The Bride with White Hair – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1993
Director: Ronny Yu
Writers: David Wu, Jason Lam Kee-To, Bik-Yin Tang, Ronny Yu
Cast: Brigitte Lin, Leslie Cheung, Leila Tong, Francis Ng, Elaine Lui, Yammie Lam, Joseph Cheng, Eddy Ko, Law Lok-lam, Pau Fung, Jeffrey Lau

Release Date: November 9th, 2020
Approximate running time: 89 Minutes 56 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Cantonese, LPCM Stereo Cantonese, LPCM Stereo English, DTS-HD (Dual Mono) Mandarin
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK)

"Cheung plays Zhuo Yihang, a rebellious but extremely talented swordsman of the Wudang Sect (aka the Wu-Tang Clan, a fictional martial arts sect that appears in many wuxia novels and films). One day he meets and falls in love with Lian Nichang (Lin), the adopted daughter of a rival cult led by the villainous Ji Wushuang. Zhuo convinces Lian to leave the cult to be with him, a decision which will ultimately lead to death and betrayal.” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "1080p presentation on Blu-ray from a stunning new 4K restoration (this restoration has been newly color graded exclusively by Eureka Entertainment and officially approved by director Ronny Yu)."

The Bride with White Hair comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45 GB

Feature: 28.3 GB

Having only seen The Bride with White Hair via Tai Seng’s 1998 DVD release, this new transfer from Eureka Video is a massive upgrade. When compared to that release, colors look more vibrant, image clarity and black levels are marked improvements, and contrast is solid.

Audio: 4.5/5 (LPCM Stereo Cantonese, LPCM Stereo English), 4.25/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 Cantonese, DTS-HD (Dual Mono) Mandarin)

This release comes with four audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Cantonese, a LPCM stereo mix in Cantonese, a LPCM stereo mix in English, and a DTS-HD (dual mono) mix in Mandarin. All of the audio mixes are in excellent shape; dialog always comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced; and action set pieces sound robust. Included with this release are removable English subtitles. It should be noted that there is a note to make a change to a line in the subtitles that was not removed.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an archival “making of” featurette (12 minutes, LPCM stereo Chinese with burnt-in English subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Jason Lam Kee To (56 minutes 47 seconds, LPCM stereo Chinese with English subtitles), an interview with actor Joe Tay (21 minutes 24 seconds, LPCM stereo Chinese with English subtitles), an interview with composer Richard Yuen (23 minutes 21 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Ronny Yu (40 minutes 37 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio interview with editor David Wu (79 minutes 26 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary track with Ronny Yu, an audio commentary with Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival). a limited-edition O-Card slipcase (limited to 2000 copies) and a twenty-eight page booklet (limited to 2000 copies) with cast & crew credits, an essay titled Between Two Worlds: The Bride with White Hair in Context and Beyond written by James Oliver, an essay titled The Icon with Early Retirement: The Films of Brigitte Lin written by Travis Crawford and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Directed by Ronny Yu, whose other notable films include The Postman Fights Back, Legacy of Rage, and The Phantom Lover. The Bride with White Hair marks a high point for Ronny Yu as a filmmaker. In 1997, Ronny Yu, like many of his contemporaries, would transition from Hong Kong to Hollywood cinema, directing films like Bride of Chucky and Freddy vs. Jason.

The narrative revolves around a young swordsman named Cho Yat-Hang, who’s been groomed since birth to become the leader of his clan, falling in love with a swordswoman named Lien Ni-Chang from a rival clan. Their love is soon put to the test when Lien Ni-Chang gets framed for killing Cho Yat-Hang’s master.

At the heart of The Bride with White Hair is a story about two enemies who become lovers and how they try to navigate their doomed romance. The narrative moves along briskly, with just enough time devoted to character development. It should be noted that the opening sequence also serves as the moment that opens The Bride with White Hair 2.

Though the narrative is solid, the most striking aspect of The Bride with White Hair is its visual style. The visuals are breathtaking, as they flawlessly mix dreamlike and nightmarish imagery. Standout moments include the scene where Cho Yat-Hang spies on Lien Ni-Chang, who’s bathing, and the scene that shows their love’s evolution before they are each confronted by their clans about their forbidden love.

The Bride with White Hair’s heart and soul are Brigitte Lin's (Police Story) and Leslie Cheung’s (Farewell, My Concubine) performances. Another performance of note is Francis Ng’s megalomaniac portrayal of the male half of psychopath Siamese twins.

Hong Kong cinema is known for its elaborate action set pieces that often defy gravity. And when it comes to action set pieces, The Bride with White Hair delivers and then some. Weapons are another staple of Hong Kong martial arts cinema. Brigitte Lin’s character, Lien Ni-Chang, uses her hair as a weapon and a whip that cuts bodies in half. Ultimately, The Bride with the White Hair is a haunting story about a doomed love affair that perfectly mixes drama and action.

The Bride with White Hair gets an excellent release from Eureka Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer