Comparison between the Export Version on the Czech VHS by Inter Sonic and the Original Version of the Hong Kong Laserdisc by Star Video (Cat. III)


- 15 cuts, one extended scene in the export version
- Difference: 561.4 sec. (= 9:21 min.)



This movie is an entertaining girls-with-guns actioner. The distribution company atlas international deemed it right to create a tightened export version with lesser story for the international market, as was done often before with Asian movies. The following report deals with this version.

The difference of about 9 minutes consists only of irrelevant scenes which slow down the whole movie. The additional material with Lisa's admirer is just plain annoying and dumb and the other scenes "deepening" some characters (Eddy, Chang) are superfluous. Only an additional murder is interesting at first glance, although not that spectacular - the acting there isn't all too great.

In this case the export version is quite satisfying, especially since the quality of the HK LD is rather poor (often heavily darkened) and moreover, like all the other uncut releases of the original version, it doesn't contain English subtitles. The easier to get HK DVD is apparently an exact copy of the Laserdisc, in consequence it doesn't look better. In contrast, the British versions are also based on the longer HK version (so much for the sense of an export version!), contain subtitles and are brighter, therefore better to watch...but some parts were censored, especially the sex scene at the beginning. The BBFC information of 3 missing seconds is in this case obviously wrong and apparently referred only to a beforehand censored version. In any case, there's clearly missing way more and because of this the version can't be recommended. More about this in the particular comparison.



The runtime information is in the order
Czech VHS in PAL / Hong Kong LD in NTSC



Thanks go out to Il Gobbo and Mr. White, who helped out with the comparison material!

Logos

The atlas logo is shown at the beginning of the export version.

There's another one plus a display of writing on the HK LD.

HK LD 6.2 sec. longer




Only Export Version Longer
00:20-00:35 / 00:27
Typical for export versions (see also In the Line of Duty IV): At the beginning there's a short additional scene in which the heroines receive their mission to show the viewer the direction in which the movie is going. Their boss mentions the importance of the chief witness and tells them to protect her in the next 72 hours, until the end of the trial. This is quite absurd because the time pressure isn't perceptible at any point in the rest of the movie.

It's strange that apparently exactly these takes were used again in minute 13 in a different context or rather with differing dialogues...

+ 15.2 sec.

Credits
01:00-01:07 / 00:53-01:01

This is probably just a peculiarity of the Czech VHS which can't be found in other releases. At this point there's a freeze frame of the Czech title, obviously they wanted to continue the Ultra Force series.

In return they had to remove two further images which are shown in the original version at this point.

no runtime difference




24:34 / 25:27-26:55

In the export version (=EV) killer Lily goes to bed with Mona's husband Eddy immediately after the conversation in the car. Whereas in the original version (=OV) she gets out of the car at first and says goodbye. But she intentionally left her shoe in the car, so shortly afterwards Eddy turns and drives back to where he let her off. He gets out but doesn't find her. When he gets in the car again she's already sitting there and looking at him lasciviously.

84.4 sec.

38:20 / 41:15-42:08

Lisa goes to the room together with the guy (always called Tong in the OV). He takes some beverage cans from the kitchen, then they watch TV. While doing so, Tong repeatedly asks why she doesn't live with her father.

50.7 sec.

39:07 / 42:57-43:39

After Mona has discovered the kiss mark, the OV continues in Lisa's apartment. Tong repairs the doorbell, Lisa brings something to eat. He rambles a little bit and munches delightedly.

39.9 sec.

39:14 / 43:47-44:44

It starts earlier at Lisa's, Tong is full up and praises her cooking skills. Then he enthusiastically continues repairing the doorbell and talks about the expenditure it takes to do this (he apparently looks for a pretense to stay overnight), while Lisa is going to the sofa and reaches for the remote.

55.1 sec.

Alternative
39:30-39:35 / 45:00-45:06

Curious: When Tong gets electrified blue sparks are visible only in the EV.

no runtime difference

Czech VHS	HK LD

39:37 / 45:08-45:35

In return only the OV continues this gag.
At first Tong is shown again. The ringing stops and he calms down. But Mona rings again which causes Tong to be thrown backward. Lisa manages to shove a small armchair for his protection just in time and asks if he's all right. Tong tries to take advantage of this situation and snuggles up to her, but she just drops him and goes to the door.

25.8 sec.

41:20 / 47:22-47:33

The conversation is slightly longer. Tong offers his help for taking revenge on Mona's husband and tries to flex his muscles, the girls just laugh at him.

11.1 sec.

51:10 / 57:49-59:09

After the phone call with boss Lung, Chang pensively walks through the room and upstairs. Now he's shown finding a little girl outside in the pouring rain (obviously a flashback with Lisa as the kid). He offers her to warm up inside and to get her something to eat.

77.1 sec.

51:42 / 59:42-59:56

Tong asks the bellboy about the roses and he gets to know that a man has sent them. Lisa calls for him because the elevator has just arrived.

13.2 sec.

52:07 / 60:23-61:20

Tong keeps thinking about the presents for Lisa from an apparent rival, from her room she asks about the roses. Instead of putting them in a vase he makes the "She loves me, she loves me not" test and pulls off the petals. But in the end he just counts all the petals as She loves me.

The EV sets in again with the rest of the shot; after all the petals have been pulled off Lisa enters through the door in the background.

54.7 sec.

52:34 / 61:48-61:55

After Lisa has taken out the photo Tong is again shown holding it. Then he comments joyfully that it isn't a love letter.

6.3 sec.

52:49 / 62:10-62:25

The little girl/Lisa brings Chang something to drink, he looks joyfully and then drinks pensively.

14.3 sec.

54:00 / 63:39-63:57

Tong stands about in the room and asks himself, looking at the luxury furnishing of Lisa's father, if he, being rather poor, is right for her.

17 sec.

56:39 / 66:42-66:51

The conversation in the car is slightly longer: Tong as always doesn't quite understand what Lisa wants to tell him, so she looks annoyed.

8.4 sec.

57:02 / 67:15-67:26

Now a more interesting cut, because just in the OV Lisa kills Jaqueline. In both versions Mona enters immediately after and kicks the weapon out of her hand, so in the EV it looks like she prevented the murder. Of course all of this is subsidiary because it's just a dream imagination of Lisa and what happens later in the movie wasn't changed, but it's remarkable anyway.

At first there's a close-up of the face, then Lisa pulls the trigger and Jaqueline slowly falls down.

10.2 sec.

59:51 / 70:22-71:53

Lisa drives away and Tong talks to her in the car. Stupid as he is, he says something about marrying and that annoys her so much that she stops the car and gets out. So at the rail track she breaks up with Tong and they are shown arguing for a little while but it's inaudible because of the passing train.

When Tong has left, Lisa says quietly whimpering that she didn't mean it this way.

87.1 sec.