Duel to the Death – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1983
Director: Ching Siu-tung
Writers: Ching Siu-tung, David Lai, Manfred Wong
Cast: Norman Chui, Damian Lau, Flora Cheong-Leen, Eddy Ko, Chang Chung

Release Date: September 20th, 2021
Approximate Running Time: 87 Minutes 19 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £24.99

"Every ten years, a duel is held between the finest Japanese and Chinese martial artists to determine whose Swordmanship is superior. During the Ming Dynasty, as the next duel approaches, the chosen candidates are caught in the middle of a battle between Ninjas and Shaolin monks. Only a Duel to the Death will settle the countries’ conflicts and stop the bloodshed." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "a new 2K restoration from the original film elements."

Duel to the Death comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.1 GB

Feature: 27.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels look strong throughout.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese and a LPCM mono mix in English. Both audio mixes sound clean, clear and balanced throughout. Range wise ambient sounds are well-represented and action sequences sound robust. Included with this release are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include US home video trailer (1 minute 48 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), original Hong Kong theatrical trailer (3 minutes 20 seconds, LPCM mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), stills gallery #1 (37 images-production stills), stills gallery #2 (17 images-artwork & ephemera), alternate opening/closing credits from the English language release (3 minutes 54 seconds, LPCM mono), an archival interview with actress Flora Cheung (9 minutes 26 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Norman Chui Siu-keung (18 minutes 57 seconds, LPCM stereo Chinese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Manfred Wong (32 minutes 28 seconds, LPCM stereo Chinese with English voiceover narration, no subtitles), an audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival), limited edition O-Card slipcase [2000 copies] and a limited-edition booklet [2000 copies] with cast & crew information, an essay written by James Oliver, a reprint of Frank Djeng’s original liner notes from the US laserdisc release and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Duel to the Death was Ching Siu-tung’s directorial debut. HIs other notable films include A Chinese Ghost Story trilogy, Swordsman 1-3, The Mad Monk and Dr. Wai in the Scripture with No Words.

Not only does Duel to the Death draw from Wuxia films; it's a film that predates the 1980s ninja phenomena. Its narrative features a familiar premise, Chinese fighter vs. Japanese fighter, which fighting style is better and who will prevail? Representing the Chinese fighters are Shaolin monks, while the Japanese fighters are ninjas. Where the Shaolin monks' style focuses on spirituality, the ninja’s style is rooted in deception. Besides different fighting styles, they both employ a wide array of weapons.

While the cast has some familiar faces like Norman Chui (The Sword), Damian Lau (The Heroic Trio), and Eddy Ko (Heroes Shed No Tears), unlike other Golden Harvest films of this era, it does not have notable star power. Fortunately, all of the cast excel in their roles, especially when it comes to the acrobatic fight sequences. A performance of note is Flora Cheong-Lee (Buddah’s Palm) in the role of a female fighter with exemplary skills in a world dominated by men.

Duel to the Death is a film that elevated wire work in fight sequences. The narrative quickly jumps into an action set piece where ninjas try to escape after stealing a copy of a scroll from the Shaolin monks. Besides setting the tone for what follows, this scene serves as a showcase for both of their fighting styles. While the narrative leans heavily into action set pieces, it does not give sufficient time to exposition. Ultimately, Duel to the Death is a thrilling action film whose breakneck pacing ensures there’s never a dull moment.

Duel to the Death gets an excellent release from Eureka Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and comes with a wealth of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer