The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter Arrow Video Vs 88 Films Bluray Comparison. Shaw Brothers
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
- With Arrow Video recently releasing Lau Kar Leung's Masterpiece The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter
as a US region A only Blu-ray, i take a look at the differences between this stunning new edition and the 88 Films version from a few years back.
If you're unsure of which version to get or if you are considering double dipping and getting another edition of the movie, then hopefully this video will help you decide.
You can order the 88 films version of the movie here: amzn.to/3MbA8gb
and the Arrow Version here: amzn.to/3MfXl0A
The booklet in the Arrow Video book is written by the wonderful Terrance J Brady the author of the fantastic Alexander Fu Sheng, Biography of the Chinatown Kid book, you can find the book here:
amzn.to/3KYcIuk
Disclosure - The Amazon links above are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
Any commission earned through the Amazon scheme will be used to purchase items to giveaway on the Channel.
You can find Rita Yeung / Yeung Ching Ching's TH-cam Channel here:
• Yeung Ching Ching｜24 F...
Also the excellent Audio Commentary on the Arrow version is by Jonathan Clements,
you can find two of his other tracks from old Anime releases right here on youtube.
His track for Golgo 13 the professional is here: • Golgo 13: The Professi...
and his track for Vampire Hunter D is here: • Vampire Hunter D - Com...
Thanks for Watching!
Thank you for this. I had the 88 film’s version, I love what they do and I always support them. I’ve owned multiregional players for many years, so I’m not limited. I ordered the Arrow version and already watched the 88 one, love the poster art too, so I was contemplating should I keep both, but, like you mentioned in this scenario, it’s one of those instances where you can double dip. I did the same thing with 88’s Swamp Thing, going ahead and also getting the 4K MVD version from US.
Thanks mate, yes indeed, for some films it's an easy decision! That old Swamp Thing movie is great fun, quite different from the comics, ( I'm a big fan of Alan Moore's run on the character) but it was a blast.
The colour palette's of these two discs are very different.
I really don't like double dipping when there are so many films I haven't seen but wow did you sell this! You know I love this one - can you have a word with Shaz for me? X😉
Lol, I can try! X
I have both I collect all Shaw brothers movies . 88 films I am addicted to collect them and arrow I am just starting. Cant wait for volume 2
Thanks so much for this video. I landed up double dipping, picking up Arrow's release this week and I am so glad I did.
Its a very dark film, the book alone is superb and gave so much insight into the making of it and how Fu Sheng's death impacted on the rest of the cast. Tony Rayns interview is just superb, I haven't seen all the extras yet but am loving the commentary track.
Lau Kar-leung's masterpiece and for a director who made the best ever kung fu films, that's a huge statement. Peerless.
I'm not a huge fan of double dipping myself, but this was was a no brainer. it's a monster of a movie. and both releases actually compliment each other nicely.
I’m shocked that I’ve not yet seen this movie. I shall be tracking down both releases post haste!
Thank you for the excellent review. 🙏🏻
My pleasure! It’s one of my all time favourites! One of Shaw Brothers very best.
My Arrow copy came over the weekend - havent had a chance to compare yet! Wonder what my next SB double dip will be!
Just got my Arrow copy last night from Amazon and watched the movie and yes what a masterpiece it is lol great story and acting plus marvelous action and also the quality is clean with a solid English dub track very happy with this edition I was going to order the region b version before I knew this one was coming out glad I waited,I also checked out the Fu Sheng German bonus feature which was good and can't wait to check out the rest of the special features on this disc later tonight but what an amazing release and thanks again Dragon.
I grabbed the Arrow disc as I didn't own any versions and I wanted the Tony Rayns extra.
Absolute banger and my personal favorite Kung Fu flick. Gordon Liu is a God.
Good review thanks brother, I may pick up the Arrow Video version 👍🏾
No contest as to which release is all around superior - the Arrow, because the new remaster is significantly better than the old scrubbed frame-cut Celestial master. Looks much more like film and is totally complete. The amazing extras are the icing on the cake. I double-dipped without hesitation. I’m keeping the 88 for the extra commentary and because this is the one numbered series I’m trying to get every one of 🤓
Thanks for the entertaining video as always! Now I gotta go hunt down your top ten 88 releases vid!
I’m linking this video with the one I got set up. Thanks for doing it.
Thanks fam! Was thinking of you when I made this, curious to hear what you think of the two different prints! I’ll link to yours in the description when it’s up!
You're wrong... Fu Sheng wasn't filming this movie when he passed away, it was begun in 1981 and was to be Lau si-fu's next movie after Mo Kwoon/Martial Club, sadly he had an accident on another flik he was shooting simultaneously and the project was shelved and not returned to until after the tragic crash on 7/7/1983
Intriguing, I mostly take my info from various interviews with Gordon Liu, Rita Yeung and the Bluray covers and commentary tracks, who all report it the way I conveyed. But I know in Fu Sheng’s autobiography it lists the production date for 8 diagram starting in 81. So maybe more accurate for me to say he died burning a break in production, but it’s generally always been reported the way I described it here, so if I am wrong, then a great many other sources have also perpetuated the same narrative, including the Blu-ray Disc I’m covering here. No offence was intended, I’m no expert, just a fan.
I’m in the states and I have the 88 films version. I’m just debating if it’s worth not having to turn on my region free player
Here’s a suggestion: just buy a cheap region A Blu-Ray player instead of an expensive multi region player. How likely are you going to get a Region C disc? And you already have a Region B player.
@@bigmoviefreak I’ve got a region free player. I’m frequently buying 88 Films and Eureka releases.
I heard that there is no chance this movie would be included in future Shawscope sets because the rights still belongs to 88 Films in UK and the Shawscope sets are made to release in both countries. Do you think that’s true? I’ve already triple dipped on Come Drink With Me, so it’d be disappointing if I also bought 8 Pole, and then two months later it and CDWM appear in Volume 2. I’m all for supporting physical media and the industry, but I don’t have deep pockets like Jeff Bezos, and the money could have been used on other titles instead.
I hear you mate, thnkfully, Neither CDWM or 8 Diagram Pole Fighter will be on Volume 2 and I've not heard of any other overlaps of Arrow
re-releasing titles that 88 have already put out ( so far anyways)
I'm pretty sure all 14 of the titles on Volume 2 haven't been released on Blu-ray in the UK or US before. There will be some overlap with German Koch / Blackhill Pictures and TVP releases though...
( Kid With the Golden Arm, Invincible Shaolin and Magnificent Ruffians have all come out before in Germany)
Unless it’s Jackie Chan, I’ll be slowing down or replace my 88 Shaw blu rays in favour of Arrow.
They are practically night & day when it comes to picture quality & extras.
Not anticipating many other instances of Arrow putting out titles that 88 already have. I love the 88 releases, the extras from no26 onwards have been getting better and better on the 88 releases and I don't find the picture quality difference night and day. But i get it, it's hard to justify double dipping in these instances, just don't want it turning into a Mac Vs PC, Blur vs Oasis, Marvel Vs DC style label war, with folks picking a side and hating on the other. Both Arrow and 88 are great labels.
@@TheFanaticalDragon 88 have improved since the early days.
However the numbering on their slasher, Euro & Shaw spines is completely annoying. Even more when there’s the release year on the spine as well so you can’t put the your collection in year order, or if you did, the numbers further down the spine are out of order. 🤣
Also releases going out of print quicker is another annoying factor of 88s, but the one thing 88 does that’s better than Arrow is that they still have 2 discs of various cuts on their standard releases.
@@floyd75dylan lol, I get that mate, the numbers on the spine I have a love/ hate relationship with. it's a very effective way of triggering that completist switch in many collectors ( myself included) though at least since #26 they have been printing alternate sides for those that have joined the releases late ( for the Shaw's titles anyways, i don't pickup their horror releases at all, can't afford to do them as well)
Remember that Arrow have a pretty sizeable budget behind them now that the Hut group bought them out so they have way more money to play with when it comes to brokering deals, 88 Films is really essentially just two guys and a few support staff. Sometimes the only way they can get a title is by agreeing to limited release windows and / or a small set number of physical printings. I think they do the very best they can, and if they hadn't laid the ground work releasing really good quality versions of Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest movies, it's extremely unlikely that Eureka and Arrow Video would have followed suit and started releasing more and more HK titles themselves too.
A rising tide lifts all ships as they say.
Mostly though I remember the dark days of paying £30 a tape 25 years ago for shit quality VHS bootlegs of Legendary Weapons of China, 8 Diagram Pole Fighter and more... The fact we're now almost spoiled for choice with really loving restorations of the movies I most adore, packed with great extras and so well presented with custom artwork still blows my mind.
I hope it continues for many years to come!
@@TheFanaticalDragon
We really are spoilt for choice especially we’re getting them uncut unlike back in the 80s where they suffered BBFC cuts, poor dubbing, or cut for international audiences.
There was a deep lull in classic Hong Kong Cinema when HKL discontinued until 88 Films came along, then Eureka, & now Arrow.
So we really are spoilt, especially with dvd/blu ray multi region players, & I still import from DDDHouse or YesAsia, but that’s mainly newer titles.
I know what you mean when you say it’s too expensive to collect anything else outside Asian cinema, but thankfully I can pick up a bargain at my local CEX.
I am hoping one of the UK distributors consider releasing the Bayside Shakedown movies. They are very cool, & I bought 1 & 2 on a blind buy & absolutely loved them.
7:33 can you post the link in the comments here?
well reminded mate! have done so now :)
@@TheFanaticalDragon thank you. I’ll check her out.
The 88films edition is great, however the lack of extras/booklet was a disappointment.
There is problems with the print as well, which no one seems to have mentioned. If you look at the bottom couple of inches of the screen a lot of the film is out of focus . I've never noticed this on other prints, maybe because they were never as crisp.
It may be a problem with the lens used in filming certain scenes,or decay of the original print and digital restoration ?
The cinematography does feature many shots that use depth of field so certain parts of the film (backgrounds & foregrounds) are often out of focus, but this focus issue with the bottom of the screen is certainly unintentional.
Have a look and tell me what you think- it's noticeable throughout most of the film.... Is this noticeable on the Arrow version as well ?
The commentary on the 88 version is 'academic' lol, as you mention, and ok... but not great.
The commentator sometimes takes 5 second pauses between words and is too slow , repetitive & ponderous with speculations that are likely facts (the opening was meant to look 'theatrical' rather than realistic!) . To me, as a lover of the great martial artists of the period (70s & 80s) it was rather incredible he didn't mention Johnny Wang Lung Wei or Phillip Kao specifically during it, instead he would ramble on about the scenery & set design.
Also, I didn't believe he saw the film when he was 12 on a 3rd generation tape. In the late 1980's Warner bros released this and it was available for rental easily, then sell through. Every time a previously cut (from the video) scene occurred he never mentioned them.
He also made a point of saying the swastika on the Buddha had nothing to do with the Nazis use of it (it actually does but is a bit complicated) then the next scene in the film had Gordon Liu explaining the principle of Fascism with a bundle of rods (the origin of the word !) so not a very politically astute or esoterically aware commentary.
Thanks for such a great comment! I’m stoked people are still finding that 8 Diagram video even though it’s been up a while!
Aye, the softness around the edges is very much a factor of the lenses Shaws used to shoot their movies, they tended to shoot using anamorphic lenses which tended to go soft around the edges particularly on wide angle shots. The higher resolution of bluray definitely makes this more noticeable than back in the old VHS and DVD days. And you will definitely notice this present in the Arrow restoration too. I prefer the commentary and the expanded extras the Arrow version offers over the 88 films edition. I can’t imagine anyone bringing it out again on Bluray anytime soon managing to offer much improvement over what Arrow have put together for their release.