MovieChat Forums > 'A' gai wak (1983) Discussion > HK version vs. Miramax Version

HK version vs. Miramax Version


The Miramax version of 'Project A', in my opinion, sucks! It's watchable for some casual viewers, but it doesn't do justice for the original. Nick Rivera's rescore just doesn't boast the same heart and soul that Michael Lai's original does(Perhaps, Miramax will rerelease a definitive version on DVD in the US in the future; that'll be the day...ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ah,ha,ha,ha,ha...). Dragon Ma's line to Wah Neih/Winnie(Isabella Wong), "Those men will turn you into a prostitute if they catch you," is watered down to," Do you know what those men will do if they catch you?" The Mahjong scene is cut; the musical number is cut; the "spaghetti" scene is cut(Yat,yih, saam, sei, A,B,C,D, daaih tau...bee,bee.[Tai Po patronizes a cop] "Bee, bee!" [Cop yells "BEE-AH"] Cop presses a plate of spaghetti against the Tai Po's face! Tai Po tries to get even, but with no success.) Sorry for ranting, folks. If the US version ticks you off, stick with the HK version(if you can find a copy).

reply

I am replying to myself! In the HK version of 'Project A', Michael Lai's score pays homage to silent-era Hollywood comedies during the bike chase, but Nick Rivera's score is cold, heavy-handed, and out of place during the bike chase(and most of the film). In Dimension and Miramax's defense, in the music department for HK films, Mike Wandmacher is one of the better musicians to rescore some HK films. Although, Wandmacher's scores often feel out of place, as well. James Venable's rescore for the US version of 'Iron Monkey' was quite good, but a Wong Fei-hung movie without 'On the General's Order's' is like a 007 flick without Monty Norman's James Bond theme(which was originally a song written for a play called 'A House for Mr. Biswas') or 'Mission: Impossible' without Lalo Schifrin's theme. Oh well, we'll see what the future holds for HK film fans, casual viewers, Miramax, and others...

reply

Sorry to change the subject, rudeboy, but can you tell me is this the film with the classic fight in a teahouse, using table and chairs?

reply

There is a fight sequence in this film with tables and chairs when they go to arrest the pirate, However the better fight in my books is in the sequel Project a part 2 where there is the classic fight between the mob and jackie and his small team of police. There is also a good fight sequence in the canton godfather that is in a tea house.

Hope this helps!

reply

First off -- the fight in the tea house was from Drunken Master 2. VERY cool scene.

Second --- The score used in this movie was absolutely atrocious. It should be used as an example of how you can ruin very good scenes with inappropriate music. It is very VERY bad. This man should never be allowed to provide music for ANY movies in the future. They cut some very good scenes, too. If I remember, they cut the outtakes at the end of the movie too. You are right on the money though --- the US version of this movie was absolutely butchered and probably turned a movie that should be rated over 9.0 into something that is about a 6.0 at best.

If you can, get the Hong Kong version, suffer through the subtitles and enjoy a far superior movie.

reply

Many Jackie Chan movies have a fight in a teahouse or restaurant of some sort. A restuarant is just an ideal place to stage a fight scene which is why it is done so often. Fights inside warehouses are also very common in kung fu movies.
Examples of Teahouse Resaurant Fights in Jackie Chan movies:
Canton Godfather
Drunken Master 1
Drunken Master 2
Project A
Project A 2
Police Story 2
Winners and Sinners
Yeah... I really don't remember any more as of right now but the list is endless...

reply

I agree completely, rudeboy. I would avoid the Miramax version at all costs. I find the editing to be innane, and I far prefer the original, if only for the score - the one fight scene in the bar was choreographed to the music, for example, and when the new score was added, that beauty was lost.

You can see the difference on the cover immediately. Pictures of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung are far older than in the movie, for the Miramax version.

--Lisen--

reply

Every old HK movie specially period films have a fight in a tea house.

reply

[deleted]

[deleted]

So if i want to get the DVD what version would you suggest?

reply

Anyone?

R.I.P. Bernie Mac

reply

One simple rule.

Avoid American versions of Hong Kong films.

They are always edited and they change translations etc, they are nevere released intact.

Movies are released with Subs from HK. They are also released with subs in the UK and Australia long before American versions are dubbed and released.

reply

Miramax/Dimension Films also took criticism for making the surreal, almost silent The Thief and the Cobbler(1993) feel like a Disney movie! Bob and Harvey Weinstein want to make movies palatable for a broad audience, but they're not doing justice to the people who made the films and the people who enjoy watching them.

reply

[deleted]

[deleted]

I saw the Miramax new version (2012) I saw it and they altered some is the logos, they altered the dimension films logo from 1990's-2000's new clean logo, and they altered their old ending credits to new ending credits, but this is Miramax's re-edited version for the 2nd time which you can see on the blu-ray and DVD from echo bridge home entertainment, and you can see it on Netflix, not Hulu anymore because they remove Miramax from their website. But I contacted Nicholas Rivera anything about jackie chan, he was a nice composer, but if you want to contact him by email here it is ([email protected]). But I did not know that Halloween & Machette Actor Danny Trejo dubs the character of Lo Sam Pau, I even remember that Danny was involved with Miramax on Spy Kids.

reply