The Blue Jean Monster – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1991
Director: Lai Kai-Ming
Writer: Ng Gam-Hung
Cast: Shing Fui-On, Pauline Wong, Gloria Yip, Tse Wai-Kit, Kunimura Jun, Amy Yip, Lai Bei-Dak, Amy Wu Mei-Yee 

Release Date: December 4th, 2023 (UK), December 26th, 2023 (USA)
Approximate running time: 95 Minutes 43 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK), $34.95 (USA)

"After a brave Hong Kong lawman is killed in a shootout, his body is reanimated by a Frankenstein style bolt of lightning. Provided he gets ‘Crank’-style regular jolts of electricity, he continues to fight crime as an invulnerable zombie cop…" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Brand new 2K restoration in 1.85:1 aspect ratio from the original negatives".

The Blue Jean Monster comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 34.2 GB

Feature: 26.1 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and there does not appear to be any digital noise reduction. That said, this transfer is a noticeable improvement over this film’s previous home video releases.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape; there are no issues with hiss or distortion. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise, this track does great with ambient sounds and action sequences.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an interview with assistant director Sam Leong titled  Man Made Monster (20 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), a double-sided foldout poster (limited to first pressing), and a double walled gloss finish O-ring (limited to first pressing).

Summary:

Directed by Lai Kai-Ming, whose other notable films are Erotic Ghost Story III, Daughter of Darkness, and The Peeping Tom.

The narrative revolves around a cop who is murdered in the line of duty, and when he awakens, he is more dead than alive.

The Blue Jean Monster is a text-book example of Hong Kong cinema mixing genres. And though crime and horror genres are the two that most who watch The Blue Jean Monster will be drawn to, another genre that plays a significant role in The Blue Jean Monster is comedy. That said, when it comes to humor, this is one area where the Blue Jean Monster does not always hit or miss.

The opening setup looks and feels like a Hong Kong crime film, with the protagonist trying to single-handedly take down criminals who have just robbed a bank. During the purist, there is a hellfire of bullets and other destruction that one has come to expect from Hong Kong crime films. Then things take a bizarre detour when the protagonist’s lifeless body is brought back to life. Though these moments and many of the moments where the protagonist tries to navigate what is going on with him fall into the realm of horror, that does not mean that the narrative ever drifts too far away from the elements associated with crime films.

When discussing The Blue Jean Monster, one cannot overlook the performance of Shing Fui-On (The Killer) in the role of a cop who comes back to life. Though he spent his career in secondary roles, most of which were stereotypical bad guys, this time around, he is given his only lead role in the film, and he delivers an outstanding performance, which greatly enhances the insanity that unfolds.

When it comes to the rest of the cast, they are all great in their roles, and there is an enthusiasm from everyone involved that makes for a fun ride. Another performance of note is Amy Yip (Robotrix), whose character tries to seduce the protagonist, and when his hands accidentally grab her breasts too hard, milk spurts profusely out of her breasts.

The Blue Jean Monster is a film where you either embrace its absurd premise or it will be a tedious chore to get through. The narrative moves along briskly, there is rarely a dull moment, and an explosive finale perfectly brings the events that preceded to a head. When it comes to violence, things tend to be on the extreme end of the spectrum. The special effects are surprisingly good, and the stunts and action sequences are excellent. Ultimately, The Blue Jean Monster is a highly entertaining mix of action and supernatural horror that works as well as it does because of Shing Fui-On's excellent performance.

The Blue Jean Monster gets a first-rate release from 88 Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and an informative extra, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer