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(aka "Bak fat moh lui zyun")

 

Directed by Ronny Yu 
Hong Kong 1993

 

Ronny Yu (The Phantom Lover; Warriors Of Virtue; The Bride of Chucky) directs this highly operatic fable based on a well-known martial arts novel with Leslie Cheung (A Better Tomorrow; Farewell, My Concubine) and Brigitte Lin (Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain; Police Story) as doomed lovers caught in the crossfire of warring clans.

Cheung plays Zhuo Yihang, a rebellious but extremely talented swordsman of the Wudang Sect (aka the Wu-Tang Clan, a fictional martial arts sect that appears in many wuxia novels and films). One day he meets and falls in love with Lian Nichang (Lin), the adopted daughter of a rival cult led by the villainous Ji Wushuang. Zhuo convinces Lian to leave the cult to be with him, a decision which will ultimately lead to death and betrayal.

With beautiful cinematography by Peter Pau (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and over-the-top action sequences, The Bride with White Hair is one of the best swordplay fantasy films ever made.

***

Cho Yat-Hang, the unwilling successor to the Wu-Tang clan throne and the unsure commander of the clan's forces in a war against an evil cult, falls in forbidden love with Lien Ni-Chang, a killer for the evil cult.

Posters

Theatrical Release: August 26th, 1993

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Review: Eureka - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Bonus Captures:
Distribution Eureka - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:28:56.247        
Video

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 48,407,310,882 bytes

Feature: 30,405,406,080 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.90 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

LPCM Audio Cantonese 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
DTS-HD Master Audio Cantonese 2096 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2096 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
DTS-HD Master Audio Mandarin 981 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 981 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps / 16-bit)
Commentaries:

Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps

Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps
Interview:

Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps
Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Eureka

 

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 48,407,310,882 bytes

Feature: 30,405,406,080 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.90 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Brand new feature length audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
 • Audio commentary with director Ronny Yu
• Brand new interview with director Ronny Yu (40:37)
 • Brand new interview with actor Joe Tay (21:24)
 • Brand new interview with screenwriter Jason Lam Kee To (56:47)
 • Brand new interview with composer Richard Yuen (23:22)
 • Brand new interview with editor David Wu (running to the film)
 • Archival making of featurette (12:00)
 • Limited Edition collector's booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver and Travis Crawford


 Blu-ray Release Date: November 9th, 2020
 Transparent Blu-ray Case inside slipcase

Chapters 9

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Eureka Blu-ray (November 2020): Eureka have transferred Ronny Yu's The Bride with White Hair to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "brand new 4K restoration". It is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. The image is textured and very pleasing with bright colors and plenty of shadow detail.

NOTE: We have added 50 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Eureka offer a number of audio options. There is a Cantonese linear PCM 2.0 channel track (24-bit) - which was my preference - a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround track also in Cantonese, an English LPCM DUB 2.0 channel (16-bit) and a Mandarin dual-mono track also 16-bit... plus the commentaries and interview. Each track effectively exports the film with its technical abilities. There is a score Richard Yuen (Once Upon a Time in China II), sounding dramatic and supportive of the action and romance. Eureka offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Eureka Blu-ray offers two commentary tracks. There is a brand new one by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (who's commentary I loved on the Eureka Blu-ray of Johnnie To's Thrown Down). It is excellent. There is also an older, informative, commentary with director Ronny Yu as well as an interview with David Yu that runs with the film (for about 80-minutes.) There are over two hours worth of brand new interviews with Ronny Yu, actor Joe Tay, screenwriter Jason Lam Kee To, composer Richard Yuen. Lastly is a dozen minute archival making of featurette and the package has a limited edition collector's booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver and Travis Crawford.

Ronny Yu's The Bride with White Hair is a wild ride - full of eye candy, kinetic action and mythic fantasy. Brigitte Lin? Leslie Cheung? I'm there. Not only does the film satisfy, it's 4K-restored, and the extras are endless with commentaries, interviews and the booklet. The Eureka Blu-ray is a keeper for fans of this genre. Well done.

Gary Tooze

 

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Box Cover

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Bonus Captures:
Distribution Eureka - Region 'B' - Blu-ray


 


 

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