DVD News

-- Missing --
Tsui Hark's Missing DVD will be surfacing on July 28. Not a typical horror-suspense-mystery-romance, since Tsui Hark takes a rather different approach to writing a horror, with a big twist towards to end that may or may not appeal to genre fans.

Never short of creativity and often ahead of his times, Tsui Hark is perhaps often overflowing with too much ideas that can sometimes spell disasters for his movies as he keeps changing the script and adding more scenes on the fly, resulting in a lack of focus or coherence at times; even the actors having no idea what's going on at times. Perhaps, a little bit of rein in would make his movies more compelling and successful.

Anyhow, the 2-disc DVD edition of Missing, with information on special features missing at the moment, is now available for preorder at YesAsia.

-- Fist of Legend --

I think the most eagerly awaited upcoming Dragon Dynasty release is probably the long-awaited re-issue of Jet Li’s kung fu classic ‘Fist Of Legend’. An earlier DVD edition of the film featured only the English dubbed American edit. Now we get the chance to give the DD treatment to the last truly great kung fu film of the 90s wu shu wave. It was a great pleasure to sit down with an old friend, director Gordon Chan, to shoot an exclusive video interview in which he discusses the genesis, development and filming of Fist Of Legend.

For those new to the genre, Fist Of Legend is a palimpset of Bruce Lee’s Fist Of Fury, a rich embellishment of an established text. It brought together a unique synthesis of Gordon Chan’s story-telling, Yuen Woo-ping’s choreography and the charisma of action icon Jet Li.  Bey Logan Blog >>More<<

Bey Logan's Blog has been updated recently with a number of articles on recent martial arts movies as well as martial arts legends. Firstly, there are interviews with filmmaker, martial arts director, Hung-gar master Liu Chia Liang, a Hung Gar legend Lam Cho, and a trip down the memory lane with Golden Harvest's Raymond Chow.

Next up is an audio commentary session with Jaycee Chan, Shawn Yue and Andy On for Dragon Dynasty's Invisible Target DVD, a brief moment with Sammo Hung at Fatal Move Premiere, and, in conjunction with the production of Mandarin Film's "Yip Man", directed by Wilson Yip, action directed by Sammo Hung and starring Donnie Yen, takes a look at Wing Chun lineage and related films.

As a side note, Coming Soon interviews Donnie Yen as Flash Point gets limited release in US this week.

-- Blu-ray the Winner --

February 18, 2008 — Sony has triumphed once again. The company that has until now held control of the dominant audio format, "Red Book" CD, and the dominant high-resolution audio format, SACD, will now dominate high-resolution video as well with its Blu-ray technology.

On Tuesday February 19, Toshiba announced that it will no longer develop, manufacture, or market HD DVD players and recorders. "We concluded that a swift decision would be best," Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida told the press at Toshiba's company office in Tokyo.

Nishida ascribed Toshiba's abdication to Warner Bros. Entertainment's January decision that the entertainment giant would abandon HD DVD, and only release high-definition movies in Blu-ray format. Warner had been the only remaining Hollywood studio releasing high-definition video in both HD DVD and Blu-ray formats. "They had tremendous impact," Nishida said. "If we had continued, that would have created problems for consumers, and we simply had no chance to win."  Stereophile >>More<<

-- Five Disciples of Master Wong --

Five Disciples of Master Wong TV series focuses on the stories of, well, the five renowned disciples of Wong Fei Hung, namely Leung Foon, Clubfoot Seven, Lam Sai Wing, Bucktooth Su, and Moon, starting from how they become accepted by Wong Fei Hung, who was unwilling initially, as his disciples and how they eventually join forces to fight against the mastermind behind illegal opium trade. Max Mok, Xiong Xin Xin and Kent Cheng return as Leung Foon, Clubfoot Seven and Lam Sai Wing. Xiong Xin Xin also directs the action which appears to be realistic and hard-hitting. Trailer: Sina | Order DVD: YesAsia

-- Fatal Contact DVD (Dragon Dynasty 2-disc Ultimate Edition) -

Dragon Dynasty's Fatal Contact Ultimate Edition DVD, which is scheduled for release on January 22, comes packed with the following extras:

• A Dragon Rising: A Featurette with Leading Man Wu Jing
• The Ringmaster: An Interview with Director Dennis Law
• Working Girl: An Interview with Co-Star Theresa Fu
• Young and Dangerous: An Interview with Co-Star Miki Yeung
• Life Is a Contact Sport: Behind the Scenes of Fatal Contact
• Feature commentary with Director Dennis Law and Hong Kong Cinema Expert Bey Logan
• Original Theatrical Trailer

This 2-disc special edition DVD may be pre-ordered from YesAsia or HKFlix.

-- Flash Point DVD --

The DVD for Flash Point, one of the best martial arts movies ever made that combines excellent direction from Wilson Yip as well as a thorough, well thought-out and visceral showdown between Donnie Yen and Ngai Sing that sets new standards for the way martial arts scenes should be shot, is going to be released on 28 September. The limited edition comes with such special features as the gala premiere, behind-the-scenes video, shooting diary, informer's report, martial arts production, deleted scenes, as well as various trailers. Flash Point was recently screened at Toronto International Film Festival.

Preorder at YesAsia

Flash Point DVD (2-Disc Limited Edition)

Flash Point DVD (Regular Edition)

-- Invisible Target 3-Disc Limited Edition --
Invisible Target DVD will be hitting the stores on 7 September. The 3-disc Limited Edition comes packed with a host of fantastic bonus features. On the first disc is audio commentary by the director Benny Chan and the actors Nicholas Tse, Wu Jing, Shawn Yue, Jaycee Chan (which is apparently also available on standard edition DVD), while the second disc features the making-of special, gala premiere of the movie, deleted scenes, storyboards with director commentary, a look at the action choreography and - whatever that means - Universe Trilogy, and the third disc is a soundtrack CD - not that soundtrack of the movie is any stirring.

Preorder at YesAsia

Invisible Target DVD (3-disc Limited Edition)

Invisible Target DVD (Regular Edition)

-- Legend of Twin Dragons and Wing Chun DVDs --

Based on the trailer as well as plot, cast, costumes, etc, Legend of Twin Dragons appears to be same work as the 40-part TV series Wing Chun that's scheduled for airing on Mainland TV later this month. It seems that the two are different versions in terms of length, with Legend of Twin Dragons, being called a "movie" and reportedly containing more violent scenes such that it was barred from theatrical screening (though this could possibly be publicity stunt since the "movie", possibly being carved out of the same mould as the TV version, would not likely get wide release anyway even if it made it to the theatres), having a shorter running time of around 1 and 1/2 hrs. Legend of Twin Dragon has just been released on DVD in China and is available from such Chinese online video store as Cnave.

Wing Chun, starring Yuen Biao, Nicholas Tse, Sammo Hung, Rain Li, Ji Chun Hua, Xu Xiang Dong, Sammy Hung, Hu Ke, Elanne Kwong, is due for DVD release on July 24. 

Pre-ordered DVD from YesAsia.

-- Wu Seng (Shaolin: Fate and Consequence) Trailer --

Not much was announced regarding this film by Beijing Poly-bona in which Fan Siu Wong turns to Shaolin Temple for refuge and learns Shaolin martial arts. 《少林之永乐恩仇》 Shaolin: Fate and Consequence is to be released soon. But anyway, here's the trailer.

Order Wu Seng DVD at YesAsia.

-- Twins Mission DVD --

Twins Mission DVD will be out on April 3. Twins Mission, starring Wu Jing, Sammo Hung, Gillian Chung, Charlene Choi, Zhang Qian, Yuen Wah, is about the attempt at recovery of a stolen Tibetan artifact - dzi bead. Featuring sophisticated fight scenes, a deftly crafted scene of pilfering, lots of real life twins, humour, heartwarming moments, it's a delightful New Year movie that grossed over HK$6m at Hong Kong box office.

Available for pre-order at YesAsia.

As opposed to many recent big-budget Chinese period productions of late, which were made to impress with elaborate sets and dandified costumes, but are ultimately lacking in plot, A Battle Of Wits, while not perfect, is a heartfelt attempt in movie-making. It's brilliantly written, and unpretentious in its presentation by not over-indulging in opulently ornate sets and spotlessly clean, garish and outlandish costumes. Although the director Cheung Chi Leung doesn't dig deep into Mohism, he still tries his best to bring out the message of universal love and peace through the selfless deeds of the Mohist follower protagonist Ge Li, and showing the traumas and tragedies caused by war. A Battle of Wits is about how Ge Li helps defends a tiny State of Liang against the overwhelming troops led by the formidable general from the much larger State of Zhao, in the hope of preventing casualties and massacres. At the same time, he has to face treachery from the politicians of the nation he is defending. Directed by Cheung Chi Leung. Starring Andy Lau, Ahn Sung Ki, Fan Bing Bing Tak Wah, Wang Zhi Wen, Nicky Wu, Zensyo Sakamoto, with cameos from Yu Cheng Hui, Xu Xiang Dong, Chin Siu Ho.

The 2-Disc Special Edition of A Battle of Wits, to be released on 1 Feb,  comes with 86 minutes extras, including teasers and trailers, a making-of featurette, premier clips, interviews with Jacob Cheung, Andy Lau, and Nicky Wu, photo gallery, etc. Available from YesAsia.