Blu-Ray Best Of The Best - for discussing releases only

[SuperDanX]

Do you know what was cut from the American release of Le Cercle Rouge JP?

[JP]

I've not seen the American version and I've never really wanted to.

I'm not sure if there is a list of what was cut as they removed almost an hour of footage from Melville's version so it's going to be a completely different film to the original.

I presume it ended up being turned into something along the lines of Starsky & Hutch.

It's sad really, it took them twenty years to decide that the USA would get something out of it and even after two decades they still felt the need to reduce it to something that would fit into a convenient ninety minute slot.

The original version has been available in the USA for some time now thanks to John Woo deciding it was worthy of a release, he also has something to do with the Criterion release. He's now sticking his name on the cover of a Johnnie To remake that's either being made or has been made in Hong Kong.

EDIT:
I've just checked and was somewhere between 40 and 50 minutes that were cut in the USA but I can't find any details on what the cuts were.

The Hong Kong re-make is currently in production with Orlando Bloom starring as Corey. Alain Delon is listed as co-staring on IMDB.

[SuperDanX]

Thanks for the info, madness! Those crazzzzy yanks. Yeah I'm aware of the the remake, but don't have high hopes for it, I'd give it a go if it ever comes out, but only because I'm obsessed with LCR. Afaik a Le Samourai remake is being mooted too hudder:

[anephric]

I'd have less of a problem if Michael Mann did a Le Samourai remake. He's pretty much homaged the hell out of it already.

[teddymeow]

Watched "The Expendables" last night. Blimey - that was a good Blu-ray technically. Sounded amazing and looked incredible!!

Just had a confirmation e-mail from Play that my copy ot "The Other Guys" has shipped so hopefully that'll turn up before the weekend.

[SuperBeatBoy]

Black Dynamite is out in the UK on Monday.............Only on DVD.


FFS WHY! I try to avoid buying dvds, but it looks like i'll have no choice till it does.

[Lyris]

Won't there be a BD version in another country you can buy?

[teddymeow]

The Other Guys just arrived from Play. Really looking forward to watching this later on this evening with a decent Chinese takeaway!!

Also have the Vengeance Trilogy (Oldboy, Lady Vengeance and Sympathy for Mr Vengeance) as well as The Good, The Bad & The Weird on the way from Play too.

Certainly becoming my online retailer of choice seeing as I can get 2 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles for every £1 I spend!

EDIT: US Black Dynamite Blu-ray for £13.99. It's a Sony Blu-ray so I'd assume region free.

[SuperBeatBoy]

Its locked to A. I looked into getting it a year ago.

[QualityChimp]

Oldboy is an amazing film, but I'm in noooo rush to see it again!

I don't think Good/Bad/Weird is worth a repeat viewing either, but not bad first time around.

Can't wait for Black Dynamite, it looks ace. Kung Fu and funk? If there were robots and zombies too, It'd be the best film ever!

So, what is your buying criteria, people?

I buy DVDs if they're a re-watchable film, great commentary or if there are loads of extra features. My fave discs are either Hong Kong Legends discs because of the great Bey Logan commentaries, deleted scenes, longer cuts and I can re-watch a great fight scene loads of times and John Carpenter films because Universal throw in loads of extras and the Carpenter commentaries are great, especially when he's in with Kurt Russell.

The majority of Blu-Rays don't have any extras over the DVD releases, sometimes less, so what makes you pick up a BR disc other than it's a sharper picture?

I know that's slightly off-topic, but I thought the primary reason for this thread was picking out the BR releases that stand out from the crowd due to picture quality and extra features. It mostly just seems to be "discs wot I have bought", which is fine, but I liked how it started off with feedback from people impressed with the features of a Blu-Ray release.

Sorry if that sounds like I'm having a go, I'm not, promise!

[SuperBeatBoy]

I'll only buy dvds if i have no choice really. The last dvd i bought was Night of the Demon last christmas and i doubt that will get a bluray release anytime soon.

I only ever buy films if i think i'm going to watch them again. I made the mistake along time ago of just buying everything and ending up selling 90% of them as i just didn't have the room.

[Lyris]

I'd never buy a DVD over a BD unless there was a gi-NORMOUS price difference.

[Matt]

TBH I'd not buy a DVD again fullstop. Waste of time for me, with the projector there is really not going back to DVD quality. If I can't get what I want in HD, I wait - it's not like there aren't a hundred other films out there I want to watch.

The price is a killer though. Whenever I'm out shopping, there's something on BR for £20 (in HMV say, they are admittedly **** though) which is £3 on DVD. I don't spend more than a tenner on a BR film these days, which just means being patient and not wanting something that day it's released. In the last month I've got both Kick Arse and Inception brand new for £9.99

[Lyris]

Same thing here. Even the 1% of DVDs that are well encoded are pushing it at that screen size, and like Matt said, there is no shortage of stuff to watch, so I'll wait for them to release on BD!

Kick Arse? Is that the British version?

[SuperBeatBoy]

Speaking of which saw Bad lieutenant in Hmv for a tenner today. Will pick it up when I'm in there next. Fantastic movie.