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I remember seeing Ong Bak in the theaters. I went home and immediately ordered a copy online. When I got the movie the following week I immediately noticed that there was an entire subplot that had been eliminated in the theatrical version. I had seen The Protector on DVD first, back when it was TYG. Then, seeing it in the theater I saw it had been sliced down to eliminate the humorous side-story.

For some reason the version of "Casshern" they're selling in the stores here is listed as the DC despite being 30 minutes shorter. But I've not found anything to substantiate that it really is the DC.

Basically, most of these films are edited down to give you the least story possible while just rolling from one action scene to the next (if only they'd be so merciful in some US films). The US cut of 'Hero' and its lame "Our Land" was vastly inferior to the original's poetic "All Under Heaven".

I was just curious if anyone had any thoughts on this and if anyone had seen a US version they found to be superior to the original.

One positive, I did like the Ong Bak music they put in the US cut versus the original. Although Black Mask and Drunken Master 2 show us that OB is the exception and not the rule.

PS-I promise I'll get some more reviews up. Have about 5 that I'd like to put up. Just been busy and I don't want to put up something stale. Working on: Full-Time Killer, Heroes of the East, Throwdown, Breaking News, The Rebel.

Whatever it may be, it just depends on the movie. I actually prefer SUPERCOP over POLICE STORY III. It's paced better. Has better music. etc. Same for the U.S. version of DRUNKEN MASTER II vs. the original.

And for director's cuts vs. original... well, take something like Battle Royale. The first cut was a lot better than the director's cut that followed. Same with NATURAL BORN KILLERS. I prefer the original cut - and this may be because I saw it first.

So, it really depends on the individual titles.

As for Ong Bak, heck, the more non-action stuff they cut out, the better. To me, action is all these Tony Jaa flicks have going for them. If they had some decent slapstick comedy, or if Tony Jaa had the charisma of Jackie Chan, I'd be saying otherwise.

I agree with Ong Bak. The side story was nice, but not that necessary. In 'The Protector' the comedy was done pretty well. The sidekick and his high opinion of himself was played well.

I did like the music in Supercop better, but I liked the longer version of Drunken Master II (although the cropping of the image was unforgivable).

I still tend to like seeing the movie as it was meant to be seen. As a filmmaker it would destroy me if the foreign distributors took something I made and just hacked it up. Brutal.

To answer your question above--YES! they do think we're that stupid and we can't understand the original version of hte a movie. I will qualify that statement by saying that you do have to understand aspects of the Asian culture to "get" some of the things that go on in some films, particularly in Japanese films. Also, sometimes words and phrases just don't translate well into English. BUT there's a difference in good subtitles and horrible ones (i.e. US version of HERO).

There are exceptions to the rule-I happen to like the Miramax version of IRON MONKEY the best, and I have the uncut HKL version. I actually like the subtitles better and the soundtrack is awesmome. I actually have the CD Soundtrack I like it so much. However, I like the uncut FILM better, just not the subs and audio.

The uncut Chinese version is still available from this site. Why shop at HKFlix if you're not looking for the original, uncut, and rare versions of films? Wow.

WuxiaFan: Sorry to stun or almost disappoint you, but it's just my opinion. Besides, hkflix carries it all: uncut, original, americanized... so everyone's preference is served. It's just a matter of opinion. Re-releases can both hurt or polish a movie. Just depends on the persons taste.

The first time I saw 'The MIssion' I thought it was a bad bootleg that someone had just stuck some license-free music over a workprint. I had the same reaction to Tsui Hark's 'Seven Swords'. It had such rich visuals that were accompanied by some low-rent John Tesh (my apologies to Tesh).

But music is the one place where sometimes the 'westernized' versions do make the overall experience better.

Also, other than movies, are there any specific scenes that have been cut that bummed you out? For me, I was disappointed when Jackie Chan was chased up the tree by the cheetah in 'Who Am I' was cut for our benefit. Just a little scene, but added a nice touch of character and fun.

Joe Public has been weaned on shallow, crappy action fare that is all sizzle and no steak for years: quality action has been replaced by "stuff happening fast". Joe Public is too lazy (or slow) to read subtitles, and he certainly isn't interested in listening to long scenes of talking while waiting for someone to get their head kicked in.

Film distibutors have zero interest in bringing the art of foreign filmmmakers to North America, they want to turn a fat profit. Gotta get as many Joe Public asses in seats in the theater as possible, and there is only one way to appeal to Joe Public: Action that is fast, fast, fast, even it's totally empty and meaningless.

And Denizen, Tom Yum Goong is one of my favorite examples (along with the new release of 'Bullet in the Head'). Having all available versions in one package just makes sense. The original versions are already available and mastered on DVD. Unless there's a licensing issue that stipulates that western distributors have to use a different version, the cost of adding both versions in one package are relatively non-existent.

If all of these titles were available at Best Buy would there be enough of a market for this site to exist? I not only shop here because of the selection, but because it attracts like-minded people whose reviews steer me to things I like. I can't tell you how many films I've watched because of you and Choco and JVR and several others. So I guess there is an upside to the original cuts being available, but not as widely as the 'dumbed-down' versions. It definitely has its upside.