|
buy this title
|
Comparison between the cut US Version (taken from the DVD by Columbia TriStar and the uncut Original Version (taken from the Hongkong DVD by Fortune Star)
- 95 cuts, 3 recuts - Total cut length: 1097,2 sec (= 18:17 min) => These numbers do not include the different opening and ending credits. Dimension Films had bought the rights for this Jackie Chan pre-Hollywood era highlight, but then hesitated to release it. After the box office successes of movies like Rumble in the Bronx they decided to release it to US cinemas in 1997. The good original score was removed and replaced by some insignificant jingel-jangle, but at least this time it was not cheap hip hop beats. Unfortunately, it was also heavily cut. Almost 100 cuts and more than 18 minutes missing are a clear signal to every fan not to buy this version. These cuts quite often only remove some more or less filler bits that usually are not long, but some of the memorable comedy scenes were lost to the US audience as well. A few of the fight scenes and more brutal moments were also cut, a version for the garbage bin. The movie was released in this version on VHS, DVD and Blu-ray in the US. Europe and probably most of the rest of the world could and can enjoy the Original version of the movie (with maybe a little zooming in Ada's shower scene, depending on the country). The HK DVD is still offering the best quality of all the releases because the Blu-ray is just an upscale and therefore not worth the additional money. Note regarding part 1 (= "Operation Condor 2")Operation Condor was originally released in 1991 as a sequel to the 1986 movie The Armour of God. This predecessor actually was released later in the US and therefore (or surprisingly?) was called Operation Condor 2 there. The US DVD and Blu-ray releases for this movie are cut as well, but this time the cuts are identical to the export version (Censorship Report). The Blu-ray even features real HD and interestingly also the original opening and ending credits, including the original title - while the DVD featured the new US credits which look quite cheap. Of course, the cuts are still annoying, but with the really good picture quality (for a HK production of the time) it remains an interesting choice for the kind of viewer who does not always need the most complete version of a movie. Running time designations are formatted like this: US DVD in NTSC / HK DVD in NTSC The US DVD only shows the Dimension logo, the HK DVD the logos of Golden Harvest and Golden Way.
HK DVD 26.2 sec longer
Credits 01:17 / 01:43 Only the HK DVD features the movie title at this point.
01:31 / 01:57-02:02 Jackie is steering and the island can be seen from his perspective + a shot fade over to the statue. 5.5 sec
02:29 / 03:00-03:02 A short shot of him waving at the cavemen is missing. 2.2 sec
03:22 / 03:55-04:01 The gesticulating caveman can be seen again, Jackie decides not to take another stone. 5.8 sec
04:14 / 04:54-04:59 A first reaction of Jackie to the well-fed cavewoman, then the man adds that he used to be strong a strong man like Jackie. 5.8 sec
04:18 / 05:03-05:08 The shot is longer and the following one starts a bit longer: the man wants to follow, but the woman grabs him and throws him to the side. 4.7 sec
04:43 / 05:33-05:39 One of the cavemen finds Jackie hiding in the grass. However, he can scare him by holding up the picture of a tiger. 6.2 sec
04:55 / 05:51-05:55 Additional shots of the ball on the mountain and the cavemen worshipping it. 3.6 sec
05:14 / 06:14-06:17 Another longshot. 3.6 sec
05:53 / 06:56-06:58 The ball can be seen a bit earlier. 1.5 sec Credits 06:08-07:12 / 07:13 The US version fades to black earlier and then shows the not very nice US opening credits. The overlays are flying into the picture in a wannabe-stylish way, some distorted bits of the movie and cheap animations are being cut in between those. The music is just boring jingle-jangle. Afterwards, Jackie's arrival at the US embassy in Spain can be seen. + 63.7 sec
06:08 bzw 07:12 / 07:13-10:46 There is also a large cut at this point, because the movie originally does not continue with the embassy scene. At first, Jackie is staggering a moment longer towards the camera, then the scene starting his mission follows. He is fishing and receives a fax, on which he comments that his holiday seems to be over. When the camera zooms out, we can see that he has reused his car as a boat and is on a small island.
Afterwards, he first is on the market in Spain and there meets Momoko and Elsa for the first time. He is helping the former out with her booth when she has to go to the toilet and sells the latter one of the souvenirs. Then the two (pseudo) Arabs appear and closely look at the money. Eventually, Jackie receives more money and Momoko is content, which is why she is giving him one of the souvenirs as a gift.
When Jackie goes to the car, he gets involved in a fight and the souvenir breaks. It then turns out that the men are working for his client and just want to bring him to the embassy.ö
213 sec (= 3:33 min) 09:33 / 13:08-13:15 Jackie says that the tomb raiders were able to get into the pyramids without a key and gets a lesson about the secrecy involving the base in return. 7.6 sec
12:17 / 15:59-16:00 A short shot of Jackie with the lamp in his mouth. 1 sec
12:20 / 16:03-16:09 After Elsa on the toilet it can not be seen how Jackie takes the lamp out of his mouth and switches it off. 6.2 sec
13:21 / 17:10-17:13 Jackie accidentally uses the light switch, the US version starts again when he turns around in the dark. 3.3 sec
14:59 / 18:51-19:01 The "Arabs" are discussing (jokingly) longer whether threatening is justified. 9.3 sec
19:22 / 23:24-23:26 Jackie is driving into the alley and looks around (cars are approaching from both sides). 2 sec
22:02 / 26:06-26:14 The second slow motion repeat of the stunt from a slightly more distant perspective is missing. 8.3 sec
Recut 22:45-22:47 / 26:57 The US version shows a shot of Ada earlier than in the original. + 1.3 sec 22:57 / 27:08-27:16 The mentioned scene can now be seen in the original version and is also a bit longer. Afterwards more talking between Elsa and Jackie. She says that she wants to go on the journey because of her grandfather and Jackie answers that this was no problem. 8.5 sec
23:57 / 28:16-28:30 A short scene of the journey is missing: the protagonists are saving themselves by jumping in their sleeping bags away from the camp, which is visited by bears at night. When the bears have their meal, they can already smile about it. 13.4 sec
24:05 / 28:38-28:54 The two cars can be seen from afar and two comic-like speech bubbles can be seen (unfortunately without subtitles). The group then is standing in front of the broken down cars and tries to get them going again with their urine. 16.6 sec
24:08 / 28:57-29:10 A shot of two eagles, then they are driving some more and arrive in the desert city. 13 sec
27:10 / 32:12-32:22 Elsa and Jackie look at each other, then more dialog (arguments between Ada and Elsa). 9.9 sec
30:36 / 35:48 Ada insignificantly longer (mastering mistake?). 0.3 sec 31:08 / 36:20-36:26 Elsa wants to go to Jackie again, Ada holds her back. 5.6 sec
31:55 / 37:13-37:16 Ada repeats what the gangsters demand from her. 3.3 sec
32:16 / 37:37-37:40 After the advice to beat Ada for a change, Jackie adds that he might then maybe tell them something out of sympathy. 2.7 sec
32:21 / 37:45-37:54 The gangsters approach Ada longer, in her defense she claims that they will find the map in Jackie's trousers, but he puts it off. 9.3 sec
33:56 / 39:29-39:37 Elsa and Ada are joking about their previous collusion at the door by blinking. 8.1 sec
34:36 / 40:17-40:23 The bad guys are shown a bit longer before Elsa pulls down Ada’s towel. One of the guys says that he’ll count to three and then kill them. 5.6 sec
36:17 / 42:04-42:06 Elsa asks Ada where she wants to go. 2 sec
36:26 / 42:15-42:20 When Jackie runs after Ada he throws a vase to Elsa so she can attack the guy lying on the floor with it - but she immediately collapses under its weight. 4.8 sec
37:07 / 43:01-43:12 Elsa‘s “lap of honor“ was removed, the guy coming up the stairs immediately catches her in the US version. She’s actually running away panicky, but she runs in a circle while the guy just waits for her in order to catch her on the other side. 11.1 sec
37:35 / 43:40-43:43 Elsa calls Jackie’s attention to the key; the guy thrusts Ada aside. 3.5 sec
37:47 / 43:55-44:02 A shot of the henchman. Elsa and Ada notice him, then Jackie is shown being stuck. 6.9 sec
38:02 / 44:17-44:21 Elsa asks after the fall if Ada wants to have her towel - in the US version , this question was put over the following shot of Jackie. 3.1 sec
38:09 / 44:28-44:30 Ada and Jackie are shown longer. She warns him to look up. 2.2 sec 40:36 / 46:57-47:10 The "Arabs" are watching Jackie’s group with binoculars and then they hit the road. 12.7 sec
41:17 / 47:51-47:59 Ada takes a shower; Jackie comes to Elsa and Momoko is shown again. 7.8 sec
41:29 / 48:11-48:26 A little bit more unnecessary conversation. Jackie points out that water and life are precious while Ada just worries about her skin, which is tanned too much. In the meantime, the scorpion comes closer. 15.8 sec
41:44 / 48:42-48:46 Jackie shudders a bit longer after he has noticed the scorpion. 4 sec
41:52 / 48:53-49:00 Jackie and Elsa are shown; Momoko approaches. 7 sec
43:09 / 50:17-50:21 The Western companions of Jackie’s group (which are unknown and unimportant throughout the whole movie anyway) get beat up. 4 sec
43:50 / 51:02-51:10 The bad guy says that he wants to be on the safe side and approaches Jackie with the gun. When he stands in front of him, Jackie shudders again and the guy recoils. 7.4 sec
44:01 / 51:21-51:22 When the group rides away a few hooded members of Jackie’s team are shown looking in the other direction. 1.4 sec
44:04 / 51:25-51:28 Those men get up and go away. 3.3 sec
44:32 / 51:56-51:59 Jackie looks up at the end. 2.3 sec 45:46 / 53:13-53:17 Short dialogue between Jackie and Momoko. 4.2 sec
45:52 / 53:23-53:25 Jackie begs Momoko slightly longer; the observer is then shown slightly earlier. 1.8 sec 46:08 / 53:41-53:46 Else and Ada come to the conclusion that the ugliest sheikhs own the most camels. 5.5 sec
46:36 / 54:14-54:18 The scene of Jackie bidding higher at the women auction runs a bit longer at the end before his bid is finally accepted. 3.6 sec
48:09 / 55:51-55:53 The wide shot is slightly longer. 1.9 sec 48:57-49:00 / 56:41-57:41 There’s a fade to a black screen in the US version. The uncut version shows the vehicle a bit longer (freeze frame) and a unsuspected brutal scene follows, in which Adolf’s men shoot Jackie’s companions. Uncut version 57.3 sec longer
49:25 / 58:06-58:12 A shot of our heroes and the “Arabs”. 6.5 sec
49:27 / 58:14-61:28 After the shining sun has been shown in both versions, there’s a longer cut again. The scene of the three girls almost collapsing of thirst and Jackie secretly giving them some water from a water bag hidden at his body is completely missing. They cling to Jackie, especially Ada, in an ambiguous position, so the “Arabs” get suspicious. One of them finds the water bag and tears it away; Jackie, running after him and still drinking, gets kicked. 193.7 sec
49:29 / 61:30-61:32 A further shot from another perspective. 2 sec
52:01 / 64:05-64:07 Short, unimportant dialogue. 2.6 sec
52:38 / 64:44-65:08 When the three enter the building, they find themselves in a corridor. Ada complains that it is too dark, whereupon she gets reminded of still wearing sunglasses. Jackie suggests to split, and so they do. But the girls are immediately frightened, so they follow Jackie again. 23.7 sec
52:42 / 65:12-65:17 The shot is a little bit longer and, referring to the previous cut scene, Jackie asks if they are done yet, which the girls affirm. 5.3 sec
54:43 / 67:18-67:27 The dance of the natives is longer, before Jackie and the others notice that they’re calling the people with it. 8.6 sec
56:00 / 68:44-69:15 They find their way in the dark cave and discover some skeletons and a German inscription. 30.9 sec
57:10 / 70:25-70:29 Elsa goes to Ada. 4.4 sec
59:38 / 72:57-73:02 Jackie says that the United Nations have a right to this gold, but Adolf doesn’t think so. 5.3 sec
59:40 / 73:04-73:13 A bit more mumbling before Jackie gets going. 8.4 sec
59:51 / 73:24-73:26 Jackie is shown slightly earlier. 2.5 sec 62:33 / 76:08-76:14 Ada and Momoko collect the weapons. 6.2 sec
63:00 / 76:41-76:42 Jackie a bit earlier; short silly comment. 1.4 sec Recut 64:36-64:38 / 78:18 The shot of the girls was interrupted to insert the shot of the attacker cracking his finger joints, which is actually shown 3 seconds later. 2 sec 64:41 / 78:22-79:11 Here, the said shot comes up in the uncut version. Then, there’s missing a longer part of the following artistic fighting scenes with Jackie. At the end, the henchman and the girls, lying in the corner, are shown. The US version sets in again with the following shot of the henchman. 48.8 sec
66:13 / 80:43-80:48 Jackie falls down and bumps his butt at another guy’s butt as he’s standing up. 4.9 sec
71:18 / 85:52-85:58 Jackie is shown longer and he remembers the conversation from the beginning of the movie, in which he has learned from a key expert that the shape of a key must always serve a purpose. 5.2 sec
71:37 / 86:16-86:27 Jackie has to calm the girls. 10.3 sec
73:15 / 88:05-88:08 The henchman dances with joy in front of the gold. 2.7 sec
75:10 / 90:03-90:07 Ada walks around a bit longer. 4 sec
75:56 / 90:53-90:58 The henchman is shown pursuing Jackie from a different perspective; then the profile of Ada in the control room is shown. 5.1 sec
76:20 / 91:22-91:31 Ada and Elsa try confusedly to turn off the ventilation system. 9.7 sec
76:54 / 92:06-92:17 After Elsa has activated a switch Jackie and the henchmen fall down, so she has actually done the right thing. But Ada switches it back whereupon the guys are being pressed against the wall again. Elsa activates the switch again. 11 sec
76:57 / 92:20-92:25 Elsa and Ada notice another button. 5.5 sec
77:01 / 92:29-92:31 Shots of the bad guy and the door. 1.9 sec
77:02 / 92:32-92:46 One of the guys runs to the door. After Jackie has fought off the other one he keeps the guy from opening the door. 14.6 sec
77:05 / 92:50-92:57 The girls ask themselves if Momoko is even capable of carrying Adolf and they come to help her. Some action starts again in the background… 7.3 sec
77:29 / 93:21-93:23 The shot of the first bad guy is missing in the US version. 1.6 sec
77:32 / 93:26-93:28 Short shot of Elsa and Adolf; she runs to the control room. 2.7 sec
77:41 / 93:37-93:43 Elsa in the control room. She has obviously activated the wrong switches because Jackie and the others are being dragged again by the turbine. 6.2 sec
77:56 / 93:58-94:01 Ada and Elsa in the control room; then Jackie again. 2.7 sec
78:41 / 94:46-95:00 Adolf scornfully says something to the betrayer, who tries to lure Jackie by offering him half of the gold. Jackie laughs and then rejects it with a grim face. 14.2 sec
78:52 / 95:11-95:23 Jackie is dragged around with the scarf a bit longer; another guy joins in but his colleague tells him to open the door. 11.9 sec
Recut 78:54-78:55 / 95:25 The short part from the previous scene, in which the one guy tells the other to get to the door, was inserted here. + 0.8 sec 79:00 / 95:30-95:33 The guy lets go off Jackie a little bit because of the starting turbine, then his colleague is shown. 2.9 sec
79:42 / 96:15-96:44 The bad guy gets punched in the face and after that they both are tumbling around head to head and they can barely move because of the ventilation. The girls are watching from the control room. 29.1 sec
80:00 / 97:02-97:13 Jackie’s first and failing Superman jump is missing. He gets up and jumps but he just falls down because the turbine isn’t adjusted correct yet. 11.3 sec
80:56 / 98:09-98:21 The girls want to warn Jackie from the imminent explosion, but he mistakes their gestures for a dance of joy and imitates it. 11.8 sec
82:19 / 99:44-99:48 Short dialogue between Ada and Elsa. 3.9 sec
82:36 / 100:05-100:11 Jackie tries for the first time to reach his little device, but gets pressed against the wall again. 5.8 sec
83:05 / 100:40-100:45 Jackie looks at Ada, who doesn’t want to let go off the gold. 4.8 sec
Credits 86:33 / 104:13 The outtakes are shown in the US version without the credits, but in exchange there follow the US credits on black background. US version 189.6 sec longer
|
