Comparison between the cut Spanish Blu-ray from Mercury Films and the uncut UK Blu-ray from Eureka! Entertainment
- 4 cuts - Cut duration: 171.2 sec (= 2:51 min) A few additional film material errors with a duration of less than 0.5 sec each were not listed in the section report. Wheels on Meals is without question one of the great classics among all Jackie Chan movies. There's no need to say anything about the German title nonsense that made several films of the Lucky Stars series successors - in any case, these titles have in common that Jackie appears alongside his two Peking Opera brothers Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. Great moments of Hong Kong cinema in the 80s. In Germany, the film was shown in uncut form as far as possible, only a few jumpcuts were to be complained about in individual releases. The UK Blu-ray from Eureka! which is available since 18 March 2019 is a real qualitative upgrade. While most of the earlier Blu-rays (including the German Dragon Edition) contained only an SD upscale, this one is based on a new 2K restoration. Previously there was already a HD master of the slightly different Japanese version in the 2014 new released Japanese Blu-ray edition, but here Japanese subtitles were burned into the picture. Shortly before the Eureka Blu-ray was released, a Blu-ray set with several Chan movies in the same new 2K/4K restorations was released in Scandinavia. However, the compression here is worse than with the UK Blu-ray. Qualitatively one can still refer to the Blu-ray.com review for the UK Blu-ray. We noticed in advance that e.g. in the Blu-ray.com thread comments were referred to according to which the Spanish version was somewhat cut, but should also contain exclusive footage. Even the 2014 released Blu-ray would contain this version and so we took a closer look at it for the release of the Eureka release. In fact, according to Spanish credits, Spain apparently got their own movie-reel scanning here, which, however, was somewhat messed up with DNR and a wrong picture format. On top of that the version is indeed cut, but unfortunately there is NO exclusive additional material. An import is therefore not really worthwhile and if there was not another version to be seen at a VHS/DVD release, the additional material info is a hoax. The only special feature to mention is that the Spanish audio language has its own soundtrack. This is curious in the sense that the Cantonese original audio language already clearly deviates from the "funkier" soundtrack of the export version, which is also known in Germany. Eureka! has therefore created a hybrid soundtrack for the UK Blu-ray as a curious bonus for the first time, in which this popular export soundtrack was created for the Cantonese dialogues. In Spain, on the other hand, there is a very special, really Spanish sounding background music. Runtime specifications are arranged according to the following scheme: Spanish Blu-ray / UK Blu-ray Other movie company notification on start.
(Not included in cut duration/ cut quantity). British 25.7 Blu-ray sec longer
The credits immediately afterwards also deviate.
12:15 / 12:41-12:59 The Spanish version lacks (after an insignificantly longer car scene) the beginning of the camera movement from the market place to the back. One sees a flamenco dancer and someone paints something on the floor. In Spain, the scene starts when the car of our hero arrives. 17,3 sec
19:45 / 20:29-21:04 Jackie and Yuen walk away outside for an insignificant moment longer, then inside they meet a lunatic playing a human clock. When Jackie corrects him, that it's a little bit later than he said, he moves his head faster so to say adjusts the slow running clock. 34.4 sec
76:40 / 78:03-80:02 After Sammo has stumbled around inside for the first time, the guest appearance of John Sham, who comes to the car for the first time with Richard, is missing. The two lunatics talk all kinds of nonsense and tear Sammo's adhesive tape off his mouth in between. He tries to persuade them to free him, but the two are not convinced or want to know why he was tied up. Sammo whispers to John that he promised not to tell anyone. Richard goes crazy not to know whats going on and he asks John what he heard - whereupon John dutifully repeats that he promised not to say anything to anyone. Both of them are overwhelmed with the situation and run outside, Sammo still calls after them. How Richard then comes back alone can be seen again in the Spain version. 119,4 sec (= 1:59 min)
Alternative 76:44-76:45 / 80:06-80:07 After Richard came back one by one, in the Spanish version the short moment from the previous cut is inserted again for reasons of connectivity, when the adhesive tape is removed from Sammo's mouth. In the regular version instead, a re-cut to the fidgeting Sammo and the follow-up of Richard plays a moment earlier. no time difference
The end credits are also alternative again.
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