Burning Paradise: Limited Edition – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1994
Director: Ringo Lam
Writers: Yin Nam, Wan Choi Wong
Cast: Willie Chi, John Ching, Yamson Domingo, Chun Lam, Carman Lee, Kuei Li, Quan Lin, Kam-Kong Wong, Xiqian Wu

Release Date: May 29th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 104 Minutes 27 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £18.99 (UK)

"Hunted by the Manchu government, a young Fok Sai-yuk is captured and sent to the Red Lotus Temple, where Shaolin monks are enslaved and viciously tortured by the sadistic warden Kung (Wong Kam Kong). Thrown into a pit of corpses and left to die, Fong survives and attempts to save his Shaolin brothers." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "a 2K restoration of the films’ original 35mm camera negative."

Burning Paradise comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 30.5 GB

Feature: 28.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in very good shape, and any imperfections that are mentioned in the disclaimer are minimal and not distracting. Colors, black levels, and compression are strong. Also, though the image looks crisp, there are moments where it appears that digital noise reduction has been applied. That said, this new transfer is a marked improvement over Discotek’s 2010 DVD release. Also, this transfer is on par with the source that Vinegar Syndrome used for their Blu-ray release. 

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese. The audio sounds clean, clear, balanced, and robust when it should. Included are removable English subtitles and removable English SDH subtitles.

Extras: 

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 50 seconds, LPCM mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with producer Tsui Hark (4 minutes 29 seconds, LPCM stereo English with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival), a limited edition O-card slipcase (limited to 2,000 copies), and a booklet with cast & crew information, an essay written by James Oliver, and information about the transfers titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Burning Paradise 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. Burning Paradise was produced by Tsui Hark (We’re Going to Eat You, Once Upon a Time in China), who was offered a chance to direct this film. Though Tsui Hark turned the producers down, he was the one responsible for bringing Ringo Lam to Burning Paradise.

The narrative primarily revolves around a Shaolin disciple named Fong Sai-Yuk. This character, which is rooted in Chinese folklore, has had several films made about his exploits. Heroes II, Disciples of the 36th Chamber, and The Legend II are among the most notable. The plot also features another character that is rooted in Chinese folklore, Hung Hei-Kwun. This character was portrayed by Jet Li in The New Legend of Shaolin, released the same year that Burning Paradise was released.

While some viewers who are not as familiar with Ringo Lam’s cinematic output will find Burning Paradise exceedingly brutal and gory, tone-wise, Burning Paradise is in line with the films that Ringo Lam had directed up to that point in his career. when compared to other martial arts films that were being released around the time Burning Paradise was made. Burning Paradise really stands in a class all its own. In this way, it shifts away from what was trendy at the time. Sure, there are some funny moments, like a scene where Fong Sai-Yuk, his master, and a young woman are all piled on top of each other as they hide from Manchurian soldiers under hay. When they finally leave their hiding place, each of the characters has hand prints on their more intimate areas.

From the opening moments when the Manchurian soldiers are chasing Fong Sai-Yuk and his master. The narrative moves along at a breakneck pace. Also, the carnage occurs early and often. There are soldiers who are cut in half, decapitated horses, and handmaidens who have their throats slit with nothing more than someone’s finger tips before their heads are ripped off their shoulders. Like every story about good versus evil, this one features a few nihilistic characters who are hell-bent on just causing pain and suffering. to soften up some of the film’s rougher edges. A love interest for Fong Sai-Yuk is thrown in for good measure.

The plot, like many martial arts, is kept simple. With a focus on explosive action set pieces and copious amounts of carnage, The performances of the entire cast are the most surprising aspect of this film. This was one of many of their first films. The film’s standout performance comes from Kam-Kong Wong (The Defender), in the role of Elder Kung, the diabolical man in charge of the Red Lotus prison, where the bulk of the movie takes place. Ultimately, Burning Paradise is an exceptional film that does a superb job mixing action and melodrama.

Burning Paradise gets a solid release from Eureka Video, which comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a trio of informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer