Dragon Dynasty

Last updated
Dragon Dynasty
Company type Joint venture
Industry DVD production & distribution
Founded2006;18 years ago (2006)
Headquarters
Santa Monica, California
,
US
Key people
Products
Owner
Website http://www.dragondynasty.com/

Dragon Dynasty is a joint venture started by The Weinstein Company and Genius Products. The company was created on May 23, 2006, for the sole purpose of distributing East Asian films on DVD in the U.S., whose licenses are held by, or will be acquired by, The Weinstein Company. Dragon Dynasty showcases classic and contemporary Asian cinema, particularly those films which fall under the action and martial arts genre.

Contents

History

Quentin Tarantino, who is well recognized for his passionate interest and broad knowledge of Asian cinema, was said to actively work with the Weinsteins in all aspects of Dragon Dynasty. [1]

On March 12, 2007, Dragon Dynasty unveiled its new website featuring an enhanced features and a new layout. While the website had been available since the creation of Dragon Dynasty, the website only had minimal information related to the company and its releases and the website went without updates for several months. The new website features information on its catalog titles, upcoming releases and a blog by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan.

In an interview with Hong Kong Cinemagic on March 6, 2008, Logan confirmed that Dragon Dynasty also intend to roll out their catalogue in the U.K. [2]

In September 2009, Logan left The Weinstein Company, embarking on a new career as a film producer in Hong Kong. He confirmed that Dragon Dynasty would continue releasing East Asian films after his departure and that he would retain a consultancy role to assist the company with future acquisitions. [3]

Vice President of Asian Brand Management and Post Production, Brian White, also left The Weinstein Company in April 2009 to pursue independent production projects, but will maintain his long association with Asian cinema by providing consultancy and production services for the U.K. brand Cine Asia.

As part of the formation of Dragon Dynasty, The Weinstein Company obtained the North American distribution licenses for all 43 titles from Fortune Star Entertainment, the distribution division of News Corporation's STAR Group which owns the world's largest contemporary Chinese-language feature film library. [4] As well, they have obtained distribution licenses to a special collection of 50 classic Shaw Brothers movies and a number of independent acquisitions. [5]

Criticism

On 19 June 2007, Dragon Dynasty released the film My Young Auntie . The film was originally produced in Hong Kong by Shaw Brothers in 1981 and was accordingly released with a Cantonese soundtrack as standard. However, Dragon Dynasty's DVD features only the Mandarin and English dubbed soundtracks. Whilst it is true that some of the cast spoke Mandarin during filming (as is often the case with Hong Kong film productions), the main star (Kara Hui) and many other cast members spoke Cantonese. [6]

On 10 February 2009, Dragon Dynasty released the film My Father Is a Hero under the title The Enforcer. This was the second release from the company that did not include the original Cantonese language soundtrack, containing only the dubbed English audio that had originally featured on the 2000 release from Dimension Films (also owned by The Weinstein Company). Complaints from customers elicited a statement from the company [7]

"Dragon Dynasty strives to provide fans with only the highest quality DVD releases, including restored video and audio and extensive never-before-seen bonus features created exclusively for the label. Though no usable version of the original Cantonese-language track was available in time for this release, every effort was made to bring together the best elements in the world in creating the greatest version of The Enforcer ever experienced on DVD in the U.S."

Other criticisms of Dragon Dynasty DVDs take issue with their release of shorter U.S. cuts of films when longer uncut versions are available in Hong Kong and other Asian countries. The film Police Story 3: Super Cop (released as Supercop), which is tagged as the "Ultimate Edition" on the cover artwork, comes in for particular criticism. Although it is the first western DVD release of this film to contain the original Cantonese audio, the DVD still contains the shorter U.S. cut. Contrarily, the DVD features an interview with star Jackie Chan, in which he argues that he has already edited the film once, questioning the American distributors' need to re-edit. [8] [9]

More recently, similar (and often identical) criticisms have been leveled at the label's Blu-ray Disc releases, following their adoption of the format in early 2010.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaw Brothers Studio</span> Film production company in Hong Kong

Shaw Brothers (HK) Limited was the largest film production company in Hong Kong, operating from 1925 to 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Hong Kong</span>

The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese-language cinema, alongside the cinema of China and the cinema of Taiwan. As a former Crown colony, Hong Kong had a greater degree of political and economic freedom than mainland China and Taiwan, and developed into a filmmaking hub for the Chinese-speaking world.

<i>Drunken Master</i> 1978 Hong Kong martial arts film

Drunken Master, also known as Drunken Master The Beginning, is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping and produced and co-written by Ng See-yuen. The film features much of the same crew as Yuen's Snake in the Eagle's Shadow released earlier the same year, including lead actors Jackie Chan, Yuen Siu-tien, and Hwang Jang-lee; although narratively unrelated, Drunken Master bears similarities to its predecessor in its story and style.

<i>Project A</i> (film) 1983 film by Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung

Project A is a 1983 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film starring and directed by Jackie Chan, who also wrote the screenplay with Edward Tang, who produced with Leonard Ho and Raymond Chow. The film co-stars Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. Project A was released theatrically in Hong Kong on December 22, 1983.

<i>Police Story</i> (1985 film) 1985 film by Jackie Chan

Police Story is a 1985 Hong Kong action comedy film directed by and starring Jackie Chan, who co-wrote the screenplay with Edward Tang. It is the first film in the Police Story franchise. It features Chan as Hong Kong police detective "Kevin" Chan Ka-Kui, alongside Brigitte Lin and Maggie Cheung. In the film, Ka-Kui helps arrest a drug lord, but must clear his own name after being accused of murder.

<i>Come Drink with Me</i> 1966 Hong Kong wuxia film by King Hu

Come Drink with Me is a 1966 Hong Kong wuxia film produced by Shaw Brothers Studio and directed by King Hu. Set during the Ming Dynasty, it stars Cheng Pei-pei, Yueh Hua and Chan Hung-lit in the leading roles, and features action choreography by Han Ying-chieh.

<i>Supercop</i> 1992 Hong Kong action film

Police Story 3: Supercop, released as Supercop in the United States and also known as Jackie Chan's Supercop, is a 1992 Hong Kong action comedy film directed by Stanley Tong. It is the third installment in the Police Story series, with Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung and Bill Tung reprising their roles from the first two films, and Michelle Yeoh introduced as a new co-lead alongside Chan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolo Yeung</span> Hong Kong actor and martial artist (born 1946)

Yeung Sze, better known as Bolo Yeung, is a Hong Kong former competitive bodybuilder, martial artist, and actor. Primarily known for playing villains in action and martial arts films, he is regarded as one of the most influential actors in martial arts cinema.

<i>Kung Fu Hustle</i> 2004 film by Stephen Chow

Kung Fu Hustle is a 2004 martial arts action comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Stephen Chow, who also stars in the leading role, alongside Huang Shengyi, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, Danny Chan Kwok-kwan and Leung Siu-lung in prominent roles. The story revolves around a murderous neighbourhood gang, a poor village with unlikely heroes and an aspiring gangster's fierce journey to find his true self. The martial arts choreography is supervised by Yuen Woo-ping.

Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. Action films from Hong Kong have roots in Chinese and Hong Kong cultures including Chinese opera, storytelling and aesthetic traditions, which Hong Kong filmmakers combined with elements from Hollywood and Japanese cinema along with new action choreography and filmmaking techniques, to create a culturally distinctive form that went on to have wide transcultural appeal. In turn, Hollywood action films have been heavily influenced by Hong Kong genre conventions, from the 1970s onwards.

<i>Once Upon a Time in China</i> (film series) 1991 Hong Kong film

Once Upon a Time in China is a Hong Kong film and television franchise created and produced by Tsui Hark, consisting of six films and a television series released between 1991 and 1997. Tsui also directed four of the films and co-wrote the first five as well as an episode of the television series.

<i>Fist of Legend</i> 1994 Hong Kong martial arts film by Gordon Chan

Fist of Legend is a 1994 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Gordon Chan from a screenplay by Chan, Lam Kee-to and Kim Yip. It features action choreography by Yuen Woo-ping and was produced by Jet Li, who also stars in the lead role of Chen Zhen. It is a remake of the 1972 martial arts film Fist of Fury starring Bruce Lee.

<i>Police Story 2</i> 1988 Hong Kong film

Police Story 2, also known marketed as Police Story Part 2 is a 1988 Hong Kong action comedy film starring and directed by Jackie Chan, who also wrote the screenplay with Edward Tang. It is a sequel to the hit 1985 film Police Story, continuing the storyline of Chan's character "Kevin" Chan Ka-kui, and is the second installment of Police Story series. It also marks the last appearance in the series for Lam Kwok-Hung as Chief Inspector Raymond Li, Chor Yuen as Chu Tao and Charlie Cho as John Ko.

The Bloody Fists is a 1972 Hong Kong action film directed by See-Yuen Ng and starring Chen Siu Sing and Kuan Tai Chen. The memorable fight scenes were choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping, better known for choreographing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Matrix.

<i>Wheels on Meals</i> 1984 Hong Kong film

Wheels on Meals is a 1984 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film written and directed by Sammo Hung, with action choreographed by Jackie Chan. The film stars Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Lola Forner, Benny Urquidez and José Sancho. The film was shot in Barcelona, Spain.

<i>Enter the Fat Dragon</i> (1978 film) 1978 Hong Kong film

Enter the Fat Dragon is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts film starring and directed by Sammo Hung. The film is mostly a parody of the Bruce Lee film Way of the Dragon (1972), and a satire of the Bruceploitation phenomenon of the 1970s. The title is a reference to another Bruce Lee film, Enter the Dragon (1973).

<i>Dragon Fist</i> 1979 [[British Hong Kong|Hong Kong]] film

Dragon Fist is a 1979 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei. It stars Jackie Chan, Nora Miao, James Tien, Yen Shi-kwan, Eagle Han-ying, and Wu Wen-sau.

<i>Fatal Contact</i> (film) 2006 Hong Kong film

Fatal Contact is a 2006 Hong Kong martial arts film written and directed by Dennis Law, who also producer with Herman Yau. The film stars Wu Jing, Ronald Cheng, Miki Yeung, Theresa Fu, Cheung Siu-fai, Ken Lo, Andy On, Lam Suet and Timmy Hung. Wu Jing played Kong Ko who is trained with the fighting techniques of Sanshou martial arts, and lured into the world of illegal martial arts fighting.

Hong Kong Legends was a United Kingdom DVD distribution company, based in Hertfordshire and operating from the UK and Australia between 1999 and 2007. Hong Kong Legends was initially part of Medusa Communications, who, along with Soulblade bought up the UK distribution rights for film titles previously owned by Eastern Heroes label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hong Kong Cinemagic</span> Chinese language film website

Hong Kong Cinemagic, sometimes referred to as HKCinemagic, was a bilingual website providing a repository for information about Chinese language films from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, and the people who created them. The website contained news, interviews, film reviews and a database of people, films and film studios as well as an illustrated glossary of terms. The web magazine existed in various forms for over two decades. As of March 2009, the database contains over 10,000 films. The site was updated for the last time in December 2017.

References

  1. ↑ "The Weinstein Company Builds a "Dragon Dynasty"" (Press release). The Weinstein Co. 2006-05-23. Archived from the original on 2007-02-16. Retrieved 2006-05-24.
  2. ↑ "Interview Bey Logan on Dragon Dynasty DVD" . Retrieved 2008-08-21.
  3. ↑ "Bey Logan leaves TWC, will produce 'Blood Bond'". Kung Fu Cinema. Archived from the original on 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2009-10-14.
  4. ↑ Parsons, Ryan. "Weinstein Creates a Dragon Dynasty". CanMag.com. Archived from the original on May 25, 2006. Retrieved 2006-05-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ↑ Drees, Rich. "Weinsteins Establish DVD 'Dynasty'". TheBlob.info. Retrieved 2006-05-25.[ dead link ]
  6. ↑ "My Young Auntie Review". Twitch. 2007-07-03. Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
  7. ↑ "Genius responds to 'Enforcer' DVD criticism". Kung Fu Cinema. 2009-02-06. Archived from the original on 2012-09-08. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
  8. ↑ "REVIEW: 'Police Story 3: Supercop' (DVD - Dragon Dynasty)". Kung Fu Cinema. 2009-01-09. Archived from the original on 2009-03-21. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
  9. ↑ "Supercop: Two-Disc Ultimate Edition". DVD Verdict. 2009-01-28. Archived from the original on 2009-03-12. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.