The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman/The Warrior and the Ninja – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Indonesia, 1983 (The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman), Indonesia, 1985 (The Warrior and the Ninja)
Directors: Dasri Yacob (The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman), H. Tjut Djalil (The Warrior and the Ninja)
Cast: Barry Prima, Advent Bangun, Gudi Sintara, W.D. Mochtar, Syamsuddin Syafei, Gino Makasutji (The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman), Barry Prima, El Manik, Rita Zahara, Syamsuri Kaempuan, Tizar Purbaya, Piet Pagau, Zurmaini, Syamsuddin Syafei (The Warrior and the Ninja)

Release Date: November 12th, 2024
Approximate Running Times: 92 Minutes 36 Seconds (The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman), 98 Minutes 37 Seconds (The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Indonesian, DTS-HD Mono English (Both Films)
Subtitles: English (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman: "In this explosive sequel to The Warrior, Jaka Sembung is back, organizing resistance to the Dutch colonialist army in West Java and spreading the message of rebellion throughout the land. The Dutch commander organizes a martial arts tournament to select the best warrior to defeat Jaka Sembung. The winner is Si Buta, a mysterious blind swordsman from a place Called Devil’s Mountain. For a chest full of gold coins, Sin Buta returns with Jaka Sembungs’s decapitated head. However, things are not quite what they seem and they become even more complicated when a seductive sorceress, Dewi Magi, sets her sights on the blind swordsman and demands Jaka Sembung as her sex slave. The Dutch send in their heavily armed troops and an apocalyptic battle ensues, filled with magic, mayhem and mystical martial arts." - synopsis provided by the distributor

The Warrior and the Ninja: "In this final entry in Rapi Films’ Warrior Trilogy, Jaka Sembung teams up with a female freedom fighter known as The Black Squirrel. The film opens with a spectacular volcanic explosion and from there on the tension never lets up. Numerous high energy scenes of brutal martial arts are interspersed with sustained action, gore, and outrageous special effects sequences. This may well be the most action packed of all the films in the series and is directed by Mystics in Bali helmer H. Tjut Djalil. Jaka Sembung comes up against one of his most fearsome opponents in the seemingly invincible, iron skinned Balung Wesi. The film features one of the most over the top scenes in the entire trilogy when one of the villains has her face ripped off by the Black Squirrel." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5 (The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman), 3.5/5 (The Warrior and the Ninja)

Here’s the information provided about the transfers, "HD transfer from the original negative".

The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman and The Warrior and the Ninja come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.6 GB

Feature: 21.5 GB (The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman), 23.2 (The Warrior and the Ninja)

The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman: The source is in great shape; any imperfections are minor. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, and black levels fare well.

The Warrior and the Ninja has the weakest source out of these two films; darker moments lack clarity, and black levels are not convincing.

Audio: 4.25/5 (The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman - DTS-HD Mono Indonesian), 4/5 (The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman - DTS-HD Mono English), 3.5/5 (The Warrior and the Ninja - Both Audio Tracks)

The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Indonesian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear and balanced. That said, the Indonesian language track sounds fuller than the English audio track. Included are removable English subtitles for the Indonesian language track.

The Warrior and the Ninja comes with two audio options: a DTS-HD mono mix in Indonesian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. The audio tracks sound satisfactory range-wise, but at times their dialog is muffled and they seem confined. Included are removable English subtitles for the Indonesian language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release are limited to a 10-page booklet with an essay titled The Significance of Jaka Sembung written by Ekky Imanjaya.

Summary:

The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman: The oppressive Dutch occupiers hold a tournament to find the fighter who can eliminate Jaka Sembung.

Whenever a film is successful, it won’t be long before a sequel happens. And though The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman literally pick up where their predecessor left off, the result is a film that feels more like a rehash than a sequel; there are several moments that feel like Deja Vu. That said, when it comes to carnage, this is one area where The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman bests its predecessor.

The best part of The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman is Barry Prima, who reprises the role of Jaka Sembung. With The Warrior under his belt, he’s even more comfortable in the role; his performance is overflowing with enthusiasm. Another performance of note is Advent Bangun’s portrayal of a blind swordsman.

From a production standpoint, it is obvious that The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman has even fewer resources than its predecessor. It is a film that is light on plot and heavy on action; fortunately, pacing is never an issue. Ultimately, The Warrior set the bar so high that The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman feel like a letdown that retreads familiar ground.

The Warrior and the Ninja: Jaka Sembung joins forces with a Robin Hood-like ninja in his fighter against the oppressive Dutch occupiers.

H. Tjut Djalil directed The Warrior and the Ninja. He is also known for directing Mystics in Bali, Lady Terminator, and Dangerous Seductress.

Where the first two films were similar, in this third installment there is some new blood thrown into the mix. The Ninja character Black Squirrel takes the lead this time, with Jaka Sembung having less screen time as the focal point is shifted. That said, no matter which of these characters are on screen, The Warrior and the Ninja is an improvement in every way over The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman.

From a production standpoint, despite its shortcomings, The Warrior and the Ninja succeeds because of its two lead performances. And though it has the most anemic narrative of these three films, its non-stop action sequences ensure there is never a dull moment. Also, besides well-executed action sequences, the ample amount of gory carnage is another area where The Warrior and the Ninja stands out. Ultimately, The Warrior and the Ninja is a positive move in the right direction after The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman.

Mondo Macabro gives The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman and The Warrior and the Ninja their best audio/video presentations to date, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Warrior – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Indonesia, 1981
Director: Sisworo Gautama Putra
Cast: Barry Prima, W.D. Mochtar, Dana Christina, Eva Arnaz, Dorman Borisman, Rukman Herman, H.I.M. Damsyik, S. Parya, S. Suryabrata

Release Date: November 12th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 36 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Indonesian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Witchcraft and black magic versus mystical martial arts! This outrageously entertaining fantasy flick stars Indonesian action hero Barry Prima. He plays Jaka Sembung a kind of Robin Hood figure who possesses mystical powers. As a leader of his country’s rebellion against the oppressive Dutch colonialists, Jaka Sembung is captured, tortured and left for dead. But he returns, even more powerful than before. In desperation the invaders resurrect an evil wizard and set him against Jaka Sembung in a fierce fight to the death." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this transfer, "HD transfer from the original negative".

The Warrior comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.4 GB

Feature: 28.2 GB

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Indonesian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, the English-language track sounds more robust than the Indonesian audio track. Included are removable English subtitles for the Indonesian language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include theatrical trailers for The Warrior (4 minutes 15 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman (2 minutes 56 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles) and The Warrior and the Ninja (3 minutes 21 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with screenwriter Imam Tantowi (9 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Indonesian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with producer Gope Samtani (11 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with SFX maestro EL Badrun (22 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Indonesian with removable English subtitles), an interview with filmmaker Joko Anwar (37 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an interview with Imam Tantowi (21 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Indonesian with removable English subtitles).

Summary:

When word spreads about an impending revolt, the Dutch occupiers set their sights on eliminating the leader of the rebellion, Jaka Sembung, once and for all.

Sisworo Gautama Putra directed The Warrior. He is also known for making Primitives, Satan's Slave, Sundelbolong, and The Hungry Snake Woman.

With only one film under his belt, The Warrior would make Barry Prima a star who would rule 1980s Indonesian action cinema. The Warrior would also reteam Barry Prima with director Sisworo Gautama Putra; they had already worked together on Primitives. Barry Prima would portray Jaka Sembung in four films: The Warrior, The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman, The Warrior and the Ninja, and Jaka Sembung and the Ocean Goddess.

The Warrior is a melting pot of the outlandish and the bizarre. Body parts are dismembered and reattached with ease, eyes are gouged, the dead are raised, and in one scene the protagonist is transformed into a pig. An ample amount of bloody carnage is present, and the fight sequences are ridiculously exaggerated.

The main attraction is Barry Prima in the role of Jaka Sembung, a Christ-like character who refuses to bend to Dutch occupiers. He delivers a solid performance that more than fulfills the role of the hero; is it not surprising that out of all the characters he’s portrayed, Jaka Sembung is the one he’s most identified with. Also, the deliriously over-the-top bad guys should not be overlooked when discussing the performances.

The Warrior, like all Indonesian cinema from this era, is not known for its polished production values, and yet it is a film that succeeds despite its shortcomings. And though the bloody moments of carnage far outnumber moments of exposition, this does not affect pacing in any way as things move along briskly. Ultimately, The Warrior is a satisfying mix of carnage, action, and mayhem that often exceeds expectations.

The Warrior gets an exceptional release from Mondo Macabro that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Despiser: Collector's Edition – Visual Vengeance (Blu-ray)

Release Date: USA, 2003
Director: Philip J. Cook
Writer: Philip J. Cook
Cast: Mark Redfield, Doug Brown, Gage Sheridan, Frank Smith, Michael Weitz, Tara Bilkins, Mike Diesel

Release Date: October 22nd, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 104 Minutes 52 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $24.95

"After losing his job and his wife, Gordon crashes his car and lands in purgatory, where he's attacked by fanatics and enslaved souls. He's soon saved by a quirky band of freedom fighters from different historical eras, all of whom died in noble sacrifice. Reluctantly joining their cause, Gordon embarks on a wild adventure through surreal, hellish landscapes to battle the Despiser, the malevolent ruler of the realm. Facing shifting realities, monstrous creatures, and intense car chases over lava oceans, their journey leads to the ultimate showdown to save all of humanity." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Producer-supervised SD master from original tape source".

Despiser comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.2 GB

Feature: 24.4 GB

The source looks great; colors and flesh tones look correct, the image looks crisp, and black levels fare well. That said, this is one of Visual Vengeance’s better-looking transfers.

Audio: 3.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio is in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise things sound very good.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a trailer for Invader (1 minute 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a trailer for Outerworld (1 minute 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Despiser Visual Vengeance trailer (1 minute 20 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Despiser production trailer (1 minute 44 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles),image and art gallery with music from the film playing in the background, behind the scenes gallery with music from the film playing in the background, original DVD menu animated intro (17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo), a featurette titled Despiser: Storyboard to Animation (2 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo), outtakes reel (12 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), blooper reel (4 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), deleted scenes (10 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette titled The Making of Despiser (15 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Philip J. Cook and actor Mark Hyde (14 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Philip J. Cook and actors Mark Redfield and Gage Sheridan, an audio commentary with Sam Panico of B&S About Movies and Bill Van Ryn of Drive-In Asylum, reversible cover art featuring original VHS art, 'Stick your own' video store sticker sheet, a folded mini-poster, a 2-Sided Insert, and a limited-edition slipcase (first pressing only).

Other extras include trailers for Dinosaur Valley Girls, Kung Fu Rascals, and Fungicide.

Summary:

A man finds himself in a purgatory inhabited by dead aliens who crashed on Earth.

Despiser is a sci-fi/action hybrid that takes place in what resembles a virtual reality. And though there have been other films about purgatory, it's safe to say that Despiser goes where others have not gone before. That said, at the heart of Despiser is a classic good versus evil scenario where characters on a holy-like mission vanquish evil.

From a production standpoint, Despiser is a film whose ambitions are often undermined by its limited resources. The narrative has many lulls that derail its momentum, despite the fact that there is a good amount of time devoted to backstory. Though the CGI is more of an eyesore than an asset, one should not fault the performances since the actors go all in on the story that unfolds. Ultimately, Despiser is a film that you are either going to enjoy or loath; there is no middle ground.

Despiser gets a solid release from Visual Vengeance that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Kung Fu Rascals: Collector's Edition – Visual Vengeance (Blu-ray)

Release Date: USA, 1992
Director: Steve Wang
Cast: Steve Wang, Troy Fromin, Johnnie Saiko, Les Claypool, 'Evil' Ted Smith

Release Date: October 22nd, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 102 Minutes 21 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.95

"When their village is threatened by an ancient dark lord known as The Bamboo Man, a master thief and his two sidekicks steal a map and set off on a quest to find the only superpower in the land big enough to save their home and rid the world of evil. But these Rascals will have to kick, punch and fart their way through every ninja, monster and mutant in sight before they can restore peace." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 1.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Director-supervised SD master from original tape elements".

Kung Fu Rascals comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.5 GB

Feature: 16 GB

There is only so much that can be done with a transfer source from SD tapes.That said, I don’t see any other release ever looking better than this one.

Audio: 2.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Though the audio sounds clear and balanced, don’t expect anything range-wise.

Extras:

Extras for this release include Kung Fu Rascals Visual Vengeance trailer (1 minute 5 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Kung Fu Rascals original trailer (3 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), behind the scenes image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, stills gallery with music from the film playing in the background, complete Film Threat Video #6 behind the scenes article, a short film titled Code 9 directed by Steve Wang (13 minutes 20 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), original Kung Fu Rascals Super 8 short film directed by Steve Wang (34 minutes 50 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Behind The Scenes Video Diaries (56 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with Chris Gore titled Distributing Kung Fu Rascals on VHS (11 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview titled Steve Wang and Les Claypool III Meet Again (10 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview titled The Reunion of the Three Rascals (16 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a documentary titled The Making of Kung Fu Rascals (112 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with director Steve Wang, actors Johnnie Saiko,Troy Fromin, Ted Smith and composer and actor Les Calypool III, an audio commentary with Kung Fu Rascals superfans Justin Decloux and Dylan Cheung, reversible cover art featuring original VHS art, 'Stick your own' video store sticker sheet, a folded mini-poster, a 2-Sided Insert, a 12-page mini comic book (first pressing only), and a limited-edition slipcase (first pressing only).

Other extras include trailers for The Nine Demons, Furious, and Born a Ninja.

Summary:

Steve Wang directed Kung Fu Rascals. He is also known for directing The Guyver, Guyver: Dark Hero, and Drive.

The Kung Fu Rascals are the only hope for restoring the villager, besieged by evil, to its former glory.

Kung Fu Rascals devotes some time to exposition but is predominantly action-driven. Fortunately, the surprisingly strong martial arts sequences are Kung Fu Rascals’ greatest asset. That said, at 102 minutes in length, there are a few lulls, and the narrative would have benefited from tightening up.

The most surprising aspect of Kung Fu Rascals is how effectively it uses humor, especially in regards to martial arts stereotypes. Also, when it comes to the performances, it's hard not to get caught up in the cast's enthusiasm. Despite its lack of polish, Kung Fu Rascals delivers in the one area where it matters the most; it's a fun film that does not take itself seriously. Ultimately, Kung Fu Rascals is an ambitious do-it-yourself film that somehow succeeds despite its shortcomings.

Visual Vengeance gives Kung Fu Rascals its best home media release to date; this is as good as it will ever look or sound, and it comes with a ridiculous amount of extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Full Contact – Sony Pictures (DVD)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1992
Director: Ringo Lam
Writer: Nam Yin
Cast: Chow Yun-fat, Simon Yam, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Ann Bridgewater, Bonnie Fu, Frankie Chan

Release Date: May 13th, 2003
Approximate Running Time: 98 Minutes 53 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen & 4:3 Aspect Ratio
Rating: R
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono Cantonese, Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Region Coding: Region 1 NTSC
Retail Price: OOP

"To help his buddy Sam settle a gambling debt, Jeff (Chow Yun-Fat, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) reluctantly agrees to join forces with Judge (Simon Yam) for a daring weapons heist. But Sam and Judge betray Jeff and leave him for dead. Once nursed back to health, Jeff plots the ultimate payback." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 2.75/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Digitally Mastered."

Full Contact comes of a dual layer DVD.

Disc Size: 7.4 GB

By today’s standards, this transfer leaves plenty of room for improvement. Flesh tones look correct, colors look very good, image clarity is generally strong, black levels are adequate, and there are some compression-related issues, most noticeably during darker scenes.

Audio: 3/5 (Dolby Digital Mono Cantonese, Dolby Digital Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a Dolby Digital mono mix in Cantonese and a Dolby Digital mono mix in English. Despite sounding clean, clear, and balanced, both audio tracks are limited range-wise. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese language track and removable Spanish and French subtitles for the English language track.

Extras:

Extras are limited to trailers for Lockdown, So Close and a double feature trailer for Once a Thief/Full Contact.  

Summary:

Full Contact was directed by Ringo Lam, who rose to prominence in Hong Kong cinema in the latter part of the 1980s after directing films like City on Fire, Prison on Fire, and School on Fire. Even though he has made three films in Hollywood with Jean-Claude Van Damme, unlike most of his contemporaries, he has also managed to stay active in Hong Kong cinema.

When one of them offends a loan shark, three friends are forced to flee, and needing money, they team up with a trio of unscrupulous criminals.

Ringo Lam is one of a handful of filmmakers who excelled in the Heroic Bloodshed genre, with City on Fire being his most celebrated film from this genre. And though Full Contact has all the core elements of Heroic Bloodshed cinema, the result is an askewed version of this genre. Where his earlier forays into Heroic Bloodshed cinema had social commentary and were political, Full Contact is a film that drops all subtext in favor of style.

A key component to most of Ringo Lam’s most celebrated films, they all feature Chow Yun-Fat, an actor who he worked with for the sixth and final time on Full Contact. Chow Yun-Fat portrays Gou Fei, a bouncer who wears a vest and rides a motorcycle. Though there is a cool aspect to his character, it is not the same suave king of cool that he’s known for. That said, he delivers another superb performance in which he dominates every moment he’s onscreen.

Cast in the role of the bad guy is Simon Yam (Naked Killer); he portrays a flamboyant character named Judge who is openly gay. There is a song and dance going on between Judge and Gou Fei, in which the former flirts with the latter, who always rejects him. Also, Judge is a cunning character who uses a handkerchief to disguise his surprise ambushes. He’s a versatile actor who portrayed a variety of characters, including a few memorable turns as psychopaths.

Besides these two characters, there is a crew of colorful characters like Deano, a muscular madman with no impulse control, and his slutty girlfriend, who is aptly named Virgin in the English language version. The most surprising performance is Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, who, more than any Hong Kong actor, is known for portraying psychopaths. In Full Contact, he portrays Sam, a meek character who evolves into the type of character that Anthony Wong Chau-Sang is known for.

One thing you can say about Full Contact is that it never skims when it comes to its action sequences. In its opening moments, Judge and his two sidekicks rob a jewelry store. This opening sequence perfectly sets the tone for what follows; it is a bombastic moment of excessive carnage and destruction. When it comes to action sequences, they will not disappoint. That said, the action is more Gung Fu than hand-to-hand combat.

From a production standpoint, Full Contact is a film where everyone involved is clicking on all cylinders. The narrative moves at breakneck momentum towards an explosive finale that somehow tops all the earlier action set pieces. Though Ringo Lam lets his actors take center stage, there is never a shortage of stylish moments. Ultimately, Full Contact is one of the highwater marks of Heroic Bloodshed cinema and one of this genre's last hurrahs.

If rumors on the internet are true, it will be a long time before Full Contact makes its way to HD outside of Asia. That said, those with region-free capabilities will have options, while everyone else will be limited to releases like this.

Written by Michael Den Boer