Just uploaded to my website:
http://www.john-book.com/reviews/dvd/hero-dvd.htm

-----------------------------------------------

HERO
Starring: Jet Li, Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung, Daoming Chen, Donnie Yen, Zyang Ziyi
Directed by Zyang Yimou
(Wei Kai/Guang Dong Face GCDV 184)


RATING: * * * * * (5 out of 5)


Wow, wow, wow, wow, and wow! I cannot believe what I just watched just now. This is one of many reasons why I avoid most movies from Hollywood. I just saw the very powerful movie Hero, directed by Zhang Yimou. The DVD came in the mail yesterday, and I am totally blown away. I don't want to spoil anything, but this film was beautifully shot and directed, well written, and the metaphors throughout are just... there is a sense of pain that is prevalent in the best Chinese movies, and this one takes that element to a much higher level. There is some swordplay in this, but I would not call this a kung fu movie. There is some wire-fu too, but this isn't Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Part II: Electric Char Siu.

I don't want to spoil anything, but this is easily Jet Li's best film to date, and he has been in his share of duds (Black Mask anyone?) I'm a huge fan of Maggie Cheung, and this only strengthens my love for her work. I'm not familiar with all of Tony Leung's work, so I didn't recognize him in this at first until I started writing this and went to the movie website. This is the same guy who was Cheung's love interest in In The Mood For Love, and in this film they are lovers as well. While Wong Kar Wai's film has nothing to do with Hero, I think the relationship they hold together in previous films is touching, and there's a moment between them at the end of the film that seems very fitting and appropriate (one that is very emotional for anyone who has ever felt their on-screen chemistry).

The movie deals with a character who wants to kill. But he is told by a friend that perhaps he should seek peace. Those who are at war with each other generally have different ideas of the same concept. If they take time to meet, they'll find they have the same goals. But somehow, death is always certain. The cinematography only helps enhance the storyline, with full shots of armies, deserts, rivers, and skies adding to the richness of the movie. Hero definitely makes the best use of color schemes, in fact the colors are very specific to what is going on in the film (i.e. while white is often seen as the color of peace, in some cultures white also signifies death). Not only does this add a nice touch to a beautifully shot film, but it also helps the viewer to find continuity with these scenes, especially when it deals with the flashbacks of two of the main characters.

While this movie is a period piece, it also uses the latest modern technology without ruining the plot or movement of the film. The crowd shots are enough to take ones breath away, and it looks like there's about a thousand people in these scenes, but are they real, or are they computer-enhanced? The digitized moments that are obvious, such as slow motion water droplets during a fight scene, aren't harmful to the flow. There is an element of fantasy throughout, but one can't deny that the impact it makes on the viewer at the end is very real.

Films like this are often filled with some kind of deeper messages. At the end, my sister talked about it and goes "considering how the world is right now, this movie fits in very well. Look at the people of the United States, and look at our government. Look at the treatment of the people. Look who wins." That didn't even cross my mind, and yet it made perfect sense. Is Hero a political film, a kung fu fantasy, or one of the best movies ever made? It could be all, it could be none. I went into this film only knowing that one of my favorite actresses (Maggie Cheung) was in it, and that it also starred Jet Li and Zyang Ziyi. I came out of it with all of my senses feeling overwhelmed.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miramax owns the rights to this film in some world markets, including the United States, where it has yet to be released in any form. According to , Miramax actually forced director Zhang Yimou to edit the original 120 minute film by 30 minutes, claiming that American audience would not sit and tolerate a film that long. To satisfy their needs, Yimou edited the film down to 98 minutes, and this is the version that has been shown around the world, including China. However, he is planning to release the unedited 120 minute version on DVD in Hong Kong and China very soon, although there are no plans to release the unedited version for the big screen. There is also a delay in getting this movie out in American theaters, and fans of foreign film are left wondering why Hollywood continues to alter the content of any film that isn't their own. Don't wait around, I highly recommend hunting this DVD down and .


TITLE: Hero (Ying xiong)
STARRING: Jet Li, Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung, Daoming Chen, Donnie Yen, Zyang Ziyi
LENGTH: 98 minutes
AUDIO: Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound
VIDEO: Letterboxed/Widescreen; 1 : 2.35 screen ratio; NTSC
LANGUAGE: Mandarin Chinese
SUBTITLES: Yes (Simplified Chinese/Traditional Chinese/English)
EXTRAS: 24 minute Hero Defined documentary (in Mandarin only, no subtitles)
REGION: 0, (says "3" but is actually "region free", playable on any DVD player around the world)




p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
http://thisisbooksmusic.wordpress.com
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seems a lot of people really enjoyed this movie, so i want to pick it up... but first i need 2 questions answered

first, is it enhanced for anamorphic (16x9) widescreen televisions?

second, where can i buy it now?

or

third, should i wait and buy it region 1 so the extras are available with english subs... do you know (approximately) when it's supposed to get it's region 1 release?

i didn't read your review... just saw you gave it 5 stars out of 5... that's enough for me without reading any spoilers to trust that you enjoyed it enough for me to buy it

>first, is it enhanced for anamorphic (16x9) widescreen
>televisions?

I am not sure.

> second, where can i buy it now? <
Unless there's a store in Chinatown that has a copy, you'll probably have to buy it online. Try here:

http://www.monkeypeaches.com/HERODVD.html
http://www.monkeypeaches.com/Hero.html

I got mine on eBay from a dealer listed as "heroDVD" and I got mine in less than a week. It is an official DVD.

-------
Miramax has given the movie some serious problems, which is why the U.S. release has been delayed. The HK version of the DVD is very cheap (my copy was only $2.99 and the audio and video quality is excellent).




p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

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according to the auction description... (i'd add that to your review on your website, a lot of people care about that - too late to add it to the review here, obviously - although shockzilla probably would if you asked him heheh)

I will add it to my review.

p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
http://thisisbooksmusic.wordpress.com
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>Miramax has given the movie some serious problems, which is
>why the U.S. release has been delayed. The HK version of
>the DVD is very cheap (my copy was only $2.99 and the audio
>and video quality is excellent).

By the way, there's an sequence at the beginning in which the Chinese script ISN'T translated into English - here's what it says -

Two thousand years ago...
during the Warring States period,
China was divided into seven Kingdoms.

For years they battled for supremacy
while the people suffered.

The Emperor of Qin was the most ruthless
in his efforts to conquer the land
and unify all under heaven.

He was regarded as a common threat
by the other six Kingdoms.

The annals of Chinese history
are abound with tales of the assassins
sent to kill the great Emperor.

This is one of the legends...

-

As for Miramax, the theatrical release is slated for November of this year if I'm not mistaken, just in time for Oscar season - and seeing that it's by the same director behind "Raise the Red Lantern", it's got some art-house aesthetics goin' on so my guess is that Miramax wants the cred it may carry w/ members of the academy... The 98 minute version is truncated from Zang Yimou's 120 minute vision and was cut at the behest of studio interests for Western theatrical release - at present, there is no 120 minute DVD edition...

On a related note, Celestial Pictures in Hong Kong have begun to remaster digitally their classic Shaw Brothers catalog from the '60s and '70s - this includes "Enter the 36th Chamber" that JB mentioned would be screened at the SIFF (and is doin' the rounds elsewhere as part of a mini-retrospective). Also of note is the much revered "Come Drink w/ Me" starring Cheng Pei-pei, who also was in "Crouching Tiger..." (as Zang Ziyi's mentor). It's likely that the also popular follow-up to "Come...", "Golden Swallow", will be released soon as well... Available on region 3 DVD for those concerned... Miramax has bought the North American rights to this stuff; however, if you know anythin' about Harvey Weinstein, you know that Miramax usually does an underwhelming job on foreign film (scissors included) - so the choice ought not to be too hard...

"other than some of cann ox, el-p's beats sound like somebody molesting a household pet"
- soundsop

>By the way, there's an sequence at the beginning in which the Chinese script ISN'T translated into English - here's what it says -

thank you

i didn't want to inbox ya yet, because i think that it's important to still see this for a while (once it's archived, it's gone from the listing and only viewable via searching... if i remember correctly

don't worry, one of us will bother ya lol...

Thank you. Would it be alright if I added that in my review?

p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
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>Thank you. Would it be alright if I added that in my
>review?

Go ahead JB - most welcome to 'em...

"other than some of cann ox, el-p's beats sound like somebody molesting a household pet"
- soundsop

man, we are so lucky to have you on this site.

hope you hang around.

>man, we are so lucky to have you on this site.
>
>hope you hang around.

He appears when he feels it's necessary lol

>He appears when he feels it's necessary lol

You know? Like a lazy long weekend... Just to stir the drink, so to speak...

"other than some of cann ox, el-p's beats sound like somebody molesting a household pet"
- soundsop

and desperately need to see the full-length version (i'm hoping that donnie yen has more scenes in the extended version- my only disappointment w/ hero was how little screen time he had)

it has such lyrical beauty- a most poetic movie

certainly not your typical jet li flick. as such, i think it's hard to compare the wong fei hung flicks to this, or fist of legend (which is still my personal favorite Li Lin Kit movie)


i take it that you've seen The Emperor and the Assassin?

i was about to buy an HK version on eBay... think i'm gonna do that anyway

_____________________

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The man who thinks at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life - Muhammed Ali

it's the full-length version first

it is...

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0299977

Runtime: China:93 min / Finlan 8 min / Swede 9 min / US 6 min

also, it's anamorphic widescreen... that cinched it for me...

Miramax has the rights to the movie, but this is the official version from Hong Kong (I generally prefer to get the HK DVD's anyway).

If Miramax refuses to market and release this movie properly, I say why not get the HK DVD, especially when it's that cheap, and that good? Miramax can't beat people to the punch, so I think they're losing out. If and when Miramax does release it at theaters, I will definitely go, as long as it doesn't have voice overdubs from Matt Damon and Drew Barrymore.



p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
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thats what i last heard.

_
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4TztqYaemt0
http://preptimeposse.blogspot.com/

>thats what i last heard.<

I read that too, but my question is will it remain altered from the original HK version? I'm hoping, but I'm not holding my breath.



p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
http://thisisbooksmusic.wordpress.com
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http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=herodvd

perfect feedback rating...

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=herodvd

he has a few left. what a steal...

thanks John

thanks, yo!

_____________________

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The man who thinks at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life - Muhammed Ali

>thanks, yo!

yeah, normally i'm weary of hk titles (bootleg/pirated) but if jb says it's official, that's good enough for me...

I have yet to buy a pirated DVD from Hong Kong, I'm generally careful too.



p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
http://thisisbooksmusic.wordpress.com
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>I have yet to buy a pirated DVD from Hong Kong, I'm generally careful too.

i'm curious now what else is out there at these kind of prices

For instance, Cowboy Bebop released a definative version of the series called the Perfect Edition, list price was 200 bucks, now more since its out of print.

There's a HK version of it out there, thats PERFECT, for 30 fucking bucks. Its technically a bootleg, however, its done through real HK businesses so the layouts, quality etc will be the same.

Mileage may of course vary, but you can definately find a steal.

The perfect sessions boot leg is PERFECT! I got it & it looks totally official! Great quality. And I only paid $30.

_________________________________________
"Too weird to live.... too rare to die..."

IG: KnowOne215 | PS+ ID: KnowOne215

It's the common curse of the HK bootleg.

Unless they copied it from the original Bandai disks.

Later...
Kwesi K.

from another eBay buyer regarding the $2.95 Hero DVD

Hi,

This seller that you bought the DVD from (sylsyl_wen) sells bootleg
DVDs. I bought 3 off him on a transaction outside eBay. His shipping is
fast but the DVDs are of very poor quality. The disks were scratched
and the cover art was very blurry. The seller's name is Kevin. He also
didn't refund my money.

Just to give you a heads up,
John

_____________________

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The man who thinks at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life - Muhammed Ali

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=617&item=3328362794

On the link above, about midway through the page, this particular seller lists a bunch of different versions of the movie available on DVD - the DVD-5 edition is the most widely circulated and least expensive - if JB can confirm that this is indeed the DVD he received - it ought not to be a fake if it has the seal of the manufacturer and the like on the front artwork...

"other than some of cann ox, el-p's beats sound like somebody molesting a household pet"
- soundsop

My DVD has a hologram seal on the front. No scratches at all, quality is excellent, it looked like any HK DVD I've bought from other places in the U.S. In fact, let me scan the cover for you with the hologram sticker. I'll have it up in a few minutes.
----------
EDIT: Okay. To verify, the person I ordered from is totally different from the one listed in the above post.

Okay, here is a . It is full size (0.23mb) so if you have a slow connection, it probably will not be worth your time.

The scan I made is blurred on the bottom, but my actual copy is not. Everything is crystal clear. The DVD itself has printing on the disc, and is not a DVD-R. Audio and video quality on this is excellent, and it is a direct transfer, not a camcorder in a theater.

On the upper left hand cover of the cover, you will see the hologram sticker.


p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
http://thisisbooksmusic.wordpress.com
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>My DVD has a hologram seal on the front. No scratches at
>all, quality is excellent, it looked like any HK DVD I've
>bought from other places in the U.S. In fact, let me scan
>the cover for you with the hologram sticker. I'll have it
>up in a few minutes.
> ----------
>EDIT: Okay. To verify, the person I ordered from is totally
>different from the one listed in the above post.
>The scan I made is blurred on the bottom, but my actual copy
>is not. Everything is crystal clear. The DVD itself has
>printing on the disc, and is not a DVD-R. Audio and video
>quality on this is excellent, and it is a direct transfer,
>not a camcorder in a theater.
>On the upper left hand cover of the cover, you will see the
>hologram sticker.

That's the version I copped some months back in an east coast Chinatown - just wanted to help folks out here who had ordered from the seller in question - from what I gather, this DVD-5 edition was the 1st to hit the market from a mainland China-based manufacturer and to assure consumers, came complete w/ the hologram sticker JB makes note of...

"other than some of cann ox, el-p's beats sound like somebody molesting a household pet"
- soundsop

was called HeroDVD. is that who you bought it from?

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The man who thinks at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life - Muhammed Ali

Yes. His name is Dennis Chan.

p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
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the dude who sent me that message must have gotten it mixed up

thanks

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The man who thinks at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life - Muhammed Ali

an easy description would be to say its "Crouching Tiger" meets "Rashomon" but by no means am I saying its wannabecrouchingtigerhiddendragonandshit.

But yeah I really enjoyed it. Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung again have terrific on screen chemistry, and the visuals and action sequences are just beautiful

Maybe I need to buy this version to replace my bootleg DVD one, in mine I see people walking in front on the screen and periodically some one coughs.

______________________________

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^^^one of my peoples, dude can wright

>and periodically some one coughs.

finally, now we know where sars originated...

Is like apparently the rest of you motherfuckers on the thread, the second I got to the link I tried to order.

However, considering they have the regular version for 3 bucks and supposedly even a BETTER quality version for 6, I tried to go for the good quality one, but that motherfucker was sold out. So fuck you all whoever on the thread picked up the 6 dollar version, that shit should have been min

>However, considering they have the regular version for 3
>bucks and supposedly even a BETTER quality version for 6, I
>tried to go for the good quality one, but that motherfucker
>was sold out. So fuck you all whoever on the thread picked
>up the 6 dollar version, that shit should have been min

I wanted to get that one down the line, but I think I'll hold out until the uncut version comes out. The DVD I have, however, is excellent, no flaws, no people walking in front of the screen, it is a direct transfer.


p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
http://thisisbooksmusic.wordpress.com
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MMMMMmmmm, time to whup out the credit card...

Yep. I don't have a DTS setup, so it seemed pointless for me right now to get it. I was surprised too that the DVD was so cheap, and that the quality was excellent.

The menu is in Mandarin, but most of you can just adjust the subtitle yourself with the remote.

p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

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the only difference is dts, right?

i hope the version i bought from herodvd is on one disc...

From what I can tell, yes, it's just DTS, but trust me when I say the quality is excellent.


p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
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>From what I can tell, yes, it's just DTS, but trust me when
>I say the quality is excellent.

herodvd said the video quality was better too... so for $3 more, i couldn't help but upgrade (don't have dts, so it doesn't matter to me...)

Hi Matthew,
thanks for your email.
yes, we can offer the DVD-9 version of "hero", too.
it is better in video quality and with DTS that DVD-5 doesn't have.
addition USD 3.00 is for the upgrade of DVD-9.
thanks and best regards,
herodvd

is it just me, or does his email look like a x-wing fighter? lol

http://www.monkeypeaches.com/Hero.html

I placed this as link within the review, but check this out, as it analyzes what Miramax has done (and in turn not done) for the film. Also contains links to trailers in various countries.

I'm looking forward to seeing "Purple Butterfly".

p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

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just did it myself. contact him through the auction.

enjoy

seems like there are some questions about the different DVD versions out right now. there are actually 4 versions i believe. the DVD5, DVD9, DVD9 collector, and R3 DVD9 collectors edition. i owned the first release of the movie on DVD5 and loved it. great quality anamorphic video and sound. when the DVD9 version came out i picked it up right away. clearer video and of course DTS sound were top notch. i didn't need the extra film stills so i didn't get the collectors edition. another edition came out like a month later which was only region 3 and i wouldn't be able to play it.

anyway, if i were looking to pick up the movie i would get DVD9 version which can be had for under 10 bucks on ebay. here's a link ---> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3328368367&category=617

GamerTag and PSN: PokeEmAll

>anyway, if i were looking to pick up the movie i would get DVD9 version which can be had for under 10 bucks on ebay.

>here's a link ---> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3328368367&category=617

and if you want to feel safe and order from the person johnbook got his from, you can upgrade to the dvd9 version (which is what i did) for only $3 more.

>and if you want to feel safe and order from the person
>johnbook got his from, you can upgrade to the dvd9 version
>(which is what i did) for only $3 more.

When doing a search for "Hero DVD" on eBay, make sure the seller is "herodvd". This was the first time I had bought from this seller, and apart from fast service, he answered some questions on some other DVD's I wanted to check out.


p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
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>make sure the seller is "herodvd". This was the first time I had bought
>from this seller, and apart from fast service, he answered some questions on some other DVD's I wanted to check out.

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=herodvd

what i recommend (what i ended up) doing is buying the $2.95 version, and emailing him privately (his name is dennis) and asking to upgrade for $3 to the dvd9 version.

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?viewSellersOtherItems&userid=herodvd

I plan to get "All About Lily Chou Chou" from him when my PayPal account rises again.




p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
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i wonder if he's the same guy that i ordered from months ago. i cant remember but the seller was really great to do business with. he answered all my questions and kept me updated on the whole transaction.

GamerTag and PSN: PokeEmAll

>i wonder if he's the same guy that i ordered from months ago. i cant remember but the seller was really great to do
>business with. he answered all my questions and kept me updated on the whole transaction.

sounds like him... as soon as i found out there was a dvd9 version on this thread (about 20 minutes after i'd paid bid & paid for the 'buy it now' auction), i emailed him and asked if it was possible to upgrade... within minutes, he replied with an answer and how to do it... i sent another $3 via paypal, and received another email thanking me for upgrading

imagine how huge ebay would be (not that they aren't already, but just imagine) if all sellers were like that...

What's the difference between DVD5 and DVD9? Can they be playable in all dvd players and is it really worth getting the dvd9.

___________________________
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>What's the difference between DVD5 and DVD9? Can they be
>playable in all dvd players and is it really worth getting
>the dvd9.

DVD5 means the DVD has a capacity of just under 5gb. DVD9 means it's around 9gb. Generally, the more room the DVD it has, the more space it has to add more features, such as other audio tracks (like DTS) or a slight boost in quality in video.

I will say that I got the basic version, which would be the DVD5, and it looks far better than some of the Hong Kong movies released in the U.S., where you can see the pixels.


p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
http://thisisbooksmusic.wordpress.com
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from the herodvd guy...won the auction on the 25th and it arrived via airmail today. I was worried for a sec because one of the intro screens' (with some company logo or whatever) quality looked straight out the 80's...but once i got to the menu screen everything was cool. Only watched the intro fight scene (holy shit) and everything seemed fine as far as video and audio quality.

--
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that means a few of us should get our's on monday...

and that means, i can watch it maybe in november hahah...

>from the herodvd guy...won the auction on the 25th and it
>arrived via airmail today. I was worried for a sec because
>one of the intro screens' (with some company logo or
>whatever) quality looked straight out the 80's...

That's what I thought too, the old Ocean Shores logo. I thought oh no, did they actually get this off of a tape. But it's just the intro.


p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
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I can't watch it yet because I'm on my way to work but I'll definitely post my thoughts when I see it later on. Herodvd ships really fast. I paid for it last Wednesday night and I got it today. Good lookin' out johnbook and m.

~~~Ok, back to lurking...

>Good lookin' out johnbook and m.

little to do with me... it's all john...

haven't watched it yet, though...

i got my Cyberhome, too. seems to be working pretty well, except that it's refused to play one of my Region 0 Japanese DVDs, which is heartbreaking. i'm gonna try to get another one...

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http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/287/6/c/the_wire_lineup__huge_download_by_dennisculver-d30s7vl.jpg
The man who thinks at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life - Muhammed Ali

Let me know how the Cyberhome plays. I've been going to that nerd forum I was told to go to, definitely some essential reading for anyone interested in getting a region free player.

p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
http://thisisbooksmusic.wordpress.com
http://twitter.com/thisisjohnbook
http://www.facebook.com/book1

just one DVD refuses to play on it, and that is rather pissing me off...

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http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/287/6/c/the_wire_lineup__huge_download_by_dennisculver-d30s7vl.jpg
The man who thinks at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life - Muhammed Ali

damn he's fast.

remember to leave him positive feedback people...

although it says region 3 on the back, it IS region 0.

i'm watching it now (on a region 1 only dvd player...)

dennis (herodvd) confirmed this...

just thought i'd let you know before you panic like i did

I had mentioned that in my review, in case anyone wondered about that. It would be nice if some of the recent Shaw Brothers releases were region free too but maybe that's why I should get a region free player.




p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
http://thisisbooksmusic.wordpress.com
http://twitter.com/thisisjohnbook
http://www.facebook.com/book1

if it wasn't for this thread, i probably would've missed this dvd... maybe completely.

it's one of the best movies i've ever seen...

the dvd9 version is incredible... i imagine the dvd5 version is just fine...

i can't believe there wasn't word of mouth about this movie like there was with "crouching tiger..."
i enjoyed "hero" so much more (and that's saying A LOT.)

it's use of colors is the best i've seen since "do the right thing."

was this up for any oscars last year, or will it be eligible this year? i just don't understand why i didn't hear much about this until i stumbled across your thread...

thank you again

>i can't believe there wasn't word of mouth about this movie
>like there was with "crouching tiger..."
>i enjoyed "hero" so much more (and that's saying A LOT.)

I felt the same way. I love "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", but "Hero" was just on a much higher level.

>was this up for any oscars last year, or will it be eligible
>this year? i just don't understand why i didn't hear much
>about this until i stumbled across your thread...

One reason it didn't get much of a buzz is partially due to Miramax, who according to some reports wanted to bring more attention to "Chicago" than another damn Chinese movie. Some might say that Miramax prevented it from being nominated, but it got in, and that put the film company in a panic. How does a film get in the Oscars with absolutely no hype? That caused a lot of attention. There is now a grass roots effort to make sure this movie gets seen, and I didn't know that until *AFTER* I had seen the film. Click to the for a look at the coverage of the film. Since starting this thread based on my review, the site has placed a link to my original review, so in a small way I'm part of the "movement" too. It moved me, and I want everybody to see it.


p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
http://thisisbooksmusic.wordpress.com
http://twitter.com/thisisjohnbook
http://www.facebook.com/book1

PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS UNTIL AFTER YOU'VE SEEN THE FILM. thanks

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End Text (in mandarin only... no u.s. subtitles...)

Nameless was executed an assassin
but buried a hero...

Sky gave up his sword
in honor of his fallen friends...

In 221 B.C., the King of Qin conquered
all six kingdoms and unified China.

He ceased all expeditions and built the Great Wall
to protect his subjects from the Northern Tribes.

The Qin Empire became the first dynasty of China...

U.S. subtitles?

strangely enough, though, the version i watched had the subtitles intact

now i just want to see the full-length version

>U.S. subtitles?

english

>strangely enough, though, the version i watched had the subtitles intact

they didn't on mine...

>now i just want to see the full-length version

so do i... from what i've read it's just more of an exploration of zhing's character...

On mine they did an admirable job overall, usually when you get english dub's before localization they are all in engrish. Save for the missing end text and the intro text(wtf, couldn't spend another 2 minutes translating?), I thought they did an excellent job

>Save for the missing end text and the intro text

that's it... and both were crucial to the story.

I don't understand how they dropped the ball on that. Save for actually translating the menu's in english plus throwing in the generic extras(commentary, trailers), its pretty much ready for a stateside release. But missing those subtitles was a big no no.

I'm looking forward to seeing the uncut version of this film, with the extra 25 minutes or so. I would like to see the documentary footage with English subtitles.

If Miramax doesn't release it, it is a big loss for them.


p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
http://thisisbooksmusic.wordpress.com
http://twitter.com/thisisjohnbook
http://www.facebook.com/book1

>If Miramax doesn't release it, it is a big loss for them.

and us, unfortunately...

this was a beautiful film. thanks for the recommendation. the scene of the qin archers alone was worth the 11 bucks.

for some reason the movie's use of color reminded me of "what dreams may come"... i have no idea why cause i don't really remember anything about "what dreams may come" except that it used colors in a cool way. that probably makes no sense.

but yeah, just wanted to say thanks.

p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book

THE HOME OF BOOK-NESS:
http://thisisbooksmusic.wordpress.com
http://twitter.com/thisisjohnbook
http://www.facebook.com/book1