At 134 minutes, this is a pretty long film by Hong Kong standards. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a cut down western release, that happens today (Red Cliff, for instance) and has happened in the past (another John Woo film is a good example - Bullet in the Head has a cut down version, as well as a LOT of lost footage originally intended for inclusion). You might try looking for old VHS dubbed copies - sometimes you'll find an interesting re-edit, though almost always the original is best.
The original versions of Hong Kong kung fu movies are often superior to their Western counterparts. Jackie Chan's
The Legend of the Drunken Master (2000), released as
Drunken Master 2 (1994) in Hong Kong, is a perfect example. The sound effects were better, and the English dubbing and Hollywood "realistic" sound effects really detracted from what made the original so much better. It was the exact same movie with the only major edit being where they cut out the original ending which had Jackie Chan becoming mentally retarded after drinking the kerosene in the foundry during the final fight scene; I guess they didn't want to offend American audiences with a comical retarded person or something, which I found silly because...well, you shouldn't drink kerosene. DUH!