Comparison between the HD version, featured as a bonus on the cut German Blu-ray by Cargo Records and the uncut German DVD by cmv (identical on the US DVD by Crash Cinema and almost identical on the DVD in the mediabook by by Cargo Records).

- 3 relevant differences
- Cut duration: 12,6 sec

Several additional master errors with a duration of less than 0.5 sec each were not listed in the report. The HD master has framecuts in many transitions between shots, as known from Celestial restorations.

Militant Eagle is a fairly unknown Eastern from 1978 that, like so many others, has been all but forgotten. After the theatrical and VHS release, there was no digital release in Germany for years. On top of that, the film was of course cut here once again. In the US, Warner released the title uncut as part of a Grindhouse double feature a few years ago.

Since 10 December 2021, the worldwide HD premiere is now available in Germany in a mediabook. The film is uncut, as a bonus is also a reconstructed Theatrical Version on board. But there is a third version / special feature in the new release. The new HD master is almost 2 minutes shorter than the old US DVD due to several framecuts. Most of it is completely irrelevant, but in 3 places "more interesting" material is also lost. The moments described here have been reinserted for both versions on the DVD in the mediabook. On the Blu-ray in the same set, however, they are missing, because they are not in HD.

Runtimes are ordered as follows: German Blu-ray / US DVD in NTSC

49:30 / 50:40-50:50

Yun Chi walks across dirt road toward house in two first shots.

Note: 45:55-46:04 in theatrical recut of DVD.

9.4 sec

70:13-70:15 / 71:56-71:59

Wan's flips repeat a bit more often: here 3x each instead of just 2x each in the HD master. One can certainly argue whether this needs a reconstruction. Dumb stylistic device, but of course it seems less rolled out in the HD master.

Note: 65:57-65:59 in the theatrical recut of the DVD.

Uncut 1.3 sec longer

72:43 / 74:31-74:34

Pai stabs the guy on the ground twice earlier in the shot. Yan Yu joins in and stops his arm.

Note: 68:22-68:24 in theatrical recut of DVD.

2.4 sec

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Picture comparison: the HD master has much more natural colors, the cmv DVD and thus the US DVD was brownish-yellowish.

German DVD/Blu-ray by Cargo Records	US DVD / German DVD by cmv

There is also a single peculiarity when comparing the old DVD master to the new HD master. The rest of the runtime difference arises only from inconsequential master errors, but still deviating here:

91:23-91:24 / 93:52-93:53

The shot is interrupted in the HD master by a cut to the old man, while in the US/cmv it runs straight through. Also in the US/cmv, the picture wobbles a bit here (white streak). Presumably that's why they wanted to cover up this master error.

Note: 85:58 in the theatrical recut of the DVD.

No time difference

German DVD/Blu-ray	US DVD