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To Kill a Mastermind (1979)


BigDruDogg

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About how many people do you think it would take [on a petition, or equivalent] to make a company pay notice to a request?:ooh:

At least a thousand I would say. However, If only a thousand people PURCHASED the disc, that would be deemed a failure especially if said company has to do anything to the film, or add additional special features such as interviews, etc if they so choose. Also, If at least a thousand people show interest and are willing to sign a petition, that doesn't account for who knows how many others may also be aware of the movie and would buy it, or would purchase it on a blind buy.

Surely films like TO KILL A MASTERMIND and other Shaw rarities such as SPIRIT OF THE RAPED, REVENGE OF THE CORPSE, NIGHT OF THE DEVIL'S BRIDE, KILLERS ON WHEELS, VIRGINS OF THE SEVEN SEAS, IMPERIAL TOMB RAIDERS, THE KILLER, LADY EXTERMINATOR would be interesting and welcome releases as well as a gamble for a company. For one, virtually none of these have decent quality collectors versions floating about, so bootlegging would be pretty much non existent for these.

Also, if a DVD company were to go back to the well, so to speak, there are still a good number of name titles that haven't been snatched up mostly of the martial arts and horror variety. BOXER REBELLION, SEVEN MAN ARMY, MARCO POLO and SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS immediately come to mind as well as exploitation fare like OILY MANIAC and BAMBOO HOUSE OF DOLLS which would fit in with past releases from companies like Media Blasters, Synapse, or Discotek (a company that has released stuff like EBOLA SYNDROME and BURNING PARADISE).

Personally I would much prefer to see some of these little known (or seen) titles surface as opposed to films I already own on R3. But that's not to say I wouldn't welcome those, too.

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Fang Shih-yu
At least a thousand I would say. However, If only a thousand people PURCHASED the disc, that would be deemed a failure especially if said company has to do anything to the film, or add additional special features such as interviews, etc if they so choose.
OK, I see the two sides of 1,000 going on here, but maybe the number of people on a petition should be 5,000. The reason I go with this number is simple.... I think when it comes to some "catalog" CDs (obviously, these would be ones that aren't gonna sell like releases from The Beatles do), the average print run is 5,000; if a given CD sells out within 5 years, another run will be pressed, and (hopefully) more will be sold. If the 5,000 don't sell out in the alotted time, it goes "out-of-print". Any idea if there are comparable guidelines for "catalog" DVDs? Overall, the number 5,000 seems like a lot, but if the CD scenario is an indication, a petition with this many people included on it may catch a DVD company's attention dramatically!:squigglemouth:
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Fang Shih-yu
Sadly, only 341 people signed the last such endeavor.
Do you think the word got out about this petition? Is this one still open to add names onto? Upon clicking on the link, I noticed there is no date mentioned....
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Watched it yesterday. Lousy on all fronts. It looks like someone downloaded the print from a torrent site and slapped it onto a disc. Heavy digital artifacting/pixelization (evidence that it's from a small file size) and extreme motion stutter (common with most poorly uploaded XVID files). The worst part is that it looks like the source print was very nice before someone screwed it all up. Chances are that someone ripped it from the Kung Fu HD channel, uploaded it (poorly) to an internet site, and the scumbags at Bonzai "took it" from there.

If you simply have to see this movie in any form, the DVD might chill you out (and it's relatively inexpensive), but if it's the dream print you're after, you'd better hold out. I mean, if someone went to the trouble of remastering an original print, it's only a matter of time before some DVD company steps up and does it right.

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exactly my thoughts. get this thing off a torrent, but don't pay a cent for it. even some VHS Tapes i have are sharper than this mess. and ALL movies in the Celestial Catalog (this being in there too) are properly remastered. even stuff which is "lost" like THE KILLER is fully restored and remastered in the Celestial Vaults.

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I've seen some decent Bonzai releases, but TO KILL A MASTERMIND is easily the worst one yet.

I can deal with tape transfers and even digitization, but problems with the movement of the camera or of the characters gives me a headache. To me, this DVD is unwatchable... but if someone were to upload a full VIDEO_TS file of the source print somewhere, I'd be in heaven.

I'm dying to see this movie, yet I couldn't get five minutes into the Bonzai release. What a shame.

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There is a new nice print of this doing the rounds on a torrent site. A new rip from the Ziieagle box. None of the stuttering from the previous rip.

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Son Of A Gun

I've just googled "Ziieagle box". What an interesting product! Never heard of that kind of thing before. I've read that you can't extract movies from it to get them onto dvdr or anything else.

I take it some super geek has found a way now?

http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/15/creative-ziieagle-movie-box-promises-3-000-years-of-chinese-cult/

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Discussed at length here.

I've read that you can't extract movies from it to get them onto dvdr or anything else.

I take it some super geek has found a way now?

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Son Of A Gun

Thanks. Interesting read. I have no interest in the film but this Ziiegale box thing is interesting.

What makes the film so sought after?

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The only print previously available was recorded in a theater. The film also wasn't released on DVD by Celestial, supposedly because the reels were destroyed in a fire (I think?).

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The only print previously available was recorded in a theater. The film also wasn't released on DVD by Celestial, supposedly because the reels were destroyed in a fire (I think?).

Ric, is that you?? :tongue:

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TibetanWhiteCrane

I refuse to believe that panbonzaisun put out an inferior product, how dare you make such outrageous claims!

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There is a new nice print of this doing the rounds on a torrent site. A new rip from the Ziieagle box. None of the stuttering from the previous rip.

Just got round to watching this version. Just to confirm a lot better than any other copy i've seen so far. Not sure if it's ok to post links. So pm if you don't know where to go.

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Ric, is that you?? :tongue:

Thankfully it's not. :smile:

That's just what I heard, wasn't 100% sure if Meyers made it up.

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The Silver Fox

I picked this up recently and sorry,I'm calling BS on this thread. It looks fine and I suggest the OP check your dvd player or ease up on the hyperbole- the disc I received was was only slightly below the quality of normal IVL releases. The sound is clear and the subs are acceptable-the Fu Subs subtitles are better but overall this is a major step up picture wise.

It was sourced from the Ziieagle and is very watchable. The only time I noticed it getting kind of blocky was really dark scenes but those are very minor occurrences.

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Rock_Bottom
Anyone know where to "find" this version? Searches come up completely blank.

I think folks are referring to this: http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313&_nkw=TO+KILL+A+MASTERMIND+&_sacat=See-All-Categories (as in this is the Pan Media/Bonzai/Red Sun version on DVD).

What I wonder is how the eff these people get their releases out so fast after finding some print to boot...I mean I can answer that from a technical perspective but these "people" are more productive than almost any other DVD house I can think of...very unfortunate in some ways.

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Rock_Bottom
Am referring to the Z Box version or this 831 mb version:

http://www.movieberry.com/to_kill_a_mastermind/?partner=5190&subaccount=zyklopolis

Not what I meant by "find".

Ha ha, I hate searching (or is it trolling :crossedlips:) torrent sites...I actually won't use them...I've had good luck [at times] with USENET News and am less paranoid about using it.

I mean, I have no idea what you are talking about!!! :angel:

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I really want to buy this poster too, Who can sell it please contact rote_itd@yahoo.com

Did you find the poster? I know it's years later but can anyone suggest the best place where I can find a poster of this awesome film?

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