FAQ

Here is a list of questions that I am asked frequently as well as questions I have asked and received a response. If you don't find a question answered here, by all means e-mail me.

What version of The KILLER should I buy? When will an anamorphic version of THE KILLER/HARD BOILED be released?

At the moment, the best version of THE KILLER is from Hong Kong Legends as far as picture quality goes.  This is a region 2, PAL DVD and you will need a multi-region player capable of PAL to NTSC conversion if you live in the U.S. to play it.  It’s not perfect, but it is better than the other releases out there in the image quality department.  Of course, the answer isn’t so simple.  If it’s extras you want, there is the very rare Criterion DVD.  Be warned that bootlegs are rampant on this title.  The extras are nice but really not worth all the extra money.  The Winstar version is acceptable although non-anamorphic and no extras but it is out of print.  The imports are a mixed bag.  The Universe DVD is slightly better than the Mega Star version.  Also, there is a special edition from the French HKVIDEO label.  The picture is good but there are forced French subtitles during the movie.  The only reason to get this one is for the extended Taiwanese cut of the film that has burned in English subtitles.  The language is not in the orginal Cantonese but it is in Mandarin.  This cut is not John Woo's preferred version but it's interesting to watch.  It plays more like a work print.  This is for the diehard Woo fans only and you will need a multi-region player if you live in the U.S. to play it.  So what do you do if you can only play region 1 DVD's?  I would have to say the Universe DVD.  Is there a new version on the horizon?  Probably not.  That is the sad truth.  Buena Vista (Disney) owns the rights in the U.S. now.  They had it schedules in 2002 for release but at the last minute they pulled it.  They wanted to release a dubbed R rated cut and there is speculation that Woo himself stopped them from releasing it.  They same with HARD BOILED.  With Mei Ah remastering many of their titles, perhaps Universe or Mega Star will someday follow suit.  Hard Boiled will be available from Mei Ah with a new anamorphic transfer very soon.

What versions of A BETTER TOMORROW I & II should I buy?

I would have to say the Anchor Bay versions are the ones to buy over the Media Asia DVD's. I would go so far to say that Anchor Bays' A BETTER TOMORROW II will probably be the best we will see it for region 1. The Media Asia release had some very noticeable artifacts and a re-mixed soundtrack. As far as A BETTER TOMORROW I goes, I would say to get the Anchor Bay version that had the soundtrack listed as CANTONESE: MONO on the back. This version is not perfect. It contains a 10 second audio dropout towards the very beginning of the film. This will not be corrected in a future release. For more details, please click here .

What is the best version of FIST OF LEGEND? DRUNKEN MASTER II?

Unfortunately, in region 1, there isn't a "best" version. The only version available at the moment is the Buena Vista version that is dubbed. The transfer if decent but it does not contain the original soundtrack. There are currently two versions of DRUNKEN MASTER II available. Buena Vista's "Legend of Drunken Master" is dubbed and cut. There is also a version by THAKRAL which is not cut but is not in the correct aspect ratio.

What is the best version of BULLET IN THE HEAD?
The only version at this time is by Mega Star. There will be a Buena Vista release that is cut in order to not get a NC-17 rating. For information about different versions of the film, A WEBSITE NEVER DIES, has the best place on the internet to see a list of differences. This title will be available soon from Hong Kong Legends for region 2.

When is Love and Bullets updated?
Love and Bullets is normally updated at least a couple of times a week. Updates have been slow lately but things will pick up again.

What if I have something to add that has been left out of the review? What if I think the review is inaccurate?

By all means, e-mail me. If somebody has a different opinion of a film I will re-watch it and see if I missed something on the first watch. If I am wrong about something I will fix the review as quickly as possible. If somebody voices a different opinion, I will add it to the review because what may be tolerable to me may be an abomination to others. I try to represent the facts and then let the reader ultimately decide if a movie is worth buying for themselves.

Do the subtitles appear on the picture or within the bottom black bar? Is the transfer anamorphic?
Earlier reviews didn't include this information but eventually they will all be updated. Please e-mail me if the review you want doesn't have the information.

Do you accept contributions to the site?

Yes,definitely. Matthew Stevens has made some great contributions to the site with his reviews of the different DVD releases of WHO AM I as well as his reviews for TELL ME SOMETHING and NOWHERE TO HIDE. Contributions don't have to be just reviews. If you know if a Hong Kong film festival in your area I will gladly post the details.

How do you decide which movies to review?

Most movies I review are ones that I have owned on videotape or laser disc in the past. Some movies I review if I see conflicting reviews on other sites.

What DVD software do you use for screen captures?

I use PowerDVD and am pretty happy with the results. The only modification I do to the captures is convert them to a .jpg file from a .bmp.