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The Heroic Trio (1993)
The Heroic Trio (1993) poster
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3.6

The Heroic Trio (1993)

東方三俠

Action, Fantasy, Thriller • 1h 28m

Overview

While one tough woman with an invisible robe has stolen 18 babies for her powerful master, two other tough women and the cops try to stop her.

Director: Johnnie To

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Format

UHD Blu-ray

UHD Tiers

Solid
Criterion

External Links

Criterion Forum

Review

Picture: 8, Audio: 7, Extras: 3

Length

88 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

2 years ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release
Format
UHD Blu-ray
UHD Tiers
Solid
Criterion
Criterion Forum
Review

Picture: 8, Audio: 7, Extras: 3

Length
88 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
2 years ago
Contributors

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Best English-Friendly:

Disk Kino World Cinema Library 4K UHD Blu-Ray

Best Video:

Disk Kino World Cinema Library 4K UHD Blu-Ray

Best Audio:

Disk Kino World Cinema Library 4K UHD Blu-Ray has Cantonese track in Dolby Atmos and TrueHD 7.1, but English dub is only available on the MoC Blu-Ray in LPCM 2.0 (MoC's Cantonese track is also LPCM 2.0). Criterion Blu-Ray's Cantonese track is DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1.

Additional Info:

Disk Kino 4K was limited to only 600 copies in China and is OOP. Of the available Blu-Ray releases done from the 4K restoration, Criterion's video has better color and detail than the MoC release, but MoC features dual audio in both Cantonese and English and more commentary tracks. 

Throw Down poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Disk Kino World Cinema Library 4K UHD Blu-Ray

Best Video:

Disk Kino World Cinema Library 4K UHD Blu-Ray

Best Audio:

Disk Kino World Cinema Library 4K UHD Blu-Ray has Cantonese track in Dolby Atmos and TrueHD 7.1, but English dub is only available on the MoC Blu-Ray in LPCM 2.0 (MoC's Cantonese track is also LPCM 2.0). Criterion Blu-Ray's Cantonese track is DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1.

Additional Info:

Disk Kino 4K was limited to only 600 copies in China and is OOP. Of the available Blu-Ray releases done from the 4K restoration, Criterion's video has better color and detail than the MoC release, but MoC features dual audio in both Cantonese and English and more commentary tracks. 

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Censored US version: Shout! Factory or Twilight Time Blu-ray

Uncensored version: old DVD

Upcoming Release:

2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray, confirmed to be uncut

Best Video:

Censored US version: Shout! Factory or Twilight Time Blu-ray

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Best English-Friendly:

Censored US version: Shout! Factory or Twilight Time Blu-ray

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2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray, confirmed to be uncut

Best Video:

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

MUBI 4K Blu-ray has zero extras

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Criterion 4K Blu-ray

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Criterion 4K Blu-ray

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StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray is encoded by FiM and doesn’t have the low-pass filter the Criterion 4K Blu-ray has.

Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray is closer to the original DVDs than the 2015 Criterion release, not sure about whether the StudioCanal 4K is like the Criterion 4K/original DVD

Additional Info:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray has FEL Dolby Vision, StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has MEL

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StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray

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StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray > Criterion 4K Blu-ray

StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray is encoded by FiM and doesn’t have the low-pass filter the Criterion 4K Blu-ray has.

Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray is closer to the original DVDs than the 2015 Criterion release, not sure about whether the StudioCanal 4K is like the Criterion 4K/original DVD

Additional Info:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray has FEL Dolby Vision, StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has MEL

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Upcoming Release:

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Best Audio:

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Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has better audio than Criterion 4K Blu-ray, from nicolas:

I believe that what’s on Imprint’s 4K is one of the good mixes MGM and Criterion released during the LaserDisc days. Music is powerful and detailed, dialogues have excellent fidelity and ambient sounds have perceptible depth. I compared the "new" 2.0 with the anemic 5.1 as well as the Criterion 4K mix and could clearly hear the improvements.

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Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

1990 Criterion LaserDisc/1993 MGM LaserDisc/2002 R2 MGM DVD are the best. See blah-ray https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2018/01/raging-bull-1980.html

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has better audio than Criterion 4K Blu-ray, from nicolas:

I believe that what’s on Imprint’s 4K is one of the good mixes MGM and Criterion released during the LaserDisc days. Music is powerful and detailed, dialogues have excellent fidelity and ambient sounds have perceptible depth. I compared the "new" 2.0 with the anemic 5.1 as well as the Criterion 4K mix and could clearly hear the improvements.

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Best Video:

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Additional Info:

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Germany Blu-ray is part of a 3-film box set like the Criterion but by StudioCanal 

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray/ Germany Warner Bros Blu-ray

Best Video:

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Additional Info:

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Germany Blu-ray is part of a 3-film box set like the Criterion but by StudioCanal 

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Best Video:

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Additional Info:

Germany Blu-ray has English audio 

Germany Blu-ray is part of a 3-film box set like the Criterion but by StudioCanal 

Best Video:

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Germany Blu-ray is part of a 3-film box set like the Criterion but by StudioCanal 

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Sony Blu-ray

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Germany StudioCanal Blu-ray in viewing looks very similar to both the Criterion and Sony caps, but no side by side comparison available

Additional Info:

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Additional Info:

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

UK 88 Films Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Commentary: 88 Films is at a very low volume level. The other BDs like the Sony do not have this problem.

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1080p Blu-ray
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To Live and Die in L.A. poster
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Best English-Friendly:

Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray (damage removed, improved color/HDR, and best audio) or Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray (best compression but no damage removal and LaserDisc audio from Arrow)

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Some scenes in the Arrow transfer are better, some are better in the Capelight.

Best Audio:

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The best and most accurate of the 5.1 mixes is the original version from the 2003 Special Edition DVD in lossy AC3 form.

The best source for the commentaries are from the 2003 Special Edition DVD.

Best English-Friendly:

Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray (damage removed, improved color/HDR, and best audio) or Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray (best compression but no damage removal and LaserDisc audio from Arrow)

Best Video:

Arrow UK /Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray  > Kino Lorber US 4K Blu-ray, see caps

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Original matrixed Dolby Stereo: Arrow  4K Blu-ray or Image Entertainment LaserDisc
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The Heroic Trio (1993) backdrop