Don't Play with Fire (aka Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind): 2 Disc Collector's Limited Edition - Cult Epics (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1980
Director: Tsui Hark
Writers: Cheuk-Hon Szeto, Tsui Hark
Cast: Lieh Lo, Lin Chen-Chi, Albert Au, Lung Tin Sang, Che Biu Law, Ray Lui, Bruce Baron

Release Date: June 23rd, 2026
Approximate Running Times: 96 minutes 18 Seconds (Uncensored International Version), 99 Minutes 25 Seconds (Banned Chinese Version), 89 Minutes 51 Seconds (English Dubbed Version)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC (Uncensored International Version, Banned Chinese Version With Standard Definition Inserts, English Dubbed Version)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese (Uncensored International Version, Banned Chinese Version)
Subtitles: English (Uncensored International Version, Banned Chinese Version)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $39.95

"After a fatal hit-and-run, three high school friends flee the crime scene. They are witnessed by Pearl, a sadistic young girl, who pursues the group and blackmails them into more crimes, with increasingly disastrous consequences." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Uncensored International Version)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Cult Epics presents a 2-disc limited edition of 3000 copies featuring three versions of the film, including a new 2K transfer and extensive bonus features."

Don't Play with Fire (aka Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind), the uncensored international version, comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.4 GB

Feature: 22.8 GB

Don't Play with Fire (aka Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind), the banned Chinese version, comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.4 GB

Feature: 23.2 GB (Banned Chinese Version), 13.4 GB (English Dubbed Version)

The sources for the uncensored international version and the banned Chinese version are the same master that Spectrum Films used for their 2024 French Blu-ray release. The inserts from the banned Chinese version are VHS sourced and they look rough; see screenshots below. The uncensored international version's source is in excellent shape; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity is solid, black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression. For this review I will only be scoring the uncensored international version, since the other two versions are essentially extras.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono Cantonese - Uncensored International Version, DTS-HD Mono Cantonese - Banned Chinese Version)

The uncensored international version and the banned Chinese version each come with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. While the audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced, it's limited range-wise.

Extras:

Extras on disc one include a newly created trailer (1 minute 14 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with assistant director O Sing Pui (23 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with screenwriter Szeto Cheuk On (7 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Albert Au (44 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Paul Che (26 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with director Tsui Hark (26 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Frankie Balboa and Brandon Streussnig.

Other extras on disc one include trailers for The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), His Motorbike, Her Island (1 minute 32 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), School in the Crosshairs (1 minute 55 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), and The Island Closest to Heaven (1 minute 41 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles).

Extras on disc two include a theatrical trailer (4 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), a promotional image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (posters/stills), an archival interview with Tsui Hark (11 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Lieh Lo (6 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an option to listen to the isolated score (33 minutes 28 seconds, 7 tracks, Dolby Digital mono), and an English-dubbed version of Don't Play with Fire (89 minutes 51 seconds, 1080 progressive, 2.35:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digtal mono English, no subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art with original poster art and a slipcase with art design by Tony Stella.

Summary:

Tsui Hark directed Don't Play with Fire (aka Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind). He’s known for Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain, Shanghai Blues, Peking Opera Blues, Once Upon a Time in China, The Banquet, Twin Dragons, and Time and Tide. Besides directing, he’s also produced these notable films: A Better Tomorrow, A Better Tomorrow II, A Chinese Ghost Story, The Killer, Iron Monkey, Burning Paradise, and Black Mask.

Three high school friends who fled a fatal hit-and-run are blackmailed by an emotionally unstable young woman who provokes them to commit additional crimes, each more dangerous than the last.

Tsui Hark is part of a core group of filmmakers who began in the 1970s and were called the Hong Kong New Wave. When discussing the Hong Kong New Wave, it is important to note that there were two waves, and among those who were part of the first wave, Tsui Hark is arguably the most successful. That said, Tsui Hark’s first three films, The Butterfly Murders, We're Going to Eat You, and Don't Play with Fire (aka Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind), are an eclectic mix of films that are not as well known as his later films. Where there were three daring films in which he relied more on his instincts, in his films that followed, he would become more conscious of making commercially viable films.

Don't Play with Fire (aka Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind) is an intense action/crime drama where characters embrace their darker sides. The narrative revolves around a young woman named Pearl who spends most of her time alone torturing and killing animals. A chance encounter puts three friends in her crosshairs. She takes advantage of their misfortune and uses them as her new playthings for her sadistic games.

The opening setup does an excellent job of establishing the main characters and drawing you in. The narrative effectively builds momentum with tense moments that culminate with a bleak, bloody finale in a cemetery that serves as a perfect coda. When it comes to pacing, things move briskly, and there are ample jarring surprises so that things never become predictable.

The performances are the most surprising aspect of Don't Play with Fire (aka Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind), especially Lin Chen-Chi’s (The Spiritual Boxer) portrayal of Pearl. She delivers an exemplary performance that perfectly captures her character's lack of empathy and lust for suffering. The most notable cast member is Lieh Lo (King Boxer) in the role of Pearl’s brother. That said, all of the performances are excellent all around.

Even at this stage of his career, Tsui Hark’s instincts as a director are rock solid. While the visuals are not overly stylish, there are several striking moments that take full advantage of the grimy landscapes featured throughout. The score, like so many Hong Kong films from this era, is made up of music tracks from other films. The most notable of these are three tracks composed by Goblin for Dawn of the Dead. Other tracks include music from Star Trek—The Motion Picture, Jean-Michel Jarre's Oxygène (Part IV), and The Alan Parsons Project's Voyager.

Tsui Hark’s original vision of Don't Play with Fire (aka Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind) was immediately banned and he was forced to cut some content. The theatrical version clocks in at about 96 minutes, while an uncut version clocks in around 99 minutes. It should be noted that both of these versions contain unique footage: 13 minutes for the theatrical version and 17 minutes for the uncut version. The only known source for the footage that was removed from the theatrical version comes from a VHS tape made by Tsui Hark during production. Ultimately, Don't Play with Fire (aka Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind) is a grueling cinematic experience that is unlike anything that came before or since in Hong Kong cinema.

Don't Play with Fire (aka Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind) gets a first-rate release from Cult Epics that comes with three versions of the film and a wealth of informative extras. Recommended.

 

                                                       VHS Insert Screenshots.

Written by Michael Den Boer