Comparison between the Celestial version, and the final cut, both included on the 2023 Blu-ray reissue of T.V.P. (The Vengeance Pack).
- 7 extended bits One of them with a duration of 1.3 sec, which was already inserted on the old DVD/Blu-ray. Also 25 documented missing bits in the final cut with a duration of 21.4 sec - see final cut report Running times: CelestialTVP 98:28 min / Final Cut TVP 99:09 min
In the present report we now show in more detail which moments these are exactly. As already indicated before, except for the one long shot of the march to the bridge, these moments are all shorter than 1 sec, partly even less than 0.5 sec. They're also by no means all striking scenes of violence or the like, while in the other report we documented, for example, that you can detect 1 sec more in the 35mm when Lei Li is seen with his arm cut off. Every additional moment is probably welcome for fans and at the same time it is still a subjective decision which "framecut" is worth an insert. However, the selection in the final cut seems a bit arbitrary. Note: We also had the Taiwanese Blu-ray from Deltamac for comparison. The somewhat shorter running time of 97:55 min can be explained by the fact that the Celestial notes at the beginning and end are missing here. Otherwise, the version is frame-exactly identical to the Celestial master. On the other hand, we also had the German DVD first edition of T.V.P. at hand to be able to confirm more precisely ourselves that only a mini-moment towards the end was inserted here in comparison to the Celestial version.
The old Blu-ray starts 0.8 sec later.
00:12 / 00:11-00:40 In the final cut, you can still see the logos of T.V.P. and Scotia Film Distribution here. 29 sec
The Shaw logo right after is taken from a worse picture source in the final cut. The first scene is then also added in from the 35mm version. However, there is no relevant difference in running time here (0.3 sec) and this was done in the final cut probably only because of the German intro title card. In any case, these are no 3 sec, as described in the OFDb entry to the DVD as a missing part here to the entrance.
However, as noted in the report of the final cut vs. the 35mm version, the final cut switches to the Celestial master for the rest of the credits anyway. 18:06 / 18:35 A henchman (Cheng Kang-Yeh) hacks his sanchaku in the back of Lung (Ku Feng) who suffers a brief moment longer at the end of the side close-up. 0.4 sec
63:47 / 64:16-64:30 The longest cut: Some guests come riding to the castle earlier. The camera follows them to the bridge, where the Celestial master finally kicks in. 13.6 sec
85:12 / 85:55 On the bridge, Lei Li first kills an attacker portrayed by Huang Pei-Chi. When he afalls to the ground, the shot starts a moment earlier. 0.6 sec
86:20 / 87:03-87:04 Lei Li can be seen insignificantly earlier at the pagoda. 0.6 sec
86:25 / 87:09-87:10 Now the reason why this entire shot was inserted from another source: After Lei Li climbs in and attacks the adversary portrayed by Wang Kuang-Yu there, the latter falls down for a moment longer. 1 sec
87:35 / 88:20 In a quick long shot two more men fall from the bridge. 0.7 sec
Also included in previos T.V.P. DVD/Blu-ray 90:02 / 90:47-90:49 (/ Alte DVD: 86:21-86:22) Here now the short part, which is indeed missing in the original Celestial HD version (and thus also on disc 2 in the 2023 mediabook of T.V.P.), but which was the only one already added back in for the first DVD/Blu-ray of T.V.P.. By the way, here in the old DVD there was a change of the picture source in the middle of the shot, as you can see in the frames that directly follow each other there...
...here again the same two frames from the final cut, where the 35mm reel was taken as the basis for the entire shot. Therefore the added bit is less noticeable here.
Anyway, as you've already seen here, Lei Li swings from the ceiling for a brief moment longer. He then catches Chen with the saber, who sprays some blood in a brief close-up. 1.3 sec
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