Weird Science – Arrow Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1985
Director: John Hughes
Writer: John Hughes
Cast: Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Kelly LeBrock, Robert Downey Jr, Bill Paxton, Suzanne Snyder, Judie Aronson

Release Date: July 22nd, 2019 (UK), July 23rd, 2019 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 94 Minutes 6 Seconds (Theatrical Version), 96 Minutes 38 Seconds (Extended Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC (Both Versions)
Rating: 12 (UK), PG-13 (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English (Theatrical Version), DTS-HD Stereo English (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English SDH (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

“Perennially picked-on high school nerds Gary and Wyatt are sick of their status at the bottom of the social food chain. Using Wyatt s computer, the two hatch a plan to create their dream woman and following a massive power surge, that woman unexpectedly appears in the form of Lisa. Gorgeous, intelligent, and blessed with limitless magic powers, Lisa makes the boys dreams come true… but what about Wyatt s gun-toting psycho older brother Chet, and the two bullies determined to put them back in their place?” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (Both Versions)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "The original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 4K resolution on a Lasergraphics Director at EFilm, Burbank.

The film was graded and restored at Pinewood Studios, London. Picture grading was completed on a DaVinci Resolve and restoration was completed using PF Clean software."

Weird Science comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.1 GB

Feature: 27.2 GB

This release comes with the original theatrical version of the film and, via seamless branching, an exclusive extended version, featuring two additional scenes newly remastered in high definition. Arrow Video’s transfer for Weird Science is a textbook example of how a film should look for high-definition home video. And when compared to Universal Studios' Blu-ray release for Weird Science, this new transfer is a revelation. It is like seeing the film for the very first time. Areas where Arrow Video’s transfer is a marked improvement over Universal Studio’s transfer include image clarity, contrast, black levels, color saturation, and, most importantly, the fact that Arrow Video’s transfer retains an organic, film-like look that was missing from Universal Studio’s digitally over-filtered transfer.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English, DTS-HD Stereo English)

The theatrical version of the film comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Both audio mixes are in excellent shape; dialog always comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced; and range-wise, both audio mixes do a superb job with the ambient sounds. The extended version of the film comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English. And this audio mix is identical to the DTS-HD stereo that was used for the theatrical version. Both versions come with removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include three image galleries; shooting script (133 images), production stills (119 images), and poster and video art (22 images), nine radio spots (4 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), two T.V. spots (1 minute 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a theatrical teaser (2 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (1 minute 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), additional scenes (2 minutes 45 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled It’s Alive: Resurrecting Weird Science (16 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with composer Ira Newborn (13 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with editor Chris Lebenzon (10 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with special makeup creator Craig Reardon (19 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor John Kapelos (6 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with casting director Jackie Burch (6 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a split-screen comparison of the uncut version and made for TV version (18 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles) and edited-for-TV version of the film (94 minutes 6 seconds, 4:3 aspect ratio, DTS-HD stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), a BD-ROM PDF of the original shooting script, reverisble cover art, a slipcover (limited to first pressing), and a 44-page booklet (limited to first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Electric Venus; or, How I Learned to Stop Caring and Love Weird Science written by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, an essay titled Pictures from a Magazine: Reflecting on E.C. Comics’ Influence on Weird Science written by Amanda Reyes and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Growing up in the 1980s, no one personified the American teenage experience more than John Hughes. Where many others failed in their ability to create genuine teenage characters’ and experiences that teenagers could easily connect with. John Hughes effortlessly created characters’ and scenarios that resonated with teenagers. And nowhere was this more clear than in how his screenplays and the films that he directed were genuinely authentic.

Though most of the films that John Hughes is most remembered for revolve around teenagers, he was not the type of creator who rested on his success by repeating himself. And though there are some overlapping similarities in his first four feature films as a director, tone-wise, he was able to create four distinctly different films that continue to stand the test of time.

In hindsight, looking back on the films of John Hughes Though it is difficult to pinpoint which of his films is my favorite, if I had to choose one, it would be Weird Science. And that’s because it's the film more than any of his other films that my inner teenage self most identifies with.

From its opening moments, it becomes abundantly clear that Weird Science is not grounded in reality. And as the narrative progresses, the events that unfold become more outlandish. With the finale providing an extremely satisfying conclusion to the journey that Gary and Wyatt embarked on.

That being said, there’s only so far a film can push an audience before it loses them. And though the two main characters, Gary and Wyatt, go to extremes to fulfill their fantasies, it is the universal appeal of Weird Sciences’ premise that ultimately resonates with audiences.

There are many areas that can make or break a film. Nothing can sink a film more quickly than being poorly cast. Fortunately, Weird Science has an outstanding cast, all of whom are very good in their respective roles.

And without a doubt, Weird Sciences’ greatest asset is Anthony Michael Hall’s (National Lampoon’s Vacation) portrayal of Gary Wallace, the trouble-making friend who comes up with the idea to create a perfect woman. And cast opposite of Anthony Michael Hall is the role of Wyatt Donnelly, played by Ilan Mitchell-Smith (The Wild Life). His character’s need for structure provides the perfect contrast to Gary’s personality.

Not to be overlooked is Kelly LeBrock (The Woman in Red) in the role of Lisa. She delivers a captivating performance as an object of desire. Other notable cast members include Robert Downey Jr. (Less Than Zero) and Robert Rusler (Vamp) as two bullies who torment Gary and Wyatt; Suzanne Snyder (Killer Klowns from Outer Space) and Judie Aronson (American Ninja), two girls Gary and Wyatt like; and Bill Paxton (Aliens) in the role of Wyatt’s obnoxious older brother Chet. Ultimately, Weird Science is an extraordinary film where everything perfectly falls into place.

Weird Science gets an excellent release from Arrow Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation, three versions of the film, and a wealth of informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Grand Tour – Unearthed Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1993
Director: David Twohy
Writer: David Twohy
Cast: Jeff Daniels, Ariana Richards, Emilia Crow, Jim Haynie, Marilyn Lightstone, George Murdock, David Wells, Nicholas Guest, Robert Colbert, Time Winters, Mimi Craven

Release Date: February 14th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 98 Minutes 50 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: PG-13
Sound: LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $34.95

"A widowed innkeeper battles a band of disaster-groupies from the future with explosive results. Ben Wilson (Jeff Daniels) and his daughter (Ariana Richards) buy an old Victorian mansion and begin renovations with plans to open up an inn. Their first guests are a strange and mysterious covey of tourists led by the eccentric Madame Lovine (Marilyn Lightstone). In an emotionally charged and suspenseful race against time, Ben must battle the seductive time bandits as well as his own personal demons in an attempt to save his daughter and the town from total destruction." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "From a new 4K scan from the negative."

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

Disc Size: 21.9 GB

Feature: 18.2 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Colors and flesh tones look correct, black levels are strong, image clarity is solid, compression is very good, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.25/5

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

Extras:

Extras for this release include a home video trailer for The Grand Tour (1 minute 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a poster & artwork gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a production stills gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a featurette titled Lost to Time: Cannes Promo (18 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Timescape title sequence (4 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, and a slipcover (limited to first pressing).

Other extras include trailers for The Dark Side of the Moon, Nightwish, and The Unnamable.

Summary:

The Grand Tour was directed by David Twohy, who is best known for directing Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick. The Grand Tour was adapted from authors Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore’s novella Vintage Season.

Though the time travel premise has been used in countless films, the way The Grand Tour uses this plot device is one of the more interesting ways to employ time travel. Also, besides time travel, another plot device that The Grand Tour uses to great effect is a time loop.

The narrative revolves around a family—a father and his daughter—who return to their hometown after a tragedy. Shortly after their arrival, while renovating an inn, a group of tourists convince him to allow them to stay there despite the place not being ready for guests. From there, he discovers that the tourists are not what they seem and that they are there to view a disaster that is about to happen.

When it comes to performances, the entire cast is great in their roles, especially Jeff Daniels (Arachnophobia) in the role of Ben Wilson, a father who is renovating the inn with his daughter. He delivers a solid performance that is among the strongest of his career. Which greatly aids the story at hand since the narrative is primarily told from his point of view. Another performance of note is Ariana Richards (Jurassic Park) in the role of Hillary, Ben’s daughter.

The Grand Tour is a well-executed movie that quickly draws you into its story. The premise is superbly realized, the narrative does a fantastic job moving things forward, and a sensational ending perfectly brings everything that preceded it together. Another area where The Grand Tour excels is in the special effects, which hold up really well for practical special effects. Ultimately, The Grand Tour is a vastly underrated film that is primed for rediscovery.

The Grand Tour gets a first-rate release from Unearthed Films that comes with a strong/audio video presentation and an informative featurette, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Devonsville Terror – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1983
Director: Ulli Lommel
Writers: Ulli Lommel, George T. Lindsey, Suzanna Love
Cast: Suzanna Love, Robert Walker Jr., Donald Pleasence, Paul Willson

Release Date: February 14th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 82 Minutes 19 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $42.98

"Nearly 300 years ago, the residents of Devonsville tortured and murdered a trio of women suspected of witchcraft. However, as they burned, the condemned women swore vengeance from beyond the grave...

The Present: Jenny Scanlon has just moved to Devonsville to take up a job as a schoolteacher. While some in the community welcome her more progressive minded approach to education, the town’s older menfolk, all descendants of those responsible for the centuries old witch-hunts, become increasingly suspicious that Jenny, along with two other liberal young women are in fact agents of Satan who have returned from hell to take revenge on behalf of the executed witches. As unexplainable events involving Jenny begin to occur, old superstitions and paranoia run amok, leading to an ever increasing threat of violence…But is the long feared curse in fact coming true?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 2K from its 35mm internegative."

Here's additional information about the transfer, "The Devonsville Terror was scanned and restored from the best known surviving film elements, a 35mm Interpositive. While extensive restoration was performed to ensure that it looks better than ever before on home video, certain damage, inherent in the source, was unable to be fully resolved without harming the filmic integrity of the image."

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

Disc Size: 42 GB

Feature: 22.3 GB

The information provided about this transfer gives one a clear idea of what to expect quality-wise. Outside of some minor source-related damage, the image looks great. The colors look correct and stronger than they did for the 88 Films Blu-ray release. Also, image clarity is greatly improved, black levels are strong, compression is solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, and included are removable English SDH subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, ambient sounds and the score are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 55 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a behind the scenes still gallery, an archival interview director Ulli Lommel (7 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English subtitles), an interview with camera operator Jürg V. Walther titled Mind of a Chess Player (18 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with makeup artist Erica Ueland titled Not Very Nice People (12 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with actor Paul Willson titled The Incredible Melting Man! (42 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with Special effects artist Matthew W. Mungle titled It’s Melting Men! (15 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with actress Suzanna Love titled God is a Woman (35 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), reversible cover art, and a spot gloss slipcover (limited to 6,000 units).

Summary:

The Devonsville Terror was co-written, produced, photographed, and directed by Ulli Lommel, whose other notable films are Tenderness of Wolves, The Boogeyman, and Olivia.

There is something sinister about a film that revolves around witchcraft and the mass hysteria that happens because of it. The narrative revolves around a town that has not caught up with the rest of the world. The people of Devonsville are a superstitious lot whose ancestors rounded up and killed women accused of witchcraft. And because of this town's backward way of thinking, they view any outsider as a threat.

Based solely on its premise, The Devonsville Terror has a solid foundation on which to build. Unfortunately, when it comes to execution, the parts do not come together as well as they could have. And nowhere is this more clear than when it comes to the narrative, which has far too many lulls where nothing really happens.

The core of the cast features two recognizable faces: Donald Pleasence (Halloween) in the role of a doctor named Warley and Robert Walker Jr. (Evil Town) in the role of Matthew Pendleton, whose family keeps the town in check. Both of these parts are not much more than glorified cameos. The other key cast member is Suzanna Love in the role of Jenny Scanlon, the protagonist who has come to Devonsville to be the town's schoolteacher. At the time The Devonsville Terror was made, she was married to Ulli Lommel. She would appear in ten films that he directed.

The Devonsville Terror is at its best when it comes to the flashback sequences, notably the scene that opens with a film. The flashback sequences are well executed. They feature a variety of ways in which accused witches are tortured and killed. Another strength is composer Ray Colcord’s solid score, which greatly adds to the mood. Ultimately, The Devonsville Terror is a film that relies heavily on atmosphere, which is unfortunately undone by poor execution.

The Devonsville Terror gets a definitive release from Vinegar Syndrome.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Bio Zombie – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1998
Director: Wilson Yip
Writers: Matt Chow, Man Sing So, Wilson Yip
Cast: Jordan Chan, Sam Lee, Emotion Cheung, Angela Tong, Suk-Mui Tam, Yiu-Cheung Lai, Tat-Wah Lok, Frankie Chan

Release Date: February 14th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes 39 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo Cantonese, DTS-HD Stereo Mandarin
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $42.98

"Invincible and Bee are two wannabe gangsters who spend their days hanging around the mall selling bootleg DVDs. When they aren't committing petty crimes and trying to pick up girls, the two hoodlums run errands for their low level Triad boss. When one of these errands involves them picking up their boss's car from the mechanic, things take a turn for the two delinquents when they accidentally hit a man walking in the middle of the road. Trying to hide their crime, Invincible and Bee bring the man's body to the mall in order to figure out their next move. Little do they know that the man has been infected with an experimental bio-weapon that has turned him into a zombie. When the man's corpse doesn't stay put, it's only a matter of time before the victims start piling up and the mall soon becomes overrun by a zombie horde trapping a group of shoppers inside. Will Invincible and Bee step up to become heroes and save the day or will their slacker nature get the best of them dooming all inside?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Studio supplied master with additional restoration performed by VS."

Bio Zombie comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.1 GB

Feature: 27.4 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Colors, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid. That said, the opening credits are not representative of what the rest of this transfer looks like. The extras provide details about the opening credits.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Stereo Cantonese)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD stereo mix in Cantonese and a DTS-HD stereo mix in Mandarin. For this review, I only listened to the Cantonese language track since it has English subtitles. The Cantonese language track is in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. Included are removable English subtitles and removable English SDH subtitles for the Cantonese language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an alternate ending (3 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with director Wilson Yip titled Bio Zombie (18 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Chinese with removable English subtitles), a video essay by film historian Chris O’Neill titled Video Games, Contaminated Lucozade and Human Sushi (12 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an audio commentary with film historian Frank Djeng, reversible cover art, and a spot gloss slipcover (limited to 6,000 units), and a twenty page booklet with an essay titled Going to the Mall: Shopping and Chopping with Hong Kong’s Bio Zombie written by Rod Lott, and an essay titled At the Arcade: A Photo Essay Inspired by Bio Zombie written by Ariel Esteban Cayer.

Summary:

Bio Zombie was directed by Wilson Yip, who is most known for directing these martial arts films: Kill Zone, Flash Point, and the first four IP Man films.

Though zombie films are the most underrepresented sub-genre of films in Hong Kong. With the most notable Hong Kong zombie film being Bio Zombie, a film that draws inspiration from two seminal horror films, Dawn of the Dead and The Evil Dead,

Content-wise, Bio Zombie is a film that has two distinctive halves. The first half establishes who everyone is, while the latter half is a full-on horror film as the zombies come out in force. Tone-wise, these two halves could not be further apart. The first half is overflowing with humor, while the latter half takes on a darker tone. That said, despite this shift in tone, there is still some humor in the latter half.

The most surprising aspect of Bio Zombie are the performances. The entire cast is all very good in their roles, which are overflowing with enthusiasm. That said, Bio Zombie’s greatest asset are the performances.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where Bio Zombie disappoints. The premise is well-executed, a brisk narrative keeps things moving forward, and the ending serves as a perfect coda to the events that preceded. Also, there is a sufficient amount of gore and gut munching. Ultimately, Bio Zombie is a highly entertaining horror/comedy hybrid that leans more towards the latter.

Bio Zombie gets an excellent release from Vinegar Syndrome that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Armour of God: Deluxe Collector's Edition – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1986
Director: Jackie Chan
Writers: Barry Wong, Eric Tang, Ken Lowe, Szeto Chuek-Hon, John Sheppard, Jackie Chan
Cast: Jackie Chan, Alan Tam, Lola Forner, Rosamund Kwan, Božidar Smiljanić

Release Date: December 13th, 2021
Approximate Running Times: 98 Minutes 28 Seconds (Hong Kong Cut), 88 Minutes 29 Seconds (International Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese (Original Theatrical Mix), DTS-HD Mono Cantonese (Home Video Mix), DTS-HD Mono English (Classic English Dub), DTS-HD Mono Cantonese/English Hybrid, DTS-HD 5.1 English (Hong Kong Cut), LPCM Mono English (International Cut)
Subtitles: English (Hong Kong Cut), English SDH (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: OOP

"Former musician Asian Hawk (Chan) becomes embroiled in a dangerous quest to seek out the last three parts of lost treasure, the Armour of God, in order to save his ex-bandmate's girlfriend from the clutches of a ruthless cult." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (Original Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), 4/5 (International Cut)

Here’s the information given about the original Hong Kong theatrical cut's transfer, "88 Films present a brand new and exclusive 2K restoration of the main feature."

Armour of God, the Hong Kong cut, comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43 GB

Feature: 30.4 GB

The source used for the original Hong Kong theatrical cut is in excellent shape. Colors and flesh tones are accurate, and image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are all solid. 

Armour of God, the International Cut, comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 21.2 GB

Feature: 20.9 GB

The source used for the International Cut is in great shape.

Audio: 5/5 (DTS-HD Mono Cantonese - Original Theatrical Mix, DTS-HD Mono Cantonese - Home Video Mix, DTS-HD Mono Cantonese/English Hybrid), 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono English - Classic English Dub, DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Mono English)

The Hong Kong cut comes with five audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese (the original theatrical mix), a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese (the home video mix), a DTS-HD mono in English (the classic English dub), a DTS-HD mono mix in a Cantonese/English hybrid, and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. All tracks allow you to choose Lorelei or Flight of the Dragon for the end credits song. All tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, ambient sounds are well-represented. Furthermore, the Cantonese language tracks sound more robust than the English language tracks. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese language track, removable English subtitles for the Cantonese/English hybrid track, and removable English SDH.

The International cut comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English, and included are removable English SDH. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and fight scenes sound appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras on the disc with the Hong Kong theatrical cut include Cantonese theatrical trailer (4 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), Mandarin theatrical trailer (3 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with removable English subtitles), Japanese theatrical trailer (1 minute 9 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), English language theatrical trailer (2 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), 88 Films Blu-ray trailer (1 minute 43 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), High Upon High music video (6 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), High Upon High split screen (2 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), High Upon High behind the scenes (4 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Japanese release outtakes (4 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Locations: Then and Now featurette (6 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo), an archival interview with editor Peter Cheung (4 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with producer Willie Chan (3 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Jackie Chan (4 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Steve Lawson titled Jackie Chan on VHS - The VPF Years (7 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Radek Sienski titled Rise of the Phoenix (20 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Scott Adkins and Matt Routledge titled The Art of Action (30 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an episode of Celebrity Talk Show with Jackie Chan (58 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Asian cinema expert Frank Djeng, an audio commentary with Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, and an audio commentary with Kenneth Brorsson and Phil Gillon of the Podcast on Fire Network.

Other extras include six replica lobby cards, reversible cover art, a double-sided foldout poster, and aa 88-page perfect-bound book with an essay titled Eastern Heroes written by Tim Murray, an essay titled Jackie Chan, A Trademark Designed to Succeed written by Thorsten Boose, Pixelated Punch: The Early Video Game Years of Jackie Chan written by Audi Sorlie, an interview with Thorsten Nickel by Audi Sorlie, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Made during the height of Jackie Chan’s popularity, Armour of God is a different kind of film from Jackie Chan. Although Armour of God started off with another director, a daring stunt from the spectacular opening sequence nearly killed Jackie Chan. When filming resumed, Jackie Chan replaced the original director, Eric Tsang. That said, what little footage Eric Tsang directed blends effortlessly with the rest of the film.

The narrative revolves around a treasure hunter named Asian Hawk who is reluctantly enlisted to recover a treasure known as the Armour of God. Though the tone of Armour of God has a similar vibe to the films that Jackie Chan was making at this time, the premise feels like it was inspired by the Indiana Jones films.

While it's clear that Jackie Chan is the main attraction, he surrounds himself with a solid supporting cast. Jackie Chan portrays Asian Hawk, a former pop singer for the band The Losers turned treasure hunter. Armour of God reunites Jackie Chan with Lola Forner, who he worked with on Wheels on Meals. Rounding out the cast are Alan Tam (Rich and Famous) and Rosamund Kwan (Once Upon a Time in China), who portray two members of The Losers. The onscreen chemistry of these four actors elevates all of their performances.

Jackie Chan really knows how to wow an audience with his opening sequences, and with Armour of God he delivers one of his best. That said, the opening sequence sets the bar so high the narrative does not immediately recover. After that initial burst of action, there is not another action set piece until around the 35-minute mark. Fortunately, once the narrative hits its stride, it is smooth sailing for the rest of the way.

When it comes to the action set pieces, Armour of God is more about jaw-dropping stuntwork than choreographed martial arts. Though Jackie Chan does the most impressive stunt work, there are a few moments where others pull off some daring stunts. Where most Jackie Chan moments see him square off against a formidable foe, no one in Armour of God is on his level. Ultimately, what Armour of God lacks in exposition, it makes up for in spades with its exceptional stuntwork.

Armour of God gets a definitive release from 88 Films. Highly recommended. 

Note: 88 Films has rereleased Armour of God in a standard edition.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Violent Streets – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1974
Director: Hideo Gosha
Writers: Hideo Gosha, Masahiro Kakefuda, Nobuaki Nakajima
Cast: Noboru Andô, Akira Kobayashi, Isao Natsuyagi, Bunta Sugawara, Tetsurô Tanba, Asao Koike

Release Date: February 20th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 46 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK)

"A former yakuza member, Egawa (Noboru Andô) is now a brooding world-weary nightclub owner. Some of his former associates are released from prison and want to regain a foothold in the criminal underworld by igniting a gang war between the local yakuza, and an out-of-town clan led by veteran actor Tetsurō Tanba (Harakiri)." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5

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

Violent Streets comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 39 GB

Feature: 26.6 GB

Though the source used for this transfer has been cleaned up. The result is a transfer that is not without shortcomings. Notably, there appears to be some digital noise reduction, and sometimes black levels are not as convincing as they should be. That said, there are moments when the transfer looks great, but unfortunately most viewers are not going to be blown away by this transfer as a whole. Colors look correct, the image generally looks crisp, and compression is very good.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese, and included are removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and range-wise things are satisfactory.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 58 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an introduction to Violent Streets and the works of director Hideo Gosha by film critic Tony Rayns (37 minutes 10 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by Jasper Sharp titled Fighting in the Streets (13 minutes 7 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a slipcover (limited to 2000 copies), and a twenty-four page booklet (limited to 2,000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Rule Breaker: Hideo Gosha and Violent Streets written by Tom Mes, and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Violent Streets was directed by Hideo Gosha, a filmmaker best known for directing samurai films. His notable films include Goyokin, The Wolves, and Hunter in the Dark. Though Hideo Gosha had directed a trio of samurai films for Toei, Violent Streets was his first foray into the yakuza film genre, which Toei dominated in the 1970s.

The narrative revolves around a former yakuza named Egawa, whose past is colliding with his present. Though he has moved on from being a yakuza, he finds himself in the middle of a conflict between two rival yakuza clans.

Despite having all of the elements that are synonymous with 1970s yakuza cinema, the opening credits do not give you an idea of what is about to unfold. Fortunately, once all the main players are established, it is an intense ride that is overflowing with moments of brutality and an ample amount of sleaze.

The thing that grabs you while watching Violent Streets is just how many familiar faces populate its cast. The entire cast is superb in their roles, especially Noboru Andô (Graveyard of Honor) in the role of the protogast, a former yakuza named Egawa. He delivers a solid performance that propels the narrative forward.

The premise is well-executed, the narrative does a great job building tension, and a spectacular finale provides the perfect coda to the events that preceded. Also, though there are a few stylized violent set pieces, none standout more than the two sequences that take place in a chicken coop. That said, anyone expecting a film with the level of gravitas that Kinji Fukasaku's Battles Without Honor and Humanity films have might be disappointed by Violent Streets. Ultimately, Violent Streets is a straight-up exploitation film that is in line with most of Toei’s 1970s output.

Violent Streets gets a strong release from Eureka Video that comes with a good audio/video presentation and a trio of insightful extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer