Battle of Wits (DVD – Dragon Dynasty)

Released under the alternate title of BATTLE OF THE WARRIORS, Dragon Dynasty’s “Special Collector’s Edition” DVD release of BATTLE OF WITS is a serviceable release that features a quality anamorphic picture, original Mandarin 5.1 or new English-dubbed audio, and optional English subs.

Standard bonus features include an audio commentary from Hong Kong movie expert Bey Logan and a “Making Of” featurette originally produced for Chinese-speaking audiences.

The featurette reveals that Andy Lau endured rigorous hardships during the production including an injury. The fact that he was willing to be lit on fire and suspended from a wire speaks volumes about his dedication to his craft. Lau may be one of Hong Kong’s biggest stars but he also works the hardest and always has.

As always, Bey Logan manages to fill two-plus hours of screen time with fact-filled, insightful and occasionally humorous commentary that will enrich the viewer’s understanding and appreciation for the film and the work that went into it. One of the things I appreciate most about Bey’s work on these releases is that he provides a bridge between East and West by explaining the relevance of various aspects of these films and the people involved. Veteran fans of Hong Kong cinema may not need an introduction to Wu Ma or Andy Lau but could still learn from Bey’s description of a newcomer like Nicky Wu or the mainland Chinese and international stars featured in the film, many of whom may have flourishing careers in the music industry or in TV production.

What’s unfortunately missing from this release is other exclusive content such as cast or crew interviews that DD used to provide on their earlier releases. It isn’t necessary though. What would have been more welcome was getting the film released sooner. U.S. residents have had to wait three years for a local release which means anyone seriously interested in this film has probably already seen it as an import or worse, as a pirated copy.

For comparison, Deltamac’s “Special Edition” DVD is the same length but comes with more native extras including interviews and premiere footage. The Hong Kong distributor also released a Blu-ray version and so far Dragon Dynasty hasn’t committed to releasing any of their titles on Blu-ray yet. That said, the DD version is still worth considering given the English dub for subtitle-challenged viewers, Bey Logan’s quality commentary and the availability.

Format: Region 1 NTSC DVD
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Widescreen (2.35:1)
Audio: Mandarin 5.1, English 5.1
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Length: 133 minutes
Release Date: September 8, 2009

Related Topics: Andy Lau, Battle of Wits (2006), Bey Logan, Dragon Dynasty, DVD