Shaolin Wooden Men - DVD Releases

DVD Releases

• Winners Video released a DVD containing both Cantonese and Mandarin soundtracks and English subtitles. However, it is missing roughly 30 seconds, has very poor image quality and the aspect ratio is cropped from 2.35:1 to 1.33:1.
• On 15 February 2001, Seven 7 released the French-language theatrical version entitled L'impitoyable. It contains no Chinese or English options, but it was the first release to contain the full 2.35:1 image.
• On 27 December 2001, Eastern Heroes released an uncut version of the film under the title Shaolin Chamber Of Death. However, it was cropped from 2.35:1 to 1.78:1 and only contained an English dub. The first reel of the English-dubbed version was reportedly found to be damaged, so the first two scenes contain the original Mandarin soundtrack with English subtitles.
• On 17 September 2002, Columbia Tri-Star released the first Western DVD in its original Mandarin language, with newly translated English subtitles. However, the ratio was cropped from 2.35:1 to 1.78:1, the first 10 minutes was missing, and featured very poor video quality.
• On 24 February 2006, Universal Japan released the first uncut DVD in 2.35:1 (using newly-restored materials from Fortune Star). However, this release contains the Cantonese dub, rather than the original Mandarin soundtrack.
• On 23 April 2007, Hong Kong Legends released an uncut DVD (again using newly-restored materials from Fortune Star). However, despite the 2.35:1 video and newly-translated subtitles, it contained the Cantonese dub (mono option also downmixed from the remix) in place of the original audio, and the English dub uses new voice artists for the first two scenes on account of the film's damaged first reel.
• Dragon Dynasty intended to release a Region 1 DVD of the film, originally scheduled for release on 30 October 2008, but the release has been postponed indefinitely.