Ong-Bak (องค์บาก), Film Whisperer reconstruction (2024 update)

[The Film Whisperer]

Please check out my other projects, via the link in my signature! And PM me for link requests!

Do you believe in what I do? I appreciate donations (links/info in my signature)

Here is Ong-Bak, the Film Whisperer reconstruction. You can look at a PowerPoint presentation showing my color-correction work! I wish I could post pictures within the thread itself but I don't think I can.

File Format

• MKV
  

Size

• 29 GB
  

Main specs
Video

• 1080p (1920x1080)
  
• 23.976 fps
  
• 1.78:1
  

Audio
(Quick note: All audio tracks [except for the German track & Bey Logan's commentary] have the "Mae Mai Muay Thai" theme song playing during the end credits, with SUBTITLES!)

1. Thai 5.1 Dolby True HD [Splendid blu-ray]–Original score [more robust but slight distortion]
   
2. Thai 5.1 DTS [Hong Kong DVD]–Original score [less robust but very clean and no distortion]
   
3. Thai 5.1 DTS [Cine-Asia DVD]–British score (*DEFAULT TRACK, BEST WAY TO WATCH THE MOVIE*)
   
4. Thai 5.1 Dolby TrueHD–[US blu-ray]-Luc Besson/RZA score (*Thai HD track fills in for places that were cut out of the international version*)
   
5. English 5.1 Dolby Digital [Cine-Asia DVD]–British score
   
6. English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD [US blu-ray]–Luc Besson/RZA score (*Cine-Asia English dub fills in for places that were cut out of the international version)
   
7. 5.1 German DTS-HD MA [Splendid blu-ray]–Luc Besson/RZA score (*No alterations, this is straight from the Splendid blu-ray itself. Switches to Thai in places cut from the international version*)
   
8. Bey Logan commentary [Cine-Asia DVD]
   

Subtitles
3 Quick Notes

• All English subtitles come with bi-lingual Thai/English lyrics for the theme song in the end credits. But just in case your media player is a real pain with foreign characters, there is also a "no bi-lingual" option).
  
• The Thai Cine-Asia track fades out Muay's voice as she wails in despair over George/Hum Lae's death (oops, spoiler alert   ), but you'll continue to see subtitles for her words even if you don't hear her voice
  
• The subtitles are based heavily on the Cine-Asia version
  

1. English for Thai tracks, FPO (Foreign parts only)
   
2. English SDH for Thai tracks
   
3. English for Cine-Asia English dub–The reason why I made this is because Ting says the names of his Muay Thai moves in English in the Cine-Asia dub
   
4. English for Luc Besson English dub–The reason why I made this is because Ting says the names of his Muay Thai moves in Thai
   
5. German for Thai tracks–straight from the blu-ray, no translation of the end credits theme song.
   
6. German for German dub–straight from the blu-ray, only translates the Thai parts cut out from the Luc Besson version
   

Background

There are three "official" versions of this movie

1. Uncut Thai version–this is self explanatory. The score itself uses many "traditional" Thai instruments
   
2. Uncut British version–The British version, released only on DVD by Cine-Asia, was left uncut. However, it features an entirely new score. In my opinion, this score is the best way to watch the film! It is far less repetitive and actually adds an element of danger/suspense to the action sequences
   
3. French version–This is the "international version". This version cuts a few scenes and removes a subplot involving Muay's drug-dealing sister. RZA partially rescored the film using a lot of techno/hip-hop. Fight-scene sound effects are also louder and more brutal
   

For more information about what was cut, read the Movie-Censorship article.

Restoring the Film

Main source: Splendid (German) blu-ray

• I believe the German blu-ray from Splendid is the highest quality version of this film released and perhaps the only version to ever receive a true HD remaster.
  
• However, as you'll see in my pictures, it was far too white/bright during outdoor daytime scenes.
  
• Night time and indoor scenes were mostly fine.
  

Other source: Cine-Asia blu-ray

• As you'll see in the Movie-censorship article, Luc Besson used alternative takes in two places: in the scene where George/Hum Lae argues with his landlord, and during the Tuk-Tuk chase.
  
• I believe both instances of those alternative takes were stupid, so I used the Cine-Asia DVD to restore the original takes.
  

That's all I have to say for now. ENJOY!

Update 10/01/2024

• I used ChatGPT to get a much more improved translation of Carabao's theme song "Mai Mai Muay Thai" which plays the during the end credits.
  
• However, if you think you can provide a better translation of that song (and the all the dialog in general), I am open-sourcing the subtitles.
  

[The Film Whisperer]

I think perhaps this thread should be moved to the "Fan Restoration Forum"?

[spoRv]

Thread moved; link re-moved... not allowed to post direct link (P.S. read rules); when asked by PM, you can send it to the poster, though!

By the way, nice project, and welcome aboard!

[The Film Whisperer]

Thread moved; link re-moved... not allowed to post direct link (P.S. read rules); when asked by PM, you can send it to the poster, though!

By the way, nice project, and welcome aboard!

My bad! Noted! Thanks!

[PDB]

Welcome Film Whisperer. I’ve followed your HK projects on YouTube and glad to have you here. Excited to see your work on OB. Truly an amazing martial arts film.

[The Film Whisperer]

Welcome Film Whisperer. I’ve followed your HK projects on YouTube and glad to have you here. Excited to see your work on OB. Truly an amazing martial arts film.

Hi PDB, thanks! I'm gonna try to be as active here as I can! I want to make a video showing what I did to restore Ong-Bak.

Warner Bros filed copyright strikes against all of my Rumble in the Bronx and Police Story IV: First Strike videos. 

BTW, speaking of First Strike, I can confirm that certain Asia VOD websites now have First Strike uncut and in genuine HD. So...maybe we might get some official release down the road? The color filters on it are certainly different than NLC's (New Line Cinema)! Much brighter and less blue tint.

We tried searching these same websites for Rumble. Still could only find the NLC (New Line Cinema) version.     This actually kinda makes Warner's decision to complain about my "Rumble" videos a bit perplexing. 

But these same websites also have Who Am I? uncut and in HD!

If only someone knew how to download those videos in their full quality and at their original frame rate 

[Serums]

Welcome!

I was told that a lot of the films that appear on those sites et al ran at 30 fps and were originally intended for HDTV. Though that doesn't explain why the preview was in 23.976. But this is discussion best reserved for the First Strike thread.

[alleycat]

Great project Film Whisperer, I really love this movie. Just FYI I upload screenshots to imgur and then post the link in the thread, it will be in the format

Code:

[img]https://i.imgur.com/xxxxxx.jpg[/img]

[The Film Whisperer]

Great project Film Whisperer, I really love this movie. Just FYI I upload screenshots to imgur and then post the link in the thread, it will be in the format

Code:

[img]https://i.imgur.com/xxxxxx.jpg[/img]

Damn dude, thanks!

[yungpourter]

Please check out my other projects, via the link in my signature! And PM me for link requests!

Do you believe in what I do? I appreciate donations (links/info in my signature)

Here is Ong-Bak, the Film Whisperer reconstruction. You can look at a PowerPoint presentation showing my color-correction work! I wish I could post pictures within the thread itself but I don't think I can.

File Format

• MKV
  

Size

• 29 GB
  

Main specs
Video

• 1080p (1920x1080)
  
• 23.976 fps
  
• 1.78:1
  

Audio
(Quick note: All audio tracks [except for the German track & Bey Logan's commentary] have the "Mae Mai Muay Thai" theme song playing during the end credits, with SUBTITLES!)

1. Thai 5.1 Dolby True HD [Splendid blu-ray]–Original score [more robust but slight distortion]
   
2. Thai 5.1 DTS [Hong Kong DVD]–Original score [less robust but very clean and no distortion]
   
3. Thai 5.1 DTS [Cine-Asia DVD]–British score (*DEFAULT TRACK, BEST WAY TO WATCH THE MOVIE*)
   
4. Thai 5.1 Dolby TrueHD–[US blu-ray]-Luc Besson/RZA score (*Thai HD track fills in for places that were cut out of the international version*)
   
5. English 5.1 Dolby Digital [Cine-Asia DVD]–British score
   
6. English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD [US blu-ray]–Luc Besson/RZA score (*Cine-Asia English dub fills in for places that were cut out of the international version)
   
7. 5.1 German DTS-HD MA [Splendid blu-ray]–Luc Besson/RZA score (*No alterations, this is straight from the Splendid blu-ray itself. Switches to Thai in places cut from the international version*)
   
8. Bey Logan commentary [Cine-Asia DVD]
   

Subtitles
3 Quick Notes

• All English subtitles come with bi-lingual Thai/English lyrics for the theme song in the end credits. But just in case your media player is a real pain with foreign characters, there is also a "no bi-lingual" option).
  
• The Thai Cine-Asia track fades out Muay's voice as she wails in despair over George/Hum Lae's death (oops, spoiler alert   ), but you'll continue to see subtitles for her words even if you don't hear her voice
  
• The subtitles are based heavily on the Cine-Asia version
  

1. English for Thai tracks, FPO (Foreign parts only)
   
2. English SDH for Thai tracks
   
3. English for Cine-Asia English dub–The reason why I made this is because Ting says the names of his Muay Thai moves in English in the Cine-Asia dub
   
4. English for Luc Besson English dub–The reason why I made this is because Ting says the names of his Muay Thai moves in Thai
   
5. German for Thai tracks–straight from the blu-ray, no translation of the end credits theme song.
   
6. German for German dub–straight from the blu-ray, only translates the Thai parts cut out from the Luc Besson version
   

Background

There are three "official" versions of this movie

1. Uncut Thai version–this is self explanatory. The score itself uses many "traditional" Thai instruments
   
2. Uncut British version–The British version, released only on DVD by Cine-Asia, was left uncut. However, it features an entirely new score. In my opinion, this score is the best way to watch the film! It is far less repetitive and actually adds an element of danger/suspense to the action sequences
   
3. French version–This is the "international version". This version cuts a few scenes and removes a subplot involving Muay's drug-dealing sister. RZA partially rescored the film using a lot of techno/hip-hop. Fight-scene sound effects are also louder and more brutal
   

For more information about what was cut, read the Movie-Censorship article.

Restoring the Film

Main source: Splendid (German) blu-ray

• I believe the German blu-ray from Splendid is the highest quality version of this film released and perhaps the only version to ever receive a true HD remaster.
  
• However, as you'll see in my pictures, it was far too white/bright during outdoor daytime scenes.
  
• Night time and indoor scenes were mostly fine.
  

Other source: Cine-Asia blu-ray

• As you'll see in the Movie-censorship article, Luc Besson used alternative takes in two places: in the scene where George/Hum Lae argues with his landlord, and during the Tuk-Tuk chase.
  
• I believe both instances of those alternative takes were stupid, so I used the Cine-Asia DVD to restore the original takes.
  

That's all I have to say for now. ENJOY!

Update 10/01/2024

• I used ChatGPT to get a much more improved translation of Carabao's theme song "Mai Mai Muay Thai" which plays the during the end credits.
  
• However, if you think you can provide a better translation of that song (and the all the dialog in general), I am open-sourcing the subtitles.