Stream Hard Boiled
Mercredi, mai 26th, 2010
There should be no doubt that HARD BOILED is a phenomenal action describe, one of the best ever produced in Hong Kong. Distinguished has been written all over the internet about it in the years since it was released direct-to-video in North America in the very early 90’s.
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Now, some 16 years later, through any number of flawed prints, alternate edits, crummy dubs and subtitles of varying quality, not to mention several PREVIOUS special editions on DVD, each with their maintain pros and cons, the chance to do factual by this film in so many ways is, typically, blown by the Weinstein machine and their cabal of Hong Kong cinema experts.
Oh, certain, this disc is watchable, and considering there is now a generation of teenagers out there who weren’t even BORN when this was released, I’m determined there will be fresh fans made from watching this film. But the film ain’t the scrape for the rest of us.
Buy,Download, Or Stream Hard Boiled! Click Here
Who in their apt minds, in 2007, puts DUBTITLES on a “premium” special edition of possibly one of the most famous Hong Kong motion pictures of all time. DUBTITLES based on a dub that was made, what, 16 years ago now? That dubbed version was indeed responsible for bringing a stout many western fans into the fold, but that doesn’t mean we liked it. Or any dubbing for that matter. Honest because HARD BOILED is over half action sequences doesn’t automatically mean the dialogue sequences are unworthy of even a moderately more legal translation of WHAT THE CHARACTERS ARE ACTUALLY SAYING IN CANTONESE. Instead, they appear to have paid the receptionist a few bucks to type the recent dub script verbatim into the subtitle stream.
Thankfully, far first-rate subtitles are serene available on other, BETTER DVD releases of the film. Some of which even have an image where Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Chow Yun-fat DON’T see like they’ve establish on about 50 pounds!! I’m no expert on aspect ratios and the like, but I know enough, and I’ve seen enough Chow and Leung movies to know that they don’t quite explore like this in exact life. Gotta wonder who’s incandescent plan it was to Cleave the movie, then STRETCH it wait on to the righteous aspect ratio. I can consider of a few people who probably figured no one would study, or if they did, that they’d impartial be the usual internet pedants.
If that’s what I am, so be it, but for god’s sake, you consider a brand that so eagerly wants to be viewed as the top shelf for Hong Kong and Asian movies, would actually launch treating those very products with some Steady respect. But then again, observe what they did with their “edit” of the Protector. Droll. And to hear the commentator on that one Clarify the cuts tells me where he really stands when it comes to his paymasters’ wishes. This edition of HARD BOILED is another clue.
If I were objective reviewing the film, I’d give it 5 stars. But since this is a DVD review, and I managed to secure one at a store that broke street date, AND I’m now out about $18 bucks for something I now know I DIDN’T NEED TO UPGRADE, the best I can muster is (a helpful) two stars, largely for the interviews on the second disc, which are not abominable, and the situation tour, which is not without interest.
The commentary on the other hand, while not a total write-off, obviously, offers SOME provocative tidbits that are tangentially related to the film itself, but to put a list of errors and ‘best guesses’ that would beget your eyes glaze, unprejudiced dig up a copy of the faded Fox Lorber DVD from and listen to this film’s CREATORS, John Woo and Terence Chang contradict Dragon Dynasty’s commentator on several occasions. Or listen to the track on the Criterion edition of this title, where they do the same thing (though in fairness, the Fox Lorber track may have been a longer, uncut version of the Criterion one, only minus Roger Avery and Dave Kehr) . John Woo and Terence Chang MADE the film, so who should you trust? A self-anointed expert? Clear, he means well enough, and he knows more than I do (which is why I’m a lowly peon who doesn’t do commentaries 
), but a lot of the less film-specific stuff on this track feels awfully familiar…
Watch this disc for the movie (in Plump-o-Vision) and the interviews. Then do a itsy-bitsy surfing to fetch one of the superb international versions if you really feel you need an “ultimate edition” in your collection, ’cause this ain’t it.
Hard Boiled is one of the best action movies ever and every John Woo film from the 1980s is golden. Hard Boiled has been released twice in the U.S. now, once from Fox Lobrar and once from Criterion, both are now out of print. (Of course there are numerous companies in Asia selling the film currently, thank goodness for Ebay!) I contain both versions; the Criterion one has the best features but the relate is noticiably darker. This version of Hard Boiled from Dragon Dynasty/Wienstein Company has an fabulous recount, stand out colors, well lit shadowy scenes, and agreeable detail. If I was juding this film on color, brighteness, and overall recount, I would give it 5 stars.
However, there is one major flaw to the film somehow slipped through the cracks. The recent film’s aspect ratio is 1.85:1; wide shroud tvs at home are 16:9, or 1.78:1 (Standard tvs are 4:3 or 1.33:1) . Because 1.85 is wider than 1.78:1, you will have diminutive gloomy bars on the top and bottom of a widescreen tv, this is normal. For some reason, they decided to turn this movie into widscreen 16:9, and what this means is images on the sides as well as top and bottom are lop off slightly. Imagine looking at a photograph and then zooming in about 7 percent all around, essentially this is what has happened here. The film is mild viewable, but artistic quality is compromised because the image is being carve off all around.
As for this release, the menus are honorable and the special features looked super, I haven’t had time to witness them yet.
Hopefully by releasing this movie many people will procure to behold the film for the first time. Fair be aware that the movie is not in its fresh format and that the image is lop off slightly on the top, bottom, and sides.
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