Rebels of the Neon God Blu-ray

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

(aka "Rebels of the Neon God" or "Qing shao nian nuo zha" )

Taiwan 1992

Tsai's first film is of interest for its roots in his eventual styling - a more conventional drama than his future films, we are shown an ambitious student who leaves his studies to seek revenge on the hoodlums who wrecked his father's taxi cab. We are also privy to a couple of petty teenage thieves (Tse and Ping) living in an overcrowded apartment building with a constantly gurgling floor drain. Residing in their complex is a girl (Kuei) they are currently seeking attention from, yet as always with Tsai, communication is the barrier. Told in a series of Taipei-based tableaux's, Tsia's eventual themes are already obvious and will reoccur in his future films in a more concrete and polished form.

Posters

Theatrical Release: 4 August 1994 (Netherlands)

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Comparison:

Wellspring - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Big World Pictures - Region 0 - NTSC vs. REMASTERED (part of Tsai Ming Liang Collection) Sony Music (TW) - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Big World Pictures - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Gary Tooze and Eric Cotenas for the DVD Screen Caps!

Box Covers			REMASTERED and sold as part of the Tsai Ming Liang Collection: Rebels Of The Neon God / The River / Vive L'amour	BONUS CAPTURES:
Distribution	Wellspring Region 1 - NTSC	Big World Pictures Region 0 - NTSC	REMASTERED (part of Tsai Ming Liang Collection) Sony Music Entertainment (TW) - Region FREE - Blu-ray	Big World Pictures - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:41:45	1:47:00	1:46:56.583	1:47:06.083
Video	1.83:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 4.78 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.6 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	Disc Size: 21,018,349,252 bytes Feature Size: 19,154,368,512 bytes Average Bitrate: 21.00 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 AVC 24fps / 1080P	Disc Size: 22,997,804,042 bytes Feature Size: 20,220,488,256 bytes Average Bitrate: 23.093 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 AVC 24fps / 1080P
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Wellspring
Bitrate: Big World Pictures
Bitrate: Sony Blu-ray
Bitrate: Big World Pictures Blu-ray
Audio	Mandarin Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo	Mandarin Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo	LPCM Audio Chinese 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit	DTS-HD Master Audio Chinese 0 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English, none	English (burnt-in)	English, Traditional Chinese none	English, none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Wellspring Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.83:1 Edition Details: � Filmographies (text) � Trailers of other Wellspring Asian releases DVD Release Date: 3 February 2003 Amaray Chapters 24	Release Information: Studio: Big World Pictures Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: � Theatrical Trailer (16:9; 2:00) � Previews DVD Release Date: October 27th, 2015 Amaray Chapters 14	Release Information: Studio: Sony Music Entertainment (TW) Disc Size: 21,018,349,252 bytes Feature Size: 19,154,368,512 bytes Average Bitrate: 21.00 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 AVC 24fps / 1080P Edition Details: • Behind the Scenes (6:14 in Chinese - optional English subtitles) • Book Blu-ray Release Date: May 27th, 2015 Custom Blu-ray Case (see photos) Chapters: 6	Release Information: Studio: Big World Pictures Disc Size: 22,997,804,042 bytes Feature Size: 20,220,488,256 bytes Average Bitrate: 23.093 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 AVC 24fps / 1080P Edition Details: • Selected Scene Commentary by Andy Gomes (25:08) • Trailer (2:04) • Booklet featuring an essay by Ariel Esteban Cayer • Reversible sleeve artwork Blu-ray Release Date: January 25th, 2022 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters: 7

Comments

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

ADDITION: Big World Pictures- Region 'A' - Blu-ray - (January 2022) - Big World Pictures have given Tsai Ming Liang's Rebels of the Neon God to a 1080P that advances upon the 2015 Blu-ray. While slightly more robust in a similar single-layered transfer, the newer HD presentation has richer colors and a slightly darker palette. It's a visible notch higher in terms of image and the audio also bumps up to 24-bit lossless as compared to Sony Music's 16-bit. The Big World Pictures likewise includes optional English subtitles on their Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray disc.

NOTE: We have added 23 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

Big World Pictures Blu-ray includes a 25-minute selected scene commentary by Andy Gomes, a graduate in English Linguistics & Performing Arts from Universiti Putra Malaysia. He discusses the themes of disconnection, loneliness and isolation. He provides some valid context to the opening scenes. There is also a trailer and the package has a booklet featuring an essay by Ariel Esteban Cayer plus reversible sleeve artwork.

The Big World Pictures Blu-ray is superior to the out-of-print Tsai Ming Liang Blu-ray Collection edition and fans of the director's work will find it appealing. I'm still a huge fan of Vive L'Amour and The Hole. I appreciated seeing Rebels of the Neon God again, with some of the same early themes, and this will be a keeper for me. Recommended!

***

ADDITION: REMASTERED (part of Tsai Ming Liang Collection) Sony Music Entertainment (TW) - Region FREE - Blu-ray - (March 2016) - Short story - since Big World's DVD came out last year (2015) this is the least dramatic, comparative, improvement by the Blu-ray. It's AVC, 1080P shows grain, good colors and a little depth. It is in the 1.85:1 and linear PCM uncompressed audio - like all the Tsai Ming Liang Collection Blu-rays (Rebels Of The Neon God / The River / Vive L'amour.) It's totally English-friendly - menus, subtitles on both feature and supplement (a 6 minute conversation with Tsai - and some clips) and the impressive book has minimal text - but also English when listing the films and some cool (what appears to be mock films cells - see photo below.) Not my favorite film from the director (would REALLY have liked The Hole) but this package is recommended since we have suffered so long with ineffectual SDs. Like watching the film for the first time...

***

ON THE DVD: Big World's new HD-mastered disc is progressive, running at the correct framerate, overall brighter and revealing more picture information on all four sides of the frame while being more accurately letterboxed at 1.85:1. The subtitles are burnt-in but unobtrusive. There are no extras apart from trailers.

On the Wellspring disc: Although anamorphic, this release is not progressive and 'combing' can be seen to varying degrees in all horizontal pans. It certainly doesn't look stellar but to be fair it is still better than my VHS copy. Lighting is very poor, most likely a function of limited production. Colors are bleeding (see title). For those keen on Tsai, this ends up being a must-own DVD, not so much for the quality of the image but for the limited alternative of the film on DVD. We thank Wellspring for releasing this on DVD, but always wish their standards were somewhat higher.

- Eric Cotenas

Tsai Ming Liang Collection: Rebels Of The Neon God / The River / Vive L'amour (Blu-ray) (Remastered Edition) - Region FREE - Blu-ray Package with Book