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Shawscope Vol. 3 Blu-ray box |
Comparison between the old Celestial version or the extended German Blu-ray by filmArt, based on this, and the 2024 restoration from Arrow Video, contained on the British/American Blu-ray from Arrow Video
- 11 relevant missing bits In addition, a 9.3 sec shot is missing only in the Arrow version and another 0.9 sec shot that was only on VHS Several other master errors/framecuts with a duration of less than 1 sec each were not listed in the report.
At the end of 2021, Arrow Video in the UK/USA released the ‘Shawscope Vol. 1’ box set, which contained 12 films from the legendary Hong Kong film studio. In addition to 5 well-known HD masters from the licensor Celestial, there were 7 new HD restorations that did not have the infamous framecuts that run through much of the Celestial catalogue. We have documented this in more detail in several editing reports, for example the comparison to Five Venoms. At the end of 2022, ‘Shawscope Vol. 2’ followed with 9 out of a total of 14 films in new HD restorations without framecuts, for example the report on Ten Tigers of Kwantung. From 25 November 2024 (UK) and 6 December 2024 (USA) respectively, ‘Shawscope Vol. 3’ is available. Fortunately, this time even all 14 films included are new restorations, so that there is added value across the board compared to the previously known Celestial versions. Particularly exciting are Clans of Intrigue, which has only been available in a censored version worldwide so far, and The New One-Armed Swordsman, which was only released by T.V.P. in an incomplete reconstruction instead of fully uncut. The Avenging Eagle is a similar case which had a half-baked "uncut" reconstruction in Germany by filmArt. Arrow presents all these problem cases in the longest versions to date, along with much more. Disc 7 contains the new transfer of The Killer Constable as well as The Avenging Eagle. This is another terrible example of the work of Celestial, because, among other things, a piece of the final fight that was over a minute long was lost at the time. In the case of this film, there was once again the special case that filmArt at least attempted an uncut reconstruction for the German Blu-ray. However, they only concentrated on this one part in the finale and once again, not all of the actually missing complete shots or the actually much longer shots were added.
Minus the Celestial references and at the same running speed, the new Arrow version is 1:50 min longer. Unsurprisingly, you will mainly find the moments already documented in the old (German) report between the German Blu-ray and VHS - but now in significantly better picture quality. And since the German VHS was also heavily cut, you can now discover even more with Arrow. But there is another nasty surprise: unfortunately, the Arrow version is not uncut either. In a scene in the second half, which already has a short shot missing in the Celestial version compared to VHS, not only is this short VHS shot missing, but annoyingly so is another 10-second dialogue between Ti Lung and Fu Sheng. It's very strange how Arrow missed this, especially since this spot could have been patched up even with the comparatively good Celestial HD image source. Unfortunately this means that the film remains only available in cut versions worldwide.
Runtime information is given according to the scheme The German Blu-ray still has the Celestial logo at the start.
+ 11.5 sec A few comparison images from the opening credits sequence. Arrow is once again using the original credits in white, and not the ugly digitally created version in various shades of red from Celestial.
Alternatively, 02:39-02:43 / 02:28-02:32 Rather strange: a different shot of an eagle in flight is used here. Maybe the original shot was damaged and Celestial simply recycled from another part of the movie. No time difference
05:31 / 05:22-05:24 A first shot of Yi Fan from afar. 2 sec
09:40 / 09:38-09:41 The shot of the sun over the hill is significantly longer. 2.5 sec
31:34 / 32:03-32:05 When the scene changes, a shot begins significantly earlier. 2.2 sec
32:31 / 33:03-33:07 The shot from above is significantly longer and the master is still being greeted. 4,1 sec
35:32 / 36:09-36:19 Before the sent troop rides through the area, there is a longer, additional shot from above. 9,9 sec
48:52 / 49:50-49:51 Worth mentioning: After Chik (Fu Sheng) has stabbed the knife into the attacker, the shot is a moment longer. 0.6 sec
56:02 / 57:09-57:11 At the beginning of the shot, Yi Fan (Ti Lung) is still looking to the side. 1.9 sec
Missing in the Arrow Video version 61:52-62:02 / 63:05 Surprise: A longer shot that is completely missing from Arrow, although it was included in the Celestial master (and also, for example, on earlier releases the German VHS, so it surely belongs in there). Chik and Yi Fan briefly discuss how to proceed. Chik says that they will lure the first one into the kitchen, then the others won't notice anything. Yi Fan praises the good idea. + 9.3 sec
62:02 / 63:05 After Chik and Yi Fan have made their plan, the Celestial master is missing another (albeit very short) exterior shot. Unfortunately, these are also missing from Arrow. * 0.9 sec *
68:15 / 69:26-69:27 At the beginning of a shot, a fighting step is missing here. 1.2 sec
At 80:09-81:14 / 81:27-82:32, there is a long gap in the middle of the fight, which, commendably, was added by filmArt. A German theatrical 35mm scan was used for this part. The image quality thus drops somewhat compared to the rest of the film from the well-known Celestial master and despite restoration filters, scratches and green stripes can be seen in the image from time to time. As expected, Arrow Video has now also uncovered this part of the fight in glorious HD and it looks significantly better than the filmArt version.
81:14 / 82:32-82:33 The last shot of the built-in scene, as shown in the German 35mm scan with heavy damage, is even a bit longer on the Arrow Blu-ray. 1.3 sec
87:51 / 89:21-89:23 Yi Fan's attack is actually only parried by Chik with the staffs. 1.4 sec
89:11 / 90:44-90:47 When Chik jumps on Yi Fan's shoulders (again in slow motion), the picture freezes briefly. 3.4 sec
Now there is the correct end card again instead of the recreated version of Celestial.
Finally, as usual, a Celestial note in previous releases. |
