The Children of Huang Shi Blu-ray

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'Children of the Silk Road' or 'Escape from Huang Shi')

Directed by Roger Spottiswoode
Australia China Germany 2008

Inspired by true events, the film tells the story of George Hogg, a young British journalist, who rescues 60 orphaned children. He leads them on a treacherous 1000-mile journey along the Silk Road, through the Liu Pan Shan Mountains into the spectacular Gobi desert. Over the course of the journey he falls in love with a determined, self-trained nurse, and makes a friend in Chen, the leader of a Chinese partisan group. Madame Wang, a surviving aristocrat, assists in guiding them to safety in a remote village near the western end of China's Great Wall.

***

I have no idea who brought basketball to China.

But I know who brought the game to "The Children of Huang Shi," at least according to the film of that title.

It was George Hogg, whose last name was a source of amusement for the children for whom its Chinese translation had barnyard implications.

Hogg was a 23-year-old Englishman who barely escaped the rape of Nanking by the Japanese, and who took refuge in a Chinese orphanage filled with youngsters whose parents were killed in the invasion - many before their own eyes. The children are a traumatized and unkempt bunch, governing themselves in unruly, "Lord of the Flies" fashion.

But teaching orphans how to throw a ball through a hoop was the least of what Hogg did for them. He fed them, clothed them and taught them discipline. And then, to keep them out of harm's way, he led them on a 700-mile journey across the mountains, in winter, to an isolated region.

Excerpt from Duane Dudek's review at the Journal Sentinel located HERE.

Posters

Theatrical Release: February 8th, 2008 - European Film Market

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Sony - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray

1) Sony - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT

2) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Cover
Distribution	Sony Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC	Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	2:05:00	2:05:14.548
Video	2.35:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.35 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 39,636,441,324 bytes Feature: 38,195,324,928 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Bitrate: Blu-ray
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 5.1)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 4182 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4182 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 2126 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2126 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Isolated Score: DTS-HD Master Audio English 1874 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1874 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English, Spanish, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Sony Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 2.35:1 Edition Details: • The Challenge of Hunag Shi (11:48) • Trailers DVD Release Date: January 20th, 2009 Keep Case Chapters: 28	Release Information: Studio: Twilight Time 2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 39,636,441,324 bytes Feature: 38,195,324,928 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • The Challenge of Huang Shi (11:48) • Trailer (1:52) Liner Notes Blu-ray Release Date: July, 2018 Tranparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 24

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: (July 2018) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray: The Twilight Time 1080P takes a nice bump over the decent DVD from 2009. Everything tightens, detail improves, there is depth and a sliver more information in the 2.35:1 frame. It's on a dual-layered disc with a high bitrate and looks strong in-motion. Another highly competent video transfer from Twilight Time.

The options of DTS-HD Master tracks of 5.1 surround or 2.0 channel stereo with the former being very robust with some of the film's aggressive sound effects exporting impressive separation. The score is by David Hirschfelder (Sliding Doors, Australia) and also traditional Chinese music Ji Wei Qia Qia and Tsuki Koyoi performed by Arne Eickenberg, Claudia Gubisch, Achim Kleiner and MFX. I had no issues with the film's sound and the lossless advanced upon the standard Dolby track on the DVD. The score is available as an isolated option on Twilight Time's Region FREE Blu-ray. The feature offers optional English subtitles in a white font and imposed yellow for the non-English dialogue (see samples below.)

Supplements only include the same 12-minute video piece, where director Roger Spottiswoode gives input on the impetus and evolution of the production with some behind the scenes clips, and trailer as found on the 2009 DVD. It does offer liner notes with an essay by Julie Kirgo.

Remains a historical intriguing film, good performances and the Twilight Time is the best way to see it in your home. If you are keen on this film - the Blu-ray is the way to go!

***

ON THE DVD: The Children of Huang Shi is a film that many critics showed indifferent but a lot of casual movie-goers adored (example Ebert gave it 2.5/4 but his readers escalated that to 3.5/4!). I probably fall somewhere in between - interesting and very enjoyable but possibly less impacting than I began to expect as the film rolled along. It does hit home and the production has impressive performances, cinematography and direction. I expect most people would rate this film very positively and the children-angle is never cloyingly exploited.

The Sony DVD transfer is dual-layered, anamorphic and progressive. Aside from the usual SD weaknesses - noise, less vibrant colors and some softness - the image is totally acceptable for standard viewing. It is certainly not stellar but presents The Children of Huang Shi well enough to appreciate the film. I have a feeling though that this could look exceptional or at least much stronger with another transfer as some of the geographic visuals are quite lush and epic-like. I don't see excessive digital manipulation and the image is expectantly, very clean.

The audio is competent if unremarkable and the DVD sports optional subtitles in an awkwardly large yellow font.

Aside from a stack of Sony advert trailers (and one for the film) the only supplement is an 11 minute featurette - entitled The Challenge of Hunag Shi.

I certainly don't want to dissuade anyone from seeing this - it is quite an excellent , touching and historical drama - in many senses. The DVD is pricey in my opinion but definitely worth a rent one evening.

Gary W. Tooze

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