DVD/Germany/fullscreen/German dub/English subtitles/big box edition[click scan for bigger size]
The cover text reads;
Top: "Only uncut version worldwide". Bottom: "Limited to 666 copies" (LOL).
by Jack J
Filipino war flick set during the Vietnam war. A group of soldiers is signed to rescue two US soldiers and a couple of civilians who are kept captive by the Vietcong. The first half of the film is getting there and, obviously, the second half is getting away again. In between we're treated to a very violent and entertaining war flick - Filipino exploitation style.
This is out on Japanese vhs under the title Super Platoon. However, it was recently released fully uncut by X-rated in Germany which is a very welcome release as it doesn't exist uncut on dvd anywhere else. The picture is fullscreen but the cassette states this is the original format (I have no idea if this is true) and it's all beautifully dubbed in the Queen's German.
However, despair not, there's English subtitles!! And, once again, I have no idea as to why! Why didn't they just put the English dubbed audio track on the dvd. Apparently more audio tracks cost more money and I guess X-rated wanted to cut costs but at the same time wanted to secure at least some sale outside of the German speaking countries and thus subtitled it. The subs contain a few grammar mistakes here and there but are fairly alright.
I got my copy from D&T in Austria and although it cost me an arm and a leg (D&T is not exactly a cheap place to shop) I'm happy about my new purchase. BLACK WARRIOR is both pretty violent and pretty entertaining (and then some more violent). The ending leaves room for a sequel if I ever saw one! Btw, in Germany it was released as a sequel to another Filipino war flick called JUNGLE RATS which was released as Dschungel Ratten hence: Dschungel Ratten part 2: Black Warrior. Don't let the dubbing put you off, as I said, very entertaining!
UPDATE:
VHS/Greece/fullscreen/English dub/Greek subtitlesI have BLACK WARRIOR listed as a Filipino film. My review was a quick one written for a post at Cinehound forum and I just took the info from the eStore where I bought the DVD but, uhh, something tells me this may be a Hong Kong production instead. If anybody out there knows the ins and outs of this film please do let me know (and yes why don't I just write down the print credits... and yes I'll do that. Soon!).
Just today I got a cover scan of another release of the film, not the Japanese one I refered to in my review but a Greek VHS and the aka title is sure enough SUPER PLATOON. I should point out the title on my German DVD print is indeed BLACK WARRIOR and it doesn't look like a substituted title card.
Check the German cover for JUNGLE RATS; they used the exact same front cover for BLACK WARRIOR!
[click scan for bigger size]
DVD/Germany/fullscreen/German dub/English subs/ordinary version with cover different to the big box release.
Actually there's a new German DVD of SUPER-PLATOON by a company called HDMV. It's pretty cheap and has an English Audio Track. Thought it might be of interest to you. BTW: Nice blog!
ReplyDeleteSorry to disappoint you but it turned out I was wrong: The new DVD is identical to the X-Retd-DVD you mentioned. So there's no english audio track. My bad.
ReplyDeleteHey Oliver,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words about my wee blog. And too bad it doesn't carry the English track. The old one does have English subs so it's (kinda) alright. :D
Just a heads-up, this has been re-re-released on DVD by a company called VZ-Handels and does not include the English subtitles track any more, even though Amazon.de does list it.
ReplyDeleteThe X-rated Kult disc is still readily available however.
Hey Tim!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. That's too bad about the English subs! :/
If they'd included the English dub instead then fine but this is just silly.