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Comparison between the Taiwanese Preview Cut from Arrow Video and the Extended Taiwanese Preview Cut with VHS inserts from Arrow Video (both included on the British bonus Blu-ray from Arrow Video in the 4K Limited Set)
Unbelievable. It’s spectacular enough that all of John Woo’s Hong Kong classics are finally being released as beautifully restored 4K premieres thanks to Shout's Golden Princess Deal, but the British label Arrow Video is once again raising the bar a bit higher. This actually applies to the entire release in terms of picture, sound, and extras, but in keeping with the nature of our site, we’re focusing here primarily on Disc 3 of the 4K Limited Edition of the 1989 cult film The Killer starring Chow Yun-Fat and Danny Lee, available since April 20, 2026. With what was truly an enormous effort - especially given that comparison options were still limited to analog sources at the time - veteran author Leatherface666 worked his way through the extensive differences in the nearly 30-minute-longer Taiwanese VHS as early as the beginning of the 2000s. Similar to the Taiwanese version of Hard Boiled, numerous frame cuts and small extensions at the beginning and end of shots were found here. As the significant difference in runtime suggests, however, these include (unlike the extended version of Hard Boiled) several longer scenes that effectively round out the film. The Taiwanese VHS is zoomed to full screen and marred throughout by a logo overlay at the top of the frame, as well as being of a quality that is below average even for VHS. Fortunately, however, a Taiwanese film print also made its way to France, where it was released as a bonus on DVD. For whatever reason, 7 minutes were missing here, including a longer scene from the theatrical version, but almost all the minor differences and all other “relevant” additions from the Taiwanese extended version were present here in comparatively good SD quality (albeit with some typical signs of wear from film-to-video transfers) and widescreen. On the bonus version of the German 2023 Blu-ray, the longer scene from the theatrical version was added to this French video master, and additional exclusive material from the Taiwanese VHS was compiled into a featurette. Since the first 4K Blu-ray released in December 2025 by Shout! in the U.S. contained only the theatrical cut, Arrow Video has now, at any rate, used the new 4K image master as a basis on a bonus Blu-ray and has actually reconstructed that very extended cut frame-for-frame using inserts from the French DVD version. Absolute top-notch editing: As mentioned, several shots are only briefly extended—and in some cases even expanded right in the middle - and they’ve meticulously pieced it together with adjusted color grading and consistent framing. It’s truly amazing how good this patchwork looks, and we can now really hope that Arrow Video will similarly re-release the fantastic workprint of A Better Tomorrow II. Aside from the rather mixed picture quality, there were a few missing scenes compared to the theatrical version, which can be addressed as follows... ...which brings us to the actual reason for this report: While the Extended Cut from France - recreated uniformly in 1.85:1 - constitutes the main feature on the disc, there is also the option to view this version supplemented with all* additional scenes from the theatrical version AND the Taiwanese VHS. The windowboxed full-screen VHS segments naturally stand out more, but even that has been implemented as best as possible. Any fan who is already willing to accept the switch to SD material (which, as mentioned, is very well integrated given the circumstances regarding the source material on the French DVD) should definitely opt for this version - the longest version available to date in best-looking quality overall. For purists, the disc also includes the “unrestored” French master in 720p. Simply an all-inclusive package. * One downside: They forgot to include a minor, fairly insignificant moment in the finale. But it’s not a big deal. First, a few words about the unrestored version, which is also included in 720p. We compared this separately, and it almost matches frame-for-frame; in fact, Arrow’s Preview Cut follows this version very closely. Some slightly longer master errors can be found here (Runtime information: Preview Cut / Unrestored 720p version):
23:31-23:32 / 23:29 Sidney can be seen slightly longer, and the follow-up shot of Chow is earlier. 1.2 sec
It’s interesting to note just before this that the unrestored master has some markings in the image that suggest a reel change. If this was a shot that appeared only in the longer version, Arrow retouched it as best as possible and even matched the colors well. Unfortunately, the cleanup tool didn’t detect other briefly appearing flaws, such as the beard-like smudge above the upper lip. In such exclusive shots, Arrow’s extended version does feature burned-in subtitles, but otherwise (see the next shot of Chow), the 4K master is used:
The same scene is also available here as an uncompressed image comparison with the unrestored version, also including the Extended Cut on the German Blu-ray. 42:22-42:25 / 23:29 Sidney puts down the phone. Here, too, it is striking that the identical moment immediately preceding it in the unrestored version showed clear reel change marks. 2.4 sec
71:44-71:45 / 71:37 At the end of the shot, Jeff turns his head to the side. 0.9 sec
As a mere example of one of the many changes in image sources within a single shot, here is a moment from 91:22 / 91:14:
The same scene is also shown here as an uncompressed image comparison with the unrestored version and the German Blu-ray. Here, on the one hand, it’s interesting to see how the Arrow Extended version also zoomed in slightly to match the different framing of the 4K remaster. On the other hand, you can see more clearly here how the image on the German Blu-ray was specifically filtered. Now to the differences in the Arrow Extended version, which has been expanded once again to also include VHS exclusive inserts (Runtime information: Preview Cut / Extended Preview): 40:26 / 40:26–40:31 The shot of the police sketch is completely missing, and the following shot, in which Tsang speaks with the nurse, actually begins a moment earlier. 5.2 sec
40:28 / 40:34-40:57 A short portion of that shot was also included on the French DVD and thus in Arrow Video’s extended main feature, but the rest, as well as the additional material at this point, is unfortunately missing again (so that the scene transition here feels very choppy, unlike in the standard version, where the scene is completely absent): Lee goes to the window and his superior arrives. 23.1 sec
Here are a few more uncompressed screenshots showing how this extended scene plays out on Arrow's release shortly thereafter. Fun fact: Even a single frame at the beginning was taken from the FR image for the sake of completeness in the extended main film, and anyone clicking through the stills there will notice a slight change in the color scheme. However, in the version expanded with VHS inserts or the segment in the corresponding playlist, this single frame was skipped.
41:08 / 41:36-42:31 You can still see the reaction of Lee’s superior. Then Lee and Tsang look at the composite sketch, and Lee takes it to the artist. The man begins his work while Lee lists Jeff’s typical features. A large part of the scene is visible in the theatrical version and has been reconstructed accordingly by Arrow using the 4K master. He finally mentions Jeff’s eyes, which then serves as the appropriate transition to the following shot of Jeff, which is included again. 54.9 sec
46:15-46:16 / 47:38-52:08 In the longer cut on the French DVD - and thus also in Arrow’s extended main cut - there is a fade from the door to Jeff in his room (as he waits for Sidney), just as in the regular theatrical version.
Instead, the Taiwanese VHS included an even longer scene in which Lee saves Jennie from a group of rowdy men after her performance and takes her home, just as Jeff did at the beginning of the film. Jeff, in turn, watches this unfold, and by the time Lee finally notices him, he has already disappeared, leaving behind only a short note. This scene was already included in widescreen in the bonus material of older DVDs and could therefore be used here as well in a quality that's superior compared to the VHS but worse than the French DVD source. It appears that AI was used here; see uncompressed screenshots. As is easily recognizable from the cropped subtitles, the footage was actually in 1.78:1 and (unlike the other VHS moments) was not inserted windowboxed, but rather had the top and bottom slightly cropped. Note: Incidentally, the scene was inserted rather clumsily on the Taiwanese VHS, as there is both a break in the music and, inappropriately, the shot of the door from which the fade-in occurs is simply shown again after the scene. Arrow handled this much better in the reconstruction; neither issue is present here.
Taiwan extended version 268.4 sec (= 4:28 min) longer 86:04 / 91:56-91:57 The Taiwan VHS showed Jeff for a moment longer. 1 sec
It’s also quite interesting to see another uncompressed screenshot comparison of the end of this shot, as a part of this was initially included from the French DVD and then a brief exclusive moment from Taiwan was added. Jeff doesn't really move, so you can directly compare the quality of the three main sources in one single shot. 86:05 / 91:58-91:57 On the French DVD, there was a jump cut in the hallway shortly after, and this brief moment was also included on the VHS. 0.8 sec
A few frames later, another single frame was added:
107:32 / 113:25-114:43 Just as Sidney has fled Weng’s estate, a longer segment was missing here on the French DVD and thus also in Arrow's reconstructed Preview Cut. Most of this scene is actually also visible in the standard version as well, hence the better quality in many shots. First, more shots of Sidney’s escape; more bad guys follow him, and the injured Weng also gets into a car. This is followed by a conversation between Jeff and Lee. Jeff wants to replace the operation for Jennie or serve as a donor after his possible death, so that he has at least done something good. The French DVD / Preview Cut resumes when Sidney pulls up in the courtyard. 77.6 sec (= 1:18 min)
Unfortunately, a brief moment was overlooked at 115:05 / 122:16: Jeff staggers around in slow motion a little earlier after being hit. These 1.2 seconds can therefore only be found on the Taiwanese VHS.
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