Magic Cop – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1990
Director: Stephen Tung Wei
Writers: Sam Chi-leung, Tsang Kan-cheung
Cast: Lam Ching-ying, Wilson Lam, Michael Miu, Wong Mei-way, Michiko Nishiwaki, Wu Ma, Billy Chow, Frankie Chin

Release Date: July 24th, 2023 (UK), July 25th, 2023 (USA)
Approximate running time: 87 Minutes 54 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese (Original Mix), DTS-HD Mono Cantonese (Home Video Mix), DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK), $34.95 (USA)

"After seeing off hopping corpses in Mr. Vampire, the great Lam Ching-ying (Enter the Dragon, Eastern Condors) faces a new supernatural challenge: someone is using the living dead to smuggle drugs into modern day Hong Kong and only Lam's Officer Feng - policeman and Taoist master - can stop them, proving the power of traditional Chinese magic in the process!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray™ presentation".

Magic Cop comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.9 GB

Feature: 28.9 GB

The verbage used for this transfer source is vague, suggesting it comes from a date source. That said, the source does look very good, and any print debris is very minor. Colors and image clarity generally look very good; black levels fare well, and compression is solid.

It should be noted that when watching region B, there is one scene that has been cut by the BBFC; this scene is not cut if your player is able to play region A.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Cantonese original mix, DTS-HD Mono Cantonese home video mix), 4/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English), 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with four audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese (the original mix), a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese (the home video mix), a DTS-HD mono mix in English, and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. The two Cantonese language tracks are comparable clarity-wise, and they both sound clean, clear, and balanced. The mono English-language track has some minor instances of background hiss, and there are also times when this track sounds confined. The English 5.1 track fares better; it sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and range-wise, ambient sounds are well represented. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese language tracks and a second removable English subtitle track for Cantonese text when watching the English language tracks.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (posters/stills), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an interview with director Stephen Tung Wei (36 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), the Taiwanese cut with alternate score (93 minutes 57 seconds, 1.85:1 letterboxed widescreen, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with burnt-in English subtitles), an audio commentary with Hong Kong film experts Frank Djeng and Marc Walkow, reversible cover art, a double-sided foldout poster (limited to first pressing), and a double walled gloss finish O-ring (limited to first pressing).

Summary:

The narrative revolves around Officer Feng, whose knowledge of the supernatural makes him the perfect choice for a case involving drugs being smuggled by the living dead.

Though Ghosts and other supernatural elements have long played a role in Hong Kong cinema, After the success of Mr. Vampire, there was an influx of supernatural horror films in Hong Kong. By the time a film like Magic Cop was made, supernatural horror films were in decline and almost a parody of what they once were.

That said, Magic Cop is a film that was tailor-made for its leading man, Lam Ching-ying, who is most remembered for the Mr. Vampire films. The character that he portrays has many of the same qualities as the characters he portrayed in the Mr. Vampire Films. Notably, a knowledge of Taoism Also, the living dead in Magic Cop are reminiscent of the vampires from the Mr. Vampire films. In fact, the living dead in Magic Cop are referred to as zombies and vampires.

Besides Lam Ching-ying, the rest of the cast is all very good. With the two cops that are paired with Officer Feng providing all of the humor. Where Officer Feng’s methods are unconventional, the two cops he’s paired with try to stay within the lines. Also, the teaming up of these two cops is reminiscent of the type of pairings one associates with buddy cop films.

Content-wise, Magic Cop is equal parts supernatural horror and police procedural. The narrative does a good job of keeping things interesting. The supernatural moments always outshine the comedy moments, which at times miss the mark. Also, despite most of the special effects looking dated, they actually hold up well. Ultimately, Magic Cop is a fun film that fans of Hong Kong supernatural horror films should thoroughly enjoy.

Magic Cops gets a first-rate release from 88 Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation, two versions of the film, and a pair of informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer