Full Alert (Eureka Classics) - October 2021

[Fangmacher]

Originally Posted by Killer Meteor

Is it a case of one version being the theatrical and the other a longer video version?

No, Frank mentioned the cut scene’s presence in the theatrical version

[Pochacco]

Originally Posted by Labor_Unit001

I sent Eureka an email about the 5.1 sound as well as the cut version. Here is their response:

I appreciate that, thank you for posting.

It's unfortunate that Eureka weren't granted access to the 5.1 audio and removed clip.

I will probably buy Full Alert at a lower price point since there are other more prominent releases vying for my attention that feature a lot more content.

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by Pochacco

It's unfortunate that Eureka weren't granted access to the 5.1 audio and removed clip.

Don't understand that. It's available on Mei Ah's remastered DVD, which appears to be the same edited version as Eureka's. Would've been easy to include.

[DooK]

Originally Posted by Fangmacher

Don’t own the HK disc but not only is it NOT reinstated on the Eureka disc but Frank points out its omission in his commentary. In addition to this audio situation we deserve at least some kind of statement about the retroactive cuts applied.

I wonder if the scene cut out for latter home video releases was approved by Ringo Lam himself. Maybe he regretted having that scene in the theatrical cut later on, and decided to be involved with the remastered DVD and bluray to have it removed.

[drobswim13]

Well this new development is certainly a bit irritating. The UK distributors have been doing great work, but doesn't excuse the fact they couldn't get 5.1 or that scene. Feel like if we banded together we could've figured something out. I'm also talking out of my a$$ so what do I know

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by DooK

I wonder if the scene cut out for latter home video releases was approved by Ringo Lam himself. Maybe he regretted having that scene in the theatrical cut later on, and decided to be involved with the remastered DVD and bluray to have it removed.

There certainly are precedents - Joe Dante cutting 2:44 from Explorers, Michael Mann cutting the 'As a child my heart bleeds for him" speech from Manhunter, Terry Jones tinkering with Erik the Viking, Anthony Page cutting ten minutes from Absolution, Clint trimming the international video version of Firefox by 13 minutes, Carl Foreman cutting the closing dream (the best scene in the film) from Young Winston and the infamous child pimp/gay prostitute dialogue scene from The Victors (that may have been cut after the first disgusted reviews savaged the scene before it even opened). And, of course, that guy with the beard and several lifetimes' supply of lumberjack shirts who made all those scifi films.

Unfortunately it's too late to ask Ringo Lam, but the fact that Lam's commentary was originally for Mei Ah's DVD of the shorter cut gives some credence to his either making or at least approving the cut.

[chen lung]

'My Father is a Hero' contains one scene only present on the LaserDisc; I wonder why that was.

[Pochacco]

Originally Posted by chen lung

'My Father is a Hero' contains one scene only present on the LaserDisc; I wonder why that was.

What scene is that incidentally? I've only ever watched the VCD (which I really need to upgrade at some point!)

[Killer Meteor]

Originally Posted by chen lung

'My Father is a Hero' contains one scene only present on the LaserDisc; I wonder why that was.

From memory, Dragon from Russia has one scene on the laserdiscs not on the DVDs, and the reason given what that it was removed after the premiere as they thought it didn't make sense. So the laserdisc used a theatrical print, and the DVDs were from a negative or inter-positive.

[chen lung]

Originally Posted by Pochacco

What scene is that incidentally? I've only ever watched the VCD (which I really need to upgrade at some point!)

The characters of Yu Rong-Guang and Collin Chou speculate on the identity of Kung Wai; it takes place right after the scene in which Blackie Ko nabs a newspaper from Ken Lo.

[WaverBoy]

Despite the missing footage and the lack of the original 5.1 track, I went ahead and ordered this from Eureka, because I really want to see me a good Ringo Lam film that I haven’t seen before. Can’t really complain about the price or the shipping cost at least. Perhaps I’ll be able to track down the old Mei Ah DVD at some point.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by WaverBoy

Despite the missing footage and the lack of the original 5.1 track, I went ahead and ordered this from Eureka, because I really want to see me a good Ringo Lam film that I haven’t seen before. Can’t really complain about the price or the shipping cost at least. Perhaps I’ll be able to track down the old Mei Ah DVD at some point.

There's also a HK blu-ray that has Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio in Cantonese and Mandarin, and English subs at least for the main feature. No idea if these are faithful to the original theatrical tracks.

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by ravenus

No idea if these are faithful to the original theatrical tracks.

I wouldn't trust a HK remix as far as I could throw it.

[Mr. Chaverria]

Originally Posted by Markgway

I wouldn't trust a HK remix as far as I could throw it.

I'm not sure if I've encountered one yet. What's the context on your comment?

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by Mr. Chaverria

I'm not sure if I've encountered one yet. What's the context on your comment?

5.1 remixes on old HK DVDs are invariably godawful, with new terrible foley effects and seriously messed-up sound levels and dialogue that sounds like it was recorded in a sewer pipe. I’m not exaggerating. Anyone who’s suffered through the Megastar DVDs of the Police Story and Chinese Ghost Story series or the Universe DVD of City On Fire will know what I mean. Luckily the Deltamac line came along and at least gave us the original mono tracks for a lot of the classics, even if they were still non-anamorphic and unremastered. These 88 and Eureka Blu-rays are an absolute godsend. If you are new to the HK collecting scene, you really don’t know how good you’ve got it.

[Mr. Chaverria]

I wonder if those Dragon Dynasty films had a remix? Cuz my HK films on DVD are close to non-existent and I think they most were early in the format. So I had the old English dubs on them.

[DooK]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Don't understand that. It's available on Mei Ah's remastered DVD, which appears to be the same edited version as Eureka's. Would've been easy to include.

The 5.1 track is also on the CNE DVD. Strange that they chose a 7.1 remix for their bluray.

https://www.yesasia.com/us/full-aler...0-en/info.html

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by DooK

The 5.1 track is also on the CNE DVD. Strange that they chose a 7.1 remix for their bluray.

https://www.yesasia.com/us/full-aler...0-en/info.html

Because the mentally is the higher the number of channels the better the mix is.

[Menteith]

Still, there is no official confirmation, that the 7.1 mix on the HK Blu is not accurate. Maybe it's good. Not all HK Blu's have re-mixed their tracks.

[KUNG FU BOB]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Because the mentally is the higher the number of channels the better the mix is.

Dan Quayle and I welcome you to the club for the grammatically challenged.