Corey Yuen’s ‘Fong Sai Yuk’ returns to DVD

Actually the two credits for Jet Li in this film are different.

Jet LI Yang Zhong is the producer. Jet LI Lian Jie is the actor, wushu star

A LaserDisc player is a player for 12" (30 cm) and 8" (20 cm) two-sided analog video discs called, appropriately enough, LaserDiscs. Discs for these players were produced from 1978 to 2000. The last film released on the format is reportedly the Japanese release of Jingle Ma's TOKYO RAIDERS.

Laserdiscs were more popular in Asia, and particularly in Japan, than they were elsewhere. In Hong Kong much of their popularity was attributable to their ability to hold multiple audio tracks - two digital and two analog, typically paired to create two stereo audio tracks, one analog and one digital. This made distribution of films with both Cantonese and Mandarin audio much more economical, since two separate pressing runs were not required.

Technically, LaserDiscs are inferior to DVD and even more inferior to Blu-ray in terms of picture and sound quality, however, they greatly surpassed VHS and VCD quality and were the highest quality format for home viewing available to the average consumer until the advent of DVD. In practice, however, DVDs proved to be difficult to master properly for engineers accustomed to dealing with analog video, and many DVDs actually looked and sounded worse than their LaserDisc counterparts, especially in the first few years of the DVD format. Usually, Hong Kong films' original mono audio tracks were given low quality processing to simulate surround sound, resulting in audio that sounded far inferior to the mono mixes used on the LaserDiscs. More rarely, films released with stereo sound in theaters and on LaserDisc were presented on DVD in mono or in fake surround sound made from processing a mono downmix of a stereo audio track - this nasty fate is what happened to KING OF BEGGARS, a film whose original Dolby Stereo theatrical audio mix saw its only home release to date on LaserDisc.

Worse still are the Hong Kong films that never made it to DVD at all, or only in compromised versions missing either footage, the original audio, or frequently both. Many films were licensed (some globally) by Miramax Films in the early days of the format - most of these never got DVD releases in their original versions to this day, but the LaserDiscs, made before the films were sold to Miramax, are fully intact.

In 1999 Warner Bros. purchased almost two hundred films from Golden Harvest. Most of those films that had been released to DVD have since become unavailable outside of certain countries where there is apparently a separate, preexisting licensing agreement in effect. Used LaserDiscs are the highest quality legal English subtitled versions available of many of these films.

While LaserDiscs have not been produced since 2000, and players not produced since January of this year, both players and discs are readily available used on Internet auction sites for generally reasonable prices.

What is a laser disc player and how is it superior to dvd and Blu-Ray? Tell me more.

"I haven't got the DD version cuz there is no need since I have Universe version so I can only assume what you say is true. Only except the audio. Universe audio is awful but since I don't have surround sound I guess that would be somewhat illogical "

Believing me isn't even needed as you can see the damage for yourself here: http://tinyurl.com/pbyopu . Look closely at the bright areas of the screen captures for each version, and you'll immediately see where details visible on Dimension and even Universe's releases are nothing but patches of pure white on Dragon Dynasty's disc.

Ultimately, the real winner here is probably the Universe LaserDisc. Screw an all region Blu-ray or DVD player, in the 21st century Hong Kong film fans really need to invest in a used LaserDisc player. How sad.

Actually, the Universe DVD is missing upto 10 seconds of footage.

The 1st Universe (maybe), HK Video and Maxam DVDs are uncut.

I haven't got the DD version cuz there is no need since I have Universe version so I can only assume what you say is true. Only except the audio. Universe audio is awful but since I don't have surround sound I guess that would be somewhat illogical

How is the picture quality better? It's anamorphic which is a plus, but detail in bright areas of the screen is eliminated compared to even the UNIVERSE disc. They went berserk with the brightness/contrast boosting - this transfer might actually have looked pretty good before they started "improving" it. Dimensions' non-anamorphic transfer looks best by far. Unfortunately, that's no way to watch the film - and neither is a version without the comedic parts. That business with the gongs is awesome. This disc is rubbish.

what was cut is insignificant. it's mostly comedy scenes which some were exasperating. like jet li bang on a gong and singing off key as his fat father-in-law is doing the same thing. I own the Universe version of this uncut. The picture quality ain't up to standards but it's still fine. Still the 95 min. version is good cuz quite frankly, I don't get nor even care about Chinese comedy.

At least the PQ is better and anamorphic 1:85 rather than the non-anamorphic Dimension release version. Overall, I'm not very impressed. Should've .... been the uncut version, had some better (and more) special features and commentary from the Legend himself.

Oh, well, I knew DD couldn't be trusted when they couldn't even call SPL by its original name, since it's more "foreign" than ATL.

It's cut. Picture quality is, to be charitable, not good...

As much as I dislike DD's constant retitling etc, how exactly are they cashing in on Jet Li's name by releasing the film? he is the star and the producer....

It would seem Jet didn't want involvement with the DVD.

Bonzai Media did actually put out a bootleg of it.

There is an original cut of this film I would try amazon.com I think they have it. P.S. just thank god bonsai media didn't produce it.

It has Cantonese but it's cut and looks pretty much like ass.

http://tinyurl.com/o74zzd - it's cut
http://tinyurl.com/pbyopu - it looks like ass - less detailed than Dimension's old release!

I assume the subtitles suck as it's Dragon Dynasty and they don't give a crap about anything

Cue the apologists with no standards whatsoever.

I have looked around the net but have been unable to find this out, does anyone know if the actual cut of the film is different than the previous release? Are there any added moments to the fights?

kool! hopefullie the quality is better than the old ones

DD cashing on jet li's name again... and what do you know, they got the cantonese audio on it this time.

ah yes, bey logan again for the commentary. they need to get jet to do commentaries, it is his movies.