7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.6 |
A small-time mob enforcer finds himself torn between a burgeoning romance with his ailing cousin and his loyalty to his loose cannon partner in crime whose reckless attempts to make a name for himself unleash a spiral of violence.
Starring: Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Jacky Cheung, Alex Man, Tseng ChangForeign | 100% |
Drama | 83% |
Romance | 28% |
Crime | 7% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Cantonese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Cantonese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Mandarin: Dolby Digital 2.0
Mandarin (Traditional), Mandarin (Simplified), English, Japanese
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Wong Kar0wai’s “As Tears Go By” (1988) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Mega Star. The only bonus feature on the disc is a vintage trailer for the film. In Cantonese, with optional English, Japanese, and Mandarin subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
Maggie Cheung
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Wong Kar Wai's As Tears Go By arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Hong Kong-based distributors Mega Star.
Similar to Wong Kar Wai's Days of Being Wild and Chungking Express, the high-definition transfer for As Tears Go By is soft. Detail and clarity, however, are pleasing – depending on how the director wanted a particular scene to look, detail ranges from good to very good. This being said, if you expect to see the sharpness and detail contemporary films support on Blu-ray then you are definitely going to be disappointed with As Tears Go By. The color-scheme also varies quite a bit (again, those of you familiar with Wong Kar Wai's early works should know why). Lushness and saturation are pleasing, though you would notice that during some of the indoor scenes (particularly from the betting house) they tend to look slightly worn out. Regardless, this is precisely how As Tears Go By is intended to look. Finally, there are no specks, cracks, or debris plaguing the high-definition transfer. (Note: Even though this Blu-ray disc is marketed as Region-A, it is in fact Region-Free. You will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).
There are three audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: Cantonese DTS-HD MA 5.1, Cantonese: Dolby Digital 5.1, and Mandarin: Dolby Digital 2.0. I am going to assume that there has been at least some restoration work done with the audio on As Tears Go By as my R3 DVD reveals all sorts of issues that I could not hear on the Blu-ray disc. I spent the last 48 hours comparing the Dolby Digital 5.1 track from the Blu-ray disc with the Dolby Digital 5.1 track from the digitally remastered HK DVD and there are quite obvious gaps between the two. There are some serious issues that I can hear on the SDVD (most obvious example would be the scene where Maggie Cheung bids Jacky Cheung goodbye at the bus stop) that aren't on the Blu-ray disc. Therefore, I assume that there must have been a serious compression issue of some sort with the SDVD which must have been corrected on this Blu-ray disc. This being said, the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track is simply a revelation. There is plenty of depth here that is unquestionably lacking on the Dolby Digital 5.1 track. Surround activity is practically non-existent, but the clarity of sound is far better with the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track and the actual dialog is very easy to follow. Finally, I did not detect hissings, pops, or cracks. For the record, Mega Star have provided a Mandarin 2.0 track as well. Optional Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, English, and Japanese subtitles are available for the main feature.
Unfortunately, aside from three theatrical trailers -- one for Assembly, one for As Tears Go By, and one for Perhaps Love -- there is nothing else to be found on this Blu-ray disc.
Wong Kar-wai's first feature film, As Tears Go By, has been incredibly difficult to locate on a proper English-friendly disc. I've gone through four different DVDs, including the latest remastered HK edition, whose master elements I suspect have been used to source this Blu-ray disc, and I always felt that something was missing. Fortunately enough, Mega Star's Blu-ray disc, herein reviewed, eliminates all of the concerns I had in the past -- the transfer for As Tears Go By is strong and the audio upgrade certainly noticeable. RECOMMENDED.
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