Showing posts with label 1985. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1985. Show all posts

2.12.24

SUB VS. DUB #1: Police Story (Fortune Star's 2010 Japanese Blu-Ray vs. Cinema Group's 1988 American VHS)


Police Story is the 1985 Hong Kong movie that people love so much that it has 2 re-edits and 4 dubs. Today we're going to be looking at one of those re-edits, the 1986 international export dub!

Original version is the Japanese Bluray on the 2010 Fortune Star DVD. I figure since the credits say 2010 on the SBS on Demand version it's the right release. 

Trailers

Export Trailer

1986

Media Asia

International

 Theatrical trailer

1985 

Media Asia

Hong Kong

The Hong Kong trailer - spoils all the big stunts but doesn't actually tell you anything about the movie. Also is way too long, a trailer should be 1 minutes & 30 seconds at max if it's in cinema. Of course, the background music "Hero Story" by Jackie Chan is completely amazing, but it's in Cantonese, and the trailer has no subtitles (this is a DVD version on the video so that's why it does) That might suck if you watched the movie and weren't from China. 7/10

The USA trailer - Gives away the plot in a good, short, sweet way that is easy to understand and that doesn't spoil much at all with amazing kick-butt music by Kevin Bassington. The trailer also shows clips that will make the average viewer hella excited to watch the film. 10/10

VIDEO QUALITY

BLU-RAY

 VHS


 So.. how is it that a VHS released 22 years before a Blu-Ray has better color quality? 

 

SCRIPT 

On the SBS on Demand version, the script adds a bunch of un-needed, unnatural words. The re-release also adds some unnecessary profane words like "b1tch" which actually makes Kevin sound like a jerk and it turn, makes the scenes with May more funnier. The re-dub actually has funnier dialogue, as well. I guess it's better when you understand the language.

In turn - the re-dub script's better.

CUT / SWAPPED SCENES 

The US dub has a lot of cut scenes, so I will list every cut scene here.    

  • All the scenes with the agitated Frank (the cop who shoots a mirror). A few seconds of Kevin after one of the scenes.



  • The photo-shoot scene is cut out, thus resulting in 47 seconds of the film gone.
  • In the Hong Kong version during the fake murder attempt, you get more shots of tired Selina. 
  • Mars bumping his head on the lights.
  • Kevin biting his way into the mask.
  • 46 seconds in the courtroom are removed.
  • Koo watching Kevin on the news in his office.
  • The entire phone scene. However, a few seconds before this scene (Kevin getting told what to do, asking a question, getting an answer and talking to a cop who works for Chu on the phone and telling him he only has 3 days.) are still there.
  • The angry speech Kevin makes in Li's office.  

The Japanese version is 1 hour & 48 minutes.

The original Hong Kong version is 1 hour & 36 minutes. 

The export version is 1 hour and 27 minutes.

13 minutes have been cut out from the theatrical version.

ADDED SCENES

In the US theatrical version, a shot of Selina clicking "record" on the tape recorder is added. 1 second long, which does fix a minor minor MINOR plothole.

 MUSIC

The original score is composed by Lai Siu-tin, and the re-dub score is composed by Kevin Bassington.
Lai-Siu Tin's score - Inspired by the main theme song, and has a lot of re-used tracks. Still a banger and is definetly worth listening too. Especially the tracks with Ondes Martinot.
Bassington's score - A slap-bass synthesizer score that is incredibly 80s and satisfying to listen too. Sometimes a bit of the instruments get a little bit annoying and go on for a while though.
Lai Siu Tin's score: 11/10
Bassington's score: 7/10
COVERS

VHS


 BLU-RAY

The VHS cover is more exciting and summarizes up the film on the back well. 

OVERALL: THE RE-DUB VHS FROM 1988 WINS!!

 


24.6.24

"Yes, Madam" Puts the "POW!" in Female Empowerment

 

Directed by Corey Yuen

Written by Barry Wong

Produced by Samo Hung

Starring

Michelle Yeoh

Cynthia Rothrock

John Shum

Mang Hoi

Release date (Hong Kong): November 30, 1985 

Synopsis

1.1.24

Police Story: Action on Steroids

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope every single one of you has an awesome year and that God protects and blesses you.

Also, watch more action films.


Directed, written by, and starring Jackie Chan

Starring Bridget Lin

Maggie Cheung

Lam Hwok Hung

Bill Tung

Written by Edward Tang

Release date (Hong Kong): December 15, 1985

May 15, 2006 (Australia)

Synopsis 

Kevin Chan, an honest Hong Kong cop protecting Selina Fong, a Triad boss's girlfriend-turned-informer, finds himself framed for the murder of a dirty cop, Royal Hong Kong Police Force Sergeant Mao, and going on the run.

Review

Oh HELL YES. 

I've been a MEGA Chan Fan ever since I was 6. But due to my new interests with lots of other franchises (LazyTown, Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, Odd Squad, etc..) I kinda forgot about him. Infact, Rush Hour was the only reason I thought about him. But one day I decided to watch one of his movies. Nothing interesting was on Netflix, but the plot of Police Story sounded interesting to me. So I watched the Hong Kong version, subtitled by SBS On Demand and then I started to get hooked back onto Jackie Chan films.  

Now, I'm not exaggerating when I say the Police Story franchise is one of Chan's best works. All films in the franchise (Police Story, Police Story: Part 2, Police Story 3: Super Cop, Police Story 4: First Strike, New Police Story & Police Story: Lockdown) all got 12 wins at award shows combined, and all the film's box office performances (including Supercop 2 / Project S / Once a Cop / Police Story 3: Part 2) made 489866205 Hong Kong dollars. I can see why, trust me. Judging from only the first film (I've watched the first 5, not counting Supercop 2. That's a spinoff.), you can say it took a lot to make this.





 

The film's comedy sequences are subtle and actually very funny, but they don't take your focus away from the serious parts, then the action sequences.

The cast did a great performance. Maggie Cheung did a great job as an annoying girlfriend, and Lam Hwok Kung did an amazing job as the strict guy who only cares about himself.

 My only complaint with the film is one of the comedy sequences which has Kevin ignoring crimes such as abuse so he can eat his lunch. Of course, when he ignores the call about a lost cow and when May calls him and he responds rudely, then pretends that it was another one of his employees, that was funny, because you're not supposed to take that seriously. I would spoil the rest of the sequence for you, but I don't want to.

After all, it's just a movie, and that joke was supposed to be funny, but it wasn't, but that doesn't make the movie any worse. 

 

I can't say anything else bad about Police Story, because the fight scenes and two stunts by Jackie. (YES, TWO STUNTS), and climbing over walls and parkour that Chan does in the film is impeccable and just some of his best work.

 


I'm just waiting for the novelization of the film so I can tell my kids the Police Story of Jackie Chan's Police Force. "One sunny day in Hong Kong..."

Watch Police Story 

Hong Kong cut, Cantonese audio with English subtitles  - https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/movie/police-story/1464151619561

Jackie Chan's Police Force - American cut, 1987, English audio, 87 minutes | https://archive.org/details/police-story-export-cut
Alternate version of American cut of Police Story with Kevin Bassinson score
"Police Story 2" - Australian cut, 1990, English audio | 
https://archive.org/details/policestory2
Strangely with the Police Story 2 title card, Police Story 1 movie and credits...?



Rating: 10/10

Believe's rating: 5/10







Newest Review

Shaolin Wooden Men

 One of Jackie's more earlier films before his eye surgery.. noentheless very entertaining. Lacks a lot of humor but does perfectly when...