2023-02-15, 11:54 PM
(This post was last modified: 2024-12-18, 11:14 PM by The Film Whisperer.)
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Specs
- File Type: MKV
- Size: 32.89 GB
- 23.976 FPS
Audio
- 2.0 Dolby Digital, Sync-Sound (SOURCE: R1 New Line Cinema DVD). Probably the best quality of all sync-sound tracks.
- 2.0 LPCM, Sync-Sound (SOURCE: Hong Kong Laserdisc). A friend of mine put a filter on the track to make it sound less distorted. This is certainly the most "raw" sounding of the tracks.
- 2.0 Dolby Digital, Sync-Sound JAPANESE VERSION (SOURCE: Blend of R1 New Line Cinema sync-sound with Japanese sync-sound from the R2 Japanese DVD from Warner). This version provides an alternate dub for Cougar in certain scenes. For example: he actually tells Foh (Jackie Chan's character) exactly where and when to race him, lol, instead of just saying "I'll see you in Japan!"
An alternate dub for the Yakuza leader was done for the Los Angeles scene too.
- 2.0 Dolby Digital, English, original export dub (Source: R2 Japanese DVD). **Separate subtitles exist for this track.**
- 5.1 Dolby Digital, English, NEW dub (SOURCE: R1 New Line Cinema DVD). **Separate subtitles exist for this track, due to some Japanese words spoken here & there**
Important Note: Each version of my audio tracks comes with my own custom-made "music enhanced" version! In my opinion, in every audio track, I believe there was a major flaw. During the "pachinko" (Japanese arcade/casino/spa) fight scene, I felt like the grunts and sound effects overpowered the music in that fight scene. Therefore, I isolated the score from the 5.1 English dub, then I overlayered it over the other audio tracks!
Subtitles
Important notes:
- The Cantonese/Mandarin theme songs are translated!
- I made two versions of each subtitle track: a "bi-lingual" and "non-bilingual" option. "Bi-lingual" means that there are Chinese characters and English translations, but only for the theme songs!
- A Japanese-speaking friend of mine helped translate the Japanese dialog
- The translations mostly rely on the R1 DVD subs
- "FPO" means "Foreign (non-English) Parts Only"
- English for sync-sound tracks, FPO
- English for sync-sound tracks, All Dialog
- English for old Export dub, FPO
- English for NEW New Line Cinema dub, FPO
- English for NEW New Line Cinema dub, all dialog
How did I make this Reconstruction?
To this date, there has been no physical HD release of this movie. A Spanish blu-ray without English subs exists, but I can confirm that it's just an upscale of their R2 DVD (which did have English subs). The R2 DVD used the same opening/end credits as the export version, but did not have any burnt-in subs for overlays that explained locations to the audience. It was also in the original 2.35:1 OAR and anamorphic. It was the best English-friendly DVD for awhile before the R1 DVD.The R1 DVD from New Line Cinema had unique opening/end credits.
Some of you might know that Google Play, Amazon Prime, and iTunes have the Japanese version in HD. It's a scan of a film print, so it's a bit "grind-house". This version is about 20 minutes shorter than the HK theatrical version, but it contains the original bi-lingual opening credits and the (almost) all-Chinese end credits.
However, there is another VOD HD version which only available in some regions (Maybe Eastern Europe? Russia?). It's the Miramax HD uncut version! And Miramax's version also has its own unique opening and closing credits! I managed to find this version on the "high seas" of the internet, thanks to a Good Samaritan on the internet who goes by the name "BLUEBIRD".
So, here's a summary of what I did
- Made 60fps screen caps of the opening/closing credits of the Japanese version
- Painstakingly did a frame-by-frame reconstruction of said credits, so that they could properly convert to 23.976fps
- Paid HKR to clean up those credits
- Color correct the beginning/end credits to match the Miramax HD version
- Then, create the reconstruction. Everything between the opening/end credits is the Miramax HD version.
I also recreated the original bi-lingual overlays, i.e. the text that explains locations (i.e. Los Angeles, Salt Lake, Hong Kong, etc.). I did my best to match how they looked on the HK laserdisc.
PM me if you're interested!
UPDATE 11/22/2023
I have broken up the large MKV into 65 smaller zip files. You must download all of them, and then use a simple piece of software (often called an "unpacker, unzipper, expander, unarchiver", etc) to open the file. Hopefully this should make it easier for you all to download the large file.UPDATE 12/18/2024
I have created a reconstruction of the shorter Japanese version of the film! However, my source is completely different than the HD Miramax release of the Hong Kong version.
Some of you might know that the Japanese "grind house" version is available via VOD in many areas. It's actually a decent looking print (in spite of some dirt and dust) with very natural-looking colors, with higher contrast than the Miramax version.
Some fans also prefer the Japanese version, as they feel like it's better paced. Since Thunderbolt isn't exactly one of Jackie's best films, an argument can be made that shorter is better.
The Japanese version is cut by about 20 minutes. Unfortunately Movie-Censorship has not yet done article on it. I can't list all the cuts made, but I can tell you where a few significant cuts were made.
I added the same bi-lingual Chinese/English overlays to the Japanese version as I did to the Hong Kong version.
SPECS
AUDIO
SUBTITLES
(each subtitle has a "no bilingual" option, meaning no bi-lingual Chinese/English subtitles for the song lyrics. I know not everyone's media player is compatible with foreign characters)
Sorry, I don't have subtitles for the Japanese or French dubs, although it would be interesting to have those.
Some of you might know that the Japanese "grind house" version is available via VOD in many areas. It's actually a decent looking print (in spite of some dirt and dust) with very natural-looking colors, with higher contrast than the Miramax version.
Some fans also prefer the Japanese version, as they feel like it's better paced. Since Thunderbolt isn't exactly one of Jackie's best films, an argument can be made that shorter is better.
The Japanese version is cut by about 20 minutes. Unfortunately Movie-Censorship has not yet done article on it. I can't list all the cuts made, but I can tell you where a few significant cuts were made.
- Garage fight scene (some cuts were unnecessary in my opinion, but they did cut out a significant part of the fight that heavily featured a double instead of Jackie himself!)
- Destruction of the Foh family home (these cuts were very justified!
)
- Pachinko fight scene. Some of the cuts might have been excessive, but at least they cut out the ugly and nauseating
"strobe-motion" sequence where Jackie fights the heavily-tattooed Yakuza members! The editing is seamless.
- The final car race (also very justified )
I added the same bi-lingual Chinese/English overlays to the Japanese version as I did to the Hong Kong version.
SPECS
- File Type: MKV
- Size: 18.03 GB (broken up into small zip files)
- 24fps. Yes, TRUE 24fps and speed (not 23.978 fps). If you're gonna watch this on TV, turn off the "motion-smoothing"!
AUDIO
- Sync-sound (Japanese version) from the Japanese Warner 2-disc DVD: This is a unique track which was re-scored to fit with the cuts. It's a lot more "raw" and "grindhouse-ish". Another unique aspect is that it features a (partial) dub for Cougar in which some of his lines are changed! In this version, when he kidnaps Jackie's sisters, he says "If you beat me in the Sendai cup, you'll get your sisters back!" Lol, I guess the Japanese version felt that Cougar needed to be very specific to Jackie about what he wants from him instead of just saying "I'll see you in Japan!"
- Japanese dub (from Japanese Warner 2-disc DVD)
- French dub: I only included this because it was included in the file I downloaded. It's likely this could be an abridged French dub from the uncut Hong Kong version, but it actually sounds quite seamless throughout. I had to pitch-correct because it was PAL-pitched.
SUBTITLES
(each subtitle has a "no bilingual" option, meaning no bi-lingual Chinese/English subtitles for the song lyrics. I know not everyone's media player is compatible with foreign characters)
- English for sync-sound track, FPO (foreign parts only)
- English for sync-sound track, all-dialog / SDH
Sorry, I don't have subtitles for the Japanese or French dubs, although it would be interesting to have those.
Any Other Updates?
- With the help of the Chinese subtitles from the Mei Ah laserdisc, I created subtitles which are much more accurate and nuanced for the Cantonese dialog!
- With the help of ChatGPT, I created much more accurate and nuanced translations of the Cantonese and Mandarin theme songs!
- I removed the Mandarin dub from the Hong Kong version. I have not had time to make subtitles for the different Mandarin script. However, the Mandarin dub is included in a separate folder, along with "rough draft" subtitles for the Mandarin script. These subtitles only reflect the fact that the movie opens with the Mandarin-version theme song and closes with the Cantonese-version theme song. Otherwise, they are identical to the original script I made back in 2020.
Any Future Endeavors?
- I do intend to make subtitles for the Mandarin dub in the future, using help from the old Thakral DVD. However, I'm just not in the mood right now, lol
. I will welcome any and all help if any of you are willing to offer it!
- ONLY If there is popular demand, I will sync the other tracks from the Hong Kong version (such as the New Line Cinema or classic dubs) to the Japanese version. But again, ONLY if there is demand for it.
