[size=110][color=red]NOTE: You may not be able to enjoy Fortune Star dvds after reading this topic. Proceed at your own risk. Ignorance is a blessing.[/size]
Do you guys hate FS as much as I do? A high profile company that gives us wonderful remasters of old classics… and then they screw up everything by not being able to offer a soundtrack that doesn’t break your ears. There seems to be four kinds of soundtracks that you find on Fortune Star dvds:
1) 5.1 remix. FS likes to make their remixes modern and fashionable. However, that is impossible to do using the original soundtrack. What FS does, is they record a new sound effects themself (punches, gunfire etc.). Personally I can’t think of anything worse that watching a 1970’s kung fu film filled with newly recorded �surrond effects�.
2) Original Mono: Version 1: FS usually includes the original mono track with their dvds. Sounds good? Only if you like hollow, echoing, raw sounding audio that is out of sync. Basically, FS’s original mono is too original. No kind of restoration work has been done. If the track was originally 10 seconds out of sync, you can be sure it’s just as much out of sync on FS’s dvd.
3) Original Mono: Version 2: Clean, in sync mono. Quite rare in FS’s releases.
4) Fake mono: FS loves to lie to their customers. That’s why every once in a while they decide to play a prank on us by including a fake mono. The track is called ’Original Cantonese’, however it’s actually just a downmix of their 5.1 remix.
Here’s some info on their releases. More info would be appreciated.
Bruce Lee Ultimate Collection
No mandarin mono (original language for TBB, FOF & WOTD). Cantonese mono is pretty good, except from The Big Boss which sounds terrible. ETD has no english track (original language). GOD 1&2 have good english track (original language). All other tracks are terrible 5.1 remixes with new sound effects added.
Police Story Collection
Original mono on PS1 & PS2 is out of sync. Not sure about PS3. Mono tracks on PS2 and PS2 sound very harsh and raw. All other tracks are terrible 5.1 remixes with new sound effects added.
John Woo’s Hero Collection
A Better Tomorrow is skipping frames (picture freezes when this happens). Good original mono. The Killer has out of sync mono. 5.1 remix is the worst I’ve ever heard.
John Woo Collection
The Killer has out of sync mono. 5.1 remix is the worst I’ve ever seen. Bullet in the Head has good but a bit �raw� sounding mono track.
A Chinese Ghost Story Collection
Fake mono. 5.1 remix is better than usual.
Once Upon a Time in China Collection
Out of sync mono and 5.1 remixes.
The Dragon Series
Not 100% sure about this, but apparently fake monos for both films (Way of the Dragon & Legacy of Rage)
Armour of God series
Apparently 5.1 remixes and raw sounding monos
Fearless Hyena series
Same as above
Project A series
Out of synch mono and 5.1 remixes
Yeah sometimes for old HK movies I’d rather buy the VCDs cus then the sound wouldn’t be too clean like the ones on DVD, and soundwise it’s more realistic to the era. Besides, VCDs are cheaper. I like cheap. Yeah.