Ashes of Time (1994) Theatrical Cut

[NeonBible]

Hey! You knockin' 15 year old video compression?

It is possible that the subs I reworked came from the same source, I really do not know where they originally were from. I do however remember them being a mess beforehand though. Just be happy that somebody will be using them finally in all honesty.

I'm actually complimenting 15yo compression! The DVD caps look similar to yours which means your avi file isn't too far off. I was just disappointed because I thought the DVD might look better

[PipperPiper]

Hey! You knockin' 15 year old video compression?

It is possible that the subs I reworked came from the same source, I really do not know where they originally were from. I do however remember them being a mess beforehand though. Just be happy that somebody will be using them finally in all honesty.

I'm actually complimenting 15yo compression! The DVD caps look similar to yours which means your avi file isn't too far off. I was just disappointed because I thought the DVD might look better 

Just giving you shit, it is all in good fun.

Whoa, you mean someone that was attributed with the group I was in actually knew wtf they were doing?

The Pony Canyon dvd and subsequent rip is actually quite amazing when you look back at the nightmares that are the Zoke Culture/Mei Ah releases and how god awful those were in the PQ dept. I remember being floored when I got ahold of it to work on the subs. A definite day/night scenario when it comes to that.

Just will be happy that something comes of this, the film has just been mishandled for so damn long and it really deserves better. I also never relished the thoughts of the Redux version being the only game in town... and don't get me wrong it is watchable, but certainly not the film that I grew to know with the original theatrical cut.

[shiftyeyes]

I can rent it from the local library, so I'll give it a go and check if the data is bigger than on the russian version (probably).

If this is the only anamorphic version, it's worth using it as base, fill in the missing footage, adjust the subs. Maybe blend it with the others. Child's Play.

Would love to see what this one looks like too! For the release of Redux, WKW did issue this statement (from the Cannes Press release):

Over the years, I’ve come to realize that there are several different versions of ASHES OF TIME in circulation, some approved by me, some not, as well as the fact that the film was never released in much of the world including the United States. To rectify this situation, we decided to revisit this project and to create the definitive version.

So it'll be interesting to see what various cuts we can unearth. 

[shiftyeyes]

I purchased the Criterion box set of some of WKW's films a few weeks back and was hyped to rewatch his entire filmography, including "Ashes of Time" (which wasn't included). I dusted off the old Mei Ah DVD and watched the original version for the first time. It didn't look great. Of course, it made me wonder about potential fan restoration projects and I found this thread in the search. It seems I'm not the only one who was thinking about this film last month.  

I had never heard of the Pony Canyon disc so I thought I'd look into it. As luck would have it, there was a mysterious DVD listed on Amazon Marketplace with a tiny thumbnail that resembled the Pony Canyon cover at YesAsia and the seller was located in Japan. The price was a bit hefty but not too unreasonable for something supposedly this rare. I bit the bullet and it came in today! It is indeed the Pony Canyon DVD and it's still pretty rough, but better than the Mei Ah for sure. It's letterboxed and is missing the Chinese onscreen text (for example, those describing the fates of the characters).

I was thinking of creating English subtitles for this and possibly playing around with it, but my technical expertise is a bit lacking when it comes to upscaling, video editing, etc.

If there's more interest in the quality or using this DVD as a basis for something, let me know and I'll try to help.

Excellent news, can only hope that it leads to a project to restore the theatrical version. At least somebody found a copy of the disc, was beginning to think it didn't really exist.

In addition to some screenshots, can you please take a quick image of the cover? Always have been curious to what it looked like.

In addition, my custom subs can be found here for whomever wants them:

https://ufile.io/lzx4ox6c

It's really strange how rare this disc seems to be. Google only turns up a few results and the only image of the product is this tiny thumbnail from YesAsia. 


  p1003011921.jpg (Size: 10.59 KB / Downloads: 131)

Here's a scan of the cover, though resized to this forum's limits.

   

[PipperPiper]

It's really strange how rare this disc seems to be. Google only turns up a few results and the only image of the product is this tiny thumbnail from YesAsia. 



Here's a scan of the cover, though resized to this forum's limits.

Part of the rarity might be due to how Japan handles non-game disc based media (specifically movies). Which always seem to be at a premium when it comes to suggest cost. You couple a high cost niche product that probably didn't shift that many copies together with a very low print run and you have what we see here. I would definitely hold onto that one, you have a real gem there, not sure that any of my discs are that rare.

Thanks, that is very cool to see, never thought that I would be able to.

[PipperPiper]

Will have a revision of the subs up probably in a few days. I took care of a few spelling mistakes and a few misplaced words that I initially missed. I do not currently have the time to watch it from beginning to end to make sure I caught everything, but hopefully I will soon.

[shiftyeyes]

I do have to note this other difference between the HK and Japanese prints. I always forget that the opening Buddhist text upon the ocean wave backdrop (which is found directly after the opening credits) is missing from the Japanese print (only leaving the ocean waves). I kept those subs in due to posterity as it was the version that I fondly remember. Not sure if it is included with the Japanese text preceding the film, which adds the question of what that text actually is. I wouldn't be shocked if it was backstory tbh.

For what it's worth, I ran the Japanese opening texts through Google Translate, and here's what I got:

1. The protagonists of martial arts novels with a long history in Chinese literature live in an extraordinary world and live with swordsmanship as the only law.

2. They all have supernatural powers and fly in the air to exert explosive power by the energy of "Qi".

3. This movie is the story of the young days of the old men who appeared in Jin Yong's "Shooting Chicken Hero Stop", a leading figure in modern martial arts novels.

4. There is a figure that is tossed by love rather than ambition to become a famous swordfighter.

5. Buddhist scripture:
The flag does not fly, there is no wind, and the swaying is the heart of the person

I would clean this up a bit like this:

1. Martial-arts fiction has a long history in Chinese literature. They are set in a heightened world in which the only law is the law of the sword.

2. Its characters are capable of superhuman feats such as flight by harnessing the explosive power of their vital energy known as "Qi".

3. This story depicts the earlier years of the legendary heroes who appear as older men in Jin Yong's famous martial-arts novel "The Eagle-Shooting Heroes".

4. One such figure is compelled not by ambition, but by love, to become a renowned swordsman.

5. From the Buddhist cannon:
"The flag is still. The wind is calm. It’s the heart of man that is in turmoil!"

[Stamper]

False alert, the library copy was actually the redux...

Here's a comparison, it seems the TF1 version isn't "cut" it's the different international cut as done by WKW so I guess it's unique?

The Mei Ah seems to be better despite the burned-in subs.

http://www.hkcinemagic.com/fr/page.asp?aid=176&page=1

[eledoremassis02]

A few months ago I got the terrible world video DVD and then found a VCD copy on eBay and used that to make a custom DVD. Does anyone have the Hong Kong (or Japan) laserdisc? I wonder how that would compare.

I did make a cover merging the world video and VCD cover if anyone would like to use it


and for fun the World Video cover.

[PipperPiper]

As free time has been a little bit sketchy for me as of late, I finally did a 100% pass. Seems like most of the spelling "issues" I fixed were strictly British English. Kinda torn on whether or not to do a full replacement or retain it for flavor (or should I say flavour) purposes. On a positive note I did catch some misused words and sentences that were just plain out wrong, so it wasn't exactly all for nothing.

Anyhow, depending on the consensus I will move ahead with or without the British English instances. After that is taken care of, the revision will be as far as I wish to take it and be released.