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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka "Hak hap" or "Black Mask")
Directed by Daniel Lee
Hong Kong 1996
Jet Li stars in an action-packed superhero spectacle produced by the legendary
Tsui Hark! *** Tsui Chik tries to lead a quiet life as a librarian. However, he is really a former test subject for a highly secretive supersoldier project and the instructor of a special commando unit dubbed "701." The 701 squad is used for many government missions, but after one of the agents kills a team of policemen in an uncontrollable rage, the government decides to abort the project and eliminate all the subjects. Tsui Chik helped the surviving 701 agents flee the extermination attempt. Having escaped, Tsui Chik went separate ways from his team. Later, he discovers that the rest of the team were responsible for a violent crime spree that was beyond the capability of the local police. He sets out to stop them, donning a disguise and using the superhero alias of "Black Mask". Having lost the ability to feel pain due to the surgery performed on the super-soldiers by the military, Black Mask is almost invulnerable. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: November 9th, 1996
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Review: Eureka - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Box Cover |
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CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures: |
Distribution | Eureka - Region FREE - Blu-ray | |
Runtime |
Hong Kong Uncut: 1:39:58.248 Export Version: 1:27:14.979 Taiwan Version: 1:40:57.134 Extended Version 1:42:18.590 |
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Video |
Hong Kong Uncut: 1.85 :1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 48,682,929,649 bytesFeature: 23,193,873,984 bytes Video Bitrate: 22.99 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
Export Version: 1.85 :1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 48,682,929,649 bytesFeature: 19,220,604,480 bytes Video Bitrate: 23.00 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
Taiwan Version: 1.85 :1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 47,124,275,679 bytesFeature: 24,317,691,456 bytes Video Bitrate: 25.96 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
Extended Version: 1.85 :1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 47,124,275,679 bytesFeature: 22,760,457,792 bytes Video Bitrate: 25.96 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate HK Uncut Blu-ray: |
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Bitrate Export Blu-ray: |
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Bitrate Taiwan Blu-ray: |
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Bitrate Extended Blu-ray: |
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Audio |
Hong Kong Uncut:
DTS-HD Master Audio Cantonese 3587 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3587 kbps / 24-bit (DTS
Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps / DN -31dB
DUB: LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0
/ 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit Commentary:
LPCM
Audio Mandarin 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit Extended Version: LPCM Audio Cantonese 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit |
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Subtitles | English, None (No subtitles on the English DUB'ed Export version) | |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Eureka
Edition Details: Blu-ray One • Brand new audio commentary on the Hong Kong version by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)• Brand new audio commentary on the US export version by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema • Brand new interview with stuntman Mike Lambert (29:53) • Brand new interview with film critic Andrew Heskins (easternKicks.com) (8:33) • Brand new interview with Leon Hunt, author of Kung Fu Cult Masters: From Bruce Lee to Crouching Tiger (17:56) • Archival Making of featurette (19:32) • Trailers (HK - 1:59 / US #1 0:59 / US #2 - 1:54 / US Video - 1:00)
Blu-ray Two
• Alternate Taiwanese cut of the film
Transparent Blu-ray Case inside slipcase Chapters 10 / 9 / 10 / 10 |
Comments: |
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
NOTE: We have added 56 more large
resolution Blu-ray captures
(in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE
On their
Blu-rays,
Eureka use a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround bump as an option for the Hong
Kong version (the other being stereo) - both in Cantonese - and linear PCM
2.0 channel (all 24-bit) for all other tracks - on the other
versions. Languages are listed above (ex. the Taiwanese version has two
Mandarin tracks - one original the other alternate). The linear PCM
audio track on the extended version is almost entirely in Cantonese but
short sections will feature Mandarin and English DUB'ing. Black Mask
is rife with aggressive fight sequences (power-packed punches and kicks)
and effects (rain, machine equipment, lasers, gunfire, explosions, acid
spraying etc.) - they range from intense to scattered but are certainly
impactful with an impressive amount of depth in general. The DUBs are
kind of weak although this is certainly in-line with the theatrical.
Overall this does appear authentic with occasional warts. The score was by
Teddy Robin Kwan (As
Time Goes By,
Shanghai Shanghai.)
Also credited are DJ Revolution (their only film composition credit) and
Ben Vaughn (his first and who later went on to do TV work.) Depending on
the version there is Hip Hop / Heavy Metal music and sampling by
Half-A-Mil, Jonzun Crew, Erik Schrody (as Everlast), Badmarsh & Shri,
Fat Joe (as J. Cartagena) and much more. This all brings even more
energy to the film and sounds reasonably clean. Eureka offer optional English subtitles
(no preent on the Export's English DUB version) on
their Region FREE
Blu-rays.
The Eureka
Blu-ray
Daniel Lee's Black Mask is filled with excessive violence carrying themes of revenge and government conspiracy. It has a cool sci-fi edge taken from the 1992 'manhua' - Chinese-language comic produced in Greater China. There is an embraceable homage with Jet Li's character Tsui Chik (the 'Black Mask') wearing a domino face covering and chauffeur's cap evoking Bruce Lee's Kato in The Green Hornet television series. Li is always charismatic but very much so here as a quiet librarian with his secret badass 'supersoldier' persona in his past... or so he thought. Pop diva Karen Mok adds a much-needed cuteness and Tsui's friend, Inspector 'Rock' Shek Wai-Ho (played by Ching Wan Lau), no-nonsense stability. Black Mask is a remarkably kinetic film with an immense amount of choreographed action. Quite a ride. Fans will be very pleased with the Eureka Blu-ray package - four versions, two commentaries, interviews, booklet. Easily the most complete home theater package of the explosive film... ever. Recommended. |
Menus / Extras
Blu-ray 2
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
1) Eureka (Hong Kong) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP2) Eureka (Taiwan) - Region FREE - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Eureka (Export - No subtitles offered) - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) 2008 Lionsgate (Export) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP2) Eureka (Hong Kong) - Region FREE - Blu-ray SECOND 3) Eureka (Export) - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD 4) Eureka (Taiwan) - Region FREE - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Eureka (Extended) - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) 2008 Lionsgate (Export) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP2) Eureka (Hong Kong) - Region FREE - Blu-ray SECOND 3) Eureka (Export) - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD 4) Eureka (Taiwan) - Region FREE - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Eureka (Extended) - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE
Box Cover |
|
CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures: |
Distribution | Eureka - Region FREE - Blu-ray |
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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |