Millennium Mambo (2001) poster

3.8

Millennium Mambo (2001)

千禧曼波

Drama, Romance • 1h 59m

Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien

Cast: Shu Qi, Jack Kao, Duan Chun-hao, Doze Niu Cheng-Tse, Jun Takeuchi, Yi-Hsuan Chen, Ko Takeuchi, Hsu Hui-Ni, Rio Peng, Pauline Chan Bo-Lin

3.8

Best English-friendly release

Metrograph Blu-ray

Updated 7 months ago

Best video release

France Spectrum 4K Blu-ray

Best audio release

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

Additional info

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.

About the film

Vicky recalls her romances with her exes Hao Hao and Jack in the neon-lit clubs of Taipei.

TSPDT: 2026: #657
2025: #667
2024: #658
2023: #663
2022: #663
Alternative Titles: Millenium Mambo

More from Hou Hsiao-hsien

The Time to Live and the Time to Die (1985)

Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien

Best English-Friendly:

Taiwan Sony Blu-ray

Best Video:

Carlotta Blu-ray, HD transfer, also available in a set

Best Audio:

2006 Japan Kinokuniya DVD

Daughter of the Nile (1987)

Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab) · caps-a-holic (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Cohen Blu-ray is suspected to have incorrect gamma level, while also have a different grading than MoC see caps for gamma correction and caps-a-holic

Dust in the Wind (1986)

Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Best Video:

Japan and France has new 2016 restorations but not English friendly and no reviews yet.
Taiwan has an older 1080i release, but not sure if it's the same master.

A Summer at Grandpa's (1984)

Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Best Video:

Japan Pony Canyon Blu-ray

Video Notes:

2K restoration but not English-friendly

Flowers of Shanghai (1998)

Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Carlotta France Blu-ray. Comparisons

Best Audio:

Carlotta France Blu-ray

Audio Notes:

Criterion is filtered. Comparisons

More from TF1

Time of the Wolf (2003)

Director: Michael Haneke

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Best Video:

No comparisons available, UK Curzon Blu-ray boxset, Australia Umbrella Blu-ray boxset, US Strand Releasing OOP Blu-ray, or very old France TF1 Blu-ray

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)

Director: Pedro Almodóvar

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion vs StudioCanal Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion, UK StudioCanal, France TF1 Blu-ray all new resto, no comparison

Funny Games (1997)

Director: Michael Haneke

Best English-Friendly & Video:

France TF1 Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Criterion has heavy DNR

The Golden Coach (1952)

Director: Jean Renoir

Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber/Raro Blu-ray

Best Video:

Raro (Kino Lorber) and France TF1 Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Raro (Kino Lorber) and France TF1 Blu-ray are very similar. Unsure on Japan Blu-ray

More Drama on Blu-ray

Thieves Like Us (1974)

Director: Robert Altman

4K · Excellent

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Vinegar Syndrome Cinématographe 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Cinematrographe's HDR grading is overcooked, which is a known VinSyn tendency. Additionally, their booklet mis-credits the encode to FiM.

YMMV, but for some, the included BD encoded by Marcus Johnson—ironically may make for a more pleasing experience.

The Tenant (1976)

Director: Roman Polanski

4K · Solid

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Carlotta France 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

UK 4K teased by 88 Films https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=24252379

Video Notes:

Carlotta France 4K Blu-ray > Vinegar Syndrome 4K Blu-ray (better encode on Carlotta without any low-pass filtering, more extras and English subtitles on Vinegar Syndrome)

The Sterile Cuckoo (1969)

Director: Alan J. Pakula

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Olive Films Blu-ray

A Matter of Time (1976)

Director: Vincente Minnelli

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Director: Steve Gordon

Best English-Friendly & Video:

The Killer (1989)

Director: John Woo

4K · Excellent

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Imprint 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

Plaion Germany 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Arrow has a different grade and a better encode than the Shout! Factory, though the difference in either is not major. Imprint release, which leaves Shout! Factory's master and subtitles as is, is encoded by FiM. https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=24473097&postcount=56

Best Audio:

Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD

Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)

Audio Notes:

Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray (similar to Criterion LaserDisc, but less distorted)

Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD

Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)

Arrow used the alternate mix, but with extra filtering and lowered dynamic range. The alternate mix has much better fidelity.

Imprint presumably used the Shout! Factory original mix and left it as is, though no official confirmation.

Additional Info:

Arrow has a much better translation.

Arrow LE has the Taiwan Extended Cut which will not be present on the standard edition. However, Imprint is FiM and has its own archival extras not present on the Arrow.

Blackboard Jungle (1955)

Director: Richard Brooks

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

Mr. Skeffington (1944)

Director: Vincent Sherman

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Director: Jonathan Demme

4K · Excellent

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray > Criterion 4K Blu-ray > Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1991 Orion LaserDisc vs 2024 Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Criterion Blu-ray has exclusive extras

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006)

TV series

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

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· last reviewed 7 months ago

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