Review of Better Tomorrow, A (Special Edition)

Introduction

Poor Ho. He doesn`t get along with his brother Kit anymore. But that`s what happens when one of you is a Triad, and the other a cop.

After 3 years in prison for a crime he most definitely did commit, Mob boss Ho (Ti Lung) returns to find it`s all change in Hong Kong. Kit has risen through the ranks of the police, his friend Mark (Chow Yun-Fat) was crippled in the line of immoral duty and Shing, his former Triad subordinate, is now a major player in the organisation. Turning over a new leaf and going straight, it`s not long before the shadows of a troubled past find their way back to Ho...


Often cited as his quintessential piece, `A Better Tomorrow` was John Woo`s breakout film . Despite the confines of a teeny, tiny budget and almost zero marketing, the film pulverised the Hong Kong box office and tore through Asia like a freight train in 1986. This 2 disc Ultimate Edition from the Optimum Asia label re-introduces the world to the film which redefined Hong Kong cinema and brought John Woo to the world`s attention.

Video

Lets shoot straight to the point - for a title carrying an `Ultimate Edition` tag, the print here is verging on the pitiful. The original 1.85:1 print has been cropped to something closer to an anamorphic 1.75:1. This hits you straight between the eyes from the off, as half the opening credits are sliced off the screen. As far as actual quality, you have to expect a little film abrasion and minor dirt issues with some of these older HK releases, and it`s here. But more worryingly is the grain on show - it`s noticeably strong. It`s fair to say the colour balance is a little off, too - It`s all a little low contrast. The visuals here do the DVD format no favours - woe betide he who sanctioned the following PR blurb in reference to this release:

"Digital transfer struck from a newly restored Hi-Definition master!"

Someone needs to hang their head in shame.

Audio

2 channel all the way, with Cantonese and English options. The English dub is terrible, of course - but it`s fair to say some people might want to give it a whirl for amusement/nostalgic purposes, despite the liberties it takes. The Cantonese track is competent, with plenty of kung-fu `BISH! BASH! BOSH!` sound effects flowing throughout the action. The dialogue mix feels a little removed from the on-screen action, but the score is nicely eclectic, with a variety of electric guitar, mandolin, piano and pipe led pieces throughout. Unlike some previous western releases of this film, the optional English subtitles appear to follow the Cantonese audio track, as opposed to being a direct copy of what is being said on the English dub.

Features

Disc 1:

Commentary: An interesting and informative talk track from glorified HK cinema buff Bey Logan.

Trailers: One for the feature itself, and under `Other Releases`, you can find trailers for `Election`, `Shaolin Soccer`, `Memories Of Murder` and `Azumi`.

Disc 2:

Crossings - John Woo: A nice 50 minute feature on the `Master of Mayhem`.

Interview with John Woo

Interview with Chow Yun-Fat

Conclusion

`A Better Tomorrow` was the real genesis of John Woo`s `Heroic Bloodshed` formula, when everything he`d experimented with previously came together as one tightly choreographed whole. Taking his now standard three-pronged thematic approach of `Brotherhood`, `Honour and `Loyalty`, this industry kickstart made a movie star out of HK TV regular Chow Yun-Fat, and introduced a talented director to the world-at-large. Chow`s performance here mustn`t go unmentioned. The transformation from a hip, cool gangster to a broken man on a quest for self-worth is standout in a film famed for it`s bloody set-pieces. It also shows that, despite his famed action hero status, he`s also quite the character actor. But it`s the gunplay and hi-octane action that people remember - claret on the walls, claret on the ceilings and claret on the hard-wood floors; It`s bloody and violent stuff.

The plot itself would now be considered run-of-the-mill, and with good reason - so influential was A Better Tomorrow that it`s slight glamourisation of the Triad has been shaped and moulded into a thousand films, big and small, around the globe and back again. Woo would go on to add such HK classics as `The Killer`, `Bullet In The Head`, and `Hard Boiled` to his cannon, and they are all arguably more accomplished films - with much practise comes a honed craft. But `A Better Tomorrow` is where it all began. Besides, on it`s own terms and free of the comparative, it`s a pretty darn good flick, anyway. So why such a half-hearted DVD release? The Hong Kong IVL box-set release of the movie (available on R0) features a vastly improved print and both DD and DTS 5.1 remixes of the original audio. So we shouldn`t have to put up with such a miserable, below-par DVD package? Ultimate Edition? Not even close.