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Arrow Video Shawscope Vol. 4 Box |
Comparison between the German Blu-ray from filmArt (= Celestial HD master) with the uncut British Blu-ray from Arrow Video
- 16 relevant cuts Several other master errors/“framecuts” with a duration of less than 1 sec each were not listed in the report.
Here we are again: After there were were many reports on Shawscope Vol. 3 at the end of 2024, Vol. 4 of the box set will now be available from December 8, 2025 (UK, or December 9 in the US). Once again, the collector's label Arrow Video offers new restorations of 16 films from the legendary Hong Kong film studios, which were notorious for years for their “framecut” versions of Celestial: countless moments roughly shortened at splice points and any kind of damage on the film material. Two, or on closer inspection even three titles are included in several versions within the box set. For Super Inframan, you also get the different US version, and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star is also available with an additional scene exclusive to the Mandarin version. With Bloody Parrot, there was once again the typical British situation, without any prior announcement, that scenes involving animal cruelty are critical for the BBFC, which is why the uncut version is available on the same disc with code A (intended for America), but a slightly censored version is served up with code B (UK / Europe). Disc 2 features The Battle Wizard. There were two versions with different levels of censorship available on VHS in Germany, and in the report for the VMP version (in German), which was also included as a bonus on the German Blu-rays, we have already discussed in detail the gaps caused by frame cuts. There were quite a few of these, as the particularly large difference in running time for what is actually a fairly short film would suggest:
Minus Celestial references, that's 4:40 min accumulated in this crisp, short film. Unsurprisingly, these are basically the same places shown in the old report, often with shots missing entirely, which are now included in the film itself for the first time in unprecedented quality in the new HD restoration by Arrow Video.
Running times are listed according to the following scheme The Celestial logo can be seen separately beforehand on Arrow, while on filmArt it was part of the film stream.
+ 11.6 sec
First, a few comparison images. The new Arrow restoration has slightly more natural colors, and in some of the highly stylized shots, the color scheme may vary slightly in between. However, the old HD master was also quite decent.
01:02 / 00:51-00:54 The side shot of the cuddling is significantly longer. 2.9 sec
02:53 / 02:49-02:50 Before the close-up of the injured knee, there is an additional medium long shot in which Kuan Chung is hit by Suan's blue beam. 1.3 sec
11:22 / 11:36-11:37 Two first short shots with slaps for Tuan. 1 sec
17:51 / 18:18-18:19 The guy hit by the snake turns to the side in an additional medium long shot. 0.5 sec
28:23 / 29:34-29:35 A short shot from a different angle is missing during the somersault through the room to the outside. 0.3 sec
28:26 / 29:38 In the first shot, the veil rushes toward the leg. 0.5 sec
29:10 / 30:28-30:29 A first shot of Miu shooting and a hit. 1 sec
29:29 / 30:49-30:50 An additional short shot of Miu and Prince Du on horseback. 0.8 sec
31:28 / 32:56-32:59 Miu takes another step forward. 2.9 sec
32:46 / 34:23 Short additional reaction shot of snake girl Zhong. 0.7 sec
34:49 / 36:37 Miu shoots again in a short additional shot, and again the bullet ricochets off the head. After that, Miu is seen again for a few frames. 1.2 sec
35:53 / 37:49-37:50 Before the jump, a brief additional shot of Tuan and Miu on the horse. 0.7 sec
Re-ordered scene 41:27-41:31 / 43:50- Miu can be seen for longer after she has pulled down the mask. There is also a small jump in the image, or perhaps Celestial shortened it for this reason - and that's why Tuan's back is shown here for the first time instead. Then comes the undamaged rest of the shot of Miu and again that shot of her back. No time difference
48:31 / 51:13-51:15 Our heroes move away from the altar in a short additional shot from the front. 1.2 sec
56:07 / 59:09-59:10 Yao Cha's top is torn in the first shot, followed by a cut to the bad guy. 1 sec
64:54 / 68:25-68:26 Short frontal shot of the prince jumping away. 0.5 sec
66:55 / 70:37-70:38 Before the flash, the sky can be seen a little earlier. Note: Also missing from the German VHS. 0.9 sec
The end credits are different. After that, the old version still has a Celestial reference. filmart Blu-ray 15.7 sec longer
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