English-subbed films

[Colin Geddes]

Just came back from Chinatown and I always keep an eye out for any Hong
Kong released Japanese films on VCD/DVD because often they have Chinese and
English subs. I've pretty much exausted the severely limited North American
video releases. How long did it take for Takeshi Kitano films to be
released on these shores and why the long wait? Anyways, before I get into
a rant, I have been able to find the following films subtitled in English
in Chinatown:

Bayside Shakedown (VCD)
The Eel (VCD & DVD)
Gonin (VCD & DVD)
Misty (VCD)
Dangan Runner (VCD)
Welcome Back Mr. MacDonald (VCD)
Marks (VCD)
Hypnosis (DVD)
Kamikaze Taxi (VCD)
Swallowtail Butterfly (VCD)
Gamera 2 (VCD)
Love Letter (VCD)

I know there are many more, but this is all I have found in the Toronto
Chinatown area.

I just found VCD releases of Portrait of Hell, 2 chapters of Shinobi no
Mono (Band of Assassins), Samurai Pirate (Daitozoku 1964) and some 1960s
kaidan flicks, but sans subtitles I think.

It's always worth looking up these titles on the various internet sales
companies operating out of Asia if you do not have the luxury of a
Chinatown nearby.

And of course they are Chinese English translations, so in Seven Samurai,
the heroes are referred to as "knights" who often will display their "fine
kung fu". At least Criterion has that one taken care of, but in the rarer
cases I find it hard to gripe about the quality of subs as beggers can't be
choosers can we? Plus these were not made for English export and thanks to
a still existing HK bylaw we gweilos and gaijin can follow along.

Anyone else find any subtitled vcd/dvds?

Cheers
Colin Geddes

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Colin Geddes - cgeddes at interlog.com
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