Comparison between the Hong Kong original version on the laserdisc from Winson Entertainment Co. Ltd. and the extended U.S. Blu-ray from Error 4444.
A few additional master errors with durations under 0.5 sec were not listed in the cut report.
Interestingly, there are indeed differences here and the Blu-ray is about a minute longer. For this, we should point out the bonus featurette, which we already presented as an attachment in the first cut review: At least one more alternate version was shot for the magician scene. The Hong Kong laserdisc, however, already corresponded to the "harder" version here and so it is noticeable that the Blu-ray was extended by some tame additional material during this scene. Apparently Error 4444 has created an exclusive long version here. All the harder footage is in there, but it falls off a bit in terms of quality. If the alternate shots (in better picture quality and thus probably available in the HD complete scan) fit in chronologically, they were left in on the Blu-ray. All in all, a clear recommendation for the Blu-ray.
Other logos / notes as a start.
Laserdisc 15 sec longer
Afterwards, the laserdisc has credits, while the master on the Blu-ray is clean. As stated in the other report, the credits sequence on Blu-ray is stored separately in the bonus material. Only the film title can also be seen in the main Blu-ray versions, but it comes in a different color.
45:37-45:39 / 45:21-45:22 Before the woman's dress slips off, the Blu-ray shows a short close-up of her. On the laserdisc, the frontal shot starts earlier. Laserdisc 0.4 sec longer
45:40 / 45:22-45:25 While the LD remains in long shot throughout, the Blu-ray shows a close-up of the dress falling to the floor and then another close-up of the woman's upper body. 2.5 sec
45:43 / 45:28-45:29 After the rest of the frontal shot was also shown on Blu-ray, there is another close-up of the face. 0.9 sec
45:58 / 45:44-45:48 Before the mage bends down, he looks at the woman in additional shot. 3.5 sec
By the way, before leaning down, the image quality changes significantly, which is why it is clear that Error 4444 has combined different image sources here for the HD release. Here are the two relevant single frames when the source changes:
46:05-46:09 / 45:55-45:57 Again, the LD stays in the same perspective for much longer. The Blu-ray inserts a closer view of the magician for the middle part of the shot. Laserdisc 1.8 sec longer
46:12 / 46:00-46:13 The Blu-ray has an additional frontal shot here, in which the magician continues to grope the woman. Since the breasts are covered, it can be assumed that this shot is from the more innocuous alternate version presented in the bonus featurette. 13 sec
47:52 / 47:52-48:04 In additional close-ups, more spots of color are left on the body. There is another cut to Chee and Wai watching from outside. 11.4 sec
48:02 / 48:14-48:17 Another view from the dabbing. 3.1 sec
48:07 / 48:22-48:24 Another short cut to the outside. 1.5 sec
48:15 / 48:32-48:33 As the magician walks away, there is another close-up of the woman's face. 1.5 sec
49:15 / 49:33-49:40 The Blu-ray inserts another take from a closer perspective (breasts here off-screen) into the middle of what is actually an uninterrupted longer shot of the woman. 6.6 sec
49:17 / 49:41-49:52 More detailed shots of the suffering woman and in between the magician knocks the bones on the floor. 10.9 sec
49:41 / 50:16-50:19 The woman screams in another close-up. 2.9 sec
49:45 / 50:23-50:30 Ditto and another shot of the mage. 6.8 sec
49:57 / 50:42-50:52 More of the same. 10.1 sec
50:10-50:11 / 51:05 The Blu-ray has a few minor jump cuts and misses the end of the shot. + 1.7 sec
Just under a minute later, the picture freezes a bit longer at the end of the scene on the Blu-ray, which makes up for the difference in runtime that just occurred in favor of the laserdisc.
64:44 / 65:38 Small master error: After Wai and Chee cross the street, the first shot at the magician starts a little earlier. 0.5 sec
The end credits are shown again without/with text.
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