Well, we can certainly use a little smidgen of good news on this board this week, so:

In a NYC Chinatown shop today, I stumbled across a DVD of Ann Hui's BOAT PEOPLE, a quintessential New Wave movie which I had understood was long out of print and didn't think had ever been released on DVD. Is this news to others, or am I just behind the curve?

I believe the distributor listed on the box was Edko. Does that sound right?

Wondered if anyone knew anything about this disc before I decide to pick it up. Or alternately, if no one knows about, thought you'd like to.

I believe that New Yorker Films owns the US rights to this film. At least they did at one time - I saw a 16mm print in college that was booked from them. Alas, I doubt there's any chance they'll get around to putting this out on R1 DVD.

I expect this to arrive from YesAsia any day now (as it was shipped out last week), along with Johnnie To's new (critically slated) "Linger" and HUR Jin-ho's "Happiness". I will report back....

It arrived today at my house, but I haven't been home yet to open it (along with THE HAPPENINGS). I can't wait.

I was hoping to find some sort of info about additional Ann Hui releases (like THE SPOOKY BUNCH), but have found nothing.

The distributor is Edko. I did a bit of googling when I first saw the dvd listed, but can't find any evidence that this might be first in a series of New Wave releases, though one can always hope.

This is so far Edko's only new wave DVD in the Hong Kong shops, and they also have a screening at their Broadway Cinematheque next month. Something that sets Edko apart from the other distributors is that they can give their movies a bit of a push through the Cinematheque and its video store like this. Josephine Siao had THE SPOOKY BUNCH restored a few years ago (and the Film Archive gave it a run), so that would be a nice addition if it came out as well.

Another distrib released a couple of New Wave movies in Hong Kong, some comes from Dennis Yu's Century co. No info in English (via google). I realized that there are no website anymore out there that would review something like the dvdrelease of BOAT PEOPLE!

It gets better -- it looks like Pearl City is finally releasing its titles on DVD.

In addition to COPS AND ROBBERS, a search at yesasia comes up with:

Dennis Yu's THE BEASTS!
Ann Hui's THE STORY OF WOO VIET (drat -- without subs)
Tony Au's THE LAST AFFAIR

All released in the past couple weeks. I'm planning to pick up THE LAST AFFAIR and SAVIOR, having never seen them, and can highly recommend THE BEASTS and COPS AND ROBBERS, which I have on previously out of print Pearl City VCDs.

Finally sat down to watch the Joy Sales VCD of Yim Ho's THE HAPPENINGS. What an amazing film. It makes Tsui Hark's DANGEROUS ENCOUNTERS - 1st KIND look almost silly by comparison. My write up is here. Note the VCD is dark, but passably watchable and the subs are good.

Joy Sales has also just released Yim Ho's third film, WEDDING BELLS, WEDDING BELLES, which is rumoured to be awful but I've ordered it anyway since his first two films are so very good, and KING OF CHESS (previously a Deltamac release, that I missed), also supposedly a mess, cleaned up by Tsui Hark.

-- Peter

Hello,

The Pearl City website lists a bunch of titles on DVD and VCD with its Golden Age titles having a most impressive showing. See:

http://www.pearlcity.com.hk/films.htm

YesAsia seems to have about sixty of these films on hand.