Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain – Shout! Factory (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1983
Director: Tsui Hark
Writers: Shui Chung-yuet, Sze-to Cheuk-hon
Cast: Sammo Hung Kam-bo, Yuen Biao, Brigitte Lin, Adam Cheng, Moon Lee, Judy Ongg

Release Date: February 14th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 98 Minutes 39 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Mandarin, DTS-HD Mono Cantonese, DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $32.98

"An army deserter (Yuen Biao) is chased by vampires in the mountains of Zu. He is rescued by a master (Adam Cheung) and becomes his devoted pupil. But when they are ambushed by the Blood Devil, the pair find themselves in need of the assistance of a devil chaser (Damian Lau) and his pupil (Mang Hoi). With the additional help of Master Chang Mei (Sammo Hung), they manage to hold off the Blood Devil…but they will need to find the Dual Swords to destroy it!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "2K restoration from the original film elements."

Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.9 GB

Feature: 26.1 GB (Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain), 8.7 GB (Zu: Time Warrior)

For this release Shout! Factory uses the same source that Eureka Video used for their 2020 Blu-ray release. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction. That said, there is a dip in quality with moments that are special effects-heavy.

Audio: 4.5/5 (All Audio Tracks)

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Mandarin, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese, and a DTS-HD stereo mix in English. All of the tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced and range-wise robust when they should. Included are English subtitles for the Mandarin language track and English SDH for the English language track. It should be noted that subtitles and audio can only be chosen via the audio setup menu, and they cannot be turned off while watching the main feature.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (stills/posters), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), alternate opening credits (2 minutes, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese, no English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Mang Hoi (18 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actress Moon Lee (21 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Yuen Biao (12 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with director Tsui Hark (61 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival select scene audio commentary with Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns, an interview with academic Lin Feng titled New the Majesty and Magic of a Hong Kong Milestone (17 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with author and academic Victor Fan titled New Riding a New Wave (27 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with visual effects consultant Peter Kuran titled New from West to East (21 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Hong Kong filmmaker and academic Gilbert Po and film critic Sean Tierney, and Zu: Time Warrior, an alternate export cut produced for European theaters (97 minutes 16 seconds, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Summary:

Tsui Hark directed Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain. He’s known for Don't Play with Fire (aka Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind), 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.

During a civil war, a Chinese warrior flees the battlefield and becomes entangled in a battle of good versus evil.

The reason foreign cinema does not connect with audiences abroad is that many cultural elements are lost in translation. A significant example of how audiences interpret humor that’s derived from dialogue when they are not familiar with cultural elements. That said, another genre whose elements far too often get lost in translation is fantasy films.

Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain is a film firmly rooted in Xianxia, a genre heavily influenced by Chinese mythology. While it has many elements that are in common with Wuxia, if you’re not familiar with Chinese mythology, there are some things that might not translate well. While Western audiences may be familiar with fantasy cinema, Chinese fantasy films are in a realm all their own.

Without a doubt, Zu Warriors from Magic Mountain’s action set pieces are its greatest asset. The action set pieces are inventive, explosive, and highly entertaining. Another strength of Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain is its cast of colorful heroes and villains. That said, while special effects have made significant advancements since Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain, there is something oddly endearing about how they are employed in this film.

Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain features a solid cast that’s headlined by Biao Yuen (On the Run) in the role of Ti Ming-Chi, a soldier who finds himself on a fantastical journey where the forces of evil are being held at bay by the forces of good; Hoi Mang (Pedicab Driver) in the role of a monk’s disciple named Yi Zhen; and Moon Lee (Devil Hunters) in the role of Mu Sang, one of the ice queen’s guards.

Other notable cast members include Sammo Kam-Bo Hung (The Magnificent Butcher) and Brigitte Lin (The Bride with White Hair). Sammo Kam-Bo Hung is cast in two roles: a Red Army soldier and an ancient priest named Chang Mei, who uses his ‘long brows’ to restrain his opponents. Brigitte Lin portrays the Ice Queen, a character who has magical powers that can save the gravely wounded.

Tsui Hark's first three films, known collectively as the Chaos Trilogy, are known for subversive content and rejection of traditional Hong Kong cinema filmmaking. His films since then have become more commercially minded. While Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain was not a success at the box office, it's a significant film in Tsui Hark’s evolution as a filmmaker, and over the years it's gained a considerable following. His direction is solid and there is a kinetic energy throughout that ensures there’s never a dull moment. Ultimately, Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain is a visual extravaganza that fans of Xianxia cinema should thoroughly enjoy.

Shout! Factory gives Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain a solid release that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras. Recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer