Asian Serenity DVD releases - UPDATE by ItaMoon

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Asian Serenity DVD releases - UPDATE

POSTED BY: ITAMOON
UPDATED: Wednesday, May 10, 2006 10:00
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Wednesday, May 10, 2006 6:28 AM

UPDATED Results:
I have managed to switch into the Mandarin Chinese language track on my Hong Kong version. Not bad.
The purported "Singapore" release is actually a VCD which is why it plays all jiggy on my machine.
Also watched Aussie Serenity with Magyar (Hungarian) language setting. By far the best voiceovers yet - actors'voices are pitched to mimic our original folks closely and the voice acting is quite good - they must have spent a good amount of time on this version.

Am following some leads on getting a Russian copy... stay tuned

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Has anyone played any non-US Serenity DVDs? On some releases, the Video quality and Audio are questionable, as is the disk set-up.

Got my RF converter last night, plugged it in, and unlocked my "all-region" player. Both pieces of equipment come highly-rated by users on-line.

So now I can play all my "foreign" Serenity DVDs! Well, sort of.

BEST SUCCESS: GERMAN 2-Disc, UK Disc ‘special’ HMV
Audio + Video are just fine.
Observation: It takes longer to say anything in German than it does in English. The dubbing is very good - however, everyone has to motor-mouth through the script to keep up with the filmed action. Kinda sounds like all the characters have just had WAY too much coffee.
It does look quite fitting coming out of Simon's mouth in his first appearance dressed in the uniform. You can also watch with Dutch subtitles.

Similarly UK disk is comparable to the US release. A bit of a blow - the 'special' HMV UK release, the one I'd actually asked my sister "not" to buy, doesn't have the special extras. (I'm thinking these missing items are present on the Aussie releases anyway) It does have the "Art Cards" - haven't busted them open yet.

Haven't tried the German 1-Disc release yet.

LEAST SUCCESS: SINGAPORE 2-Disc
Ok, when I saw this was 2 discs, I though 'extras'! Turns out they chopped the movie in TWO!!! Suddenly disc 1 cuts off during the breathe-holding trip towards Miranda through Reaver space. Disc 2 just abruptly starts right back into the film. No extras - not even a gorram menu to drive through disk options. You watch the intro anti-theft promo, then the preview for Doom (thanks - saw that 17 times already in the theatre before each Serenity viewing!!!) And then straight into the film. No way around it. They don't even put in breaks for scenes. So to get ahead you have to just sit there and fast forward. (I know - awhhh, poor baby.) Also, since no menu, no way to set languages. It's just got Chinese subtitles and the regular English audio track.

The HONG KONG one was only "slightly" more successful. There was a menu. However it displays only 4 choices. When I go to the extras and try to play them, they default back to the 'play' mode and the movie starts up again. Blessed Buddha! But wait - there's an added feature: if you even so much as look at the menu of alternate video ratio settings, you're automatically propelled into wide-screen hell - only seeing a part of the screen in blown-up and horizontally distorted. That, combined with the super-saturated graininess, kinda gives it a real early 1970's karate film look.

Video: Kinda blows. Overly saturated and oddly grainy. This particular RF converter is supposed to improve the picture, so I don't know whether it's a dud, OR player is lame, OR the DVDs themselves are bad.

Audio: Slightly out-of-synch.

Haven't slipped in the two AUSSIE versions yet either.

The FRENCH is on its way.

Now that the ASIAN ones have been sort of a blowout, I'm a little scared of the LATIN ones. I figure even if these are purportedly Universal Studios releases, they may have these same poor video transfers. Anybody tried one yet?

Is it my equipment or are these releases really this sub-par?

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006 7:11 AM

SASSALICIOUS

Regarding the Singapore one. I don't understand your statement about "setting the languages". Any movie I've ever seen in Singapore, that was originally done in English, has never been dubbed. English is 1 of 4 official languages and I'm actually surprised there wasn't also Malay subtitles. I kind of want some of the $1 Asian bootleg copies of Serenity and/or Firefly just because they are entertaining. The bootlegs usually have language selection AND menus--very high quality illegal copies.

That said, how are you getting the movies from around the world? I've only scored the Australian Special Edition one. Possibly thinking about having my stepdad bring me the UK one when he goes to England in a week or so.

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006 8:10 AM

STORYMARK

Sounds like your Asian copies, especially the Singapore one, are bootlegs, or more likely VCD's (which are still very popular in Asia, but often require the movie to be split to avoid a huge drop in quality.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006 8:22 AM

ITAMOON

Sassalicious -
I've been searching hi & low. Got some copies from Yesasia, from various international amazon sites, cd-wow, and others. If you want a list, I can probably compile one.

Check out this: http://global.yesasia.com/en/Search/SearchResult.aspx

I'm seeing the "Singpore" version I bought is now called the "Hong Kong" version and it's the $7.99 one. I'm sure that accounts for it's terrible quality.

But I also have the "Chinese" version and I can't get to the Mandarin soundtrack, nor do any of the extras' menus function :-(

Yeah, my sister is a Londoner so I had her bring over a dvd, a magazine and an inkworks card - all of which I'd purchased on-line.

Currently I'm trying to buy a Brazilian copy from https://www.submarino.com.br/ but can't get through the address screen to register.

That's what's been a real blast. I'm serious; I've welcomed the challenge (along with able assistance from altavistas bablefish) to try to work my way through completely unintelligble sites.

The Russian one has got me stymied. I'm wondering if there are any Russian Browncoats out there who might give me a hand..?

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006 8:37 AM

SASSALICIOUS

I don't know Russian, but my friend does. I'll see if she can help you out. Do you have a website or anything?

I'm on a mission to find the Vietnamese one. And German would be fun because I studied that language as well.

I went to the yeasia link and the $7.99 one is a VCD, so that's definitely part of the problem. But the Hong Kong DVD one made me giggle because it has Bahasa Indonesian subtitles. I would like to know how many people in Hong Kong are honestly going to care about Indonesian subtitles. Which makes me think that the Hong Kong DVD (not VCD) is probably also released in Singapore/Indonesia.

EDIT SQUARED: Could I edit this comment anymore? Possibly. The China version (on the same site) is in Mandarin AND qualifies for free worldwide shipping. I'm tempted to join in this worldwide buying spree!

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006 9:18 AM

ITAMOON

Russian - I did manage an email conversation with a Russian site:

http://www.ozon.ru/context/detail/id/2575650/

However, the message they sent me, in Cyrillic no less, seemed to say that it was not possible to ship to the US. Customs, tariff restrictions? A quick look on-line didn't reveal any trade info between the two countries. I'm wondering if it's legal to have someone there just send me one as a 'gift'? And I could send them a gift of some money?

Know any Russian Browncoats or maybe how to get in touch with some?

What's a VCD when it's at home?

I visited in Indonesia for a few weeks and lived in a village there. Picked up some Bahasa Indo. so I was hoping at least to see it on screen. The spelling is certainly not all that standardized.

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006 9:25 AM

SASSALICIOUS

Quote:
What's a VCD when it's at home?

Umm, a VCD. Not really sure what you're asking.

Sadly, I don't know any Russian browncoats.

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006 9:52 AM

ITAMOON

Ah, I see that a VCD is the favourite of bootleggers cuz it has no region coding or copyright protection.

I'd never heard of such a thing. Evidently quality really varies on these.

The printing / packaging on my copy is quite good.

Wonder how I can make sure I get a 'real' Chinese version - one where I can actually get to the Mandarin audio track (I took some beginning Mandarin last year!)

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006 10:00 AM

SASSALICIOUS

Bootleg VCD and bootleg DVD formats vary quite a bit, but some VCD is legitimate. Just not that high of quality.

The Chinese amazon site (joyo.com i think it is) has a copy of the DVD, but that yesasia site you have also has the chinese one. it says DVD and has a region coding (6 i think), so it's probably legit. it also costs way more than a VCD.

Back to your previous posting. When/Why were you in Indonesia? And what part? A couple of years ago I spent a month in Thailand and a week in Malaysia/Singapore. I loved it and have since decided that SEAsia is the greatest place on earth. Can't wait to go back.

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