The Asian DVD Guide

Wednesday, 11/29/2006

Joy Sales December 4 Fortune Star Digitally Remastered Releases

Dragons Forever (1988) Director: Sammo Hung Kam-Bo Cast: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Yuen Biao Synopsis Hotshot lawyer (Jackie Chan) is hired by a mysterious chemistry factory to dig up dirt on an inconvenient fishery seeking damaging court action. Sidekick Hung and professional crook. Yuen swiftly sprint to Chan's aid. Ironically the gang finds their toughness softening in the face of two gorgeous ladies at the fishery. They inadvertently hit a center nerve of the chemical factory when they unmask the hideous façade of a narcotic syndicate. DVD Specs Digitally Remastered Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Audio Cantonese (DTS 768 Kbps) Cantonese (DD 5.1 448 Kbps) Cantonese (DD 2.0) Mandarin (DD 5.1 448 Kbps) Subtitles Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Simplified) English Extras Original Movie Trailer New Edited Movie Trailer Photo Gallery Deleted Scenes Outtakes An Interview With Yuen Wah English Version Of The Ending Theme Song Region 3

Joy Sales/Fortune Star Release Schedule

Tuesday, 11/28/2006

IVL December 5 Kadokawa Releases

Blind Beast (1969) Director: Yasuzo Masumura Cast: Mako Midori, Eiji Funakoshi Synopsis A blind sculptor kidnaps an artist model ad imprisons her in his warehouse studio - a shadowland of perverse monuments to the female form. Here a deranged passion play of sensual and sexual obsession is acted out in a world where sight is replaced by touch. Japanese New Wave master Yasuzo Masumura's intense no-holds-barred exploration of perversion, art and sado-masochism. Letterboxed Japanese Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles Region 3
Lustful Man, A (1961) Director: Yasuzo Masumura Cast: Raizo Ichikawa, Ayako Wakao, Tamao Nakamura Synopsis Yonosuke was lived in insatiable pursuit of love affairs with women and men as well, and a celebrated courtesan; the son first made love to a woman at the age of seven. Thereafter, always devoting himself to the affairs, Yonosuke ended up, at 60, sailing to Nyogogashima ("Isle of Women"). This film was adapted for the famous novel, Koshoku ichidai otoko which narrates 54 years of his adventures in affairs of women. Letterboxed Japanese Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles Region 3
Manji (1964) Director: Yasuzo Masumura Cast: Ayako Wakao, Yusuke Kawazu, Kyoko Kishida Synopsis An unhappy lawyer's wife falls in love with a young, mysterious woman she encounters at an art class. Soon their affair involves her husband and the young woman's impotent lover and together the four slowly descend into web of desire, deceit, blood oaths and suicide pacts. The first movie in Japanese history to deal explicitly with homosexuality. Letterboxed Japanese Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles Region 3

IVL November 7 Kadokawa Releases

Proof Of The Man (1977) Director: Junya Sato Cast: Yusaku Matsuda, Toshiro Mifune, Mariko Okada Synopsis When an American is murdered in a Japanese inn, Tokyo police detective Munesue follows the trail of the killer to New York. There he is joined by a New York City detective named Shuftan and together they sort out the crime. Letterboxed Japanese Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles Region 3

IVL/Kadokawa Release Schedule

IVL November 23 Shaw Brothers Releases

DVD/VCD
Mirror And The Lichee, The (1966) Director: Kao Li Cast: Ivy Ling Po, Fang Ying, Alison Chang Yen, Lei Ming Genre: Huangmei Opera Synopsis Movie queen Ivy Ling Po is ideally cast as a male scholar in this historical Huangmei Opera romance. It's a tragic love story between the scholar and a local beauty (played by Fang Ying). He polishes mirrors as a pretext to get closer to his love, who signals her approval by tossing him a bunch of lichees. From that point on the course of true love proves operatically rocky, complete with murder and suicide. Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Mandarin (Mono) Chinese (Traditional) and English subtitles Region 3 Extras: Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, biographies/filmographies, and production notes.
Rendezvous With Death (1980) Director: Sun Chung Cast: Wang Yu, Chen Kuan-tai, Lo Lieh, Lin Hsiu-chun Genre: Martial Arts Synopsis Sun Chung had been recognized as an expert comedy and crime thriller director, but he was to gain even greater acclaim for his soulful, powerful, intelligent, and beautifully-made martial arts epics. This stands alongside The Deadly Breaking Sword and The Kung-fu Instructor as one of his very best. It's not so much the plot - a master swordsman protects a treasure chest on a dangerous journey - that makes this great, but what Sun does with it, inspiring the cast and crew to some of their finest work. Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Mandarin (Mono) Chinese (Traditional) and English subtitles Region 3 Extras: Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, biographies/filmographies, and production notes.
Singing Escort, The (1969) Director: Inoue Umetsugu Cast: Betty Ting Pei, Lin Chong, Chao Hsin-yen Genre: Musical Synopsis The music and magic of The Singing Escort is a great showcase for Betty Ting Pei's on-screen appeal. The sex appeal factor shoots skyhigh here with Ting playing Susan, a young woman hiding from her father by being a nightclub singer in Japan. Pop singer Chao Ke-jen (the handsome Lin Chong) gets permission from his boss to visit Japan - but only on condition he finds the boss's daughter. Boy finds girl, boy falls in love. But will Daddy approve? Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Mandarin (Mono) Chinese (Traditional) and English subtitles Region 3 Extras: Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, biographies/filmographies, and production notes.
Trilogy Of Swordsmanship (1972) Director: Yueh Feng, Cheng Kang, Chang Cheh Cast: Ti Lung, David Chiang, Yueh Hua, Shih Szu, Lo Lieh, Lily Ho Genre: Martial Arts Synopsis Three of Shaw Brothers' finest martial arts directors, who, between them, had made more than a hundred classics, united for this unique anthology film. Yueh Feng writes and directs a clever love-and-kung-fu triangle, Cheng Kang both writes and directs kung-fu courtesans battling brigands, and the "godfather of the kung-fu film," Chang Cheh, creates a cliff-hanging, swashbuckling mini-movie with maxi-action. It's three times the substance, style, skill, and stars in what truly stands as a motion picture event. Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Mandarin (Mono), Cantonese (Mono) Chinese (Traditional) and English subtitles Region 3 Extras: Trailers, picture gallery, poster art, biographies/filmographies, and production notes.
2006 Shaw Brothers Schedule

Joy Sales December 7 Fortune Star Digitally Remastered Releases

Sex And Zen (1992) Director: Michael Mak Cast: Kent Cheng, Amy Yip, Isabella Chow, Lawrence Ng Synopsis It is a cautionary tale about a man (Lawrence Ng) who marries a beautiful young woman (Amy Yip) but after a sexually unfulfilling wedding night, decides to set out on an odyssey to conquer as many women as possible. His pursuit for the ultimate erotic pleasure, leads him down the path of decadence, while his hapless bride is forced to work as a prostitute in a brothel. After a series of carnal adventures, with often unusual and hilarious results, the couple is reunited, but not before a sad lesson is inflicted. DVD Specs Digitally Remastered Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Audio Cantonese (DTS) Cantonese (DD 5.1) Cantonese (DD 2.0) Subtitles Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Simplified) English Extras Original Movie Trailer New Edited Movie Trailer Photo Gallery Interview With Michael Mak Region 3 Special Gift: Collected Treasured Book

Joy Sales/Fortune Star Release Schedule

Thursday, 11/23/2006

Joy Sales November 24 Fortune Star Digitally Remastered Releases

Heart Of Dragon (1985) Director: Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Fruit Chan Cast: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Anthony Chan, Dennis Chan, Kar Lok Chin, Emily Chu Synopsis It's the two brothers of Hong Kong action as you have never seen them before in a gripping drama where the lines blur between family loyalty and upholding the law. Jackie Chan plays Ted, a SWAT officer with thwarted dreams of being a sailor because he has to look after his mentally disabled brother Danny (Sammo Hung). The resentment boils over in a terse showdown between the two brothers. When Danny accidentally ends up with a robbery! While playing a harmless game of cops and robbers with his friends, Ted has to make an agonizing decision: Does he save the hapless Danny? Or arrest him? DVD Specs Digitally Remastered Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Audio Cantonese (DTS 768 Kbps) Cantonese (DD 5.1 448 Kbps) Cantonese (DD 2.0) Mandarin (DD 2.0) Subtitles Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Simplified) English Extras Original Movie Trailer New Edited Movie Trailer Photo Gallery Unseen Fight Scenes Region 3 Menus

Joy Sales November 17 Fortune Star Non-Digitally Remastered Releases

Bless This House (1988) Director: Ronny Yu Cast: Bill Tung, Deborah, Lotetta Lee, Stephen Ho, Leung Shi Lung, Manfred Wong Synopsis It is a dream comes true for engineer Bill Cheung (Bill Tung) when a quiet villa in the countryside is assigned to him as staff quarters. As soon as he moves into his extravagant estate with his wife and 2 daughter Jan (Loletta Lee) discovers in previous owners were burned to death many years ago. Bill's family is already on their way to a similar tragic demise... Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Cantonese (DD 2.0), Mandarin (DD 2.0) Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles DVD-5

It's A Mad Mad World (1987) Director: Clifton Ko Cast: Bill Tung, Lydia Shum, Eric Tsang, Elsie Chan, John Chiang, Loletta Lee, Pauline Kwan Synopsis News reporter Bill (Bill Tung) and his wife (Lydia Shum) live in a public housing flat with their 3 daughters. Their dream is to get rich some day. When Lady luck comes knocking on their door one day and they win the first prize of the local lottery. Mark Six, all hell break loose... Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Cantonese (DD 2.0), Mandarin (DD 2.0) Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles DVD-5

It's A Mad Mad World II (1988) Director: Clifton Ko Cast: Bill Tung, Lydia Shum, Lowell Lo, Elsie Chan, Loletta Lee, Pauline Kwan Synopsis After he lost his chance of winning easy money in the original film, Bill (Bill Tung) became an editor for a newspaper and was sent to Canada for a story. What he thought was a chance to re-launch his career turned out to be a reason to get him fired. Just when the family has settled back down in Hong Kong, Bill's wife (Lydia Shum) realized she has won the lottery in Canada... Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Cantonese (DD 2.0), Mandarin (DD 2.0) Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles DVD-5

It's A Mad Mad World III (1989) Director: Stephen Shin, Stanley Ko Cast: Bill Tung, Lydia Shum, Eric Tsang, Elsie Chan, Loletta Lee, Pauline Kwan, Lowell Lo, Christopher Chan Synopsis In the third installment of this comedy hit, Bill (Bill Tung) and his wife (Lydia Shum) have become snobbish after they won the lottery in Canada. When they showed off their money at the bank to their friends, they lost it all during a bank robbery and had to move back to their small flat in the public housing estate. When Bill went for an audition at the TV station, he ran into his ex-girlfriend and got himself into trouble when his wife thought he was having an affair. Later, Bill was notified by the bank that they will be reimbursed for the money they lost in the robbery due to a security breach of the bank... Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Cantonese (DD 2.0), Mandarin (DD 2.0) Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles DVD-5

Joy Sales/Fortune Star Release Schedule

Tuesday, 11/21/2006

Joy Sales November 23 Releases

Rob-B-Hood (2006) Director: Benny Chan Cast: Jackie Chan, Michael Hui, Louis Koo, Gao Yuanyuan, Chariene Choi, Gherrie Ying, Teresa Carpio, Chen Baoguo, Yuen Biao, Terence Yin, Andrew Lin Synopsis "Thieving Musketeers", Slipper (Jackie Chan), Landlord (Michael Hui) and Octopus (Louis Koo) is a 'dream team' of "Thieving Musketeers". They are like a bullet out of a gun whenever an opportunity for a heist comes. However, rape and pillage is out of the question, as their principle is never to intentionally hurt anyone. Man Yee, sole heiress to the distinguished Ding Family's fortunes, has given birth to a boy - Matthew. However, he is snatched away by Man Yee's ex-boyfriend Max (Terence Yin), who in a state of jealous delusion, thinks Matthew is his own flesh-and-blood. An unfortunate accident leads to Max's untimely death. Max's father, a mafia boss is out to take revenge, but more importantly, to regain custody of his 'grandson'. A reward of 30 million for the kidnapping of a tiny tod sounds like an offer that the thieving trio cannot refuse. However, one thing snowballs into another, landing everyone into a moral dilemma and a dangerous quandary. And adorable Matthew has made his way into everyone's heart, so they have to choose between the ransom and their conscience. Specs: Disc 1 - Film Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Audio Cantonese (DTS 768bps) Cantonese (DD 5.1 448 Kbps) Mandarin (DD 5.1 448Kbps) Subtitles Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese English Extras Director's Commentary Region 3 DVD-9 Disc 2 - Extras Trailers Making of Behind the Scene Music Video Deleted Scenes Photo Gallery Star Trip Celebration Party The Special Edition comes in special packaging and includes flip flops, an Octopus card holder, door sign, and special version door sign & glass film sticker:

Bullet In The Head DVD Delayed

Joy Sales' 2 Disc Collector's Edition of Bullet In The Head DVD is now scheduled to be released on November 30.

Panorama November 16 Releases

Invisible Waves (2006) Director: Pen-Ek Ratanaruang Cast: Tadanobu Asano, Gang Hye Jung Synopsis Earning a living as a chef's assistant in Macau was a completely comfortable life if only Kyoji hadn't one day decided to whip up something decidedly off the menu -- a love affair with Seiko, his boss's restless wife. And now that the boss had caught wind of things, it looked like Kyoji's goose was cooked. The dinner -- so far as the boss is concerned -- turns out to be a major success. But Kyoji starts feeling a bit queasy soon afterward, haunted by an unmistakably nauseating aftertaste. It' s gotten so bad that lately he' s been feeling like puking at least a couple of times a day. So when the boss decides to reward his young employee's loyalty with an all expenses paid pleasure cruise to the tropical island resort of Phuket, Kyoji is glad to go along. But neither the cruise nor the cruise ship turns out to be quite as Kyoji had hoped... Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced English/Japanese/Korean Chinese and English subtitles Region 3

Panorama November 9 Releases
Days Of Youth (1929) Director: Yasujiro Ozu Cast: Ichiro Yuki, Tatsuo Saito, Junko Matsui, Chishu Ryu Synopsis This is Ozu's eighth film, and also his earliest surviving work. His meticulous style is already foreshadowed in this comic early masterpiece. Students Watanabe and Yamamoto are best friends at school, but they fall for the same girl at the same time. The two boys begin to turn against each other. During holidays, they follow the girl to the ski slopes, where the two students try to impress the girl as best they can. The playful and happy mood and the symmetrical structure of the film are Ozu's way of paying tribute to the classical Hollywood comedy, especially the best of Lubitsch. Full Screen Japanese Chinese and English subtitles Region 3
New Voyage, The (1998) Director: Yoji Yamada Cast: Shinobu Otake, Yuki Kuroda, Nenji Kobayashi, Casey Takamine Synopsis The 3rd instalment in the "Gakko" Series which was preceded by "A Class to Remember" and "Learning Circle". Sawako is a widow who has single-handedly raised her autistic son. When she loses her job, she thinks that she needs more skills to get a new job. So she enters a technical college and begins attending it to gain new qualifications. There, as Sawako looks for a new start in her life, meets Shuukichi, a man fired from a well-respected big company. Then she begins a furtive romance with him. Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Japanese Chinese and English subtitles Region 3

Panorama November 2 Releases
Ultraman Zearth (1996) Letterboxed Japanese, Cantonese Chinese subtitles Region 3
Ultraman Zearth 2 (1997) Letterboxed Japanese, Cantonese Chinese subtitles Region 3

Edko November 2 Releases

Hachi-Ko (1987) Director: Seijiro Koyama Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Kaoru Yachigusa Synopsis A puppy was born in Akita Prefecture and sent as a gift to Professor Ueno of Tokyo University. Although professor's wife does not want to keep the dog, Professor Ueno loves the puppy so much and names it Hachi. Professor goes to work by railways everyday. Hachi walks to Shibuya station with Professor each morning and greets him in the evening, no matter what the weather is. One day, Professor Ueno has a stroke and passed away. His family sold the house and moved to another city, but Hachi keeps visiting the house and waiting at the Shibuya Station, believing his master will return one day... Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced Japanese (Stereo), Cantonese (Stereo) Chinese (Traditional) and English subtitles Extras: Photo gallery and cast/crew filmographies. Region 3

Universe November 10 Releases

Pterodactyl (2005) Director: Mark L. Lester Cast: Cameron Daddo, Coolio, Amy Sloan Synopsis Deep in the heart of the Turkish Forest lies Mt. Ararat, a dormant volcano that holds within itself a deadly and prehistoric secret that has been asleep for millions of years...until now. Not knowing the threat that awaits them, two separate expeditions make their way into the heart of the forest and closer to the volcano. Captain Bergen (Coolio) leads his military special ops unit on a manhunt for a dangerous terrorist, while Professor Lovecraft (Cameron Daddo) and his team of scientists search for clues to the past when they make a dangerous discovery - hatching Pterodactyl eggs! Faced with the threat of the flesh-eating predators, both groups come to the realization that they must rely on one another if they plan on making it out of the forest alive! Letterboxed and 16x9 enhanced English, Cantonese Chinese (Traditional), English, and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles Region 3

Doraemon TV Collection DVD Box Set 4 - Volume 10-12 Full Screen Cantonese Chinese (Traditional) and Chinese (Simplified) subtitles Region 3