I would love to get a 2.35:1 Widescreen version of this wonderwork (if that indeed is the original apsect ratio; and judging by the heavy panning and scanning, it probably is). I read someone mention about a OOP Hong Kong VCD release being in Widescreen, but does anyone know where somebody can get a Widescreen copy?
-Michael
the hk release was widescreen but unlike most hk releases didnt have any english subtitles.
shareThe Hong Kong VCD was in widescreen and included a trailer, but sadly, was a VCD, and thus looked like compressed crap. It also had no english subtitles. And yes, that release is long out of print now.
HOWEVER:
Just recently a company in Malaysia released the film on region 3 DVD, with english subtitles, which you can order here:
http://sensasian.com/product.php/EN/V17439H-D
The disc isn't perfect, however... it has cantonese audio, which is the wrong language (should be mandarin), and the disc isn't flagged for 16:9, meaning it will look fine on a widescreen tv, but appear stretched on an old 4:3 tv.
I haven't recieved my copy yet, but when I do, I'm thinking of syncing the video up to the mandarin audio track from my japanese dvd to create a composite 'correct' version.
Some screencaps of the new DVD:
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h234/ivylingpo/NDVD_010.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h234/ivylingpo/NDVD_008-5.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h234/ivylingpo/NDVD_009.jpg
It's so cheap, it's worth getting for the picture alone, I think... that is if you have a multi-region dvd player :P
Wow, that's great news. Thanks for letting me know. How'd you find out the specs and where did you get those screen captures prior to receiving the DVD? My problem is that I still have a 4x3 TV; so does that mean there's no way to make it appear LBX instead of stretched? Is there no way to configure a DVD player to get it to display it as LBX on my 4x3 until I can afford a widescreen TV?
I've thought about trying to find a widescreen copy and then replacing the audio track with the english dub audio track from another release but I didn't think they would synch up correctly OR maybe instead just typing up a english subtitle file (based off the dub) and time it myself. Is there any release that already has english subtitles or that is anamorphic so that it would appear LBX on a 4:3 TV and correct on a widescreen TV? Or is there a way to rip this new DVD and then flag it yourself for 16x9 by editing the VOB files or something? What's your Japanese release like?
Thanks,
-Michael
Hey, forgive my late reply. I got the specs and screencaps from some asian film forum where a bunch of people were discussing the release:
http://www.kungfucinema.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5629
Although I ordered my copy from yesasia several weeks ago, it has only just been shipped, apparently. I'm waiting on the package, should be only a week or two away...
I am fairly certain, though, that there ought to be some setting in the system menu on your dvd player which lets you change the way it displays video from 16:9 anamorphic and 16:9 letterboxed. Most, if not all, dvd players should have this setting. Failing that, I'm sure there are way to rip and re-burn the dvd with the 16:9 flag turned on. I'm not certain how you'd go about that precisely, but a few other people were discussing it in regards to the dvd so it must be possible.
Anyhow, in regards to this release, going by what I've read:
- It IS anamorphic 16:9, just not flagged as such.
- It DOES feature removable english subtitles, but they're kind of shoddy.
- It features Cantonese audio only. This is incorrect as the film should be in Mandarin. On my VCD, the cantonese audio track features different music as well. I can't say if this is the same for the DVD.
Sadly, this is also the best release the film has ever gotten, it seems. Seeing as I'm already rambling and you asked about the Japanese DVD, I might as well just list all the digital asian releases I'm aware of:
HONG KONG VCD #1
Widescreen, letterboxed. No subtitles of any kind. Mandarin & Cantonese audio tracks. Disc 1 begins with a four-minute theatrical trailer. Probably realeased around 2001. Long out of print.
Screengrabs and info: http://www.brigittelin.com/FantasyMissionForce.htm
HK Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1Nc5IvyyD0
HONG KONG DVD #1
This was released at the same time and by the same company as the above VCD. Same cover art. Letterboxed widescreen, no subtitles. For some reason this doesn't feature the theatrical trailer included on the VCD. Went out of print even quicker than the VCD, too.
Screencaps: http://www.asiandvdguide.com/temp/fmf_dvd_01.jpg
Screencaps: http://www.asiandvdguide.com/temp/fmf_dvd_02.jpg
HONG KONG VCD #2
Identical re-release of the previous VCD. Same content, new packaging. Also now out of print.
THAI VCD
I have no idea what this was like at all. Most likely OOP.
JAPANESE DVD
Now this is a doozy... letterboxed, cropped midway between widescreen and 4:3, mandarin audio, burned on japanese subtitles... BUT ABOUT TEN MINUTES LONGER THAN ALL OTHER VERSIONS. Including the Hong Kong version. Runs 99 minutes. Tragically, this is also out of print.
Extended scenes:
- More antics after the "marching scotsmen" skit with Fong Ching and Hui Bat Liu.
- The scene where Brigitte Lin joins the group is slightly longer and has more dialogue.
- The scene with the group fighting each other before they are captured by the Amazons has more footage of Fong Ching and Hui Bat Liu falling off the jeep at the start.
- The scenes of the men being tortured is far longer, with the amazons throwing paintballs at them and tying them by the neck to a single length of wire, forcing them all to balance across it evenly. Some shots from this scene are featured in the above HK trailer.
- Fong Ching and Hui Bat Liu are chased around by amazon women in their cage before Brigitte Lin arrives and attacks the village. This explains why their faces are bruised early in the scene in the HK version.
- Lastly (and easily my favourite), the scene right before the final battle is much longer. Continuing on from when Pearl Chang tells Jackie that he musn't die, as she has another job for him, all of the rest of the characters get simillar scenes of their own as they set the dynamite: Old Sun gives Grease Lightning the machinegun he's later seen using, Billy and Lilly reconcile with each other, and General tells Stone that even though he's lost Lilly to another, he must brighten up and soldier on.
Some screencaps of the extended scenes: http://schnittberichte.com/schnittbericht.php?ID=4675
MALAYSIAN DVD:
The subject of our current discussion. Hong Kong 85 minute version. Recently released, still in print.
Well, once again I've written probably far more about this silly film than I should have. I hope this has been interesting/of some help. Please let me know if you have any more questions. Like I said, once my package gets here I'll take a look and see what the official deal is.
Peace!
~Scott
Thanks for taking the time to compile such an informative post. I'm glad someone else out there is as rabbidly interested in this film as I am. It's been hard to get any reliable data on the many different releases of this movie; especially since it is diluted into confusion here in the US with all the countless bargain/public domain releases. Any specs found always seem to be generalized or copied and confused from a different release. Anyways, thanks again for the great information on the different releases and the cut scenes as well! I will probably order one of the Malaysian DVDs from Yesasia myself.
-Michael
There is a nice DVD out now in Germany under the title "Dragon Mission Force". It is 2.35:1 widescreen and anamorphic. It has Mandarin, English and German soundtracks and English subtitles. The extra scenes from the Japanese version are included as an extra in Mandarin with burnt in Japanese subtitles.
Be horny.
Holy crap, thanks!
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