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Release: Mar 01, 2021 - Author: Muck47 - Translator: Mike Lowrey
- external link: IMDB
Comparison between the theatrical version on the German DVD by e-m-s and the extended version on the Taiwanese VHS by Long Shong
A few additional master errors with a duration of less than 0.5 sec each were not listed in the report.
In 1990, Tsui Hark and Ching Siu-Tung produced A Chinese Ghost Story II, a sequel to the big fantasy hit that had been released three years earlier. The explanation with which Joey Wang is allowed to slip back into her old role is a bit bumpy, but the Hong Kong fan is rewarded with all kinds of entertaining elements in this movie, too. As with the predecessor, another country in Asia falls somewhat out of line. Part 1 was two minutes longer on VHS in Taiwan and the successor looks similar. With about one minute more, two longer dialogue scenes stand out. These have a little political/social sensitivity, although it is not quite clear whether there is any censorship behind them. Like a few other minor interventions, an early version of the film was brought to Taiwan, which was then trimmed a little bit. This impression is underlined by a few effect shots, where the Taiwan VHS looks a bit bumpier. Two of the shorter additional moments also fit into this category, because the trick effect of the demon scurrying through the forest looks very bad. Either way, no earth-shattering differences and in the end, this exotic extended version is more of a nice-to-have for dedicated fans. Runtimes are ordered as follows: Theatrical version on German DVD in PAL / Taiwanese VHS in NTSC Other logos to start with.
German DVD 34 sec longer
The insertions differ in minute 3.
29:24 / 30:04-30:06 Between two shots of the demon you can see the frozen Autumn (Jacky Cheung). The demon breathes on him. 1,6 sec
35:22 / 36:18-36:20 The severed upper body of the demon flies through the treetops in another shot. (Hardly to recognize, at least at the top of the picture a black blob is floating around). 2.2 sec
35:32 / 36:31-36:32 The rather cheap looking demon arrives from a little further back. He scurries through the picture on the left and away upwards. 0.7 sec
35:43-35:47 / 36:43 Cut in Taiwan: A first view of Autumn, then another explosion. Autumn comments that the upper body had fled. + 4.1 sec
52:59-53:02 / 54:38 Another flaw, probably a master error: The men retreat a little longer and run to the gate. Hu (orphan Lee) then briefly asks critically whether they want to flee. + 3.4 sec
58:22 / 60:12-60:16 Ling and Windy kiss in additional shots from a little further away. The following close-up starts a little earlier, with a soft transition. 4.1 sec
64:04 / 66:12-66:40 Lord Wu still has a few emotional words left over about the poor people and the corrupt rulers. The priest answers that this is karma and that one should not go against the will of heaven. 26.1 sec
65:33-65:36 / 68:13-68:16 As the explosions illuminate the whole picture, there is another statue to be seen here, which then also goes down in yellow. But the regular version shows a much longer sequence of the Buddha. No time difference
65:44-65:46 / 68:24-68:26 The following switch to the Buddha is alternative: Autumn is closer to it in Taiwan. Also, the image format is shifted strangely, see the margin on the right side of the image. No time difference
67:39-67:40 / 70:24 Minor master error in Taiwan: Hu takes another step forward + 0.7 sec 82:46 / 86:09 In a shot of the priest, the Taiwan VHS has another effect that is missing at least on the German DVD with the theatrical version. No time difference
84:05 / 87:31-87:54 The Buddha head speaks in more detail to our heroes and explains that the weak people need a leader. Ling should be ashamed in front of the sky. He returns this statement without further ado. 21.6 sec
The immediately following shot has the shifted image section in Taiwan again. center> table> tr> dd> b> theatrical version b> dd> dd> b> b> Taiwan VHS b> dd> tr> tr> dd> 17.jpg> dd> dd> 20.jpg> dd> tr> table> center> 84:38 / 88:28 The rays change to a round glow towards the end of the shot in the familiar setting. In Taiwan, instead, another beam goes off at the bottom left. No time difference
97:03 / 101:25-101:27 The ride is a bit longer before soft fading to Windy. 2 sec
97:12 / 101:36-101:37 Also, the next fade from Windy to the painting comes a little bit delayed. 1.3 sec
97:15 / 101:40-101:44 The same happens with the next image. 4.1 sec
97:26 / 101:56-102:00 And again before the first text display. 4 sec
Finally, a note about digital effects. These were apparently placed over an already matted image master. In Taiwan, they therefore sometimes extend beyond the black letterboxed bars of the 1.85:1 image format. In addition, some effects also come slightly time-delayed, so that in Taiwan, for example, the transformed face of Windy can be seen a little earlier in minute 57 during shots of the same length.
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