Battle of the Commandos – Kino Lorber (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/Spain/West Germany, 1969
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Writers: Stefano Rolla, Romano Maschini, Dario Argento, Rolf Grieminger, Eduardo Manzanos, Ugo Moretti
Cast: Jack Palance, Thomas Hunter, Robert Hundar, Wolfgang Preiss, Helmuth Schneider, Guido Lollobrigida, Aldo Sambrell, Diana Lorys, Curd Jürgens

Release Date: November 26th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 93 Minutes 56 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $24.95

"Grizzled Jack Palance (Shane) puts on a roguish brogue as Scottish Colonel Charley MacPherson, who’s just had his platoon of 28 massacred by the Germans. Furious at his superiors for this suicide mission, he assembles a dirty half-dozen convicts for his next one, along with American explosives expert Major Burke (Thomas Hunter, The Hills Run Red), to clear a path for British commandos through a minefield off the Normandy coast on the night of June 4th, 1944." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "2023 HD Master by Paramount Pictures - From a 4K Scan".

Battle of the Commandos comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31.7 GB

Feature: 28.5 GB

This transfer was recently sourced but hasn't been cleaned up yet, with nicks, scratches, and other debris still present. Colors look good, the image looks crisp, black levels fare well, and there are no compression issues. That said, despite its shortcomings, this transfer always retains an organic look.

Audio: 3/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Though there are some minor moments of background hiss, dialog comes through clearly. Unfortunately, when it comes to range, this audio track lacks oomph.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an audio commentary with film historians Troy Howarth, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and trailers for Attack!, Ten Seconds to Hell, Kill a Dragon, Chato’s Land, God’s Gun, The Hills Run Red, Navajo Joe, and Nightmare Beach.

Summary:

Umberto Lenzi was a chameleon filmmaker who effortlessly worked in whatever genre was popular at that time. His workmanlike approach to filmmaking sometimes draws criticism, but his most celebrated films feature distinctively his own moments. That said, when it came to unflinching moments of brutality and carnage, he had few rivals.

An Army colonel is forced to assemble a new group of commandos from soldier convicts after his platoon is slaughtered for a suicide mission.

Italian cinema is known for its film cycles that are spanned from popular films. One of these film cycles is Macaroni Combat; its genre drew inspiration from Hollywood war films. Though this genre started as early as the 1960s, it hit its stride during the latter half of that decade. And like other Italian film cycles, Macaroni Combat would evolve when new inspirations came along. In all, it's a film cycle that spanned three decades, culminating in the late 1980s.

Most Macaroni Combat films at their core sum up as the insurmountable odds being overcome by the good guys. Another element that many of these films have is that they feature a colorful cast of characters most of whom have a history of not following orders. Both of these things are front and center throughout Battle of the Commandos.

Like most Italian films from this era, Battle of the Commandos features an international cast filled with familiar faces. The main draw of the cast is Jack Palance (Compañeros), who portrays Charley MacPherson, a no-nonsense colonel with a mean streak. Another performance of note is Wolfgang Preiss (The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse), who portrays a Nazi colonel named Ackerman. MacPherson and Ackerman have a history; their disdain for each other leads to many tense moments.

When it came to budgets, this was one area where Italian genre cinema could not compete with Hollywood. Though Italian cinema would take inspiration from the latter, they would make their film at a fraction of the cost. Fortunately, Italian cinema made up for its financial lacks with creativity.

From a production standpoint, Battle of the Commandos is a film that often exceeds its resources. The narrative does a great job building tension and maintaining momentum, and it effectively uses flashbacks to fill in MacPherson’s backstory. A majestic main theme anchors an exemplary score by Marcello Giombini (Waves of Lust). Another strength is the action sequences, which are all well-executed. Ultimately, despite its familiarity, Battle of the Commandos is an entertaining film that fans of Macaroni Combat films should thoroughly enjoy.

Kino Lorber gives Battle of the Commandos a serviceable audio/video presentation.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Men of War: Collector's Edition – MVD Rewind Collection (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA/Spain, 1994
Director: Perry Lang
Writers: Stan Rogow, John Sayles, Ethan Reiff, Cyrus Voris
Cast: Dolph Lundgren, Charlotte Lewis, Tony Denison, Tim Guinee, Don Harvey, Tom Lister Jr., Tom Wright, Catherine Bell, Trevor Goddard, Kevin Tighe, Thomas Gibson, Perry Lang, Aldo Sambrell

Release Date: December 12th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 102 Minutes 31 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Stereo English, Dolby Digital Stereo Spanish
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Nick Gunar (Lundgren) is part of a topflight team of ex-Special Forces agents hired by ruthless con men. Their mission: to carry out a secret operation and overtake an exotic island that's loaded with precious jade. But once there, the agents -- led by Lundgren -- defect to defend the islanders against the savage attackers!" – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "High Definition presentation".

Men of War comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 33.5 GB

Feature: 27.3 GB

This release's transfer uses a dated source; flesh tone looks healthy, colors look good, image clarity is strong, black levels fare well, and compression is very good. Also, some digital filtering has been applied to the image, making it not look organic. That said, despite its shortcomings, this release is currently your best option.

Audio: 3.5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Stereo English)

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English, a LPCM stereo mix in English, and a Dolby Digital stereo Spanish. For this review I only listened to the English-language tracks. Quality-wise, the differences between these two audio tracks are minimal. Though dialog comes through clearly, range-wise these audio tracks are limited. Included are removable English SDH and removable Spanish subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a photo gallery with music from the film playing in the background (stills/home video art), a trailer (1 minute 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), raw footage / dailies of select scenes (9 minutes 44 seconds, LPCM stereo with music from the film), an archival featurette with Jérémie Damoiseau collaborator and specialist for Dolph Lundgren titled An Unsafe Place: Making Men of War (12 minutes 53 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an introduction by director Perry Lang (38 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), 2-sided artwork, a collectible mini-poster, and a slipcover (first pressing only).

Other extras are trailers for Knock Off, LA Wars, Kill Zone, Lionheart, Mean Guns, and Sabotage.

Summary:

A former special ops soldier is hired to lead a group of mercenaries for a mission to secure mineral rights for an island in the South China Sea. What should have been a simple mission quickly spirals out of control when another group of mercenaries makes their move.

Dolph Lundgren was one of a handful of actors who rose to prominence during the 1980s action cinema boom. When action cinema moved more to home video, Dolph Lundgren, like many of his contemporaries, continued to thrive throughout the 1990s. This brings us to Men of War, which is arguably Dolph Lundgren’s best performance.

In Men of War, Dolph Lundgren portrays Nick Gunar, a retired special ops soldier who spends his days wallowing in alcohol. After years of killing, he’s become jaded and is having trouble dealing with his past. When an opportunity comes his way to return to his former life, he’s reluctant. In this opening introduction, Dolph Lundgren is given so much to work with; Nick Gunar is not your typical one-dimensional action movie character. While it's a given that Dolph Lundgren would kick ass when it comes to the action sequences, he rises to the occasion during dramatic moments.

A solid supporting cast surrounds Dolph Lundgren, who is the main attraction of Men of War. Trevor Goddard (Mortal Kombat) delivers a deliriously over-the-top performance in the role of the main villain, a former special ops soldier named Keefer. Another performance of note is Aldo Sambrell (A Fistful of Dollars), who portrays a mercenary whose mouth is filled with gold teeth. That said, the rest of the cast is filled with recognizable faces.

From a production standpoint, Men of War is a film that fully exploits its resources. Pacing is never an issue, as key moments are given an ample amount of time to resonate, and the narrative does a great job building characters. Another strength of the narrative is how effectively it creates tension, especially between Nick Gunar and Keefer. Though there is not that much action in the first 39 minutes, once the action gets going, it's wall to wall. Ultimately, Men of War is a solid action film that greatly benefits from Dolph Lundgren's exemplary performance.

Despite an audio/video presentation that leaves room for improvement, this release is Men of War’s best home media release to date.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Super Spies and Secret Lies: Limited Edition – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Hong Kong, 1966 (The Golden Buddha), Hong Kong, 1967 (Angel with the Iron Fists), Hong Kong, 1969 (The Singing Thief)
Directors: Lo Wei (The Golden Buddha, Angel with the Iron Fists), Chang Cheh (The Singing Thief)
Cast: Jeanette Lin Tsui, Paul Chang Chung, Fanny Fan, Fung Ngai (The Golden Buddha), Lily Ho, Fanny Fan, Tina Chin Fei, Tang Ching (Angel with the Iron Fists), Lily Ho, Jimmy Lin Chong, Lo Lieh, Essie Lin Chia (The Singing Thief)

Release Date: November 25th, 2024 (UK), November 26th, 2024 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 106 Minutes 3 Seconds (The Golden Buddha), 118 Minutes 11 Seconds (Angel with the Iron Fists), 91 Minutes 15 Seconds (The Singing Thief)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Mandarin (All Films)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $54.95 (USA)

"In The Golden Buddha, businessman Paul (Paul Chang Chung, Police Story) finds himself in the crosshairs of the Skeleton Gang after he picks up the wrong briefcase on a flight to Singapore – one containing a small golden Buddha that might just play a part in a vast criminal conspiracy. In Angel with the Iron Fists, a mysterious woman (Lily Ho, Lady with a Sword) arrives in Hong Kong carrying a cache of stolen diamonds and quickly becomes embroiled with the infamous Devil Girl’s Gang. Finally, in The Singing Thief, a master cat burglar (Jimmy Lin Chong, Tropicana Interlude) makes the decision to go straight and pursue a new career as a singer – that is, at least, until he becomes a suspect in a series of jewel heists." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5 (The Golden Buddha, Angel with the Iron Fists, The Singing Thief)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfers, "1080p HD presentations on Blu-ray from masters supplied by Celestial Pictures."

The Golden Buddha and Angel with the Iron Fists come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.4 GB

Feature: 21 GB (The Golden Buddha), 23 GB (Angel with the Iron Fists)

The Singing Thief comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.3 GB

Feature: 26 GB

The sources for all three films are comparable; though they come from existing sources, they are all in great shape. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look very good, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and any digital noise reduction is never intrusive.

Audio: 4/5 (The Golden Buddha, Angel with the Iron Fists), 3.75/5 (The Singing Thief)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Mandarin with removable English subtitles. All of the audio tracks are in good shape; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. That said, The Singing Thief’s audio track sounds more confined than the other two films.

Extras:

Extras on disc one include an audio commentary with action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema for The Golden Buddha, and an audio commentary with Mike Leeder and Arne Venema for Angel with the Iron Fists.

Extras on disc two include an interview with Hong Kong cinema scholar Wayne Wong, editor of Martial Arts Studies titled From Hong Kong with Love (16 minutes 43 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with James Bond expert Llewella Chapman on global Bondmania in the 1960s titled International Super Spies (21 minutes 51 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Mike Leeder and Arne Venema for The Singing Thief.

Other extras include a reversible sleeve featuring individual sleeve artwork for each film, an O-card slipcase (limited to 2,000 copies), and a 24-page booklet (limited to 2,000 copies) with cast & crew information for each film, an essay titled James Bond is My Sworn Brother: The 1960s Hong Kong Bangpian Genre written by Iain Robert Smith, and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

The Golden Buddha: The Skeleton Gang targets a businessman when they learn he has a briefcase containing information about their criminal activities.

Lo Wei directed The Golden Buddha. He is best known for directing two Bruce Lee films and six Jackie Chan films.

Though The Golden Buddha is part of a cycle of films made by Shaw Brothers that were inspired by the James Bond films, the result is a film that actually owes more to Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest. The protagonist is not a spy; he’s an everyman whose only hope of survival lies in his hands. That said, The Golden Buddha is a textbook example of Alfred Hitchcock’s Wrong Man scenario.

When one thinks of the Shaw Brothers most celebrated films, they are mostly period-set dramas. What sets the Shaw Brothers spy films apart from other films that take place in the present is their vibe and their look. The vibe and look of The Golden Buddha more resemble a Hollywood film than a Hong Kong film.

When compared to other 1960s spy films, The Golden Buddha is standard fare. Its narrative is filled with a series of moments where its protagonist narrowly escapes the clutches of the villains. The most glaring aspect of the narrative is that the protagonist is never in any real danger. At 106 minutes in length, the narrative feels bloated, and there are many moments where things drag.

Lo Wei, with ample resources at his disposal, fails to bring The Golden Buddha to life with his customary flat directing style. When it comes to the fight sequences, they are rough around the edges and lack memorability. Also, the score sounds like a fusion of Bernard Herrmann and John Barry’s James Bond music cues. Ultimately, The Golden Buddha is a film that will be a difficult sell outside of fans of 1960s spy films.

Angel with the Iron Fists: A spy infiltrates the infamous Devil’s Girl Gang seeking justice for her murdered father.

Lo Wei directed Angel with the Iron Fists. He is best known for directing two Bruce Lee films and six Jackie Chan films.

Each country approached the making of the most interesting aspect of spy films inspired by James Bond in its own way. Though most countries put their unique spin on this genre of films, the Shaw Brothers mimicked Hollywood. Another strike against some of these Shaw Brothers spy films is Lo Wei’s direction; he’s a workmanlike filmmaker, but his films could have been directed by anyone else. That said, out of Lo Wei’s spy films, Angel with the Iron Fists is his most blatant James Bond clone.

Angel with the Iron Fists’ greatest asset is Lily Ho (Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan), who portrays Lorna, aka agent 009. Though 1960s spy films were mostly male-dominated, there were some notable female leads known as Jane Bonds. She has a commanding presence in which she elevates every moment she’s in. That said, when it comes to the rest of the cast, they are best described as serviceable.

Despite a solid opening where assassins surround a man in a telephone booth and kill him, the story that follows is uneven. At 118 minutes in length, the bloated narrative at times drags; it's all flash and no substance. That said, the stunt work is solid, and the visuals take full advantage of its scenic landscapes. The music cues this time around don’t hide their James Bond influence. Ultimately, though Angel with the Iron Fists fares better than The Golden Buddha, it has many of the same shortcomings. 

The Singing Thief: A copycat thief frames a retired jewel thief.

Chang Cheh directed The Singing Thief. He is known for his films: One-Armed Swordsman, Golden Swallow, The Boxer From Shantung, The Water Margin, and Five Venoms.

I would not classify The Singing Thief as a spy film; it is a crime/heist film. A few possible influences are Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief and Seijun Suzuki’s Tokyo Drifter. When compared to Chang Cheh’s other films, The Singing Thief stands out like a sore thumb. For a director known for heroic bloodshed films, he does an exemplary job directing a musical. That said, when it comes to the musical numbers, they are at the beginning and end of the film.

The Singing Thief has a solid cast who are all great in their roles, especially Lily Ho (All Men Are Brothers), who portrays an heiress named Darling Fang. Her character is a love interest for the protagonist, a retired thief named “Diamond’ Poon, who is portrayed by Jimmy Lin Chong. Where Jimmy Lin Chong delivers a serviceable performance, Lo Lieh (King Boxer) delivers another memorable turn as a villain.

From a production standpoint, The Singing Thief is a film that often exceeds its resources. The narrative superbly executes the premise, building momentum with well-executed scenes, and the excellent finale brings a perfect conclusion. Though The Singing Thief has a farcical tone, its last thirty minutes are more in line with Chang Cheh’s most celebrated heroic bloodshed martial arts films. Ultimately, in the hands of just about any director other than Chang Cheh, The Singing Thief would not have worked.

Eureka Video’s Super Spies and Secret Lies brings together three films, gives them strong audio/video presentations, and includes informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Story of Adele H.: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1975
Director: François Truffaut
Writers: François Truffaut, Jean Gruault, Suzanne Schiffman, Frances Vernor Guille
Cast: Isabelle Adjani, Bruce Robinson, Sylvia Marriott, Joseph Blatchley, Ivry Gitlis

Release Date: November 18th, 2024 (UK)
Approximate Running Time: 97 Minutes 35 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK)

"The year is 1863. Adele Hugo (Isabelle Adjani, Possession) is the daughter of the legendary poet and novelist Victor Hugo. After falling in love with the British soldier Lt. Pinson (Bruce Robinson), Adele sails by herself to Nova Scotia, intending to persuade Pinson to marry her. Pinson callously rejects her advances; unperturbed, she continues to pursue him, and her obsession becomes wilder and more desperate, leading her to become increasingly outcast from society." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The Story of Adele H. was delivered to Radiance as a High Definition digital file by Park Circus."

The Story of Adele H. comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.8 GB

Feature: 26.5 GB

Sourced from an existing master, this transfer is in great shape. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look very good, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is solid. Though Radiance Films’ and Kino Lorber’s releases share the same source, Radiance Films is the best this film has ever looked on home media. That said, this is another solid encode from Fidelity in Motion.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape, dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and the score sounds appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 50 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with director Francois Truffaut (2 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actress Isabelle Adjani (5 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), archival footage of the premiere in Lyon with Francois Truffaut and Isabelle Adjani (2 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with cinematographer Nestor Almendros (30 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with film critic Phuong Le (17 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 24-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, Letter to Jean-Louis Bory written by Francois Truffaut, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

The Story of Adele H. is based on the diaries of Adèle Hugo, the daughter of author Victor Hugo, whose notable works include The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables. The Story of Adele H. chronicles Adèle Hugo’s unrequited love for a military officer. The events take place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Barbados. Adèle Hugo, at first under an alias and later under her real name, follows the military officer everywhere he goes.

Set in the 1860s, The Story of Adele H. is a period melodrama with exceptional costume and production design. Also, it is an exquisitely photographed film that takes full advantage of its scenic landscapes. François Truffaut’s attention to detail and direction are flawless. Though other similar stories sprawl over two or even three hours, The Story of Adele H. conveys just as much in its 98-minute duration.

For a film where everything falls into place, one would be hard-pressed to name another actress who could have portrayed the protagonist better than Isabelle Adjani (Possession). She perfectly captures her character's desperation and deteriorating state of mind. Though her character is not mentally stable, throughout she retains her ability to deceive as a means to justify the ends. For her performance she would receive an Academy Award nomination for best actress.

At the heart of The Story of Adele H. is a story about a woman who becomes obsessed with a man who she originally rejected. Despite his flaws—he’s a womanizer, and the fact that he’s no longer interested in her, these things do not discourage her. Determined to win back his affection, she goes as far as spreading lies about him when she learns he’s engaged to another woman. Ultimately, The Story of Adele H. is a heartbreaking story about a woman destroyed by obsession.

Radiance Films gives The Story of Adele H. its best home video release to date, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer