(And yes, Logan really is playing a drinking game during his commentary, downing a shot of liquor every time Anthony Wong appears in a different-colored sport coat! I bought this to replace my aged Video Cassette which is now so badly worn you can almost see through it. Furthermore there was even a Taiwanese test cut, a draft version which was submitted prior to Woos preferred final cut, which was released on DVD, and yet we have access to none of this juicy material. this is specified in your, Best Blu-ray Movie Deals, See All the Deals , Frank Miller's Hard Boiled (Ben Wheatley), 1st Weinstein film on Blu-ray: Hard Boiled. For purists, a disc-to-disc comparison reveals a very minor difference: The film's original theatrical aspect ratio was 1:85:1, and because this edition is enhanced for viewing on 16 x 9 widescreen TVs (16 x 9 being roughly equivalent to 1.78:1), the result is a very slight image cropping on top, bottom, and sides. It amazes me that no one has yet to remaster John Woo's back catalog. 1 Home Entertainment Tech Resource. Yes, I do mean, YES, the stuntwork and the gunplay in HARD BOILED is freakin' awesome but the final result became (to me, obviously) ok enough already this shoulda' been over 15 minutes ago. Hard Boiled (Ultimate Edition) [Blu-ray] (2010), Aspect Ratio Still, whats on offer, for those who dont already own the Dragon Dynasty SD-DVD release, is undeniably good, and far better than a simple bare-bones offering. There's another box set that should've happened by now: The Hideo Gosha collection. The product came in good condition ( plastic wrapped case, immaculate disk, the video quality was a little low, like it was a vhs but I didn't mind.) She has a few interesting titbits (the original title translates to spicy hand, smart detective) but theres nothing here that you couldnt learn from Logans Commentary, even if Wong is easier on the ear (and eye). Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2016. I checked the English sub titles and they seem ok, minus some of the swearing not being translated. Now, when I say "works," I mean "launches thousands of bullets, slugs, and explosive projectiles into HUNDREDS of mafioso baddies." Chow Yun-Fat is excellent to watch, as everBUT..BUT..this is the ridiculous dubbed version,which completely ruins the atmosphere, with awful american-english voice acting (where do they find these people?? It's available for Pre-Order at either DDDhouse.com or Buyoyo.com. Best Blu-ray Movie Deals, See All the Deals , Send a private message to hanshotfirst1138, Send a private message to yoloswegmaster420. Average Customer Rating for this Edition: Average Customer Rating for All Editions of this Product: The currencies exchange rates were updated on 2023-05-01. Atlas's rights have expired and are presumably with Fortune Star, which means a future 4k remastered release is inevitable. The "Location Guide" featurette takes its cues from Bey Logan's commentary, as Chinese-Canadian actress Kea Wong (who played Jubilee in the second and third X-Men movies) hosts a present-day tour of Hong Kong locations (some now gone, some still remaining) used in Hard Boiled. As such, if you already own Hard Boiled on DVD, you may want to consider waiting for a better version to come along. Its a shame, because the film itself is an absolute must-have action classic, and it deserves far, far better. The film oozes that HK kinetic action style. I was laughing at the preposterously ridiculous conclusion because I realized the John Woo direction would not stoop to killing one "character" while displaying this is just a movie, don't take this too seriously (not a bad thing) when our hero cop (Chow Yun-Fat) has officially turned into a gun-wielding, people saving, comic book super hero. The two men must come to terms with their allegiance to the force and their loyalty to each other as they try to take down the gangsters. You can also optionally receive an email notification (sent only once), AVForums.com is owned and operated by M2N Limited, The content on this page was originally created by YesAsia.com or has been officially licensed. Recorded about 5 years ago anybody familiar with Logans commentaries will know exactly what to expect here lots and lots of information, rattled out at lightning speed. JavaScript is disabled. This title will be released on July 25, 2023. . It's the 4K restorations that have squiffy colours ala Ritrovision bullshit). Ruined by dubbing. Otherwise I would have given 5 stars. Both are directed by Woo, obviously. The directing and framing are absolutely attractive, hypnotizing, and keep your eyes glued to the screen. In a 15-minute interview, former Hong Kong undercover cop Philip Chan discusses (in English) his co-starring role in Hard Boiled, his experiences working with Woo, Chow Yun-Fat, and others in the cast, and his astute observations about the film's lasting impact. On disc 1, the film is presented in a pristine anamorphic transfer that's every bit as crisp and colorful as Criterion's non-anamorphic transfer was. I was laughing at the preposterously ridiculous conclusion because I realized the John Woo direction would not stoop to killing one "character" while displaying this is just a movie, don't take this too seriously (not a bad thing) when our hero cop (Chow Yun-Fat) has officially turned into a gun-wielding, people saving, comic book super hero. Voir les dtails, Clientes internacionales pueden comparer en www.bestbuy.com y enviar sus pedidos a cualquier domicilio o tienda en EE. Good Blu ray transfer. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 28, 2015. The rears may not get as much action as you would have hoped for, but the track goes some way to creating a decent surround atmosphere for the movie, which does spark to life during the more exciting, explosive moments. It was amazing - with an ordinary crime story. But it was intriguing - althoug the plot is spiderweb thin. pat, thanks for that, I'll likely get that R1 release. , Media Format #1. Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2023, Bought this so I could check out a john woo movie with my brother, heard that hard boiled was good. Just pressed Play and the Cantonese track automatically played. Woo's dizzying odyssey through the world of Hong Kong Triads, undercover agents, and frenzied police raids culminates unforgettably in the breathless hospital sequence. I was thrown at first as the opening credits suggest its going to be a boxed version of the film, but afterwards it shifts to a full screen. He talks about the elaborate stunts done, and what it was like to work with Woo and this is another solid Interview offering. I've emailed Criterion so many ****ing times over the years. Its a very interesting, informative offering, arguably even more so than the Commentary, and it comes with the minimum of final film clips, almost all used cleverly just to illustrate his words. Overall worth a buy if you're looking for a copy of Hard Boiled. (In any case, these are nitpicking differences that only the most exacting videophiles will notice.) I had been previously disappointed by the dragon dynasty edition I got of The Killer, but I was overall very satisfied with this edition of Hard Boiled. Add all three to Cart. the Hard Boiled supporters cry. Both are great films. The Godfather of all action movies since 1991, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 22, 2016. With no English subs, is that what I heard? Full of super cool beautifully choreographed, almost balletic shoot outs. Never seen it at the movies, of course! Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2020. "Too morally messed-up!" , Product Dimensions Baptism of Fire is a 38 Minute extended Interview with Director John Woo, who reflects upon this movie, arguably the pinnacle of his career. ), The special features on disc 2 consist primarily of in-depth interviews with, 's core creative team. Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them. : I have to say that this is one of the poorest film presentations that I have come across for some time and it honestly looks as if the releasing Studio, Dragon Dynasty, have done nothing significant to upgrade their release from their prior Standard Definition DVD edition. Its an excellent re-mastered copy of what I regard as a classic and still John Woo's best. : Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! I just hope Criterion gives us Hard-Boiled and the Killer on Blu-ray at some point. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Still have my Criterion dvd of both titles to get me through until then. The absence of Chow Yun-Fat is regrettable, but in the 38-minute "Baptism of Fire" featurette, director John Woo goes into great detail (speaking in English) about how he wanted to create a screen hero like Clint Eastwood or Steve McQueen; how he refined Chow Yun-Fat's "cool" image on screen; how he constantly wanted more gunfire and bigger explosions; and the daily conditions that affected the filming of, . But even if I do think that Hard Boiled is a bit lite-on I still think it's super-cool. The original language Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 remaster is much better, a marked improvement on the original mono track (which is also included for completeness), and easily the best audio presentation that the movie has ever received. John Woo's last nineties Hong Kong film before moving to Hollywood, Hard Boiled marked the fifth collaboration between Woo and Chow Yun Fat. For every decent moment the Hong Kong driving sequence which first introduces Tony Leungs characters probably looks the best, and even that has far too much distance-softness there are some terrible shots, the night sequences (like the Jazz Club scenes) looking abysmal, with low-level lighting ruining the moments on the yacht as well. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. Chow Yun-fat (. ) An Arrow box set of John Woo films sounds amazing! Bullets whizz around your room, explosions attempt to rock your seat, and a little more bass and rear action could have made this a seriously good audio offering. Sadly, Hard Boiled was John Woo's last Hong Kong film, but there's some incredible stuff here, including a two-and-a-half-minute action sequence filmed in a single take that boasts a higher body-count and more stunts than your average Hollywood flick has in its entire running time! Glad I got it! It is surprisingly hard to find decent quality copies of a lot of the old Woo movies. , ASIN He talks about his real experiences running undercover officers back in the 70s, how difficult it was the undercover men often could not stand the pressure, and were even beaten by their own (who assumed they were criminals); and how women were not allowed to go undercover after a few near-rape experiences and why he was so interested in working on this production. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/6-21/ref=nosim, http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/P2/nextag6-21/. Best Blu-ray Movie Deals, See All the Deals . Unable to add item to List. Cantonese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit), Exclude from Collection Matcher/Recommendations, You will get a notification at the top of the site as soon as the current price equals or falls below your price. Masterful Hong Kong action director John Woo (The Killer, Face/Off) turns in this exciting and pyrotechnic tale of warring gangsters and shifting loyalties. Page 20- Hard Boiled (1992) (Ultimate Edition) Blu-ray Movies - North America Movies Blu-ray 4K . Netflix set to upgrade its Basic with Ads tier to Full HD, AVForums Podcast: Movies Edition - 17th April 2023, AVForums Podcast: Movies Edition - 3rd April 2023, Whats new on Netflix (UK) for April 2023, What's new on UK streaming services for April 2023. , Writers Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. : Another great offering, although its quite irritating that the film clips utilised are from the badly dubbed English version of the film! Hard Boiled comes to Region Free US Blu-ray with quite a disappointing 1080p High Definition rendition, presented in the movies original theatrical aspect ratio of widescreen 1.85:1. Banned . Show details. The 8-minute Location Guide is hosted by the enthusiastic young Kea Wong, and has her take you through some of the Hong Kong locations used in Hard Boiled the Jazz Club, the Tea Shop, the funeral etc. There's the John Woo fan who prefers. Did not check the English dub. The No. Both deal with similar thematic material, and both feature some brilliant action set pieces. I was disappointed on the Blu ray features though. . : There, I've said it. If Criterion can make a fifty-year-old Seven Samurai look damn good (for its age) on Blu-ray, Im not sure whether Dragon Dynasty have any excuses not to have done a better job with a film thats less than 20 years old. Arguably the most entertaining collaboration between Chow and Woo, Hard Boiled has it all: charismatic heroes, vile villains, themes of honor and righteousness, and of course plenty of slow-motion, guns-blazing action. This item is eligible for Free International Shipping, Hard-Boiled (1992) (Blu-ray) (Remastered Edition) (Hong Kong Version), English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital EX(TM) / THX Surround EX(TM), Dolby TrueHD, Inspector Yuen swears to sweep out the gangsters and sometimes breaks the rules in his furious drive to see justice done. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Hard-Boiled (1992) (Blu-ray) (Remastered Edition) (Hong Kong Version) Blu-ray Region All Tony Leung Chiu Wai ( Actor) | Chow Yun Fat ( Actor) | Teresa Mo (Actor) | Anthony Wong (Actor) Our Price: US$29.49 List: US$32.99 US$3.50 (10%) Save for later Availability: Usually ships within 7 to 14 days Related promotions: In case anybody is interested, I just caught wind that Hong Kong distributor, CN Entertainment is releasing "Hard Boiled" on Blu-ray with a "Remastered" version on July 5th. I really, really love this one, and have the old DVD, but would love a better version. John Woos massively influential, seminal action movie, Hard Boiled, is surely one of the best in the genre. Usually chewing on a match and flashing the famous Chow Yun-Fat smile, it's impossible not to like this guy. , Release date He explains how his partnership with Chow Yun-Fat worked so well over the years, and how he used the great actor to be his voice on the Big Screen, as well as noting the warm heart that the actor has in real life. IN MY MIND THE KILLER IS THE ONLY ACTION MOVIE BETTER THAN HARD BOILED.WOO WAS AT HIS BEST WITH HARD BOILED AND ITS A PITY ITS BEEN HIS LAST BEST FILM.GREAT GUNPLAY AND ACTION SEQUENCES.IT CONTAINS THE BEST ACTION . Also, if not Criterion, I would love to see Arrow give these films a shot. The product came in good condition ( plastic wrapped case, immaculate disk, the video quality was a little low, like it was a vhs but I didn't mind.) is a rare treat for fans of the action genre, with sequences as thrilling and intense as any ever committed to film. Seeing that the OP is in Canada, I'd say go with the Dragon Dynasty version. His guilt propels him into an all-out war against the gang, including an up-and-coming soldier in the mob (Tony Leung) who turns out to be an undercover cop. ), hence the two stars. Undeniably exhilarating from start to finish, it simply must seen to be believed. "Mad Dog Bites Again" is a 25-minute interview (in Cantonese) with Hard Boiled villain and action coordinator Kwok Choi, whose onscreen presence is one of the film's most memorable ingredients. It looks like he is having such a good time blowing the bad guys away! A stunning feast of hyperbolic action sequences (including a climactic sequence in an entire hospital taken hostage). It is surprisingly hard to find decent quality copies of a lot of the old Woo movies. No wonder the director had to emigrate to Hollywood. : Hard Boiled (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition) Yun-Fat Chow (Actor), Tony Leung Chiu Wai (Actor), John Woo (Director, Writer) Rated: R Format: DVD 831 ratings IMDb 7.7/10.0 Amazon's Choice for "hard boiled" $2499 Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns Prime Video $2.99 $9.99 Blu-ray $36.11 DVD $24.99 Multi-Format from $100.00 VHS Tape As a final insult, the optional English subtitles are actually taken from the English dub, rather than being decent translations themselves. Hard Boiled [DVD] (1992) John Woo (Director) Rated: Suitable for 18 years and over Format: DVD 730 ratings 626 FREE Returns Prime Video 4.49 9.99 Blu-ray 10.33 DVD 6.26 VHS tape from 51.00 Additional DVD options Edition Discs Amazon Price New from Used from DVD 27 Sept. 2004 Collector's Edition 1 6.99 5.85 1.59 DVD 10 May 1993 1 6.26 , Is Discontinued By Manufacturer Brilliant john Woo classic. This website uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb. Reviewed by Cas Harlow, 21st December 2010. The parallels he draws between the breathtaking work Woo did for the heroic bloodshed era of filmmaking are quite interesting as well, linking the fact that Woo was a protg of the Shaw Brothers, who themselves had pioneered a new style for swordplay movies in much the same way as Woo did for shooters. At the end of the day, it's pretty frustrating. We use data cookies to store your online preferences and collect information. The subs aren't as good as others I've seen, but they get the point across well enough to enjoy the film anyhow. For purists, a disc-to-disc comparison reveals a very minor difference: The film's original theatrical aspect ratio was 1:85:1, and because this edition is enhanced for viewing on 16 x 9 widescreen TVs (16 x 9 being roughly equivalent to 1.78:1), the result is a very slight image cropping on top, bottom, and sides. The film oozes that HK kinetic action style. The subs aren't as good as others I've seen, but they get the point across well enough to enjoy the film anyhow. Clearly they have done something for this High Definition release, but it looks like they have left some scenes untouched (complete with heavy grain and print damage) and other scenes DNRd into oblivion (in true Predator style), so it hardly comes as an upgrade, and in fact some might argue that it is inferior to the previous DVD incarnations. can this still be easily had? Of course a few of the shots look better than ever before, you can sometimes see the beads of sweat on Chow Yun-Fats face, or the individual hairs on his head, but these are glimmers of High Definition glory in a generally awful presentation. It hasn't had a recent release in Hong Kong, which means Mei-Ah may not have distribution rights there any longer, but curiously had a 2k remastered print show up on BD in Japan from Fortune Star. Still, as noted, its far better than weve ever had before, and considering the awful video presentation a refreshingly solid aural accompaniment. Also included: the film's Hong Kong theatrical trailer and U.S. promotional trailer. Unable to add item to List. Features some of the most amazing and influential action set pieces in cinematic history. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. The transfer is better than my old R2 DVD, but the image skips. Great movie as I remember it to be. In a 15-minute interview, former Hong Kong undercover cop Philip Chan discusses (in English) his co-starring role in, , his experiences working with Woo, Chow Yun-Fat, and others in the cast, and his astute observations about the film's lasting impact. The JP disc is proper HD from a 35mm element and completely different than the Dragon Dynasty BD (which is now believed to be an upscale but doesn't suffer the 25fps ghosting of The Killer). The Godfather of all action movies since 1991, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 22, 2016. : As good as it gets. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Copyright 2000-2023 M2N Limited E. & O.E. If you love action movies and you haven't yet seen "Hard Boiled", then make sure you get a copy as soon as possible because director John Woo raised the bar for all action films when he created this blockbuster. Firstly, this to me this and The Killer, are the definitive John Woo films. "The Killer is too dark!" In English with optional subtitles. : Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Has Perfected Lightsaber Combat, Project Milo Was a Big Swing (and a Miss) at Leveling Up Game AI, Mrs. Doubtfire Actor Matthew Lawrence Alleges He Lost Marvel Role After Refusing Director's Advances, Fan-Favorite Deadpool 2 Character is Returning for Deadpool 3, King of the Hill Actor Confirms Revival Will Feature a Time Jump, Amazon Prime Members: Get $5 in Free Amazon Credit, The Biggest Games Coming in May and Beyond, Xbox Storage Expansion Cards on Sale for New All-Time Low Price, Moon Mystery - Official Kickstarter Trailer, Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One - Avengers Assembled, Resident Evil 4 Clockwork Castellan Locations. Give me THE WOLVES, HUNTER IN THE DARK, VIOLENT STREETS and BANDITS VS. SAMURAI SQUADRON and I'll be happy. However, despite these similarities, The Killer and Hard-Boiled are very different films, and the difference between them is not due to something that one film has that the other doesn't, or something that one film does better than the other, but instead comes from a rather startling disparity in tone between the two. We do get significantly better audio, and most of the previously-found extras as well, but theres nothing new in the extra department, which is a shame when you consider the wealth of material on offer from the other DVD incarnations (including no less than two John Woo Audio Commentaries) which are nowhere to be seen here. Detail is pretty bad throughout, although, oddly, DNR wavers across the runtime. And while the feature-length commentary by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan may be lacking in critical insight, it's obvious that Logan is a devoted and well-informed fan of the "heroic bloodshed" genre of Hong Kong action films, and his knowledgeable commentary is filled with relevant details that place, in a thorough historical context. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 3, 2015, This is action at its loudest,fast so you can't see through the plot,humour in parts. Good Blu ray transfer. It was interesting despite all the dj vu of the kind. It's possible given the Japanese release from them, that Fortune Star may be grabbing up US and worldwide rights if no one else or Mei-Ah hasn't already. 09-16-2010, 02:45 AM #14: bmogav. Between his expertly choreographed slo-mo action and his hyperkinetic, explosive shoot-outs, Woo does balletic, ballistic gunplay like no other, and Hard Boiled represents the pinnacle of his action film career, and also arguably the best of his collaborations with charismatic leading man Chow Yun-Fat. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. The DVD Collectors edition is excellent. plays a take-no-prisoners cop on the trail of the triad, the Hong Kong Mafia, when his partner is killed during a gun battle. Chow Yun-fat (The Replacement Killers) plays a take-no-prisoners cop on the trail of the triad, the Hong Kong Mafia, when his partner is killed during a gun battle. Page 17- Hard Boiled (1992) (Ultimate Edition) Blu-ray Movies - North America . I'm afraid that this edition is the best transfer available at the moment ( 28th May 2015) which is a real shame because at present it's $399.99 from Amazon. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. I prefer The Killer. The DVD Collectors edition is excellent. Great movie as I remember it to be. International customers can shop on www.bestbuy.com and have orders shipped to any U.S. address or U.S. store. Hard Boiled Blu-ray (1992) SRP: 12.38 Picture Hard Boiled comes to Region Free US Blu-ray with quite a disappointing 1080p High Definition rendition, presented in the movie's original theatrical aspect ratio of widescreen 1.85:1. I would gladly have my DVD copy lose value, so that I can buy a Blu Ray upgrade. Please click on a keyword to search for similar items. Fairly solid edition of this DVD - Great Movie, Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2022. Woos dizzying odyssey through the world of Hong Kong Triads, undercover agents, and frenzied police raids culminates unforgettably in the breathless hospital sequence. When does any good ever come out of dubbing? Asian Entertainment Reviews and Features. I bought this to replace my aged Video Cassette which is now so badly worn you can almost see through it. Let's hope it'll be done some justice with the remaster, and done right this time! The best overall version is the newer Hd master on the Japanese bluray that fans have tried regrading to fix some color issues. No wonder the director had to emigrate to Hollywood. Some of these items dispatch sooner than the others. Audio commentary by John Woo, producer Terence Chang, filmmaker Roger Avary, and critic Dave Kehr, Trailers for eleven of Woos Hong Kong films. With dialogue presented clearly and coherently from across the frontal array, we get keen presentation of both the effects and the pacey score, which even showcase some dynamics and directionality across the surround channels. It is in this disparity that the reason for most fans' preference for one film over the other lies. He talks about wanting to make a movie tribute to Steve McQueen and Clint Eastwood, and how this movie reflected two of the coolest characters that they brought to the Big Screen, in Bullitt and Dirty Harry, reflectively. For diehard Hong Kong cinema fans, and indeed action film fans everywhere, few movies are as revered as Hard Boiled. Makes no sense to me! It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. It is the sort of film that can't pass censorships. So then, action-lovers, what are you waiting for? The two men must come to terms with their allegiance to the force and their loyalty to each other as they try to take down the gangsters. It was interesting despite all the dj vu of the kind. In English with optional subtitles. Total Price: $143.62. : "But still," reply fans of The Killer, "Hard Boiled is too lite-on!". : $32.49. There are a litany of print defects and digital artefacting issues which simply have not been resolved youll see everything you dont want to see on a decent remaster: lines running down the image, scratches and pops, and other damage which just shouldnt be there.