Note: I figure many people here already know about our releases, but I wanted to post about them for people who are not familiar with our work.




Disc 1:  

The only genuine HD transfer in the world, sourced from Japan. Color corrected to match the original theatrical print. Image quality FAR exceeds releases by Dragon Dynasty and anyone else for that matter.  

Audio Tracks:  

1. Cantonese 2.0 Uncompressed LPCM  
2. Cantonese 5.1 Surround Remix DTS-HD  
3. English Dub 5.1 Dolby  
4. Mandarin Dub 5.1 Dolby  
5. John Woo, Terence Chang Commentary  
6. John Woo, Terence Chang, Roger Avery and Dave Kehr Commentary  
7. Bey Logan Commentary    

Disc 2 Special Features:  

1. Taiwan Extended Version of Hard Boiled  

This is a doozy of a special feature. This is the rare, extended Taiwan version of Hard Boiled, presented here complete and unedited. Longer than the theatrical version. It contains many minor differences throughout the film, including alternate takes in some scenes.  

2. The Making of Hard Boiled  

A documentary that was originally only available on the French HKVideo DVD. We commissioned new English subtitles since the original only had French subtitles  

3. Interview with John Woo  

4. Interview with Tony Leung  

This feature was originally only available on the French HKVideo DVD. We commissioned new English subtitles.  

5. Interview with Terence Chang  

6. Interview with Philip Chan  

7. Interview with Kwok Choi  

8. Location Guide  On-site tour of the shooting locations for Hard Boiled  

9. Alternative Opening Scene  

10. John Woo's Student Film  Originally only available on the long OOP Criterion DVD  

11. Trailer Gallery  Collection of all theatrical and home video trailers for Hard Boiled  

12. Hong Kong Rescue Trailer


Here is a YouTube video review of this release that one of our customer's made:

https://youtu.be/XZwhXhbHd1Q



What Other People Are Saying About Hong Kong Rescue:
My son (who was born the year after the film came out) hasn't seen it yet, and we were excited about watching it together. But now with the pandemic going on, even though he lives less than 15 minutes away, to stay safe, we can't. But it'll be worth the wait."

I always wondered, did you actually color correct the master to a 35mm print or to a different source that has assumably correct colors? I've always wondered this given I've heard somewhere that it's really just been color corrected to the Criterion DVD. I ask because I actually know a source who owns a 35mm print of the movie, and in theory, it may be possible to get that funded and scanned (in 4K too) to be used as a truer color reference to you and a more grindhousey presentation to others.

The Criterion DVD was a transfer from their LD, which was most likely made from a IP or Interneg that also had different opening credits (on a red screen) instead of the ones that cut to black with sliding text from the left/right.

References to prints or internegatives are the Criterion DVD/LD, the JP LD and the HK Video DVD. Between them all, you get a fairly good idea of how the movie looked.

(2020-06-09, 07:03 AM)Stamper Wrote: References to prints or internegatives are the Criterion DVD/LD, the JP LD and the HK Video DVD. Between them all, you get a fairly good idea of how the movie looked.

Though the HKR version of the movie is definitely much nicer looking, I've always wondered if it was supposed to look so yellow at times. There are instances where I get the sense where it ends up drowning out other colors (like the night-time blues in these frames I grabbed from the Dragon Dynasty blu-ray). I wish I knew if it's the same case when looking at an actual OTP 35mm print or not given home media releases tend to be off the mark color-wise, but who am I to judge?

The Japanese transfer and in turn the HKR version are wrong color wise.
I was lucky enough to catch a 35mm showing and Id say the French DVD (HKVideo) is the most accurate (if a little over saturated).

You are correct in that it has been drained of blue, its a phenomenon Ive noticed (especially with Hong Kong film transfers) quite alot over recent years.
I often wonder if its part of a noise reduction process ?
I know I could often clean up noisy video footage just using the blue channel when I was doing this professionally.
But i worked 99% of the time with video and not film transfers. I guess it would be the same once digitized though.

(2020-06-09, 05:21 AM)SpaceBlackKnight Wrote: The Criterion DVD was a transfer from their LD, which was most likely made from a IP or Interneg that also had different opening credits (on a red screen) instead of the ones that cut to black with sliding text from the left/right.

I've just checked my laserdisc copy and it says: 

"The transfer was made from a newly-struck 35mm interpositive. The sound was mastered from the original 3-track magnetic mono master."

(2020-06-10, 10:06 AM)CSchmidlapp Wrote: The Japanese transfer and in turn the HKR version are wrong color wise.
I was lucky enough to catch a 35mm showing and Id say the French DVD (HKVideo) is the most accurate (if a little over saturated).

You are correct in that it has been drained of blue, its a phenomenon Ive noticed (especially with Hong Kong film transfers) quite alot over recent years.
I often wonder if its part of a noise reduction process ?
I know I could often clean up noisy video footage just using the blue channel when I was doing this professionally.
But i worked 99% of the time with video and not film transfers. I guess it would be the same once digitized though.

Thanks for the input; Least now I know I wasn't just being paranoid. I suspect it's just an auto-white-balancing sort of deal rather than a DNR thing if I had to be honest. That or the scanned elements just didn't have the colors baked in (EG: If it was a neg scan).

(2020-06-10, 10:25 AM)HippieDalek Wrote: I've just checked my laserdisc copy and it says: 

"The transfer was made from a newly-struck 35mm interpositive. The sound was mastered from the original 3-track magnetic mono master."

How do the Criterion colors compare to the HKR master then? Is there a lack of a wider color range there too?

A shame a modern scan of a theatrical print would be quite a pricey endeavor though; Around $1065 I'd say by my calculations. I could start up a thread about the prospect though if there's enough interest. I know a few folks on SWT considered the prospect.

(2020-06-10, 10:28 AM)LucasGodzilla Wrote: How do the Criterion colors compare to the HKR master then? Is there a lack of a wider color range there too?

I couldn't tell you off the top of my head. I only got the disc a year or so ago and have only had the chance to watch it once since. From memory I remember being very impressed with the picture quality of the release, especially as it's the CLV version.

I can take some phone-pointed-at-the-TV screenshots later if you want to compare.

(2020-06-10, 10:25 AM)HippieDalek Wrote: "The transfer was made from a newly-struck 35mm interpositive. The sound was mastered from the original 3-track magnetic mono master."

Ive got to say Ive always thought the quality of the original Cantonese mono track for Hard Boiled sounded awful!
On all releases.
The English dub track in comparison sounds great, so I have no idea what happened.