The Terrornauts – Vinegar Syndrome Labs (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: UK, 1967
Director: Montgomery Tully
Writer: John Brunner
Cast: Simon Oates, Zena Marshall, Charles Hawtrey, Patricia Hayes, Stanley Meadows, Max Adrian

Release Date: January 21st, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 77 Minutes 7 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $44.98

"Scientist Joe Burke is determined to prove the existence of alien life and has set up a powerful radio telescope to look for signs. One night, after months of failure, he detects a clear but faint communication emerging from the deepest reaches of space. Excited by his findings, he rushes to his nearby research quarters. No sooner than arriving, the entire building, including its occupants, is lifted into space by a mysterious extraterrestrial force. After docking on a spacecraft, the frightened abductees realize that they have been selected to participate in a dangerous mission, the success of which will determine the fate and survival of Earth..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative."

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

Disc Size: 29.6 GB

Feature: 21.1 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. There are no issues with background hiss or distortion; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, this audio track sounds great.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an archival interview with editor Peter Musgrave tilted Budget Cuts (8 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with production manager Ted Wallis titled Managing on a Budget  (7 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with writer/film critic Kim Newman titled Subotsky the Trailblazer (22 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with author and film historian Brian Hannan, reversible cover art, and a spot gloss slipcover (limited to 3,000 units).

Summary:

Scientists whose radio telescope picks up a mysterious signal from outer space are kidnapped and taken aboard a flying saucer.

The Terrornauts was made simultaneously with They Came from Beyond Space and they were distributed as a double feature. The Terrornauts and They Came from Beyond Space are widely regarded as Amicus Productions' worst films. The Terrornauts was adapted from Murray Leinster’s novel The Wailing Asteroid.

Though Amicus worked in a variety of genres, they are most known for their horror output. The Terrornauts, like their other sci-fi films, are known for their minimalism: basic sets and primitive special effects. Amicus was a company that often worked in the margins, and despite many of their films working well in these limited perimeters, all of their sci-fi films came off looking cheap, like an episode of Dr. Who.

Though no one performance stands out, you can’t really fault any of them. The characters are one-dimensional, and the cast is given little to work with. A cast member of note is Zena Marshall (Dr. No); in her final role, she portrays one of the scientists.

At 77 minutes in length, the narrative never overstays its welcome. Though there are a few lulls, there are enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. The narrative's biggest flaw is the vagueness behind the aliens who abducted the scientists.

The Terrornauts is a product of its time; it was made before sci-fi cinema made great advancements with special effects. The space alien monster with a crab claw hand on the flying saucer is a sight to behold. That said, The Terrornauts is a film that fans of 1950s and 60s sci-fi cinema should thoroughly enjoy.

The Terrornauts gets an excellent release from Vinegar Syndrome Labs that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Lady Assassin – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1983
Director: Chin-Ku Lu
Writer: Chin-Ku Lu
Cast: Tony Liu, Norman Chui, Jason Pai Piao, Ku Feng, Leanne Liu, Max Mok Siu-Chung, Ching Miao, Cheung King-Yu, Yeung Jing-Jing, Yuen Tak, Kwan Fung, Johnny Wang Lung-Wei, Sun Chien

Release Date: February 24th, 2025 (UK), February 25th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 90 Minutes 33 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK), $34.95 (USA)

"From Hong Kong's legendary Shaw Brothers studio comes a blood-drenched story of ninjas, eunuchs and dark palace intrigue: the old emperor is on his last legs, and his most ambitious and amoral son plots to cheat his way to the throne. But taking power is the easy bit. Staying on top will prove much more difficult..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "High Definition Blu-ray Presentation (1080p) In 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio."

The Lady Assassin comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 26.7 GB

Feature: 21 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid and there are no issues with digital noise reduction. 

Audio: 4.25/5

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

Extras:

Extras for this release include a stills gallery (21 images), digital reissue trailer (1 minute 17 seconds, LPCM stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Poon Kin-Kwan titled From Child Actor to Fight Coordinator (23 minutes 50 seconds, LPCM stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, double sided poster (limited to the first pressing), and an O-Ring slipcase (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Chin-Ku Lu directed the film To Kill a Mastermind. His other notable films are The Master, Holy Flame of the Martial World, Bastard Swordsman, Return of the Bastard Swordsman, and Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead.

When the 4th prince learns that his father has chosen his brother, the 14th prince, to be his successor, he sets in motion a plan to take the throne from his brother.

The Lady Assassin's story is rooted in treachery. A character's lust for power leads them to scheme their way into power. When it becomes clear that they cannot simply kill the heir to the throne, they form temporary alliances that bring them close to their goal. Once he assumes the throne, the only thing that can stop him is the bodyguard of the 14th prince, who was supposed to be the heir to the throne.

Though the premise covers familiar ground, the result is a film that always holds your attention. The well-executed narrative does a superb job building momentum, and there are ample well-timed twists. The first half moves faster than the latter half, with everything culminating in a bloody finale.

All around, the performances are great, especially Norman Chui’s (The Sword) portrayal of the 14th prince's bodyguard. His character is a skilled swordsman who is unrivaled, and he is a man of honor who cannot be persuaded to betray the man he’s sworn to protect. Another performance of note is Leanne Liu’s (Opium and the Kung-Fu Master) portrayal of Lui Si Niang, the daughter of a rebel leader. Lui Si Niang has exceptional sword fighting skills, and she is just as deadly as her male counterparts.

When it comes to martial arts cinema, the main draw is the action sequences, and in this area, The Lady Assassin always delivers. That said, though the action comes fast and furious, there is a sufficient amount of time devoted to exposition. There is not much in the way of hand-to-hand combat; most of the fight sequences are swordplay.

The Shaw Brothers were only a few years away from drastically reducing their output by the time they made The Lady Assassin. Despite the ever-changing landscape of martial arts cinema in the 1980s, the Shaw Brothers continued to make a kind of martial arts film that was now considered old-fashioned. That said, The Lady Assassin is a solid example of the type of martial arts films that The Shaw Brothers were known for.

The Lady Assassin gets a first-date release from 88 Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and an informative interview, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer