1305 The Blade

[Finch]

Frank says in the Hongkong Cinema appreciation group on Shitebook that he also redid the subtitles.

[pistolwink]

This might be my favorite Hong Kong action film of them all (although it's a very unorthodox one, as everyone notes) so I'm excited for this. Seeing this on the big screen was one of the most punishing and exhausting experiences (in a good way!) I've had at the cinema. Not sure if that effect can be replicated at home but I'll try.

[yoloswegmaster]

Excited for this! I hated this the first time I watched it but had a complete 180 on it diring a rewatch earlier this year.

Since Criterion was able to break the WB stranglehold on the GH titles they own, I wonder if this means if we will see something like Encounters of the Spooky Kind 2 being released alongside the first one or Mr. Vampire 1992 in a box with the other Mr. Vampire films. I also hope this means that Pedicab Driver or Drunken Master II will be getting 4K releases from Criterion.

[shiftyeyes]

The fact that Criterion were the only ones who could do it (AFAICT nobody else anywhere in the world has released those two on Blu) is itself a sign of how difficult WB has been with this catalog.

I'm surprised this is from a 4K master given that WB haven't exactly prioritized these titles. When Comrades: Almost a Love Story got its restoration over a decade ago it was spearheaded by Peter Ho-sun Chan's company "in collaboration with Warner Bros.," and my hunch is that this is a similar situation with Tsui, which might bode well for The Lovers and Love in the Time of Twilight. For anything else I'll believe it when I see it.

A few years ago, George Feltenstein from Warner Archive did an episode of The Extras podcast on their Hong Kong catalogue and said more Golden Harvest titles would be coming. Of course, nothing has. I imagine something happened or the releases were nixed by the higher ups at WB. He indicated they were working on scanning titles and they only scan things in 4K (or higher) now. Maybe they had some titles prepped and weren't able to release them for whatever reason.

[shiftyeyes]

But honestly, is there anyone besides Frank Djeng who can do commentaries? Lisa Morton wrote the only major book on him in English

I know he's worked with them behind the scenes on a few of their HK titles. But they've been picky about the commentaries. Seem to recall he said he had to beg to do commentaries for the Jackie Chan set, and they told him no for the Eastern Condors release (they already had Tony Rayns and they didn't want a second commentary). But a Criterion producer indicated earlier this year they were looking at recording more commentaries.

[hanshotfirst1138]

Amazing! This is an incredible film, and seeing it get this treatment is awesome! I wish I could up with something more creative to say, but I’m just so excited.

[tenia]

Chris, just to confirm : yes, the Action et vérité documentary comes from the French "HK Video" DVD release.
If you've looked at some Arrow releases like The Killer, Hard Boiled and such, they differ from the Shout US releases by including documentaries also sourced from those (like the 75min one for Hard Boiled).

[cdnchris]

Thanks for confirming! I'll update the first moment I can.

[Mr Sausage]

Every Frame a Painting has uploaded their video essay for Criterion to their youtube channel. And it’s really good, showing how Tsui deforms and renews the classical genre he had perfected just a few years prior.

[cantinflas]

Every Frame a Painting has uploaded their video essay for Criterion to their youtube channel. And it’s really good, showing how Tsui deforms and renews the classical genre he had perfected just a few years prior.

Wow. What a brilliant and enlightening piece, I've already watched it twice this morning. I haven't seen The Blade in forever so I'm ordering the UK 4K and I'm so excited to watch it again as if brand new.

Just on Tsui, he has dropped off a lot this century but I will confess to enjoying the sheer lunacy of Black Mask 2: City of Masks. The one I absolutely loved is Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon when it came out in native 3D. It was such a thrilling big screen experience. I suspect it wouldn't hold up at home without the 3D so I'll just cling onto my memory of it.

[Mr Sausage]

I hated Black Mast 2, sadly, but Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon is one of his best recent efforts (and this from seeing it at home without the 3D). It's certainly better than the other two Detective Dees.

[cantinflas]

Hah, yeah can't blame you re: Black Mask 2, but I like it like I like Escape from LA. Rise of the Sea Dragon is for sure the best one, I actually saw both his Journey to the West and Four Heavenly Kings in cinemas in 3D and they were just diminishing returns by that point.

What's left to say about The Blade after that amazing video essay and what you wrote earlier Mr Sausage. What really stood out to me on this watch is how incredibly immersive it is. Guess this is thanks to the quality of the release, I truly felt like I was there and fighting for my life in the mud and blood. The slow mo sequences and freeze frames caught me by surprise too and gave it a deeper layer in contrast with the verite style. I can say it moved me to tears as well. I no doubt identified with Ding On when I was younger but now I was fully the narrator Siu Ling. Her realisations hit me extremely hard. "I'm all by myself. But I've suddenly realised that I've lost myself." Fuck. Astonishing masterpiece.