which edition globally has the best extras and is the best overall package', Arrow will be releasing these films on 4K, Blu-Ray, eventually digital, and any other method of getting them out there they can think of.