MovieChat Forums > Nezha nao hai (1979) Discussion > 'Nezha conquers the Dragon King' DVD out...

'Nezha conquers the Dragon King' DVD out with English subs!

posted 19 years ago by dont_b_so_BBC
12 replies | jump to latest

The 25th Anniversary DVD of "Nezha Nao Hai" (Nezha Conquers the Dragon King) is REALLY well-remastered DVD with (Chinese &) English subtitles! It totally wipes the floor with Disney's Mulan (just my personal fanatical opinion) in terms of Chinese fantasy art and, of course, kung-fu, animation.

In my opinion, this is REAL Peak Achievement of traditional Chinese animation because Shanghai Animation Film Studio built on the achievements of Uproar in Heaven (Da Hao Tian Gong, 1965) and threw in every visual and musical trick available to the studio in 1979.

And the English subtitles are quite well done, except in places where the translation is a bit too literal (i.e. doesn't flow in modern English). Of course, the English subs simplify the story in the sense that some nuances of the Chinese dialogue doesn't come through-- e.g when the red, black and white Dragon King greets the blue/green Dragon King as "Sire", the point that the blue/green Dragon King is the eldest brother is lost in translation.

But then the story is already simplified from the book (and Nezha's mother & 2 elder brothers never appear), so the film is only around 1 hour and is easy enough to follow without subs. But be warned! unlike Uproar in Heaven which "adapted" the ending to fit a film format (the Monkey King's adventures goes on for another 90 chapters or so), all the harrowing elements of this brutal story has been retained....

Checkout the DVD stores online-- it's glorious stuff and dirt-cheap!
http://global.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/pid-1004021559/section-anime/code-c/version-all/did-7448/

[–] divechaz 18 years ago

THANK you! I have been looking for this for AGES!!!! I used to own a really messed up old copy on VHS when I was a kid, and LOVED it...but the copy I had was a bad recording, and someone had taped over the ending, so all I was left with was the scene where he slits his own throat and falls on his sword. Freaky stuff for a five year old to watch ;)
Still, I consider it one of the best without a doubt! Thanks for the update on the DVD release!

[–] dont_b_so_BBC 18 years ago

SPOILERS

Nah, you didn't miss much of the story.... Although resurrection was beautiful & the final battle was fun, the suicide scene is generally considered THE BEST part of the film (guys will openly admit to weeping!). From a dramatic standpoint, the film is all about the rejection of parental authority/ stupidity and the ending doesn't change that one bit. 8^P

Oh, but the explosion of colours on DVD-- I had the VCD for a while but it didn't prepare for the shock-- every frame looks a freshly inked Chinese New Year painting!

[–] divechaz 18 years ago

Good point lol! Even back then I was moved by the raw emotion of that suicide scene (and I doubt there was ever a time that I watched it and didn't weep either!) Ordered my copy, can't wait to get it!

[–] Grapefruit13 18 years ago

Can I just add for viewers in the UK, I found this film (dubbed - not too badly - in English) under the title "LITTLE NEZHA FIGHTS GREAT DRAGON KINGS", which is the version I always watched as a kid. So it's worth trying a few different titles if you're hunting for it...

I have nothing to say, I just love this hat.

[–] jahmw 18 years ago

You rock..... I can't find this anywhere in the US especially in San Francisco. All the stores there were clueless which is really really sad.... They all thought it was a Japanese Anime. Is Uproar in Heaven in English as well?

[–] riversrushing 16 years ago

yes!
this is the one that i watched! the english dub was done surprisingly well! i loved the immortal elder's voice in particular!

i think my favourite scene is where he gets his new weapons! and of course where he slits his throat, and being a girl i wept like a willow hahaha ;)

can you find the english dub version anywhere then? although i cant wait to see it subtitled!

Luley xx

[–] sweetp_uk 18 years ago

Hi, can you tell me where you actually managed to buy this from? Ive been looking for it for ages and ive finally found this IMBd website but no option to purchase the DVD. help!!!

Thanks, Paula

[–] dont_b_so_BBC 18 years ago

The on-line DVD store yesasia is probably more reliable (in shipping & not suddenly winding-down) though ridiculously expensive. It doesn't say there are English sub-titles but there are, and I don't know why a Japanese is named in the production crew...

The only other region I know of outside the Chinese-speaking ones which carries this DVD title is Japan (R2 with Japanese sub, etc) and I think there is probably a very low chance of it ever being re-subtitled/ dubbed/ released independently anywhere else.

EDIT: just check yesasia.com-- the regular DVD is selling at 50% discount but the 25th anniversary edition is sold out, I think

[–] andrew-jones5 18 years ago

mate its ebay not sure which versions is which

http://search.ebay.co.uk/nezha_W0QQfkrZ1QQfltZ9QQfromZR8

quality film!

'Work is the curse of the drinking classes' Oscar Wilde

[–] richardlimjr 18 years ago

I just borrowed this movie from my local library and was glad to relive one of the few Chinese animations that I remembered fondly from my childhood days.

From the Dvd's extra section, it mentioned it was one of the first Chinese animations that were presented in Widescreen format. But the 25th Anniversary Dvd that I seen was presented in Full Screen format. Was there a Widescreen format for this 25th Anniversary Dvd that I had somehow missed?

I am tempted to get this Dvd but the presentation is holding me back.

[–] dont_b_so_BBC 18 years ago

Yeah, I know what you mean-- my memory (of a 16:9 presentation) was confirmed in one of the special features where they shown clips of the films which showed more of the left and right edges...

BUT the truth is, they produced the film in 4:3 format and then CROP the top and bottom to "create" the 16:9 effect-- if you look closely on the clips of 16:9 presentation shown in the special features, you will noticed that some of the "sky" is missing or the characters' head are closer to the top of the screen.

However, there is SOME (side) cropping in the current 4:3 format on the DVD-- the characters are sometimes "dangerously" close to the side the screen. I don't know the reason for this, but it could something to do with degradation of filmstock, archival problems or something like that.

It's HAS been 25 years and they probably didn't realise that DVDs would come along or that Chinese (or foreign) fans would remember it so well-- it's Shanghai Animation Studio's top catalogue item along with "Uproar in Heaven" (which at 40+ years is in an even worse state and doesn't have English subtitles in the DVD, yet).

Anyway, my point is that this DVD is probably IT-- considering that they bothered to interview the crew and stuff it with special features (the 25th Anniversary Collector's Edition, that is), it's unlikely that they would deliberately "scrimp" on the presentation if they could have gotten the filmstock "right".

[–] ja_kitty_71 15 years ago

I love Nezha after I watched the film online; and I SO want the The 25th Anniversary DVD (and Uproar in Heaven too). I had found it on EBay, but I would have to use the PayPal method to pay for ordering, and I don't want to give vital info. just for a PayPal account; *beep*
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*nya* *purr*