Thunderbolt (霹靂火)--1995 Jackie Chan movie, Film Whisperer HD reconstruction (UPDATE)

[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**
  
• 2.0 LPCM, Mandarin dub (SOURCE: Mei Ah VCD). Subtitles exist for this track, but only to reflect the fact that the Mandarin dub plays the Mandarin version of the theme song during the opening credits, and the Cantonese version of the theme song during the end credits.
  

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:

1. The Cantonese/Mandarin theme songs are translated!
   
2. 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!
   
3. A Japanese-speaking friend of mine helped translate the Japanese dialog
   
4. The translations mostly rely on the R1 DVD subs
   
5. "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
  
• English for Mandarin track (only to reflect the fact that the Mandarin theme song is sung in the opening credits and the Cantonese theme is sung during the end credits. The rest of it relies on translations for the sync-sound track. And keep in mind that the timing for all other lines of dialog is probably off. Although I'm sure the dialog is mostly the same, keep in mind that these Mandarin dubs often have a different script to them, and would look much different if they were translated more directly).
  

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

1. Made 60fps screen caps of the opening/closing credits of the Japanese version
   
2. Painstakingly did a frame-by-frame reconstruction of said credits, so that they could properly convert to 23.976fps
   
3. Paid HKR to clean up those credits
   
4. Color correct the beginning/end credits to match the Miramax HD version
   
5. 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.

[maksnew]

I'm glad to see that my download from Bluebird was useful to someone, it was a record at my request from the German channel, unfortunately, there were different problems in the broadcast itself and part of the grain was lost, and some dirt appeared, there is a version of 720p on HDB with an attempt to fix the problems and the result is not very bad, I passed it to our mutual friend and he planned to share it with you. It’s a pity that you don’t have the best sound in Chinese 5.1 sound, I also have it.

[The Film Whisperer]

I'm glad to see that my download from Bluebird was useful to someone, it was a record at my request from the German channel, unfortunately, there were different problems in the broadcast itself and part of the grain was lost, and some dirt appeared, there is a version of 720p on HDB with an attempt to fix the problems and the result is not very bad, I passed it to our mutual friend and he planned to share it with you. It’s a pity that you don’t have the best sound in Chinese 5.1 sound, I also have it.

Hmm, I'm interested in hearing that 5.1 track. It's my understanding that the original audio itself is just stereo. Although maybe that 5.1 track would have been useful for isolating the music from the dialog!

[maksnew]

This original Chinese 5.1 sound for the full version also has the best sound quality with frequency slices around 19K which for .AC3 is extremely high. I took it from the now deceased ADC tracker, which at one time was the best of the Asian content of the torrent. I have it and I can send it.

[freetheworld]

This is pretty awesome. Thanks for the work you put into this.

[Rynair]

Hello! I'm new here. I found this forum through searching for this movie (the versions one can find online are all in Chinese sadly)

How does this place work? I have no clue

[The Film Whisperer]

This original Chinese 5.1 sound for the full version also has the best sound quality with frequency slices around 19K which for .AC3 is extremely high. I took it from the now deceased ADC tracker, which at one time was the best of the Asian content of the torrent. I have it and I can send it.

Hi Maksnew,

I was wondering if you still had this and, if possible, can you please send it to me? Thank you!

[dreddnebula]

Please Check out my other projects! Located in my signature!

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**
  
• 2.0 LPCM, Mandarin dub (SOURCE: Mei Ah VCD). Subtitles exist for this track, but only to reflect the fact that the Mandarin dub plays the Mandarin version of the theme song during the opening credits, and the Cantonese version of the theme song during the end credits.
  

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:

1. The Cantonese/Mandarin theme songs are translated!
   
2. 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!
   
3. A Japanese-speaking friend of mine helped translate the Japanese dialog
   
4. The translations mostly rely on the R1 DVD subs
   
5. "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
  
• English for Mandarin track (only to reflect the fact that the Mandarin theme song is sung in the opening credits and the Cantonese theme is sung during the end credits. The rest of it relies on translations for the sync-sound track. And keep in mind that the timing for all other lines of dialog is probably off. Although I'm sure the dialog is mostly the same, keep in mind that these Mandarin dubs often have a different script to them, and would look much different if they were translated more directly).
  

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

1. Made 60fps screen caps of the opening/closing credits of the Japanese version
   
2. Painstakingly did a frame-by-frame reconstruction of said credits, so that they could properly convert to 23.976fps
   
3. Paid HKR to clean up those credits
   
4. Color correct the beginning/end credits to match the Miramax HD version
   
5. 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.

Hello! I sent you a PM but I'm not sure if you'll get it since I'm new to the forum. If not, Is there any possible way you could PM me regarding this movie? It would be very greatly appreciated.

[therookie88]

I signed up just for this. I'd love to view this version. Can't send PM though.

[vinyl4giants]

This movie was streaming on Prime Video for quite sometime, and I love the history behind this film. Looking forward to seeing your version. 🫡