The Asian DVD Guide  

  Friday, 2/27/2004

Next Week's Mei Ah Releases
Here are next week's Mei Ah releases due for release on March 5. Thanks to Mei Ah for the information.

  Wednesday, 2/25/2004

This Week's Mega Star Releases
Here are this week's Mega Star releases due for release on Feb 27. Click on the picture below for a larger image. Thanks to Mega Star for the information/pictures.

Golden Chicken 2 (2003)
(2 Disc Set)
  
Outer Box Cover

  • Disc 1 - Film
    • Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
    • Audio
      • Cantonese (DTS)
      • Cantonese (DD 5.1)
      • Mandarin (DD 5.1)
    • Subtitles
      • Traditional Chinese
      • Simplified Chinese
      • English
    • Region 3

  • Disc 2 - Extras
    • The Story
    • Making of
      • Making of A
      • Making of B
      • Making of "Full Version"
    • Trailers
      • Anti Piracy Theme
      • Gorilla Theme
      • All Stars Theme
    • More Attractions
      • Magic Kitchen
      • Elixir of Love
    • Music Videos
      • Theme (By Ronald Cheng)
      • Interlude (By Ronald Cheng)
    • Cast & Credits
      • Cast & Staff Listing
      • Biography & Filmography
        • Producer - Peter Chan
        • Director - Samson Chiu
        • Sandra Ng
    • Photo Gallery

  Monday, 2/23/2004

Last Week's Universe Releases
Here are last week's Universe releases. Click on the picture below for a larger image. Thanks to Universe for the information/pictures.

Boxing Hero (2003)
Director: Li Tso Nan
Cast: Jimmy Lin, Terence Yin, Marsha Yuan, Shi Yao, Wong Chi Yeung, Sing Fui On, Lam Wai, Wan Wei Yang

Synopsis
Lung comes from a modern kung fu family and goes all the way to HK to search for his brother and mother who left him for years. During his search, he uncovers an illegal gambling society manipulating the result of boxing matches. Lung's brother Fu is a free fight winner and the gangsters try to induce Fu to join the scheme. As Fu refuses, they kidnap his girlfriend and plan to kill him in a boxing match...
  • Letterboxed
  • Cantonese (Mono), Mandarin (Mono)
  • Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles
  • DVD-5

DVD Covers For Last Week's Mei Ah Releases
Here are the DVD covers for last week's Mei Ah releases. Click on the pictures below for a larger image. Thanks to Mei Ah for the information/pictures.

Magic Crystal (1986)
Director: Wong Jing
Cast: Andy Lau, Cynthia Rothrock, Nat Chan

Synopsis
Archaeologist Shum finds an antique jade with supernatural power in Greece. The stone is wanted both by KGB's agent Karoff and the Interpol. Shum asks his friend Nike (Andy Lau) for help. However, Shum is finally caught by KGB but the jade is slipped into the hands of a boy called Pan. He discovers the crystal is from space and they become friends. While Nike is imputed and jailed, Karoff comes and captures Pan to get the jade...
  • Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
  • Cantonese, Mandarin
  • Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles
In The Mood For Love (2000) (Remastered)
Director: Wong Kar Wai
Cast: Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung

Synopsis
Chow Mo Wan and his wife move into a building at around the same time as Su Li Zhen and her husband do. With the prolonged absence of their respective partners, they get to meet each other during mahjong sessions at their landlord's place. Not long later, they discover the love affair between their other halves, and are confused with the growing passion between themselves......
  • Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
  • Cantonese, Mandarin (DTS + Dolby Digital)
  • Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles
  • DVD-9

Covers For Feb 19 Shaw Brothers Batch
Here are the covers for the Feb 19 Shaw Brothers batch. Thanks to IVL for sending the pictures.

Chinatown Kid (1977)Forbidden Past, The (1979)

Lust For Love Of A Chinese Courtesan (1984)

Moonlight Serenade (1967)


  Wednesday, 2/18/2004

This Week's Mei Ah Releases
Here are this week's Mei Ah releases due for release on Feb 20. Thanks to Mei Ah for the information.


  Sunday, 2/15/2004

March 4 IVL Shaw Brothers Specs
Here are the specs for the March 4 batch of Shaw Brothers releases from IVL. Thanks to IVL for the information/pictures.

Executioners From Shaolin (1976)
Director: Liu Chia-liang (aka Lau Kar-leung)
Cast: Chen Kuan-tai, Lo Lieh, Lily Li, Gordon Liu Chia-hui, Wang Yue
Genre: Martial Arts

Synopsis
Critics praised this Liu Chia-liang (aka Lau Kar-leung) version of the Shaolin destruction and revenge epic, calling it the preeminent kung-fu director's greatest on the theme of history, martial arts, and family. Little wonder, since it also shows how Liu's own family style of kung-fu, Hung Fist, was created. There are unforgettable sequences throughout: highlighted by a honeymoon kung-fu contest and no less than three titanic confrontations with the traitorous White-Browed Hermit. The critics were right: Liu has out-done himself…as usual!





  • Letterboxed (2.35:1)
  • Languages: Mandarin
  • Subtitles: Chinese (Traditional), English, Bahasa (Malaysia), Bahasa (Indonesia)
  • Region 3
  • Extras:
    • Three Styles Of Hong Fist
    • Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, behind the scenes pictures, biographies/filmographies, and production notes.
Fallen Petals (1967)
Director: Pan Lei
Cast: Chang Mei-yao, Ko Chun-hsiung, Ou Wei, Chu Ching
Genre: Drama

Synopsis
Taiwan's most glamorous screen couple, Ko Chun-hsiung and Chang Mei-yao, co-star in Fallen Petals, a romance with the unique setting of Taiwan during World War II, when the island was a colony of Japan. Ko is drafted into the Japanese army and forced to leave his pregnant girlfriend behind. When he is presumably killed in action, Chang becomes a cabaret girl to support their baby. Thanks to director Pan Lei's sensitive scenario, the dramatic outcome is far from predictable.





  • Letterboxed (2.35:1)
  • Languages: Mandarin
  • Subtitles: Chinese (Traditional), English, Bahasa (Malaysia), Bahasa (Indonesia)
  • Region 3
  • Extras:
    • Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, biographies/filmographies, and production notes.
Hex After Hex (1982)
Director: Kuei Chih-hung
Cast: Liu Lan-chi, Lo Mang, Liu Tan, Lily Chen, Lo Hao-kai
Genre: Horror

Synopsis
Hell may have no fury like a woman scorned, but hell, literally, really has no wrath like a lusting ghost scorned! Muscular "Venom" Lo Mang discovers just that when the demon arranges to have his true love killed in order to possess her. Chaos, revenge, insanity, violence, tragedy, and even romance ensue. Director Kuei Chih-hung, already famous for Bamboo House of Dolls, Killer Snakes, Ghost Eyes, Corpse, Hex, and many other cult classics, shoots the works with this amazing horror love story.





  • Letterboxed (1.85:1)
  • Languages: Mandarin, Cantonese
  • Subtitles: Chinese (Traditional), English, Bahasa (Malaysia), Bahasa (Indonesia)
  • Region 3
  • Extras:
    • Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, behind the scenes pictures, biographies/filmographies, and production notes.
Madam Slender Plum (1966)
Director: Lo Wei
Cast: Diana Chang Chung-wen, Jenny Hu, Paul Chang Chung, Lo Wei, Ho Fan, Yeh Ching
Genre: Drama

Synopsis
Before director Lo Wei helped to discover Bruce Lee and the king of kung-fu comedy Jackie Chan, in Madam Slender Plum, Lo perpetuates the career of yet another Shaw's non-action, femme fatale starlet; the sleek and sexy, puppy-eyed Eurasian Jenny Hu. It's a murder-mystery in the vein of an old Alfred Hitchcock movie where Jenny plays the feigninly ignorant older sister to the coquettish Diana Chang where each have an affair with the same cheating man.





  • Letterboxed (2.35:1)
  • Languages: Mandarin
  • Subtitles: Chinese (Traditional), English, Bahasa (Malaysia), Bahasa (Indonesia)
  • Region 3
  • Extras:
    • Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, biographies/filmographies, and production notes.
Place To Call Home, A (1969)
Director: Wu Chia-hsiang
Cast: Li Ching, Margaret Hsing Hui, Irene Chen I-ling, Kao Pao-shu
Genre: Drama

Synopsis
Li Ching, star of Sweet is Revenge, plays one of three daughters, whose life is turned upside down when she discovers she is adopted. But things get even worse when she goes in search of her real mother. Once she finds her, she is exposed to a world of vice, lust, hatred, and violence. Finally, after almost a double tragedy, she realizes what so many knew all along: There's no place like home. Supporting the life-affirming message is Ouyang Sha-fei as the long-suffering, but noble, adoptive mother.





  • Letterboxed (2.35:1)
  • Languages: Mandarin
  • Subtitles: Chinese (Traditional), English, Bahasa (Malaysia), Bahasa (Indonesia)
  • Region 3
  • Extras:
    • Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, biographies/filmographies, and production notes.

Shaw Brothers Galleries
Here are the picture galleries for the Feb 19 Shaw Brothers releases. The galleries will be deleted after one week. Thanks to IVL for sending the pictures.

Chinatown Kid (1977)Forbidden Past, The (1979)


Lust For Love Of A Chinese Courtesan (1984)Moonlight Serenade (1967)


Last Week's Universe Releases
Here are last week's Universe releases. Click on the picture below for a larger image. Thanks to Universe for the information/pictures.

My Boss's Daughter (2003)
Director: David Zucker
Cast: Ashton Kutcher, Tara Reid, Jeffrey Tambor, Andy Richter

Synopsis
Young executive Tom agrees to housesit for his boss, he thinks it'll be the perfect opportunity to get close to his dream girl - his boss's daughter. But things doesn't go exactly as planned, it begins with an ominous doorbell ring and turns into a hilarious series of one lunatic disaster after another. Suddenly, Tom is faced with a house full of havoc, and the possibility that he might lose not only his mind and his job, but also the girl.
  • Letterboxed
  • English (Stereo)
  • Chinese (Traditional) and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles
  • Region 3
  • DVD-5

  Thursday, 2/12/2004

DVD Covers For This Week's Mei Ah Releases
Here are the DVD covers for this week's Mei Ah releases. Click on the pictures below for a larger image. Thanks to Mei Ah for the information/pictures.

Sound Of Colors (2003)
A Jet Tone Films Production
Based on the comic book "Sound of Colors" by Jimmy

Director/Screenwriter: Joe Ma
Producer: Jacky Pang Yee Wah
Cast: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Miriam Yeung Chi Wah, Chang Chen, Dong Jie, Eric Kot, Lam Suet, Alex Fong, Chui Tien You
Special Appearances: Fan Chih Wei, Guey Lun Mei

Synopsis
Everyone always had a Mass Transit Railway (MTR) inside their heart, and the destination of the railway is called "Hope". However, because of love, they would somehow lose their way inside these packed compartments, and keep either getting on a wrong train or getting off at the wrong station. As it was, they keep on losing their direction, feeling lost and getting hurt.

Fortunately, the recovery would not take long.
  • Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
  • Cantonese, Mandarin
  • Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles
  • Extras: Audio commentary by the filmmakers
  • DVD-9
Sky Lover (2002)
Director: Jiang Qinmin
Cast: Don Jie, Liu Ye, Tao Hon

Synopsis
Adapted from "Life without language", the novelette winning the 1st Lu Xun Literature Award written by Dong Xi, this is a flimsy Chinese tale in which a deaf man finds his life turned upside down when a pretty mute girl wanders into the remote mountain village. The film is earnest in its approach and undeniable beautiful shots, but all Qinmin ultimately gives us is a love story with no fire, a drama with no conflict, and ultimately a film with no purpose...
  • Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
  • Mandarin
  • Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles
Snake In The Eagle's Shadow (1978)
Director: Yuen Woo-Ping
Producer: Ng See-Yuen
Cast: Jackie Chan, Yuen Hsiao-Tien, Huang Cheng-Li, Shih Tien
Fighting Instructors: Yuen Woo-Ping, Hsu Hsia
Asst Fighting Instructors: Yuen Chen-Wei, Yuen Hsin-Yi, Yuen Kwai

Synopsis
Directed by Yuen Woo Ping and starring rookie Jackie Chan, this classical kung-fu movie had been a blast in whole Asia when it made its debut release in 1978. Chien-fu, a servant in a martial arts school since his childhood, saves the snake-fist master Pai Chang-tien accidentally while Pai is after by foes. Pai teaches him snake-fists in return when his foes catch up with him. Chien-fu help Pai fight them off with his renovated snake-and-cat-fist...
  • Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
  • Cantonese, Mandarin
  • Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles
Black Mask (1996) (Remastered)
Director: Daniel Lee
Cast: Jet Li, Lau Ching Wan, Karen Mok

Synopsis
Li was part of "Squard 70", a team of professional killers known as Black Mask. When the team was exterminated by the government after they discovered that some squad members still have feelings, Li quits and goes into hiding as a librarian. However, when another member begins killing every major drug dealers to gain control of the drug, Li has to become Black Mask again in the name of heroic justice......
  • Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
  • Cantonese, Mandarin (DTS + Dolby Digital)
  • Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles
  • DVD-9

  Tuesday, 2/10/2004

This Week's Mega Star Releases
Here are this week's Mega Star releases due for release on Feb 12. Click on the picture below for a larger image. Thanks to Mega Star for the information/pictures.

Infernal Affairs III (2003)
(2 Disc Set)
  
Outer Box Cover

DVD Cover

  • Disc 1 - Directors' Cut (118 min) and Theatrical Version (107 min)
    • Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
    • Audio
      • Cantonese (DTS)
      • Cantonese (DD 5.1)
      • Mandarin (DD 5.1)
    • Subtitles
      • Traditional Chinese
      • Simplified Chinese
      • English
    • Region 3

  • Disc 2 - Extras
    • The Story
    • Making of
    • Trailers
      • Teaser
      • Trailer
      • Trailer (International Version)
      • TV Spots
        • 15 secs
        • 60 secs
        • 90 secs
        • 120 secs
        • Directors' Cut
      • More Attractions
        • Magic Kitchen
        • Elixir of Love
    • Theme Song Music Video (Hacken Lee)
    • Cast & Credits
      • Cast & Staff Listing
      • Biography & Filmography (* with video)
        • Director - Andrew Lau *
        • Screenwriter & Director - Alan Mak *
        • Tony Leung *
        • Andy Lau *
        • Leon Lai *
        • Chen Dao Ming *
        • Kelly Chen *
        • Eric Tsang
        • Anthony Wong
        • Chapman To
    • Photo Gallery
Special Edition
(Includes the two DVDs listed above plus a postcard book (70 pages), one set (4 styles) of Octopus/Credit Card holder, special packaging, certificate of purchase, etc)

Outer Box Cover

Certificate Of Purchase

  Monday, 2/9/2004

Last Week's Universe Releases
Here are last week's Universe releases. Click on the picture below for a larger image. Thanks to Universe for the information/pictures.

End Of The Stumer, The (2003)
Director: Cheung Kin Wah
Cast: Kent Cheng, Cecilia Yip, Cheung Kin Wah, Lin Wai Kin

Synopsis
An honorable cop, Wang, whose wife is died in a firefight, is unable to recover from the tragedy and devotes his whole life to his work. He is assigned to investigate a stumer, Fang who counterfeits money bill. But he finds out his sister-in-law, Chen is befriended of Fong. On the other hand, Fong and his crew have lost their trust on each other, an all-out war is about to begin...
  • Letterboxed
  • Cantonese (Mono), Mandarin (Mono)
  • Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles
  • DVD-5
Harvard Man (2001)
Director: James Toback
Cast: Adrian Grenier, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Joey Lauren Adams

Synopsis
Alan, captain of Harvard basketball team meets Cindy, a sexy, rich daughter of local mafia boss at Boston College. She seduces him to join in a dangerous and illegal gambling scheme. Alan starts fixing games for profit, gets into an affair with his philosophy teacher Chesney, and indulges in drugs. But when the game fixing plans go awry, Alan must outsmart Cindy, her father, and the FBI.
  • Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
  • English (Stereo)
  • Chinese (Traditional) and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles
  • DVD-5

  Friday, 2/6/2004

Covers For Feb 5 Shaw Brothers Batch
Here are the covers for the Feb 5 Shaw Brothers batch. Thanks to IVL for sending the pictures.

Imposter, The (1975)Lady Is The Boss, The (1982)

Maid From Heaven, A (1963)

New Tales Of The Flying Fox (1984)


Revised Shaw Brothers 2004 Release Schedule
Here is IVL's revised 2004 release schedule for their Shaw Brothers releases. The release dates are tentative and subject to change. Thanks to IVL for sending the information.

  Tuesday, 2/3/2004

Next Week's Mei Ah Releases
Here are next week's Mei Ah releases due for release on Feb 13. Thanks to Mei Ah for the information.

  

DVD Covers For Last Week's Mei Ah Releases
Here are the DVD covers for last week's Mei Ah releases. Click on the pictures below for a larger image. Thanks to Mei Ah for the information/pictures.

Sky Of Love (2003)
Director: Teng Hua Tao
Cast: Chu Hsiao Ten, Gigi Leung

Synopsis
Xiao Jia, a university student, secretly admires her class monitor, Wen Tao. In a twist of an event, Xiao Jia accidentally gets hold of a radiophone. One day, as she daydreams of Wen Tao, the radiophone connects to Jia Hui and they start communicating through the radiophone. From their conversations, they discover that they are actually studying in the same school and plan to meet up, but both of them miss the date and finally find out that they exist in two different worlds.
  • Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced
  • Cantonese, Mandarin
  • Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles

  Monday, 2/2/2004

Shaw Brothers Galleries
Here are the picture galleries for the Feb 5 Shaw Brothers releases. The galleries will be deleted after one week. Thanks to IVL for sending the pictures.

Imposter, The (1975)Lady Is The Boss, The (1982)


Maid From Heaven, A (1963)New Tales Of The Flying Fox (1984)


Feb 19 IVL Shaw Brothers Specs
Here are the specs for the Feb 19 batch of Shaw Brothers releases from IVL. Thanks to IVL for the information/pictures.

Chinatown Kid (1977)
Director: Chang Cheh
Cast: Alexander Fu Sheng, Sun Chien, Wang Lung-wei, Shirley Yu, Shaw Yin-yin, Kuo Chue
Genre: Action/Adventure

Synopsis
Alexander Fu Sheng goes contemporary with distinguished director Chang Cheh in Chinatown Kid to battle the Five Venoms before they poisoned themselves into cult status. Filmed at Shaw's studios, Chang used stock shots of San Francisco to give the American illusion. The incredibly violent fights are immensely satisfying as man on the run Tan Tung (Alexander Fu Sheng) defeats each venom while succumbing to the seductive powers of sex symbol Shirley Yu only to learn that heroism leads to nihilistic desecration.





  • Letterboxed (2.35:1)
  • Languages: Mandarin
  • Subtitles: Chinese (Traditional), English, Bahasa (Malaysia), Bahasa (Indonesia)
  • Region 3
  • Extras:
    • Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, behind the scenes pictures, biographies/filmographies, and production notes.
Forbidden Past, The (1979)
Director: Chu Yuan
Cast: Ching Li, Ling Yun, Chang Tzu-le, Ching Miao
Genre: Drama

Synopsis
In the sixties, love stories portrayed women as sentimentalists or sacrificial lambs. Later on, directors like Chu Yuan replaced these themes of sacrifice with abandonment. The Forbidden Past is a heart tugging, rare Chinese Christmas story about a bar girl (Ching Li) serving drinks to a man that looks like her husband from five years ago. She convinces him to fulfill her son's wishes of having the father he's never seen, show up for Christmas. A merry Christmas follows?





  • Letterboxed (2.35:1)
  • Languages: Mandarin
  • Subtitles: Chinese (Traditional), English, Bahasa (Malaysia), Bahasa (Indonesia)
  • Region 3
  • Extras:
    • Chyi Yu music video
    • Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, behind the scenes pictures, biographies/filmographies, and production notes.
Lust For Love Of A Chinese Courtesan (1984)
Director: Chu Yuan
Cast: Yu An-an, Hu Kuan-chen, Chang Kuo-chu, Alex Man Chi-leung, Tsao Ta-hua
Genre: Erotic

Synopsis
With Lust for Love of a Chinese Courtesan, director Chu Yuan returned to his 1970's, daring, erotic roots but now, he can let it all hang out. Newcomer sex kitten Hu Kuan-chen plays the pathetic, starving lost girl, forced into prostitution under the lesbian control of experienced erotica actress Yu An-an to blow everyone's minds away. Martial arts action by Jackie Chan's kung-fu classmates Yuan Pin and Yuan Hua add foxy fighting to this erotic fray.





  • Letterboxed (2.35:1)
  • Languages: Mandarin, Cantonese
  • Subtitles: Chinese (Traditional), English, Bahasa (Malaysia), Bahasa (Indonesia)
  • Region 3
  • Extras:
    • Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, behind the scenes pictures, biographies/filmographies, and production notes.
Moonlight Serenade (1967)
Director: Yen Chun
Cast: Li Ching, Chin Feng, Li Ting, Yen Chun, Li Kun
Genre: Drama

Synopsis
Yen Chun, who was an actor even longer than he was a director, guides Li Ching, star of the award-winning Susanna, in a challenging leading role. She plays a sweet inn-keeper's daughter, who's in love with a woodcutter, but witness to a perverted rape perpetrated by the victim's own brother. Tragically, the sister commits suicide in shame, and the rapists turn their attentions to the witness, leading to more danger than most romantic dramas can handle.





  • Letterboxed (2.35:1)
  • Languages: Mandarin
  • Subtitles: Chinese (Traditional), English, Bahasa (Malaysia), Bahasa (Indonesia)
  • Region 3
  • Extras:
    • Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, behind the scenes pictures, biographies/filmographies, and production notes.