Non-MoC Eureka Titles

[Glowingwabbit]

PS: They've also teased In The Line Of Duty 3 and 4 on Facebook so presumably these are due in February/March.

Those will be a double feature release. They are also apparently looking into coming out with a rigid box to house the whole series in after seeing what 88 announced)

[Finch]

I find Darren Wheeling's work for the first two films completely unappealing and Kung Fu Bob's (guessing it's KFB's) for 88 so much better I'll be sticking with the US release.

[What A Disgrace]

I guess I'll just get the Eureka! versions, since Yes Madam! is already ordered. I was going to house it in the 88 Films box and give away their disc as a gift, but I'd rather support Eureka! and it's a no-brainer if they're doing the whole series.

[therewillbeblus]

After the staggering dissonance of color timing on Righting Wrongs, I feel like hesitating on all these mirror releases until we see caps is the best bet

[Ribs]

Unlike VS and the UK labels, I don’t think there’s really any animosity between 88 and Eureka and I’d like to imagine that the releases should generally mirror eachother if not in exact extras composition in general choices of presentation. Certainly the pool of experts they draw from are usually happy to work with either label. I personally imagine I will be getting the Eureka releases but I am open to seeing how things continue to transpire for the further titles.

[rapta]

PS: They've also teased In The Line Of Duty 3 and 4 on Facebook so presumably these are due in February/March.

Those will be a double feature release. They are also apparently looking into coming out with a rigid box to house the whole series in after seeing what 88 announced)

If they do go down this route, I wonder if it'd be worth doing those open-top slipboxes like Imprint tend to use to house them all? Certainly unlike Eureka to skip a box set opportunity and see 88 Films do a big box set of the series in the US (they must've known they had the US rights and were going to do just that).

Not in a hurry to get them myself, and honestly not that big a fan of the artwork for the recent HK titles. These are a bit better but I was actually put off getting the Angela Mao and Joseph Kuo sets due to the wacky artwork (though couldn't resist Police Story 3: Supercop, admittedly).

On the other hand, I love that they've started using Tony Stella on Run, Man, Run is one of his best I've seen. Immediate pre-order, but then again I'm a sucker for Spaghetti Westerns (and did the same for other Sollima releases, i.e. grab them ASAP whilst they had the slipcover).

[Glowingwabbit]

On the other hand, I love that they've started using Tony Stella on Run, Man, Run is one of his best I've seen. Immediate pre-order, but then again I'm a sucker for Spaghetti Westerns (and did the same for other Sollima releases, i.e. grab them ASAP whilst they had the slipcover).

Yeah I'm a big fan of his work too. You'll be happy to hear that Tony Stella mentioned on Twitter that they commissioned him for some Italian and Japanese titles. He didn't specify how many.

[Finch]

After the huge success of Mr Vampire, Hong Kong audiences were desperate for more vampire-hopping action and the films’ producers were more than happy to oblige. A steady stream of jiangshi content was produced over the following years, and presented here are 4 of these classic titles from stunning new restorations.

In Mr Vampire II (aka Vampire Family) an archaeologist and his students unwittingly set free a family of hopping vampires who wreak havoc in 1980s Hong Kong. Mr Vampire III returns to a period setting and sees Lam Ching-ying’s Taoist priest battle an evil witch (a brilliant performance by veteran actress Pauline Yuk-Wan Wong). Mr Vampire IV (aka Uncle Vampire) two feuding neighbours (a Taoist priest and a Buddhist monk) must join forces when their village is overrun by vampires. And finally in Vampire vs Vampire, Lam Ching-ying’s Taoist priest finds his jiangshi-fighting knowledge is of little help when he goes up against a European vampire.

Featuring a bevy of Hong Kong legends including Lam Ching-ying, Yuen Biao, Wu Ma, Richard Ng, Yuen Wah, and many more – this collection brings together four beloved films in definitive presentations in a very special edition. Filled with screams and laughs, Eureka Classics is proud to present Hopping Mad: The Mr Vampire Sequels.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Limited Edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling [2000 copies]
Mr Vampire II and Mr Vampire III presented in 1080p HD from brand new 2K restorations
Mr Vampire IV and Vampire vs Vampire presented in 1080p HD from brand new HD restorations
Cantonese and English audio options on all films
Optional English Subtitles for all films, newly translated for this release
Brand new feature length audio commentaries on Mr Vampire II and Vampire vs Vampire by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
Brand new feature length audio commentaries on Mr Vampire III and Mr Vampire IV by action cinema experts Mike Leeder & Arne Venema
Brand new video piece on the history and resurgent popularity of the jiangshi genre
Reversible sleeve featuring original poster art
Trailers
A Limited Edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the films and the Jiangshi genre by James Oliver [2000 copies]
**All Extras subject to change

Director Ringo Lam’s (Wild Search, City on Fire) only film in the wuxia genre is also one his best and bloodiest.

Hunted by the Manchu government, a young Fok Sai-yuk is captured and sent to the Red Lotus Temple, where Shaolin monks are enslaved and viciously tortured by the sadistic warden Kung (Wong Kam Kong). Thrown into a pit of corpses and left to die, Fong survives and attempts to save his Shaolin brothers.

Produced by Tsui Hark, Burning Paradise is a dark fantasy epic, filled with shocking violence and incredible choreography. Eureka Classics is proud to present the film for the first time in the UK since the VHS era in a blood-soaked special edition.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Limited Edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling [2000 copies]
1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray from a 2K restoration of the films’ original 35mm camera negative
Cantonese and English audio options (both in their original mono presentations)
Optional English Subtitles, newly translated for this release
Brand new feature length audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
Brand new interview with actor Wong Kam Kong
Archival Interview with Tsui Hark
Original theatrical trailer
A Limited Edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver [2000 copies]
**All Extras subject to change

[rapta]

Interesting they mentioned City of Fire in the blurb for the above rather than Full Alert...could be a slight tease they have the 'On Fire' films lined up for later in the year? Or maybe I'm looking into it too much.

Anyway, I'm down for this one. I usually skip pre-ordering the martial arts titles (too many to keep up with!) but occasionally there's one that convinces me otherwise. This one definitely has my attention!

[dwk]

I think City on Fire is part of the Golden Princess catalog, so don't hold your breath waiting for that one.

[Finch]

A few UK BR.com users have discovered that the In the Line of Duty BDs from Eureka do not contain the new interviews that were originally promised. Glad I was never tempted by the Eureka releases over the 88 set anyhow, and the 88 US set comes with a 100 page booklet.

[tenia]

A few UK BR.com users have discovered that the In the Line of Duty BDs from Eureka do not contain the new interviews that were originally promised. Glad I was never tempted by the Eureka releases over the 88 set anyhow, and the 88 US set comes with a 100 page booklet.

I'm not sure about the video extras (it doesn't look like 88 are going to offer much more stuff than what Eureka are doing even without those), but surely in any case, UK consumers are going to go through the Eureka releases anyway and the US ones with the 88 set ? Moreover, while the 88 set has a 100-pages booklet, since Eureka's are usually at least 30 pages and each release has its own, the written content is going to be quite equivalent (in terms of pages).

[Finch]

Region locked UK buyers absolutely would have, yes. I'm getting bored with James Oliver's writing so it's not about the amount of pages for me personally but I appreciate that that wasn't clear from my last post.

[mrb404]

I could be wrong but, in terms of features, the main difference between the Eureka and 88 Films releases is the inclusion on the Eurekas of a second audio commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder & Arne Venema for every movie.
I can't find any official announcement with the detailed specs by 88 Films but the only extended release description (on Amazon, for now) doesn't include those second commentary tracks.

[yoloswegmaster]

You won't be seeing any Leeder/Venema tracks on a 88 release anymore since both publicly stated that they won't be working with them after the Bey Logan debacle.

[Finch]

Limited Edition O-Card Slipcase (First print run only) featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling

1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray of the original theatrical cut from a brand new 2K restoration

1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray of the international export cut from a brand new 2K restoration

Original Cantonese mono audio and optional “classic” English dubbed audio

Optional English Subtitles, newly translated for this release

Brand new feature length audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) & actor and martial artist Vincent Lyn

Brand new feature length audio commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder & Arne Venema | Brand new select-scene commentary with actress and martial-arts movie icon Cynthia Rothrock

Brand new interview with Cynthia Rothrock

Brand new interview with Mang Hoi

Trailers

Reversible sleeve design

Limited Edition set of Facsimile Lobby Cards (First print run only)

PLUS: A Limited Edition Collector’s Booklet (First print run only) featuring new writing by James Oliver

[What A Disgrace]

A new audio commentary by Mike Leeder and Arne Venema has been added to Eureka's release of Golgo 13.

[Finch]

The BBFC have rated From Beijing with Love for Eureka. More Stephen Chow is usually a good thing.

[Finch]

Limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju) [2000 copies]
1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray from a restoration of the original film elements
Original Cantonese mono audio
Optional English dubbed audio
Optional English Subtitles, newly translated for this release
Wong Kam Kong on “From Beijing With Love” – new interview with actor Wong Kam Kong about his role in the film
Wong Kam Kong in conversation – actor Wong Kam Kong discusses his career
Archival interview with Stephen Chow
Archival interview with Lee Lik-chi
Trailer
A Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver [2000 copies]

Limited Edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Tony Stella [2000 copies]
1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray of the original Hong Kong theatrical cut from a brand new 2K restoration
Original Mandarin mono audio
Optional English dubbed audio
Optional English Subtitles, newly translated for this release
Brand new feature length audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
Brand new interview with action cinema experts Mike Leeder & Arne Venema on the life and career of Jimmy Wang Yu
Archival interview with Jimmy Wang Yu
Trailers
A Limited Edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver and a review of the film by Dr Craig D. Reid from his book The Ultimate Guide to Martial Arts Movies of the 1970s [2000 copies]

[What A Disgrace]

Mystery of Chess Boxing is a supplemental feature on The Swordsman Of All Swordsmen, out in March, complete with two commentaries, making this release basically a double feature, and probably the most interesting martial arts release Eureka! has out out in a while.

[Finch]

Eureka's second July title is The Double Crossers, 1976.



SYNOPSIS
From the director of The Skyhawk, Broken Oath and King Boxer, Jeong Chang-hwa’s The Double Crossers is an action-packed revenge story produced by Golden Harvest, starring South Korean martial artist Shin Il-ryong (The Dragon Lives Again) and featuring the legendary Sammo Hung (The Magnificent Butcher).

Following his late father’s murder, police officer Detective Lung (Shin) discovers that both of his parents were involved in a smuggling ring – and that his father was killed by its leader, a violent criminal now living in Hong Kong under the name Wang (Chao Hsiung, The One-Armed Swordsman). Determined to avenge his father’s death, Lung resigns from the police force to take matters into his own hands. Teaming up with a smuggler who was once a close friend and partner-in-crime to his parents, Chang (Chan Sing, The Chinese Boxer), Lung heads for Hong Kong and sets about drawing Wang into a trap.

Following in the footsteps of Golden Harvest’s earlier Bruce Lee vehicles, The Double Crossers was made in the years following Lee’s death, when the company was in search of a new generation of martial arts stars. Eureka Classics is proud to present the film in its worldwide debut Blu-ray from a brand new 2K restoration.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling
1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray of the original Hong Kong theatrical cut from a brand new 2K restoration
1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray of the original English language export cut from a brand new 2K restoration
Original Mandarin and optional classic English dub (Hong Kong theatrical cut)
Classic English dub (Export version)
Optional English subtitles, newly translated for this release
Brand new audio commentary on the Hong Kong theatrical version by East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
Brand new audio commentary on the export version by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
Reversible sleeve featuring original poster artwork
Trailer
A limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by James Oliver

[dwk]

MIfunefan over at the Blu-ray.com forum found a couple of the November releases

Super Spies and Secret Lies: Three Undercover Classics from Shaw Brothers (1966-1969) (The Golden Buddha (1966), Angel With The Iron Fists (1967), and The Singing Thief (1969))

Following the enormous international success of Dr No and From Russia with Love, Bondmania swept the globe and initiated a cycle of Bondsploitation movies. Studios all over the world sought to capitalise on James Bond and the concept of the super-spy - including Hong Kong's venerable Shaw Brothers, who began producing tales of intrigue, espionage, and grand theft in the mid-1960s. Eureka Classics presents three of their best in this special-edition set: The Golden Buddha, Angel with the Iron Fists and The Singing Thief. In The Golden Buddha, businessman Paul (Paul Chang Chung, Police Story) finds himself in the crosshairs of the Skeleton Gang after he picks up the wrong briefcase on a flight to Singapore - one containing a small golden Buddha that might just play a part in a vast criminal conspiracy. In Angel with the Iron Fists, a mysterious woman (Lily Ho, Lady with a Sword) arrives in Hong Kong carrying a cache of stolen diamonds and quickly becomes embroiled with the infamous Devil Girl's Gang. Finally, in The Singing Thief, a master cat burglar (Jimmy Lin Chong, Tropicana Interlude) makes the decision to go straight and pursue a new career as a singer - that is, at least, until he becomes. a suspect in a series of jewel heists. Directed by studio regulars Lo Wei (The Big Boss) and Chang Cheh (The One-Armed Swordsman), The Golden Buddha, Angel with the Iron Fists and The Singing Thief filter a craze for films centred on super-spies and master criminals through the inimitable style of the Shaw Brothers Studio. All three films are presented on Blu-ray for the first time from HD masters supplied by Celestial Pictures.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
•Limited edition of 2000 copies only
•1080p HD presentations on Blu-ray from masters supplied by Celestial Pictures
Original mono audio tracks
• Optional English subtitles, newly translated for this release
•New audio commentaries by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
• International Super Spies - A new interview with James Bond expert Llewella Chapman on global Bondmania in the 1960s
• A new interview with Hong Kong cinema scholar Wayne Wong, editor of Martial Arts Studies
• Reversible sleeve featuring individual sleeve artwork for each film
• Original trailers
• Limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling
• Limited edition collector's booklet featuring new writing on all three films by lain Robert Smith, author of The Hollywood Meme: Transnational Adaptations in World Cinema

The Sword (1980) Limited Edition

Best known as a key contributor to the Hong Kong New Wave as the director of My Heart is That Eternal Rose and the editor of Wong Kar-wai's Days of Being Wild and Ashes of Time, Patrick Tam began his filmmaking career with The Sword: a love letter to the wuxia genre starring Adam Cheng (Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain). Believing that he is in possession of a cursed blade, the legendary swordsman Hua Qian Shu (Tien Feng, King Boxer) has retreated from the martial arts world to live in peaceful seclusion. However, his retirement has done nothing to dampen his reputation; a young warrior, Li Mak-jan (Cheng), wishes to challenge the master in order to test his own sword-fighting skill. But as Li searches for the reclusive Hua Qian Shu so that he might face him in combat, he finds himself entangled with old lovers and new rivals. Soon, it becomes apparent that the old master's sword really might be cursed - and will, perhaps, bring nothing but tragedy to those who seek to wield it. After a period of dormancy, wuxia films resurged in the 1980s as the likes of Duel to the Death, Bastard Swordsman and Tsui Hark's Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain rejected the realist approach adopted by kung fu cinema in the previous decade. Eureka Classics is proud to present Patrick Tam's The Sword - one of the earliest and best pictures to emerge from this wuxia revival - from a brand new 2K restoration.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
• Limited edition of 2000 copies only
• 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray from a brand new 2K restoration
• Original Cantonese audio and optional English dub tracks (original mono presentations)
• Optional English subtitles, newly translated for this release
• New audio commentary by East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
• New audio commentary by action cinema experts Mike
• Andrew Heskins on The Sword - A new interview with film critic Andrew Heskins (easternKicks)
• Forging Ahead - A new interview with martial arts cinema expert Wayne Wong on The Sword and the wuxia genre
Original theatrical trailer
• Limited edition of 2000 copies only
• Limited edition collector's booklet featuring an archival interview with director Patrick Tam and a new essay by East Asian cinema expert Leung Wing-Fai

[Finch]

Oh, The Sword! That's an excellent announcement! Between that and Kani's release of My Heart Is That Eternal Rose, this is hopefully just the start of a deep dive into Patrick Tam!

[Mr Sausage]

Wonderful! And it's a great entry point to Tam, too, whose work is pretty eclectic. If this presages more to come, I'm all for it.

[yoloswegmaster]

Cool to see more Patrick Tam come out. Hopefully this means Nomad will be coming soon as well. Also, glad to see more Shaw Bros stuff, especially one's that I've never heard of and don't look to be very popular (all of the titles have less than 100 logs on Letterboxd). I'm hoping this means we will finally see releases of other SB titles like Men from the Gutter, Hong Kong Godfather, and The House of 72 Tenants.