Cathay Films

by **Kwai-Tjai** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:10 pm

Films from the archives from Cathay Film are being released since a few months. It's just a shame that they are not released in their original aspect ratio but fullscreen.

Below are two links, one for the trailer of Escorts Over Tiger Hills and one for a list of Wuxia pics.

[url]http://www.cathay.com.sg/classics_trailers_tiger.html

[/url]http://www.cathay.com.sg/classics_wuxia.html

by **Brian Thibodeau** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 10:59 pm

So these are still being released? It almost seemed like they died off awhile back.

by **dleedlee** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:59 am

They've been pretty quiet lately. Though, back last fall they released three titles: Magic Lamp and Darling Stay at Home (both cropped I think - haven't picked them up, yet) besides First Sword. Their catalog is probably geared towards TV broadcasts, hence, the cropping. Fortunately, the classics like Mambo Girl and Wild, Wild Rose and most of the earlier Panorama/Cathay issues were not originally in widescreen format.

by **Kwai-Tjai** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 6:18 am

Their releases indeed slowed down and it is true that most of their titles are geared towards TV (that's probably their reason for cropping). Lets hope they keep on releasing. I'll try to get some more information on Cathay, should I know more I'll post it.

by **MrBooth** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:33 am

I don't think it's that the releases are geared towards broadcast now, but that the only materials Panorama were provided for the Cathay films were old video masters.

When the releases first came out (years ago) they said that they were disappointed with the quality too, and that if the rights-holders couldn't provide better materials they'd stop releasing them... and for a long time they did... but I guess that them starting again isn't a sign that they've finally gotten hold of better materials?

If they were charging a more reasonable price I wouldn't mind the quality to get hold of the films, but they want the same price for these VHS-on-a-disc releases that IVL charge for the fully restored and remastered Shaw Brothers films!

by **Terence Lee** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:36 pm

it has been some time since Cathay launched an appeal to collectors for a decent copy of "The Romance Of Liang Shan Po And Chu Ying Tai" as their original negatives are damaged. Looks like no one has the Li Li-hua & Lucilla Yu Ming classic from 1964.
This one is lost forever.

by **stooges0** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 5:45 am

cathy film once released a nice cantonese movie that looks like a broadway show it was called my kingdom for a husband
stars cheung ying/law yim hing, leung sing po and tam lan hing.

although it was bw and made in 1957, it was very surprise back then such classic movie was produced. the video and audio was kept pretty good for something over 50 years old. What's special about this movie is it is modern clothes but sings opera songs (the noisy banging style) throughout like if you were watching a opera movie. Performer are people who sings and perform cantonese opera. this is what made this movie unique and interesting. this movie make you feel like you are watching a broadway show.
You get that kind of feeling.

the problem was Cathy should have bundle both part 1 (bw 1957) AND part 2 (color 1958) together and sell it as a box set, now for all who purchased the 1st movie they are all stuck without the 2nd half of the story

this is consumer rip off.
above was a posting from a message board on the internet and I thought I forward the message over here since there is a subject discusson on cathy films

Cathay Films

Cathay Films

Lost forever?

cathy film ....

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