Incorrectly labelled Hong Kong DVDs

[Mike T Guest Find all posts View Profile Close Mike T]

In light of the recent work I did with the Shaw Brothers films on DVD in Hong Kong, I've decided to start up a topic thread with information detailing the little "mistakes" that HK DVD/BD distributors sometimes make with their product.

In the case of Shaw Brothers titles, released on Region 3-encoded DVD through IVL (Intercontinental Video Ltd.), a significant number were remixed into Dolby EX 6.1 audio, where the sleeves only listed Dolby 5.1 audio. The titles that were actually Dolby EX 6.1 (that I have in my collection) are as follows:

The 14 Amazons
7 Man Army
Angel with the Iron Fists
The Angry Guest
The Assassin
The Avenging Eagle
Bat Without Wings
The Battle Wizard
The Bells of Death
Boxer Rebellion
The Brave Archer
The Brave Archer II
The Brave Archer III
Brave Archer and His Mate
Brotherhood
Bruce Lee & I
Call to Arms
Cat Vs. Rat
The Chinese Boxer
Clan of the White Lotus
Crazy Shaolin Disciples
The Crimson Charm
Crippled Avengers
The Deadly Breaking Sword
The Deadly Duo
Death Valley
Descendant of the Sun
Dirty Ho
The Duel
The Fake Ghost Catchers
The Flying Dagger
The Fugitive
The Golden Sword
Heaven Sword and Dargon Sabre
Heaven Sword and Dargon Sabre II
Invincible Enforcer
Judgement of an Assassin
King Cat
King Eagle
The Kung Fu Instructor
The Lady Hermit
Legend of the Fox
Legendary Weapons of China
Marco Polo
Martial Club
Ode to Gallantry
The Proud Youth
Return of the Sentimental Swordsman
River of Fury
The Shaolin Avengers
The Silent Swordsman
The Silver Fox
The Singing Killer
The Spiritual Boxer
Swift Sword
The Sword Stained with Royal Blood
Ten Tigers of Kwang Tung
Tiger Killer
The Treasure Hunters
Vengeance is a Golden Blade
The Wandering Swordsman

We can update the list if anyone else finds any other title not on the above list that has a DD-EX soundtrack (and is mis-identified as standard DD 5.1 on the packaging).

[Mike T Guest Find all posts View Profile Close Mike T]

With the Fortune Star titles, released through Joy Sales Film & Video Distributors (soon to shift to Kam & Ronson), I've happened across the following discrepancies:

The Canton Godfather (aka: Miracles/Mister Canton & Lady Rose) -- incorrected marked as Region 3, actually All Region
City Hunter -- Cantonese DTS-ES 5.1 and Dolby EX 6.1 audio (listed as standard formats on sleeve)
Diary of a Big Man -- Cantonese DTS-ES 5.1, Dolby EX 6.1 and Mandarin Dolby EX 6.1 audio (listed as standard formats on sleeve)
The Millionaire's Express -- Cantonese DTS-ES 5.1 and Dolby EX 6.1 audio (listed as standard formats on sleeve); also the film is "International" version, not the original Hong Kong theatrical version. Each version has footage unique to either variant, but none of the deleted theatrical footage has been included in the extras.
Peking Opera Blues -- Cantonese DTS-ES 5.1, Dolby EX 6.1 and Mandarin Dolby EX 6.1 audio (listed as standard formats on sleeve)
Righting Wrongs -- Is the original HK theatrical version (no alternate export footage included); interview with Yuen Biao features NO English subtitles!
Story of Ricky -- Cantonese DTS-ES 5.1 and Dolby EX 6.1 audio (listed as standard formats on sleeve)
Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars -- alternate footage from the Mandarin language version included (not listed on sleeve)

Additional updates forthcoming

[Mike T Guest Find all posts View Profile Close Mike T]

Joy Sales titles with anomalies:

Beast Stalker (2008, Hong Kong) -- sleeve lists standard DTS 5.1 audio; it's actually DTS-ES 6.1 Discrete!
The Maid (2005, Singapore) -- listed on various retailers and Joy Sales website as 16:9, NTSC and DVD-9 (JS list DVD-5). Is actually 4:3 letterboxed, PAL and DVD-5

Kam & Ronson titles:

Trivial Matters (2007, Hong Kong) -- sleeve lists DTS-ES 6.1 discrete and Dolby EX audio; actual audio tracks are standard DTS 5.1 and DD 5.1 formats

Mei Ah Entertainment titles:

Wesley's Mysterious File (2002, Hong Kong) -- faulty DTS track (balance askew, centre-channel directional from rear-left); no reports of repressing or corrected audio

[Mike T Guest Find all posts View Profile Close Mike T]

Btw, is the topic idea of any use to anyone out there? Or is it all just p*ss and wind to a lot of you? :think:

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

It's interesting for the curiosity factor.

I have the Fortune Star release of Bullet In The Head that's incorrectly labelled - as The Killer. For some reason though the slipcase has the right art, the cover itself in the keepcase is for The Killer. Kind of annoying, really, but at least the discs are good so I wasn't about to send it back to HK for an exchange.

[Mike T Guest Find all posts View Profile Close Mike T]

I have the Fortune Star release of Bullet In The Head that's incorrectly labelled - as The Killer. For some reason though the slipcase has the right art, the cover itself in the keepcase is for The Killer. Kind of annoying, really...

Would you like a scan of that cover to print out? If so, just let me know what quality you want the scan done at (I usually scan at 400dpi) and I'll do it today and email it to you! ;)

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Actually, yeah, that'd be awesome - 300dpi is fine.

[Mike T Guest Find all posts View Profile Close Mike T]

No worries! Consider it done. You have a PM. Btw, glad the thread is of some use to someone. :)

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Much obliged!

[Mike T Guest Find all posts View Profile Close Mike T]

And here's some facts and figures on some UK editions of Asian films:

Cine Asia

Chocolate (2008, Thailand) -- BD marked as Dolby 5.1 audio, actually DTS-Master audio 5.1
Ghost Game (2006, Thailand) -- non-removable subtitles; poor compression/encoding (lots of digital noise in blacks)
Raging Phoenix (2009, Thailand -- non-removable subtitles (BD edition)
Sasori (2008, HK/Japan) -- non-removable subtitles; poor compression/encoding (lots of digital noise in blacks)

Metrodome

Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen (2010, Hong Kong) -- Correct Cantonese & English theatrical audio, but non-removable subtitles