Enter Santo: The First Adventures of the Silver-Masked Man: Limited edition - Indicator Series (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Mexico/Cuba, 1961 (Santo vs. Evil Brain, Santo vs. Infernal Men)
Director: Joselito Rodríguez (Both Films)
Cast: Santo, Joaquín Cordero, Norma Suárez, Enrique Zambrano, Alberto Insua (Santo vs. Evil Brain), Santo, Joaquín Cordero, Gina Romand, Jorge Marx, Fernando Osés, Enrique Zambrano (Santo vs. Infernal Men)

Release Date: February 13th, 2023 (UK), February 14th, 2023 (USA)
Approximate running times: 72 Minutes 38 Seconds (Santo vs. Evil Brain), 76 Minutes 12 Seconds (Santo vs. Infernal Men)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: 12 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Spanish (Both Films)
Subtitles: English (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $49.99 (USA)

"In Santo vs. Evil Brain (Santo contra cerebro del mal), the dastardly Doctor Campos is kidnapping and brainwashing scientists. When undercover detective Santo falls prey to Campos’ scheme, Lieutenant Zambrano (Enrique Zambrano) and El Incognito (Fernando Osés) must come to his assistance to foil Campos’ plans. Meanwhile, in the same year’s Santo vs. Infernal Men (Santo contra hombres infernales), the trio of Santo, El Incognito, and Zambrano team up once again to fight a band of drug smugglers." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Santo vs. Evil Brain, Santo vs. Infernal Men)

Here’s the information given about the transfer, "4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negatives."

Santo vs. Evil Brain comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31.9 GB

Feature: 20.8 GB

Santo vs. Infernal Men comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 37.2 GB

Feature: 21.8 GB

The transfers for both films are in great shape; any source-related blemishes are minor. Image clarity, gray levels, and black levels are strong. Also, compression is solid and grain remains intact, albeit thicker in some scenes.

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Mono Spanish - Santo vs. Evil Brain, LPCM Mono Spanish - Santo vs. Infernal Men)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Spanish, and removable English subtitles for both films. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. Also, range-wise ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras on the Blu-ray disc with Santo vs. Evil Brain includes a featurette about Santo vs. Evil Brain, and Santo vs. Infernal Men titled Looking for El Santo (30 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Joaquín Cordero titled A League of Gentlemen (11 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), and a featurette about the luchador film genre titled Mascára vs. mascara (11 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles).

Extras on the Blu-ray disc with Santo vs. Infernal Men include a documentary by Viviana García Besné, granddaughter of Jorge García Besné and Mate Calderón, exploring her family’s major contribution to Mexican cinema, including initiating the Santo series titled Perdida (95 minutes 45 seconds, LPCM stereo Spanish with non-removable English subtitles), and Perdida image galleries: The Calderons: A Family Business (42 images), Azteca Studios: Behind The Scenes (57 images), and The Alcazar Cinema Chain (85 images). 

Other extras include reversible cover art with Santo vs. Evil Brain on one side and Santo vs. Infernal Men on the other, as well as a double-sided poster, and an 80-page book with cast & crew information, an essay titled The cinematic El Santo was born in Havana. written by Luciano Castillo, an archival newspaper article on Mexican wrestling titled Rasslers are new matinée idols for Mexico City’s red-hot fans written by Virginia Snow, an essay titled The Legend of the Mask written by Christian Cymet, an extract from Carlos Monsiváis’ The Rituals of Chaos titled El Santo: Being Yourself by Being Someone Else, an extract from Jimmy Pantera’s Los tigres del ring titled Las Historietas De Ediciones Jose G Cruz, an archival interview with Griselda Cruz titled Santo Versus the Brain of Photomontage, cast & crew information for Perdida, an essay about Perdida titled Cinema Bizarre written by Michael Donnelly, an archival interview with Viviana García Besné and Alistair Tremps titled Perdida: An Interview with the Filmmakers, and information about the restorations.

Summary:

Santo vs. Evil Brain was shot back-to-back with Santo vs. Infernal Men in Cuba in 1958 (both films would not be released until 1961). These two films mark the beginning of the adventure of a character named Santo. In all, Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta, aka Santo, would star in fifty-three Santo films.

Santo vs. Evil Brain and Santo vs. Infernal Men share a similar narrative. In both films, an undercover agent donning a silver mask confronts a malevolent doctor who has developed a brainwashing drug and is involved in drug smuggling.

Although there are many similarities between Santo vs. Evil Brain and Santo vs. Infernal Men, tone-wise, the two films could not be further apart. Santo vs. Evil Brain is a campy film that does a great job blending action and fantasy elements, while Santo vs. Infernal Men is more of a pedestrian detective story.

The main attraction of both films is Santo, a mask-wearing crime fighter whose connection to law enforcement remains vague. Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta’s portrayal of Santo emphasizes his physicality. Santo, a man of few words, spends most of his screen time displaying his wrestling moves as he takes down bad guys. The other performances in the films are largely melodramatic.

Both films feature strong cinematography that takes advantage of Cuba’s landscapes. These films also provide a time capsule look at Cuba pre-Castro. Santo vs. Evil Brain has a briskly paced narrative, while Santo vs. Infernal Men’s narrative has too many drawn-out mundane moments. Another weakness of Santo vs. Infernal Men is its padding of the narrative with footage from Santo vs. Evil Brain. Although Santo vs. Evil Brain is clearly the stronger of these two films, both are must-sees if you're a fan of Santo or lucha libre films.

Powerhouse Films gives Enter Santo: The First Adventures of the Silver-Masked Man is a solid release as part of their Indicator Series; highly recommended.

Note: Limited edition of 6,000 numbered units for the UK and US.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Wheels on Meals - Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1984
Director: Sammo Hung Kam-Bo
Writers: Edward Tang, Gwing-Gai Lee
Cast: Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Benny Urquidez, Keith Vitali, Herb Edelman, Lola Forner

Release Date: March 18th, 2019
Approximate Running Time: 109 Minutes 19 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Cantonese, LPCM Mono Cantonese, LPCM Mono Cantonese (Alternate Soundtrack), DTS-HD 5.1 English (Classic Dub), DTS-HD 5.1 English (2006 Dub), LPCM Mono English (Classic Dub)
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK)

“Fast food chefs Thomas and David find themselves cooking up trouble when detective Moby involves them in the case of a missing heiress. The three friends need all of their daring and physical dexterity when they find themselves facing a triple helping of danger.” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Stunning 1080p presentation from a brand new 2K restoration."

Wheels on Meals comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.7 GB

Feature: 34.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape. Colors look vibrant, flesh tones look healthy, and image clarity and compression are solid. That said, despite black levels looking strong for most of the film, there are few moments where they are not as strong.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 Cantonese, LPCM Mono Cantonese, LPCM Mono Cantonese - alternate soundtrack, DTS-HD 5.1 English - classic dub, DTS-HD 5.1 English - 2006 Dub, LPCM Mono English - classic dub)

This release comes with six audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Cantonese, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese (Alternate Soundtrack), a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English (Classic Dub), a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English (2006 Dub) and a LPCM mono mix in English (Classic Dub). You can’t go wrong with any of the audio mixes. They all sound clean, clear, and balanced. Also, when it comes to range, all of these audio mixes sound robust when they should. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese language tracks.

Extras:

Extras for this release include Hong Kong theatrical trailer (4 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), International theatrical trailer (2 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Japanese Spartan X trailer (2 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese, no subtitles), Spartan X alternate Japanese release end credits (3 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), outtake footage (4 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital mono), an interview with Sammo Kam-Bo Hung titled On Giants Shoulders (7 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor / director Sammo Kam-Bo Hung (10 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Yuen Biao titled Born to Fight (14 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Benny ‘The Jet’ Urquidez titled Jet Fighter (28 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Keith Vitali titled King of Ring (33 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles) and an interview with director Stanley Tong titled The Inside Track (34 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a limited edition O-Card (first pressing only), and a 44-page booklet (first pressing only) with cast & crew information, an essay titled All For One: 'Three Brothers' Hit Barcelona written by James Oliver, an essay titled Spanish Fly: Hong Kong New Wave and Wheels on Meals written by Scott Harrison, behind-the-scenes & promotional material, a poster gallery, and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Wheels on Meals was directed by Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, whose other notable films as a director include Knockabout, Encounters of the Spooky Kind, The Prodigal Son, Eastern Condors, and Pedicab Driver.

Wheels on Meals immediately draws you in with an opening credit workout sequence that introduces Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao’s characters. This opening sequence and the scene that introduces Sammo Hung Kam-Bo’s bumbling detective character perfectly set the tone for what is about to unfold.

Content-wise, Wheels on Meals has all the elements that Jackie Chan’s most celebrated films are known for. It was refreshing to watch Jackie Chan in a collaboration where he shares the spotlight with two other actors, whose own unique styles are given equal time to shine.

Humor plays a large role in the story at hand. With Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao’s characters fighting for the same girl being a running gag throughout the film, Other humorous moments include a scene where Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao’s characters are washing a car and a pretty girl walks by; Yuen Biao’s character gets distracted by the pretty woman who walks by, and he throws a bucket of dirty water in the face of a police officer who’s walking by. And a scene where Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao’s characters decide to run away from two bad guys when they realize they’re overmatched.

Performance-wise, Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo are a dynamic trio that have a tremendous amount of chemistry. Other notable performances include those of Benny ‘The Jet’ Urquidez and Keith Vitali in the roles of the main henchmen and Lola Forner in the role of an heiress named Sylvia, who’s being targeted by the bad guys hired by her uncle.

Though the action set pieces take a back seat to the characters' stories in the first half of the film, once the film transitions away from the characters, it is non-stop action. Standout moments include a scene in a public square where Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao’s characters dispose of a gang riding motorbikes who are chasing away their potential customers, a scene where a high-speed chase ensues after Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo’s characters rescue Sylvia from kidnappers, and a showdown in a castle, which is this film’s most impressive action set piece. Ultimately, Wheels on Meals is one of the high points of 1980s Hong Kong action cinema.

Wheels on Meals gets an excellent release from Eureka Video that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

City Hunter - Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1993
Director: Wong Jing
Writers: Tsukasa Hôjô, Wong Jing
Cast: Jackie Chan, Joey Wang, Kumiko Goto, Chingmy Yau, Gary Daniels, Carol Wan, Leon Lai, Eric Kot, Jan Lamb, Richard Norton

Release Date: September 4th, 2018
Approximate running time: 99 Minutes 43 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Cantonese, LPCM Stereo Cantonese, LPCM Mono Cantonese, DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Mono English (Alternate English Dub)
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK)

“Hired to track down Shizuko Imamura, the runaway daughter of a publishing tycoon, Ryo initially turns the job down… until he sees a picture of the missing woman! Ryo eventually finds her aboard a luxury cruise ship, but much to the annoyance of his exasperated assistant Carrie, Ryo seems more interested in catching Shizuko s attention than returning her safely to her father. When terrorists hijack the ship, Ryo must put his romantic feelings aside and swing into action to dispatch the bad guys and save the day.” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Stunning 1080p presentation from a brand new 2K restoration."

City Hunter comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.7 GB

Feature: 33.1 GB

The source used for this transfer looks excellent. Colors look vibrant, flesh tones look healthy, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid. That said, it should be noted that the image does not look as crisp during the video game fight scene.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 Cantonese, LPCM Stereo Cantonese, LPCM Mono Cantonese, DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Mono English - alternate English dub)

This release comes with five audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Cantonese, a LPCM stereo mix in Cantonese, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English, and a LPCM mono mix in English (Alternate English Dub). You can’t go wrong with any of the audio mixes. They all sound clean, clear, and balanced. Also, when it comes to range, all of these audio mixes sound robust when they should. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese language tracks and a second removable English subtitle track that translates the "Gala Gala Happy" sequence when watching the film in English.

Extras:

Extras for this release include Hong Kong theatrical trailer (4 minutes, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), Hong Kong DVD trailer (1 minute 50 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), Japanese end credits (3 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese, no subtitles), outtakes montage (4 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), outtakes music video (2 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), an archival interview with Jackie Chan: Part One (10 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Part Two (3 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Wong Jing (7 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with stuntman and long-time member of Jackie Chan's stunt team, Rocky Lai (10 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Richard Norton (15 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Gary Daniels (29 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a limited edition O-Card (first pressing only), and a 36-page booklet (first pressing only) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Cruising for a Bruising: Jackie Chan, all at sea on City Hunter written by James Oliver, archival lobby cards, poster gallery and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

City Hunter was directed by Wong Jing, whose other notable films include God of Gamblers, Royal Tramp, High Risk, and The Last Tycoon.

There is a level of expectation that one has when watching a Jackie Chan film. And on the rare occasion when Jackie Chan has ventured outside of her comfort zone The result is a film that fails to connect with his die-hard fans. Case in point: City Hunter.

On the surface, though, City Hunter has many of the elements that have since become synonymous with Jackie Chan. It is a film that fans of Jackie Chan either enjoy or dislike. With most fans falling into the latter category.

After a failed first attempt at making movies in Hollywood, Jackie Chan, starting with Wheels on Meals, would embark on what is arguably the most successful period of his career. And in 1993, with City Hunter, he would once again venture outside of his comfort zone.

Though Jackie Chan’s films have always had slapstick humor, He had never tried to emulate a cartoon, that is, until he made City Hunter, a film that was based on a Japanese manga written by Tsukasa Hôjô. Needless to say, this style of humor is in direct contrast with Jackie Chan’s comedic strengths.

That being said, despite the shortcomings of Jackie Chan’s performance, From a production standpoint, City Hunter has more positives than negatives. Most notably, it has well-executed action set pieces.

Without a doubt, City Hunter’s strongest asset is its three female leads: Joey Wang (A Chinese Ghost Story) in the role of Carrie, Kumiko Goto in the role of Shizuko Imamura, and Chingmy Yau (Naked Killer) in the role of Saeko Nogami. These three characters give Jackie Chan’s character, Ryu Saeba, three distinctively different women to interact with. Another area where the three women excel is their comedic timing. Ultimately, City Hunter is a perfect blend of live-action manga and Jackie Chan’s persona.

City Hunter gets an excellent release from Eureka Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

 Written by Michael Den Boer

The Young Master: Deluxe Collector's Edition – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1980
Director: Jackie Chan
Writers: Jackie Chan, Edward Tang, Lau Tin-chi, Tung Lu
Cast: Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, Fung Fung, Shih Kien, Lee Hoi-sang, Fung Hak-kun, Wei Pai, Shih Kien, Lily Li, Hwang In-Shik, Fan Mei, Yue Tau-ean, Bruce Tang Yim-chan

Release Date: Februray 22nd, 2021
Approximate running times: 106 Minutes 18 Seconds (Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), 90 Minutes 58 Seconds (International Export Cut), 99 Minutes 47 Seconds (Extended Export Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Versions)
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Cantonese Mono - original theatrical mix, LPCM Cantonese Mono - home video mix, LPCM Cantonese Mono - with alternate export soundtrack, DTS-HD 5.1 English (Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), LPCM Mono English (International Export Cut, Extended Export Cut)
Subtitles: English (Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), English SDH (International Export Cut, Extended Export Cut)
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: OOP

"Jackie Chan was already a star when he made The Young Master but this film took him to another level. He plays 'Dragon' who undertakes a mission to find his missing brother, and gets into plenty of scrapes along the way – not least being mistaken for a criminal that the authorities are very keen to put behind bars..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information given about the transfer, "New 2K Remaster of the Hong Kong theatrical cut."

The Young Master, the Hong Kong theatrical cut comes on a 50 GB duallayer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.2 GB

Feature: 27.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Colors are nicely saturated, flesh tones look healthy, black levels are strong, and image clarity and compression are solid.

The Young Master, the international export cut, and the extended export cut come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.8 GB

Feature: 19.9 GB (International Export Cut), 21.6 GB (Extended Export Cut)

According to the information provided in the perfect bound book, the international export cut and the extended export cut come from older existing sources that predate the 2K transfer used for the Hong Kong theatrical cut.

Though the sources used for the international export cut and the extended export cut are not as strong as the source used for the Hong Kong theatrical cut, Both of these transfers look very good. Colors and flesh tones look correct; image clarity and black levels are strong; and compression is solid.

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Cantonese Mono - original theatrical mix, LPCM Cantonese Mono - home video mix, LPCM Cantonese Mono - with alternate export soundtrack, LPCM Mono English), 4/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English)

The Hong Kong theatrical cut comes with four audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese (the original theatrical mix), a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese (the home video mix), a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese (an alternate export soundtrack), and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese original theatrical mix and removable English subtitles for the Cantonese alternate export soundtrack. Also, there are removable English subtitles for Cantonese text and signs when watching the DTS-HD 5.1 English language track.

The international export cut and the extended export cut each come with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English. Included are removable English SDH subtitles and a second English subtitle track for Cantonese text and signs.

All of the mono mixes across these three versions are comparable quality- and range-wise. There are no issues with hiss or sibilance; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds bland. Also, ambeint sounds are well-represented, and fight scenes sound robust. Despite sounding clean and clear, the DTS-HD 5.1 English language track does not have the same impact as the other tracks for the fight sequences.

Extras:

Extras on the Blu-ray disc with the Hong Kong theatrical cut include Hong Kong theatrical trailer (3 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), extended Hong Kong theatrical trailer (3 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), Japanese theatrical trailer (2 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), English language theatrical trailer (2 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), U.S. home video trailer (1 minute 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), alternate export dub audio cues (1 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), ‘NG’ No Good Shots (9 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo), an archival interview with actor Hwang In-shik (28 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Jackie Chan (7 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a collection of deleted, extended, alternate footage titled The Cut Master (13 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), extended fight scenes (6 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese, no subtitles), an interview with film editor Radek Sienski titled The Art of the Cut: Editing of The Young Master (20 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Hong Kong cinema expert Rick Baker who discusses The Young Master (10 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema expert Brandon Bentley for the Hong Kong theatrical cut.

Other extras on this disc include trailers for Dragon Lord, New Fists of Fury, The Fearless Hyena, Shaolin Wooden Men, Spiritual Kung Fu, and The Master.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc with the international export cut, and the extended export cut include an audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema aficionados and game producers Audi Sorlie and Chris Ling.

Other extras include six replica Lobby Cards, reversible cover art, a double-sided foldout poster, and a 80-page perfect bound book with an essay titled Jackie Chan - The Early Years: From Stuntman to Superstar written by William Blaik, an essay titled VHS Kung Fu: The History of Martial Arts on Video written by Tim Murray, an essay titled Fan-Tastic! The Young Master - Jackie Chan Begins Again written by James Oliver, cast & crew information, and information about the transfers.

Summary:

By the time Jackie Chan made The Young Master, he had already established himself as the premier actor working in martial arts cinema. In the four years leading up to The Young Master, he had appeared in fourteen films, some of which did very well at the box office in Hong Kong. Despite these minor successes, all of them paled in comparison to The Young Master, his first film in Hong Kong to gross one million dollars. The Young Master is also significant for being Jackie Chan’s first film with Golden Harvest, a company he would work with for the next two decades.

The narrative revolves around two rival schools that are competing in a lion dance contest. What should have been an easy win ends in defeat when an orphan student fakes an injury to help a rival school win a lion dance competition. From there, another orphan at the school promises to bring back the student who betrayed the teacher and restore his school's honor.

Besides starring, Jackie Chan also directs The Young Master. And though his character is given ample time to shine, The Young Master is not simply a star vehicle for Jackie Chan, who gives other characters an opportunity to share the spotlight. He delivers a strong performance that is in line with the types of roles for which he is known. And of course, when it comes to the fight sequences, he does not disappoint.

Other notable performances include Yuen Biao (Knockabout) in the role of the constable's son, Shih Kien (Enter the Dragon) in the role of Sang Kung, the constable who is looking for the fugitive with a white fan, and Hwang In-Shik (Hapkido) in the role of Master Kam, a fugitive who leaves a trail of death in his wake.

When it comes to fight sequences, they all deliver and then some. Notable fight sequences include the scene where constables who are transporting Master Kam, who is chained down to a cart, are ambushed by some of Master Kam’s henchmen. This sequence really excels once Master Kam is freed from his shackles and is able to unleash a brutal display of powerful blows. Another standout moment is the scene where Yuen Biao’s character, who is carrying a bench, assists a constable trying to arrest Jackie Chan’s character, Dragon Lung. In this sequence, the bench plays a large role in the fighting. And a lengthy finale in which Dragon Lung faces off against Master Kam.

The Young Master opens with an impressive lion dance competition, which sets the stage for the events that unfold. And though there is some martial arts in this sequence, the first fight sequence does not happen until about the thirty-minute mark. Being that this is a Jackie Chan film, it should not come as a surprise that there is an ample amount of humor, like Dragon Lung falling into a swamp and a scene where Dragon Lung, wearing a skirt, fends off the bad guys like a bullfighter. Ultimately, The Young Master is an exceptional film that is a must-see film if you are a fan of classic martial arts cinema.

The Young Master gets an exceptional release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation, three versions of the film, and informative extras, highly recommended.

Note: 88 Films has rereleased The Young Master in a standard edition that includes six replica Lobby Cards, a double-sided foldout poster, and an eighty-page perfect bound book.

 Written by Michael Den Boer

The Phantom of the Monastery: Limited edition - Indicator Series (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Mexico, 1934
Director: Fernando de Fuentes
Writers: Jorge Pezet, Fernando de Fuentes, Juan Bustillo Oro
Cast: Marta Roel, Enrique del Campo, Carlos Villatoro, Paco Martínez, José Ignacio Rocha, Victorio Blanco, Francisco Lugo, Beltrán de Heredia, Agustín González

Release Date: March 21st, 2022
Approximate running time: 85 Minutes 14 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: OOP

"The Phantom of the Monastery (El fantasma del convento) tells the macabre tale of a troupe of hikers who become lost in a forest and take refuge in a haunted monastery. There, they encounter shape-shifting shadows, ominous sealed doorways, and a cellar crowded with coffins..." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information given about the transfer, "New 4K restoration from the original negative by the UCLA Film & Television Archive in collaboration with the Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project."

The Phantom of the Monastery comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 21.4 GB

Feature: 18.9 GB

Outside of a few shots, which come from a lower source, the bulk of this transfer looks great. Image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and grain remains intact.

Audio: 3.75/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Spanish. The audio is in good shape. Dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. That said, range-wise, things tend to be limited. Included are removable English subtitles and removable English SDH subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with Abraham Castillo Flores, head programmer of Mexico’s Mórbido Film Fest titled The Devil in the Detail (18 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English and Spanish with non-removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with genre-film experts, film critics and authors Stephen Jones and Kim Newman, reversible cover art, and a 36-page booklet with cast & crew credits, an essay titled Mexican Cinema and its Resistance to Hollywood Style written by Maricruz Castro-Ricalde, an article written by screenwriter Juan Bustillo Oro on the making of The Phantom of the Monastery, an archival production report, a look at the film’s original promotion, an overview of contemporary critical responses, a text piece titled Restoring The Phantom of the Monastery written by Jan-Christopher Horak, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

The Phantom of the Monastery is an early example of Mexican horror cinema that feels like it was influenced by Universal’s monster films of the 1930s. Also, The Phantom of the Monastery has an old, dark house vibe, with its main location being a monastery instead of a house.

The narrative revolves around two men and a woman who are lost wandering the woods when they come across a mysterious stranger with a dog who takes them to a monastery. Once inside, they seek refuge for the night, only to encounter a series of bizarre occurrences that are not easily explained.

The performances are very good, especially the three leads: Marta Roel in the role of Cristina, Enrique del Campo in the role of Alfonso, and Carlos Villatoro in the role of Eduardo. Surprisingly, Carlos Villatoro is the only one of these three to have had a substantial career in acting.

Content-wise, The Phantom of the Monastery has all the elements that one would want from a supernaturally themed horror film. Also, there is a focus on sin as each of the three main characters is tempted by what lurks in the monastery and offers them what they desire.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where The Phantom of the Monastery does not excel. The premise is well-executed, the narrative effectively builds tension, and a fantastic ending brings everything together. Though the dialog is sparse, this does not matter since there is an abundance of atmosphere that does a superb job reinforcing the foreboding mood. Another strength is Fernando de Fuentes' solid direction. Ultimately, The Phantom of the Monastery is a well-made supernatural horror film that fans of Universal’s classic monster films of the 1930s should thoroughly enjoy.

The Phantom of the Monastery gets a solid release from Powerhouse Films as part of their Indicator Series, highly recommended.

Note: Powerhouse Films has released The Phantom of the Monastery in a standard edition that drops the booklet.

 Written by Michael Den Boer

La llorona: Limited edition - Indicator Series (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Mexico, 1933
Director: Ramón Peón
Writers: A. Guzman Aguilera, Carlos Noriega Hope, Fernando de Fuentes
Cast: Ramón Pereda, Virginia Zurí, Carlos Orellana, Adriana Lamar, Alberto Martí, Esperanza del Real, Paco Martínez, María Luisa Zea, Alfredo del Diestro, Conchita Gentil Arcos, Antonio R. Frausto, Victoria Blanco, Manuel Dondé

Release Date: March 21st, 2022
Approximate running time: 70 Minutes 18 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: OOP

"An early horror classic drawn from Mexico's rich tradition of folklore, La llorona recounts the chilling tale of the 'wailing woman' who kills herself and her child before returning to haunt the living.” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Here’s the information given about the transfer, "New 2K restoration from the only surviving film element by the Cinema Preservation Alliance."

Here's additional information about the transfer, "This restoration of La llorona (1933), the first Mexican horror film production made in sound, is based on the sole surviving 16mm projection print and soundtrack of the film known to exist, as all original 35mm materials are thought to be lost or destroyed. The project was completed in 2021 by Permanencia Voluntaria as a collaboration with Filmoteca UNAM, Academy Film Archive and Cinema Preservation Alliance."

La llorona comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.3 GB

Feature: 18.6 GB

The above information about the transfer should give a clear idea of what to expect from this transfer. Though there has been some cleanup, there are noticeable source imperfections that vary in degree throughout. The image generally looks crisp, the contrast and black levels are strong, the comparison is solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 3/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Spanish. Though there has been some cleanup of the source, it still has some noticeable imperfections, like background hiss. That said, the dialog comes through clearly, and range-wise, this track is adequate. Included are removable English subtitles and removable English SDH subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a short compilation of the source print’s distinctive cue marks, which were removed during the restoration titled Lunas y estrellas (1 minute 38 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with text in English about the footage), an interview with Abraham Castillo Flores, head programmer of Mexico’s Mórbido Film Fest titled Transcending Time (17 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a documentary by Viviana García Besné, the producer’s great granddaughter titled La Llorona: Ghosts of the Past (17 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English and Spanish with non-removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with genre-film experts, film critics and authors Stephen Jones and Kim Newman, reversible cover art, and a 40-booklet with cast & crew credits, an essay titled La llorona and The First Cries of Mexican Horror written by Emily Masincup, an archival article titled The Legend of La llorona written by Luis González Obregón, an essay titled ‘My Grief Will Not Be Silenced’: La llorona’s Cry Across the Decades written by Valeria Villegas Lindvall, an archival newspaper report on the film’s premiere titled La llorona a Film of Merit, an overview of contemporary critical responses, a text piece titled Preserving the Anomalies of La llorona written by Peter Conheim, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

La llorona is a character that can be found throughout Mexican horror cinema’s history. Two of the most famous adaptations are René Cardona's La llorona (1960) and Rafael Baledón's The Curse of the Crying Woman. The first adaptation of La llorona was Ramón Peón’s La llorona (1933). This adaptation is notable for also being Mexican cinema’s first horror film.

The narrative, which takes place in three time periods, begins in the present. The other time periods are the Elizabethan era and the Age of Discovery. All three of these stories are linked by their connection to La llorona. With the bulk of the narrative taking place in the present.

Based in Mexican folklore, a character like La llorona is perfect for horror cinema. At its core, La llorona is a supernatural tale that is rooted in curses. The ghost of a woman who died tragically, usually by her own hands, haunts those who did her wrong.

Though billed as a horror film, Ramón Peón’s La llorona (1933) leans more towards melodrama. Also, some viewers may find the narrative slow-moving since there are long stretches where not much happens. Fortunately, these moments are few, and the moments leading up to the finale make the shortcomings that came before easier to overlook. And on screen carnage is minimal, which is not a surprise considering the era in which La llorona (1933) was made. Ultimately, La llorona (1933) is a good film that lays the foundation for all Mexican horror films that followed.

La llorona gets a solid release from Powerhouse Films as part of their Indicator Series, highly recommended.

Note: Powerhouse Films has released La llorona in a standard edition that drops the booklet.

Written by Michael Den Boer