DVDBeaver Warning: DO NOT BUY !
directed by
Zhang Yimou
China - 1987 - 2001
An example of an EBay fraudulently advertised item. English subtitles are scarce (4 of 11 DVDs) and most of those are bootlegs of legitimate discs. We recommend avoiding.
Critics vacillate between whether Zhang Yimou is the real deal, or 'emperor is pant-less'. His body of varietal work though, cannot be ignored - stringent art drama to comedy to fantasy swordplay. Each project competed with his own unique and contemplative style. I say he is one of the greatest living directors, but suspect a legitimate Boxset of his work onto DVD will be a long while in waiting. A shame.
DVD Review: Stated on the Box as "Mei Ah" - Region 0 - NTSC
| DVD Box Cover |
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Listed below::
DO NOT BUY ! |
| Audio | Mostly Mandarin - (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dolby) | |
| Subtitles | Various- mostly Chinese Traditional, Chinese Simplified, Japanese and a few with English | |
| Features |
Advertised as :
Brand new dvd collection box set, MFG factory
sealed,11 dvds,10 films, optional English subtitles, dolby digital sound.
BUT this is mostly untrue - see below for details! |
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| Comments: |
HOW I WAS ROOKED:
I saw the item on EBay
HERE. It seemed
worth the $9.99 gamble, so I purchased. It arrived fairly quickly and
the packaging is fairly decent - a VHS box with 11 DVDs containing
interconnected soft CD holders (see image above). I especially wanted to
see "Red Sorghum".
Unfortunately only 3 of the DVDs have English
subtitles and they are bootlegs of Sony/Mei Ah DVDs that I already own (Shanghai
Triad, The Story of Qui Ju and The Road Home). Raise
the Red Lantern also has English subs burned in along with Chinese
subtitles. A few of the discs are badly flawed and do not play all the
way through. "Keep Cool" another Zhang film i wanted to see IS
anamorphic but no English subtitles. I suggest that this is blatant
flase advertising and others should beware as I se this seller is
listing many copies of this "boxset" on EBay. DVDBeaver says "DO NOT
BUY". The price is right for those who understand Mandarin, but we also
do not encourage supporting illegal bootlegs. Plus many of the discs are
flawed!
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out
of
Recommended Reading in Chinese/Hong Kong/Taiwanese Cinema (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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Memoirs from the Beijing Film Academy
by Zhen Ni, Chris Berry, Ni Zhen |
Zhang Yimou: Interviews (Conversations With
Filmmakers) by Frances Gateward |
Chinese Films in Focus: 25 New Takes by Chris Berry |
Wong Kar-Wai: Auteur of Time (Bfi World Directors) by Stephen Teo |
China into Film: Frames of Reference in Contemporary
Chinese Cinema (Envisioning Asia) by Jerome Silbergeld |
New Chinese Cinemas
by Nick Browne |
Once Upon a Time in China : A Guide to Hong Kong,
Taiwanese, and Mainland Chinese Cinema by Jeff Yang |
Chinese Film Theory by George S. Semsel |
Women Through the Lens: Gender and Nation in a
Century of Chinese Cinema by Shuqin Cui |
Tsai Ming-Liang by Tsai Ming-Liang |
Check out more in "The Library"
NOT ONE LESS
- No English subs (although menu states there is!)
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SHANGHAI TRIAD
(Bootleg of Sony reviewed HERE) - does contain English subtitles
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JU DOU
- Does have English subs, but has an annoying flicker at the top of the screen (most likely a bootleg) ! Eventually this message appears:
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KEEP COOL
- is anamorphic but has only Chinese and Japanese subtitles!
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THE ROAD HOME
- is a bootleg of the Sony (complete with logo) compared HERE - does have English subs
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