The Puppetmaster (1993)
戲夢人生
Drama, War • 2h 21m
Overview
Master puppeteer Li Tien-lu recalls his life in Japanese-occupied Taiwan during the first half of the 20th century.
Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien
Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien
2002 TF1 Vidéo France DVD
France 4K Blu-ray audio is in the wrong pitch, plus the new 5.1 mix is worse than DVD's
The version screened at the Cannes International Film Festival ran 119 minutes. Hsiao-Hsien Hou then re-cut the movie following its Cannes premiere and reduced the running time to 105 minutes, this is the only version available on home video. Most of the deleted footage came from the "Vicky in Japan" sequences and is included as an extra on some releases.
Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien
2002 TF1 Vidéo France DVD
France 4K Blu-ray audio is in the wrong pitch, plus the new 5.1 mix is worse than DVD's
The version screened at the Cannes International Film Festival ran 119 minutes. Hsiao-Hsien Hou then re-cut the movie following its Cannes premiere and reduced the running time to 105 minutes, this is the only version available on home video. Most of the deleted footage came from the "Vicky in Japan" sequences and is included as an extra on some releases.
Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien
Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien
Japan Pony Canyon Blu-ray, 2K restoration but not English-friendly
Japan Pony Canyon Blu-ray, 2K restoration but not English-friendly
Director: David O. Russell
Director: David O. Russell
Directors: Neil Nightingale & Barry Cook
Fox 3D Blu-ray has both the theatrical cut and the "Cretaceous Cut"
Fox 3D Blu-ray has both the theatrical cut and the "Cretaceous Cut" which removes the dialogue and the framing device, essentially serving as a director's cut of the film. The "Cretaceous Cut" is not available on the 2D Blu-ray or on digital streaming.
Directors: Neil Nightingale & Barry Cook
Fox 3D Blu-ray has both the theatrical cut and the "Cretaceous Cut"
Fox 3D Blu-ray has both the theatrical cut and the "Cretaceous Cut" which removes the dialogue and the framing device, essentially serving as a director's cut of the film. The "Cretaceous Cut" is not available on the 2D Blu-ray or on digital streaming.
Director: William A. Wellman
Director: William A. Wellman
Director: Boots Riley
Director: Boots Riley
Director: Danny Boyle
Sony 4K Blu-ray see caps
Recovers quite a bit of highlight detail, looks less harsh and clipped in the video footage than the old BD.
Dolby Atmos Remix: Sony 4K Blu-ray
Original 5.1 mix: old OOP Fox Blu-ray
5.1 on the 4K is a downmix of the Atmos remix.
Director: Danny Boyle
Sony 4K Blu-ray see caps
Recovers quite a bit of highlight detail, looks less harsh and clipped in the video footage than the old BD.
Dolby Atmos Remix: Sony 4K Blu-ray
Original 5.1 mix: old OOP Fox Blu-ray
5.1 on the 4K is a downmix of the Atmos remix.
Director: Peter Faiman
Australia Cut: Australia Fox DVD
International Cut: Paramount Blu-ray
Encore Cut: Germany Winkler Film 4K Blu-ray
US Paramount 4K Blu-ray, unsure whether it's the International cut released by Paramount or the Encore Cut
Australia Cut: Australia Fox DVD
International Cut: Paramount Blu-ray
Encore Cut: Germany Winkler Film 4K Blu-ray
Australia Cut: Laserdisc
The film exists in three versions:
- the original Australian cut (~104 minutes at 24fps/~100 minutes at 25fps);
- the American/international version (~98 minutes at 24fps/~94 minutes at 25fps) trimming some exposition in the Outback first half of the film and some shorter extensions of a few seconds in the New York section, altering some of the dialogue – including censoring a "fuck" to "screw" – but featuring one additional dialogue extension not in the Australian version (a comparison of the two cuts can be found at Movie Censorship);
- the Australian Encore Cut (~95 minutes at 24fps/~91 minutes at 25fps) which uses the international version source so it already has those alterations but also removes approximately three minutes consisting of parts of two scenes featuring Mick grabbing the crotch of a cross-dressing prostitute and a later sequence when he does the same thing at a party to a woman with a deep voice (a comparison of the international version and the Encore Cut can be found at Movie Censorship).
Director: Peter Faiman
Australia Cut: Australia Fox DVD
International Cut: Paramount Blu-ray
Encore Cut: Germany Winkler Film 4K Blu-ray
US Paramount 4K Blu-ray, unsure whether it's the International cut released by Paramount or the Encore Cut
Australia Cut: Australia Fox DVD
International Cut: Paramount Blu-ray
Encore Cut: Germany Winkler Film 4K Blu-ray
Australia Cut: Laserdisc
The film exists in three versions:
- the original Australian cut (~104 minutes at 24fps/~100 minutes at 25fps);
- the American/international version (~98 minutes at 24fps/~94 minutes at 25fps) trimming some exposition in the Outback first half of the film and some shorter extensions of a few seconds in the New York section, altering some of the dialogue – including censoring a "fuck" to "screw" – but featuring one additional dialogue extension not in the Australian version (a comparison of the two cuts can be found at Movie Censorship);
- the Australian Encore Cut (~95 minutes at 24fps/~91 minutes at 25fps) which uses the international version source so it already has those alterations but also removes approximately three minutes consisting of parts of two scenes featuring Mick grabbing the crotch of a cross-dressing prostitute and a later sequence when he does the same thing at a party to a woman with a deep voice (a comparison of the international version and the Encore Cut can be found at Movie Censorship).
More Drama on Blu-ray
Director: Frank Borzage
Undercrank Frank Borzage: 1922 Silents Blu-ray
Undercrank Frank Borzage: 1922 Silents Blu-ray
Director: Frank Borzage
Undercrank Frank Borzage: 1922 Silents Blu-ray
Undercrank Frank Borzage: 1922 Silents Blu-ray
Undercrank Frank Borzage: 1922 Silents Blu-ray
Undercrank Frank Borzage: 1922 Silents Blu-ray
Undercrank Frank Borzage: 1922 Silents Blu-ray
Undercrank Frank Borzage: 1922 Silents Blu-ray
Director: Ethan Hawke
Director: Ethan Hawke
Director: Tian Zhuangzhuang
Director: Tian Zhuangzhuang
Director: Bu Wan-Cang
Director: Bu Wan-Cang
Director: Marcel L'Herbier
Flicker Alley Blu-ray or French Lobster Films Blu-ray, same 4K restoration but no comparison available
Director: Marcel L'Herbier
Flicker Alley Blu-ray or French Lobster Films Blu-ray, same 4K restoration but no comparison available
Director: F. Gary Gray
Director: F. Gary Gray
Director: George Roy Hill
Director: George Roy Hill
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Edit History
Made with ❤️ 📀 by vanshady