Eureka Classics exposes THE SHAOLIN PLOT (review)

 

A young man must master Shaolin fighting techniques to avenge two masters in THE SHAOLIN PLOT which features Sammo Hung as a Tibetan warrior monk who uses golden cymbals to decapitate enemies.

REVIEW LINK: Eureka Video (UK) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

THE SHAOLIN PLOT Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 Widescreen
• Mandarin and English LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by Asian film experts Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) and Michael Worth
• Audio Commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
• Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer
• English Export Trailer
• The first print run of 2,000 copies comes with a limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling and a collector's booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver.
  

Eureka's Masters of Cinema schedules an EXECUTION IN AUTUMN (review)

When her spoiled grandson is sentanced to death for a triple murder, a proud noblewman tries to buy his freedom and is pushed to desperation to ensure that the family line does not end without an heir in this Taiwanese drama.

REVIEW LINK: Eureka Video (UK) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

EXECUTION IN AUTUMN Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 Widescreen
• Mandarin LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• "Tony Rayns on EXECUTION IN AUTUMN"
• Restoration Demo
• Collector's booklet featuring new and archival writing.
• The first 2,000 copies include a limited edition O-card slipcover.
  

Film Movement spins the WHEEL OF FORTUNE AND FANTASY (review)

Started before the Award Winning DRIVE MY CAR and finished during that production's COVID haitus, WHEEL OF FORTUNE AND FANTASY has director Ryusuke Hamaguchi spinning three tales of fate and chance involving a love triangle with two models, a honey trap for a prestigious scholar, and an unusual reunion between two classmates.

REVIEW LINK: Film Movement (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

WHEEL OF FORTUNE AND FANTASY Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.78:1 Widescreen
• Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1
• Optional English Subtitles
• Interview with writer/director Ryusuke Hamaguchi
• Theatrical Trailer
• "The Chicken" short film directed by Neo Sora
• Bonus Trailers
  

Mondo Macabro falls prey to THE RAVAGER and THE BUSHWHACKER (review)

Mondo Macabro and Something Weird Video launch their American Arcana line with a truly deranged duo.  In THE BUSHWHACKER, a crazy and horny desert hermit shoots down a passing plane carrying a studly pilot and three pretty models.  From SHE FREAK's Byron Mabe.  In THE RAVAGER, a traumatized Vietnam War demolitions expert is discharged and can only achieve arousal by blowing up his victims!  From Charles Nizet, director of HELP ME... I'M POSSESSED!

REVIEW LINK: Mondo Macabro (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

THE BUSHWHACKER/THE RAVAGER Blu-ray specs:

• The Bushwhacker (1968):
• 1080p24 MPEG-2 1.78:1 widescreen
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Theatrical Trailer
• The Ravager (1970):
• 1080p24 MPEG-2 1.33:1 pillarboxed fullscreen
• English LPCM 2.0 Mono
• German Theatrical Trailer

Eureka Classics aims REVOLVER (Review)

When his wife his held for ransom, a jail warden must spring a crook awaiting trial but even the crook does not know who is behind the plot and the two must team up to survive in REVOLVER from director Sergio Sollima and starring Oliver Reed, Fabio Testi, and Agostina Belli.

REVIEW LINK: Eureka Video (UK) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

REVOLVER Blu-ray specs: 

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen
• English and Italian LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Optional English and English HoH Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by author/critic Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw
• Stephen Thrower on REVOLVER
• "Tough Girl" interview with actress Paola Pitagora
• "Action Man" interview with actor Fabio Testi
• English Opening and Closing Credits
• Italian Theatrical Trailer
• U.S. "Blood in the Streets" Theatrical Trailer
• Two "Blood in the Streets" Radio Spots
• The first pressing of 2,000 copies comes with a limited edition O-card slipcover and a collector's booklet featuring two new essays by author Howard Hughes; one covering the background to the making of Revolver, and an extensive piece on Ennio Morricone’s “Eurocrime” soundtracks.
  

Arrow Films avenges THE 8 DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER (review)

When General Yang and five of his sons are betrayed by traitorous General Pan Me and slaughtered, one of his surviving sons goes mad and the other seeks refuge at a Buddhist temple while the Dowager Yang and her daughters plot to avenge their father and brothers.  Starring Gordon Liu and Alexander Fu Sheng (who died during production).

REVIEW LINK: Arrow Video USA/MVD Visual (DVDCompare)

THE 8 DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 Widescreen
• Cantonese, Mandarin, and English DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 Mono
• Optional English and English SDH Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by Jonathan Clements, author of "A Brief History of China"
• "Tony Rayns on <i>The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter</i>" film critic appreciation
• "The 8 Diagram Tragedy" 2004 interview with actor Gordon Liu
• "Martial Mom" 2004 interview with actress Lily Li
• "The Shadow Heroine" 2004 interview with actress Yeung Ching-ching
• "A Tribute to Fu Sheng" 1984 short film
• Alternate "The Invincible Pole Fighters" Opening Credits
• Theatrical Trailer
• Digital Release Trailer
• Image Gallery
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Marc Aspinall.
• FIRST PRESSING ONLY: an illustrated collectors' booklet featuring new writing on the film by Terrence J. Brady. 
• Also available as an Arrow Video Store Exclusive with a limited edition slipcover.
  

Eureka's Masters of Cinema is OUTSIDE THE LAW (review)

When is a Tod Browning/Lon Chaney film not twisted and macabre? When it's actually a Tod Browning/Priscilla Dean vehicle with Lon Chaney in a sinister supporting dual role in OUTSIDE THE LAW.

REVIEW LINK: Eureka Video (UK) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

OUTSIDE THE LAW Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen
• Music LPCM 2.0 Stereo
• English Intertitles
• "Kim Newman on OUTSIDE THE LAW"
• Alternate Ending from Reissue Version
• Collector's booklet featuring an essay by Richard Combs.
  

Eureka Video launders DREADNAUGHT (review)

Yuen Biao is a "mousy" laundry boy who trains under the great Wong Fei Hung when a masked killer starts stalking him in DREADNAUGHT.

REVIEW LINK: Eureka (UK) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

DREADNAUGHT Blu-ray specs: 

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 Widescreen
• Cantonese LPCM 2.0 Mono, English LPCM 2.0 Mono, English (Home Video Mix) LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng, NY Asian Film Festival, and filmmaker Michael Worth
• Audio Commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder & Arne Venema
• Interview with actress Lily Li
• Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer
• U.S. Home Video Trailer
• Reversible cover
• The first 2,000 copies come with a limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling and collector's booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver.
  

88 Films illuminates HUMAN LANTERNS (review)

When two boastful noblemen compete for prestige over who has the most beautiful lantern in the Chinese New Year festival, one of them unfortunately hires a madman who uses an ancient art form to make lanterns using human skin in this Shaw Brothers wuxia/horror hybrid.

REVIEW LINK: 88 Films (US/UK) Region A/B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

HUMAN LANTERNS Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 Widescreen
• Mandarin LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by Kenneth Brorsson and Phil Gillon of the Podcast On Fire Network
• "A Shaw Story" interview with actress Susan Shaw
• "The Beauty and the Beasts" interview with actress Linda Chu
• "Lau Wing - The Ambiguous Hero" interview
• Theatrical Trailer
• Reversible cover
• The first pressing of 3,000 copies includes a gloss O-ring slipcase with brand-new artwork from R.P. "Kung Fu Bob" O'Brien, booklet notes by Barry Forshaw
, and a double-sided foldout poster.
  

American Genre Film Archive explores a WICKED WORLD (review)

The star of THINGS Barry J. Gillis gives you a Canadian perspective on American violence in the nineties nihilistic slasher/serial killer film WICKED WORLD.

REVIEW LINK: American Genre Film Archive (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

WICKED WORLD Blu-ray specs:

• Director's Cut:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.35:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
  
• Original Cut:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.35:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo
• Optional English Subtitles
  
• "Reality: Behind the Scenes of WICKED WORLD" documentary
• "Marshall Law Video" music video
• "Tribute to Eddie Platt" interview with Eddie Platt's son Stuart Platt
• "Tomorrow's Dream" interview with actor/director Barry J. Gillis
• Video Trailer
• Reversible Cover
• The first 2,000 copies ordered directly from Vinegar Syndrome come with a special limited edition embossed slipcover.
  

Vinegar Syndrome is loose again in 4K with DEATH WISH 2 (review)

Charles Bronson is loose again in DEATH WISH 2 as architect Paul Kersey who turns vigilante again when his daughter is raped and murdered.

REVIEW LINK: Vinegar Syndrome (US) Region ALL UHD/Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

DEATH WISH 2 Blu-ray specs: 

• Disc One (UHD):
• International Version of the Film:
• 2160p24 HEVC 1.85:1 Widescreen (HDR10)
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by author and historian Paul Talbot
• Disc Two (Blu-ray):
• International Version of the Film:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• Audio Commentary on the international version by author and historian Paul Talbot
• TV Version of the Film:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• "Pass" interview with screenwriter David Engelbach
• "Working with Bronson" interview with actor Robert F. Lyons
• "Dark Parts" interview with actress Robin Sherwood
• "Fights in the Theater" interview with Todd Roberts, son of executive producer Bobby Roberts
• Theatrical Trailer
• Comes with a reversible cover.
• The first 5,000 copies ordered directly from Vinegar Syndrome include a special limited edition embossed slipcover designed by Robert Sammelin.
  

Synapse Films breaks bread with THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE (Review)

Weekenders discover it's better to "let sleeping corpses lie" than to "break bread with the living dead" in the Spanish/Italian zombie gore flic THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE.

REVIEW LINK: Synapse Films (US) Region ALL Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.85:1 Widescreen
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 Mono
• Optional English SDH Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by authors Nathaniel Thompson and Bruce Holecheck
• Audio Commentary by author Troy Howarth
• "Jorge Grau: Catalonia's Cult Film King" feature-length documentary
• "The Scene of the Crime: Giannetto De Rossi in Discussion from Manchester"
• Giannetto De Rossi Q&A at the 2020 Festival of Fantastic Films, UK
• Theatrical Trailer
• 2 TV Spots
• 2 Radio Spots
  

Eureka's Masters of Cinema falls under the spell of VAMPYR (review)

Danish filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer's desire to do something different and mainstream after THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC resulted in one of the most unnerving and dreamlike works of vampire cinema in VAMPYR.

REVIEW LINK: Eureka Video (UK) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

VAMPYR Blu-ray specs: 

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.19:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen
• German LPCM 1.0 Mono (restored and unrestored options)
• German Intertitles and Optional English Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by film scholar Tony Rayns
• Audio Commentary by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro
• Visual Essay by scholar Casper Tybjerg
• "Carl Th. Dreyer" 1966 documentary by Jörgen Roos
• Author/critic Kim Newman on VAMPYR
• "David Huckvale on Wolfgang Zeller"
• "David Huckvale on Sheridan le Fanu"
• "The Baron" documentary about Baron Nicolas de Gunzburg by Craig Keller
• Censored Scenes from the French Version
• Comes in a limited edition hardbound slipcase of 3,000 copies with a 100-page book production and cast credits, the 1933 Danish film programme (translated by Trond S. Trondsen in 2008), "Film-Production Carl Dreyer" by Jean and Dale Drum (2000), Tom Milne's 1971 essay, an interview with Baron Nicolas de Gunzberg by Herman G. Weinberg and Gretchen Weinberg from 1964, "Imagination and Colour" by Dryer from 1955, "Some Notes on the Restoration" by Martin Koerber from 2000 (updated in 2022), production stills, notes on viewing, and Blu-ray credits.
  

Arrow Video takes on a ONE-ARMED BOXER (Review)

When mercenaries attack his school, kill his teacher and his brothers, and cut off his arm, Jimmy Wang Yu must learn the art of the Crippled Fist to avenge them in ONE-ARMED BOXER.

REVIEW LINK: Arrow Video/MVD Visual (US) Region A Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

ONE-ARMED BOXER Blu-ray specs:

• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 Widescreen
• Mandarion and English DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 Mono
• Alternate Mandarin dub in DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 Mono
• Optional English and English SDH Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng of the NY Asian Film Festival
• Interview with actor/director Wang Yu by Frédéric Ambroisine
• Alternate English Credits
• Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer
• U.S. TV Spot
• U.S. Radio Spot
• Wang Yu Trailer Gallery
• Image Gallery
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady.
• The first pressing only includes an illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Simon Abrams.