Romancing in Thin Air: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong/China, 2012
Director: Johnnie To
Writers: Wai Ka-Fai, Yau Nai-Hoi, Ryker Chan, Jevons Au
Cast: Louis Koo, Sammi Cheng, Li Guangjie, Gao Yuanyuan, Wang Baoqiang, Huang Yi, Tien Niu, Wilfred Lau 

Release Date: April 20th, 2026 (UK), April 20th, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 111 Minutes 45 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: PG (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Stereo Cantonese, DTS-HD 5.1 Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Movie star icon Michael (Louis Koo, Throw Down) sinks into a depression after being publicly dumped at the altar by his former fiancée. After embarking on a drunken bender, he is found in a mountain forest, lost and barely responsive, by Sue (Sammi Cheng, Infernal Affairs), who runs the local guesthouse and is still grieving the loss of her husband, who mysteriously disappeared in the woods several years prior. As Sue slowly nurses Michael back to health and the pair learn more about their shared pasts, they embark on a journey to find catharsis in each other." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “Romancing in Thin Air was transferred in high definition by Media Asia Films and supplied to Radiance Films as a high-definition digital file.”

Romancing in Thin Air comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.8 GB

Feature: 31.8 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones and colors look correct; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid; and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 5/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM stereo mix in Cantonese and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Cantonese. Quality- and range-wise, these two audio tracks are comparable. That said, dialogue comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented. Included are removable English subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (35 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), extended behind-the-scenes footage (25 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival making-of featurette (9 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Ryker Chan (14 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), a video essay about Johnnie To’s romantic melodramas by Sean Gilman titled Another Side of Johnnie To (28 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema expert Dylan Cheung, reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 32-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled The Rise of Johnnie To and Milkyway written by David Bordwell, an essay titled Altitude Sickness: Johnnie To’s Romancing in Thin Air written by Jake Cole, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

After his fiancée publicly dumps him at the altar, a movie star sinks into a deep depression. He drowns his sorrows in alcohol, and after one drinking binge, he finds himself at a remote lodge in the mountains. The woman who runs the lodge is still grieving the loss of her husband, who disappeared a year ago in the nearby woods. Although combative at first, the movie star and the woman forge a bond as they help each other heal old wounds.

No matter what genre Johnnie To works in, the characters in his films are a common link. The way Johnnie To portrays his characters is not defined by a specific type but rather by their interactions. In many of his films, characters are unable to accomplish their goals individually; instead, they achieve more when they come together as a collective. Case in point: Michael the movie star and Sue the grieving widow from Romancing in Thin Air.

While Romancing in Thin Air has all of the elements that are central to romantic comedies, the result is anything but remotely typical for this genre. In many romantic comedies, there are a mix of highs and lows; however, in Romancing in Thin Air, the characters predominantly face lows throughout the narrative. Despite this downbeat tone, the story remains engaging and ultimately leads to a cathartic and uplifting finale.

The two leads, Louis Koo (Election) in the role of Michael and Sammi Cheng (Infernal Affairs) in the role of Sue, are exceptional in their roles. Both characters are attempting to heal their emotional wounds. Michael copes by drinking heavily, while Sue, a creature of habit, clings to the past, wanting everything in her life to remain unchanged since her husband's disappearance. They have a tremendous amount of onscreen chemistry, which makes their characters' journeys all the more believable.

The well-crafted narrative does a superb job fleshing out characters and building momentum to a beautifully realized finale that pulls at your heartstrings. The most surprising aspect of Romancing in Thin Air is how effectively it employs humor, notably in a scene where Michael discovers a room of his movie memorabilia and Sue’s reaction when asked about it. Johnnie To typically sets his films in urban landscapes, but in Romancing in Thin Air, he is presented with a different canvas that he skillfully utilizes. Ultimately, Romancing in Thin Air offers a thoughtful exploration of love, loss, and grief, maintaining a steady emotional rhythm throughout.

Romancing in Thin Air gets an excellent release from Eureka Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras. Highly recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Dancing Hawk: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Poland, 1977
Director: Grzegorz Królikiewicz
Writer: Grzegorz Królikiewicz
Cast: Franciszek Trzeciak, Beata Tyszkiewicz, Beata Tumkiewicz, Czeslaw Przybyla, Tadeusz Lomnicki, Józef Fryzlewicz, Irena Orska, Stanislaw Jaskiewicz, Jerzy Zelnik

Release Date: March 23rd, 2026 (UK), March 24th, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 98 Minutes 17 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Polish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"A peasant’s son rises through the ranks of post-war Polish society like none of his ancestors ever could. Moving to the city, he becomes part of a new socialist order. But in leaving his rural roots behind, does he also abandon his soul?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "The Dancing Hawk underwent digitization and digital restoration at the National Film Archive - Audiovisual Institute (FINA). The process included 4K film scanning, conforming digital image and sound restoration, color grading, and mastering. The work was carried out by FINA’s digitization and restoration team under the artistic supervision of Zbigniew Wichłacz and with substantive consultation by Zbigniew Rybczyński. Sound restoration was completed by the Moovi studio. The film was delivered to Radiance Films as a digital master and is presented in its original aspect ratio."

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

Disc Size: 36.5 GB

Feature: 27 GB

The source looks excellent; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Polish with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clear and balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with film critic Carmen Gray (16 minutes 23 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), two short films directed by cinematographer Zbigniew Rybczyński: Soup (8 minutes 38 seconds, 1.37:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono with text in Polish and removable English subtitles) and Oh! I Can’t Stop! (10 minutes 10 seconds, 1.37:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono with text in Polish and removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 24-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled The Dancing Hawk: Grzegorz Królikiewicz’s Plebeian and Multidimensional Citizen Kane written by Piotr Kletowski, and information about the transfer.

Soup: “A colorful experimental portrait of the maddening rituals and hypnotic routines of married life." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Oh! I Can’t Stop!: “This surreal and comedic short film is shot from the point of view of an unseen monster/camera who runs through everything and everyone at increased speeds." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Summary:

A poor country boy loses sight of who he was as he climbs the social ladder and is put in charge of a factory.

The Dancing Hawk, like Grzegorz Królikiewicz’s other films, revolves around a marginalized protagonist. Although many of his contemporaries were making adventurous cinema that thinks outside of the box, Grzegorz Królikiewicz’s films never fall into conventional cinema, making his films difficult to digest. His filmmaking style features unconventional framing with odd angles, and his use of sound can be quite jarring.

Although The Dancing Hawk was adapted from Julian Kawalec's novel of the same name, it is also a film that was influenced by Citizen Kane, a film the director greatly admired. A clear nod to Citizen Kane is the use of newsreel footage featuring its protagonist. The narrative follows the life of Michal Toporny, starting at his birth and culminating in his return to his birthplace. By the time he faces his moment of truth, Michal has undergone significant transformation, severing his ties to his humble origins.

Franciszek Trzeciak is cast in the role of Michal Toporny; he’s a frequent collaborator of Grzegorz Królikiewicz, having portrayed the protagonist in Through and Through. His performance bears most of the weight, with the rest of the cast merely being background characters that further Michal Toporny’s story. That said, the performances might put off anyone expecting anything that resembles conventional acting.

Visuals play a significant role in The Dancing Hawk, a film that often goes for long stretches without any spoken dialogue. Throughout, there are many striking moments visually, notably when it comes to violence and carnage. Rather than depicting the events directly, the film relies heavily on sound to convey the impact, only revealing the aftermath of these moments. Ultimately, The Dancing Hawk is a cautionary film about the pursuit of success and the negatives associated with it.

The Dancing Hawk gets an excellent release from Radiance Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation, two short films, and a pair of insightful extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Swordsman Trilogy: Hong Kong Cinema Classics – Shout! Factory (UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Dates: Hong Kong, 1990 (Swordsman), Hong Kong, 1992 (Swordsman II), Hong Kong, 1993 (Swordsman III: The East Is Red)
Directors: King Hu (Swordsman), Ching Siu-tung (Swordsman, Swordsman II, Swordsman III: The East Is Red), Tsui Hark (Swordsman), Raymond Lee (Swordsman, Swordsman III: The East Is Red)
Cast: Samuel Hui, Cecilia Yip, Jacky Cheung, Sharla Cheung, Fennie Yuen, Lau Siu-ming (Swordsman), Jet Li, Brigitte Lin, Rosamund Kwan, Michelle Reis, Waise Lee, Fennie Yuen (Swordsman II), Brigitte Lin, Joey Wong, Yu Rongguang, Wang Ching-ying, Eddy Ko, Lau Shun, Kingdom Yuen, Lam Ching-ying, Lee Ka-ding (Swordsman III: The East Is Red)

Release Date: March 3rd, 2026
Approximate Running Times: 117 Minutes 46 Seconds (Swordsman), 108 Minutes 48 Seconds (Swordsman II), 97 Minute 26 Seconds (Swordsman III: The East Is Red)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision (Swordsman), 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese (All Films), DTS-HD Mono English (Swordsman, Swordsman II)
Subtitles: English (All Films), English SDH (Swordsman, Swordsman II)
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $64.99

Swordsman​: "A kung fu manual known as the sacred scroll is stolen from the Emperor's library. An army detachment is sent to recover it. Meanwhile, a young swordsman and his fellow disciple are accidentally drawn into the chaos.​" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Swordsman II:​ "Ling Wu Chung (Jet Li) decides to hide from the chaotic world. Before leaving, he visits his friends, a tribe of snake-wielding women warriors. However, he finds that the tribe have been attacked, and their leader Yam Ying Ying, has been abducted.​" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Swordsman III: The East is Red​: "A royal official accompanies a Portuguese warship to the Black Cliffs to see the site of the defeat of the evil Invincible Asia, who attained supernatural abilities by following the sacred scroll and castrating himself. As Invincible Asia seeks to destroy all they deem "imposters," the Portuguese sailors, a mysterious Japanese warlord, and others search for them in turn." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (Swordsman - 4K UHD), 4.5/5 (Swordsman - Blu-ray), 4/5 (Swordsman II, Swordsman III: The East Is Red)

Here’s the information provided about Swordsman​'s transfer, "4K Scan from the Original Camera Negative."

Swordsman​ comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 78.1 GB

Feature: 77.8 GB

This is a solid restoration; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

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

Disc Size: 45.7 GB

Feature: 32.3 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

​Here’s the information provided about Swordsman II and Swordsman III: The East is Red transfers, "1080p high definition widescreen (1.85:1)."

Swordsman II comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32.2 GB

Feature: 29.9 GB

Swordsman III: The East is Red comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 29 GB

Feature: 25.4 GB

Although the sources look better than these two films' previous home media releases, there is still room for improvement. That said, flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 5/5 (DTS-HD Mono Cantonese), 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

Swordsman and Swordsman II come with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono Cantonese and a DTS-HD mono English. Subtitle options include non-removable English subtitles for the Cantonese language track, non-removable English SDH for the English language track, and non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese text displayed during the English language track. Swordsman III: The East Is Red comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles. All of the tracks are in excellent shape; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and action sequences sound appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras on Swordsman’s blu-ray include a theatrical trailer (5 minutes 22 seconds, DTS-HD mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with author Grady Hendrix titled Hong Kong Confidential: Inside Wuxia (18 minutes 1 second, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with general manager/executive producer Terence Chang titled Hark's Dynasty: The Early Years of Film Workshop (11 minutes 1 second, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), a career retrospective with editor David Wu titled David Wu: Proud Wanderer (14 minutes 52 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Fennie Yuen titled Cult of Personality (6 minutes 49 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), and an interview with co-director Raymond Lee titled A Time of Legends (10 minutes 36 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles).

Extras for Swordsman II include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 52 seconds, DTS-HD mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles) and an interview with actress Fennie Yuen titled Phoenix Rising (6 minutes 39 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles).

Extras for Swordsman III: The East Is Red include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 46 seconds, DTS-HD mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles) and an interview with Raymond Lee titled A Return to Wuxia (11 minutes 13 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles).

Summary:

There are two constants throughout the Swordsman trilogy: director Ching Siu-tung (Duel to the Death) and producer Tsui Hark (Peking Opera Blues). Besides Ching Siu-tung, there were three other filmmakers who are credited as directors: King Hu (Come Drink with Me) and Tsui Hark contributed to Swordsman, while Raymond Lee (Dragon Inn) contributed to Swordsman and Swordsman III: The East Is Red. Although Ching Siu-tung and producer Tsui Hark are the only two who worked on all three films, it is the latter whose creative imprint can be felt throughout.

Swordsman: A kung fu manual known as the Sacred Scroll is stolen from the emperor's library and an army detachment is sent to recover it. Besides the emperor's men, there are others who seek to obtain the manual, which accidentally ends up in the hands of Ling-wu Chung, a gifted young martial artist.

Swordsman II: Ling-wu Chung is drawn back into the fold when a princess is abducted after withdrawing from the martial world. 

Swordsman III: The East Is Red: A martial artist who's obtained supernatural powers comes out of hiding to eliminate all of those who have been impersonating them, as these impersonators threaten the balance of power in the martial world and endanger innocent lives.

Swordsman is an adaptation of Jin Yong's novel The Smiling Proud Wanderer, while its predecessors are loose adaptations of said novel, which mostly use characters from it. Swordsman and the two films that followed it are credited with reviving the wuxia film, a genre that is Hong Kong’s most resilient. King Hu, the original director of Swordsman, is a key figure in the evolution of the wuxia film, making his hiring an obvious choice. That said, it is unfortunate that he left the film midway, since the end result lacks his spirit.

Although there is a linear thread that connects each film to the next, besides directors, there were many cast changes throughout the series. The first two films were centered on Ling-wu Chung and have a stronger connection to Jin Yong's novel, while Dongfang Bubai, aka Invincible Dawn, the protagonist of Swordsman III: The East Is Red, is a minor character in the novel. That said, Invincible Dawn is an interesting character who castrates himself, a prerequisite for studying the Sunflower manual. Where the source novel clearly portrays Dongfang Bubai as a man, in Swordsman II they evolve from a man into a woman through their studying of the Sunflower manual.

Throughout the trilogy, each film was able to draw significant names of Hong Kong cinema, like Jacky Cheung (Bullet in the Head), Sharla Cheung (God of Gamblers), Jet Li (Tai Chi Master), Brigitte Lin (The Bride with White Hair), Rosamund Kwan (Once Upon a Time in China), Michelle Reis (Fallen Angels), Joey Wong (My Heart Is That Eternal Rose), Yu Rongguang (Iron Monkey) and Lam Ching-ying (Mr. Vampire). All around, the cast are excellent in their roles, especially Brigitte Lin’s portrayal of the androgynous Invincible Dawn.

While each film has a strong story that quickly draws you in and holds your attention, the main draw of these three films is their exemplary swordplay and impressive stunt work. There are an abundance of elaborate action set pieces, and each film saves its best for its finales. While Swordsman takes on a serious tone, its two predecessors are very effective when it comes to throwing humor into the mix. There are no issues with pacing or building momentum as each film perfectly balances exposition and action set pieces.

Out of these three films, Swordsman II is the most recognizable because it stars Jet Li, while Swordsman is often regarded as the strongest narrative of the three, which is not surprising since it is the film that remains closest to the source novel. Some may say Swordsman III: The East Red is the odd film among the three; in my opinion, it is the most entertaining of the trio. That said, when considered as a whole, each film offers something uniquely distinct.

The Swordsman Trilogy gets a solid release from Shout Factory that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

 

                                           
                                                          Blu-ray Screenshots.

Written by Michael Den Boer