logo Sign In

Info: Hard Target - Director's Cut - JOHN WOO

Author
Date
Author
Time
 (Edited)
Post link

Hello to all,

I’m new to the forum and enjoying the numerous Edits/Preservation Projects that got presented here…

Anyway I discovered that the Director’s cut of Hard Target is on the Bay.
The image is at least a 5th gen copy transfer from VHS and the image is timecoded twice on every frame !

That being said, since I have unfortunately ZERO editing skills (and no software to do so !) there might be a nice project here awaiting to be kick-started by a Woo enthusiast/ skilled editor that could recreate it by merging the retouched scenes with the official release a la Ocpmovie for the Classic Edition… Or maybe try some image enhancement on its original form…

Just my 2 cents…

Peace to all and to Ocpmovie, CBB, Fanfiltration, DigitalFreak and of course Blaksvn : KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK GUYS !!!

Do you expect me to talk ?
No Mister Bond I expect you to DIE !
Author
Time
Post link
I have copies of both the VHS workprint and a bootleg of the Japanese directors cut. Although, I'm pretty sure the Japanese bootleg is exactly the same as the official UK release, at least I didn't notice any difference when I watched it.

Does the version you bought off eBay have burned in Jap subs or does it have a burned in timecode on the left hand side of the print? The reason I ask is because the reasons I've stated above. Hopefully the version you have is the workprint, if not, PM me your address and I'll stick a copy of it in the mail to you.

Edit: Just checked eBay, did you buy your copy from a seller called "r_e_v_o_k"? If so, that's the DC not the workprint. I know this because I got my DC from their website.
Author
Time
Post link
Hey there Boomstick !

I realize I might have been vague with the information I provided above.

- I didn't get Hard Target - Director's Cut from EBay... I went to the Pir8 Bay and I simply dlded the torrent.
- You're right : the copy I have is actually a Workprint the way Woo delivered it to the studio. There is a warning from Universal right before the beginning of the movie stating it is a rough unfinished cut. It runs 116 minutes, there are no end titles just fade out to black in the end. The print in itself has a few scratches and stains but is pretty nice looking. Some of the music is temp tracked from Aliens and the Lethal Weapon series (I'm sure there are other sources as well...).
- The torrent came in the form of VOB files making it a transfer from a VHS source that I think is at least a 5th Gen copy. Every frame is timecoded twice (on the upper left and the lower left corner of the visible image). The image format is close to Pan&scan but could indeed be a bit below 1.77 in ratio as the black bars are thin but present. Overall it is completely watchable AND enjoyable as it is. I really recommend it in its current form.
- I'm definitely interested in the Japanese Cut you have if it has been transferred to DVD yet (PM on the way....).

The information you just provided is only an additional proof that THERE IS a hidden gem waiting to be worked out into a GREAT fan preservation project.

Side Question for you Boomstick :
I purchased an original French DVD of The Killer from Woo that has the Extended Taiwanese version as a supplement (great by the way !!) but it is unfortunately plagued with horrendous superimposed subtitles over a grey square... I'm trying to find a non-tainted version, so if you can help... But here again folks, using the current cleaned print and some of the OCP magic described above, we could restore another masterpiece from Woo !!!!!!
Some days I wish I had the time to get on these myself....
Do you expect me to talk ?
No Mister Bond I expect you to DIE !
Author
Time
Post link
Glad you didn't buy it like I bought my Jap DC bootleg. I remember looking through eBay trying to find the workprint of Hard Target and at the time I thought the workprint and the Jap DC were the same thing. Luckily, it didn't cost me too much cash. As I said in my previous post I'm pretty sure that the Jap DC and the official UK release are the same cut. I know the UK version is touted as uncut and is three maybe four minutes longer than the butchered MPAA US version, but not owning the official UK cut, I can't compare the two, although just today I found it cheap on Amazon, so will probably make a purchase in the next few days.

Just found the running time of the UK version, which is 96 mins, the Jap DC bootleg I have clocks in at approximately 99 mins. So, given that the official release is PAL encoded and the bootleg is NTSC and there's a 4%(?) difference in the framerates, how is this calculated if I'm to find out that the bootleg is different from the official version?

Am I making any sense?

With regard to your version of The Killer, I'm afraid I'm no help there.
Author
Time
Post link
Well then the DC is shorter than the Workprint... It's funny because by reading the following review

http://www.godamongdirectors.com/woo/faq/target.html

and by watching the film, the Woo signature is definitely more present in the workprint... Go Figure !!!

Would you happen to have a DVD cover for it ?

If not I think I'll give it a shot myself and will post it here later if there are any takers... I'm definitely NOT in the coov or Blaksvn league but I should be able to alter the original cover in a nice way.
Do you expect me to talk ?
No Mister Bond I expect you to DIE !
Author
Time
Post link
I know the DC is shorter than the workprint, I was trying to work out (given the differing framerates) what the difference is between the UK official version and the bootleg DC I have, as I'm pretty sure they're the same. I think that as the US version is cut to shit, that various companies (like Revok who I mentioned in an earlier post) are selling the Jap DC as uncut to the US market because it's not available there, wheras the movie is available in the UK.

I was gonna stick a bunch of info in here as to the differences between the two versions, but there's no point as most sites I just looked at refer to the workprint as the Directors Cut.
The following piece of text was taken from a review of the DC, suggesting that the follwing scene was included in the DC but not in the official R rated version
Surprisingly, the action scenes weren't the only bits cut. Also missing is a "love" scene between Van Damme and Butler.


The love scene wasn't in any version except for the workprint. The DC & the workprint are two different entities. Jesus, people are so retarded.

Note: the previous moan I just had wasn't directed at anyone here, just in general at fools on the internet.

By the way... cover & disc art for the workprint would be ace if you could create some, I'd try but my creative skills are fucking dreadful.
Author
Time
Post link
I have a vhs of the workprint also. Haven't watched it in a while, but I do remember it being of fairly good quality. If anybody wants it I can have it transfered to a DVD-R for editing perposes.
There's good in the Original Trilogy, and it's worth fighting for.
"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."
http://www.myspace.com/harlock415
Author
Time
Post link
I'm interested in a copy of that, just to see if the quality is any different to the version I have now.
Author
Time
Post link
now I got to dig it up from storage. But I'm pretty sure I lnow where it is.
There's good in the Original Trilogy, and it's worth fighting for.
"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."
http://www.myspace.com/harlock415
Author
Time
Post link
Being a UK'r and owning the UK cut of Hard Target I can confirm that the cut found on Pirate Bay is not the same - all of the info you need can be found here =

Hard Target Info Found at PB
Author
Time
Post link
Originally posted by: NeilB
Being a UK'r and owning the UK cut of Hard Target I can confirm that the cut found on Pirate Bay is not the same - all of the info you need can be found here =

Hard Target Info Found at PB



I know it isn't the same. I'm trying to find out if the Jap DC bootleg I have is the samecut as the UK Region release, but I'm finding this a little difficult because I'm no idea how to calculate the differing framerates.

Please note: I also have a copy of the VHS workprint, this isn't the same as the bootleg Jap DC.

In fact, reading the link you posted, the whole article is talking about the workprint, it even has screenies of the workprint embedded in the page, so why the fuck is the article called "On The Chopping Block: Hard Target, The Directors Cut"?

It's not the fucking directors cuts at all, now can you see why I lambasted people in a previous post? Hell, they had me fooled when I purchased the DC bootleg, because I thought I was getting my grubby mitts on the workprint.

Please note II: Neil, I wasn't having a pop at you, and being in the UK also, if you want a copy of the workprint send me a PM
Author
Time
Post link
Finally got round to watching the workprint - very watchable. It is like a totally different film - the music for one gives it a different feel. I was a fan of the original, but this is the version I will watch from now on!

Highly recommended.
Author
Time
Post link
Originally posted by: Boomstick
Just found the running time of the UK version, which is 96 mins, the Jap DC bootleg I have clocks in at approximately 99 mins. So, given that the official release is PAL encoded and the bootleg is NTSC and there's a 4%(?) difference in the framerates, how is this calculated if I'm to find out that the bootleg is different from the official version?

Am I making any sense?
96:00 x 25/23.976 = 100:06

Guidelines for post content and general behaviour: read announcement here

Max. allowable image sizes in signatures: reminder here

Author
Time
Post link
This movie was released uncut on DVD in france, and that was the Woo's cut (not the rough cut, but the japanese longer cut), all you need is to rip that DVD to really own the ultimate version Woo's wanted. The other is just a rough. Anyway Vandamme is unwatchable in that film.
Author
Time
Post link

Can anyone help me find this? It seems there was a torrent available with the DVD-R but I missed the boat :(

Author
Time
Post link

Sorry to bump an old thread like this, but today is the first I'd heard of the workprint.


I found some dead links to a Workprint "Redux".  Does anyone have info on that version and possibly info on where good links can be found?

Dr. M

Author
Time
Post link

I still have the DVD of the workprint somewhere in my archives...

The redux sounds like what I was actually asking in my original post. From what I remember the workprint is only barely watchable and would benefit from either clean-up and/or some cut and splicing from the original release.

Oh well...

Do you expect me to talk ?
No Mister Bond I expect you to DIE !
Author
Time
Post link

I found some flavor of this on Cinemageddon.  Looks bad (VHS to XviD), but it's a start.

Dr. M

Author
Time
Post link

Friends, where you can download / buy a movie: Hard Target (Workprint version), help please!!)

Author
Time
Post link

I have the workprint and the X rated cut VHS rips tho I am afraid 

Author
Time
Post link

dvdmike said:

I have the workprint and the X rated cut VHS rips tho I am afraid 

Friend, do pleease rip this film!)

Author
Time
Post link

hi dvdmike

how long is the X rated cut (VHS)?

sammohung786

Author
Time
Post link

FYI There are 2 workprint versions running for 118 and 128 mins on the spleen

Author
Time
Post link

milw50717 said:

FYI There are 2 workprint versions running for 118 and 128 mins on the spleen

 ^ What he said