88 Films

[feihong]

88 confirmed future releases of Witch from Nepal and Her Vengeance on their social media. Brandon Bentley said they'll be including two cuts of Her Vengeance though no composite cut.

Both of those are way more interesting movies than I imagined they would be. Her Vengeance was kind of a revelation for me, and Witch from Nepal's pungent atmosphere really explained for me why other filmmakers were so excited to work with Ching Tsiu-Tung. So I'm looking forward to these releases.

[Orlac]

And now I'm reminded Brett Ratner directed a scene where Roman Polanski gives Jackie Chan a cavity search.

This world...

And Ratner is in the news again - https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/j ... azon-prime

[The Curious Sofa]

A match made in hell.

[nicolas]

4K UHDs of American Pie 2 and Crime Story with Jackie Chan are upcoming on May 19 and 26. American Wedding and Reunion as well as the DTV sequels are also coming on May 19 but are Blu-ray only (so far)

[Finch]

Also worth mentioning a Blu ray of Sunset Warrior, John Woo's original cut of Heroes Shed No Tears, which was before Golden Harvest added comedy and sex and drug use scenes against his wishes.

[Stefan Andersson]

Also worth mentioning a Blu ray of Sunset Warrior, John Woo's original cut of Heroes Shed No Tears, which was before Golden Harvest added comedy and sex and drug use scenes against his wishes.

Relevant info:

https://www.schnittberichte.com/news.php?ID=19671

https://www.schnittberichte.com/schnitt ... ?ID=401846

https://www.schnittberichte.com/news.php?ID=19657

https://www.schnittberichte.com/schnitt ... ?ID=873774

https://cityonfire.com/the-original-joh ... -88-films/

[Finch]

88 June line up

Armour of God II: Operation Condor 4K Blu-ray

Description: The Asian Hawk is back! Undeterred by nearly dying while making the first Armour of God, Jackie Chan returned to battle for a sequel that's bigger, better and even more daring. This time, Jackie's intrepid treasure hunter is on the hunt for some Nazi gold but recovering it will not be easy, let alone safe.

The most expensive Hong Kong film produced at that time, Armour of God II: Operation Condor showcases some of Jackie's best stunts and action, building up to an epic climax that will blow you off your feet. The black belts at 88 Films are thrilled to present this double disc 4K Blu-ray premier – uncut! – of this great fan favourite.

STREET DATE: JUNE 23.

Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye

Description: The vampire genre gets an injection of 70s giallo glamour thanks to a cast which includes Jane Birkin, Hiram Keller and Anton Diffring in Antonio Margheriti's Seven Deaths In The Cat's Eye. This compelling chiller is set in Scotland where, in a crumbling old castle, its inhabitants are being bumped off one-by-one. Could the legend of a vampire haunting with in its cold walls be true, and is it the cause of these mysterious deaths? Gothic with an infusion of erotic charm, the film also contains an undercurrent of social commentary. Look out for Birkin's singer/songwriter friend Serge Gainsbourg in a cameo as a police Inspector.

STREET DATE: JUNE 23.

Come Drink with Me 4K Blu-ray

Description: A fearless heroine... a kung-fu master in hiding... a seemingly invincible villain... and a film that's universally regarded as one of the greatest ever made in Hong Kong.

The heroine is Golden Swallow (Cheng Pei-pei – Painted Faces; Crounching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – in a star-making turn). She's been dispatched by her powerful father to rescue her brother, who's been taken hostage by bandits. The kung-fu master is Fan Da-pei (Heroes Shed No Tears; Rumble in the Bronx); he may look like a drunken beggar, but he's one of the best fighters around. Trouble is, the only man who can beat him is helping the bandits... Directed by the legendary King Hu (A Touch of Zen; The Fate of Lee Khan) for the mighty Shaw Brothers studio, Come Drink With Me shook up martial arts movies and influenced everyone from Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan and beyond. No wonder 88 Films are so proud to present this 4K Dolby Vision Premiere.

STREET DATE: JUNE 23.

Witch from Nepal

Description: Chow Yun-Fat, Kit Ying Lam and Emily Chuin are at the top of their game in this action-packed horror flick from A Chinese Ghost Story director Siu-Tung Ching. We follow Joe and Ida, a young couple who have decided to vacation in Nepal, but the locals instill within Joe incredibly strong, magical powers which he is forced to use to battle an ever-growing presence of evil and protect magical artifacts. Packed with high-flying fists and a bizarre storyline, Witch from Nepal has it all, romance, violence, adventure and zombies!

STREET DATE: JUNE 23.

Devil Fetus

Description: IT HAS RETURNED. A decade after Cheng Shu-ching was possessed and killed by a demon, it comes back to claim the rest of her family – in the most unpleasant ways possible. The only way to defeat it is with traditional Taoist magic, but that will prove harder than they realize.

A maximalist Hong Kong horror in the tradition of The Boxer's Omen and Black Magic, The Devil Foetus blends extreme imagery with esoteric lore for something a bit wilder than western horror movies. 88 Films are proud to present a true classic of Asian fantasy cinema on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK.

STREET DATE: JUNE 23.

Her Vengeance

Description: One of the first – and most notorious – of Hong Kong's famously Adults Only Category III films, Her Vengeance stars Pauline Wong (The Blue Jean Monster) as a young woman hunting down the vermin who brutally assaulted her: ears will be sliced off, acid will be thrown and funeral directors will be kept very busy indeed...

With essential support from the legendary Lam Ching-ying (Magic Cop) as a warrior in a wheelchair and directed by Lam Nai-choi, master of Asian extremity (The Story of Ricky; Erotic Ghost Story), Her Vengeance is a tale of retribution that could only have been made in Hong Kong. 88 Films are proud to present a cult classic – completely uncut – on Blu-ray for the first time.

STREET DATE: JUNE 23.

Gate of Flesh

Description: In the shell-shocked, rubble-strewn wasteland of postwar Tokyo during the Allied Occupation, a group of prostitutes band together to form a makeshift guild with the aim of pooling their resources to build a dance hall called Paradise. As their independent existence becomes threatened by the hawkish parade of gangsters, black marketeers and would-be pimps all looking for a cut from their flesh-peddling, the discovery of an unexploded bomb in the cavernous burned-out building where they ply their trade throws their dreams into further jeopardy. Hideo Gosha (Violent Streets, Yakuza Wives) brings a fresh eye to this oft-filmed story by Taijiro Tamura, best known from its 1964 adaptation by Seijun Suzuki, resulting in a powerful and compelling drama making its home premiere for the very first time outside of Japan courtesy of 88 Films.

STREET DATE: JUNE 23.

Species 4K Blu-ray

Description: With a creature designed by H. R. Giger and a cast which includes Ben Kingsley, Michael Madsen, and Natasha Henstridge in her feature debut, Species is the perfect mix of shocking sci-fi with the added bonus of a very sexy, and seductive alien. Sil (Henstridge) is a creation of alien DNA which has been spliced with that of a human. She grows and develops incredibly quickly into a creature capable of killing all in her path with only one thing on her mind, to successfully reproduce and continue her extermination of the whole human race. Visually stunning with a knowing nod to the classic B-movies of the 50s, this big budget fantasy manages to balance gruesome effects with cinema's most beautiful monster.

STREET DATE: JUNE 23.

[feihong]

Looking forward to Her Vengeance and Come Drink with Me. The Hideo Gosha Gate of Flesh is a surprising one.

[TechnicolorAcid]

The Hideo Gosha Gate of Flesh is a surprising one.

I think that actually might've been a mistake since for 1.) Gosha's film doesn't go under that name but rather Carmen 1945 and 2.) the Amazon link credits the director as Shôgorô Nishimura who directed an adaptation of Gate of Flesh as part of the Roman Porno series which 88 Films is covering at the moment. That said I'd love to finally get an HD release of the Gosha since that's been on the list for a while now.

[tenia]

Spectrum released Come Drink with Me on UHD and BD in France through this 4K restoration, and except if 88 access a different master, it sadly was hit by quite a noticeable amount of DNR.

[Finch]

Thank you for pointing this out tenia. I'm going to hold on to the Arrow BD until we hear more from 88.

[Finch]

Zebraman 1 & 2 BDs also coming on June 23.

[tenia]

Thank you for pointing this out tenia. I'm going to hold on to the Arrow BD until we hear more from 88.

It's still likely it's better than Arrow's BD because it was sourced from an ancient master anyway, but it did, as in the French release, looked imperfect.

[feihong]

Whoops, guess I'm just looking forward to Her Vengeance. : D

[nicolas]

Spectrum released Come Drink with Me on UHD and BD in France through this 4K restoration, and except if 88 access a different master, it sadly was hit by quite a noticeable amount of DNR.

Does the French release also have Dolby Vision? In their press release, 88 mentioned that they’re proud to have the 4K DV premiere. This could refer to the UK though and they’ve put out DNR’d restorations in 4K not long ago but still I’m hopeful that something may have changed. I haven’t gotten their BD or Arrow’s but am willing to give the 4K a try as this is probably the best we’re getting for now.

[EddieLarkin]

and they’ve put out DNR’d restorations in 4K not long ago but still I’m hopeful that something may have changed

Oh no, such as?

[tenia]

Does the French release also have Dolby Vision? In their press release, 88 mentioned that they’re proud to have the 4K DV premiere. This could refer to the UK though and they’ve put out DNR’d restorations in 4K not long ago but still I’m hopeful that something may have changed. I haven’t gotten their BD or Arrow’s but am willing to give the 4K a try as this is probably the best we’re getting for now.

The French release already was DV, yes (MEL 94 kbps).

[nicolas]

and they’ve put out DNR’d restorations in 4K not long ago but still I’m hopeful that something may have changed

Oh no, such as?

The Bodyguard from Beijing and Fist of Legend in 4K were DNR’d.

[Finch]

I asked them on social media about the DNR in the files given to Spectrum and whether they would request a clean one from the licensor and they came back with "Ours has plenty of grain. Can't speak for others". Not encouraging. Mind you, the Arrow appears to be in the wrong AR and the Dolby Vision will make a difference. I've committed myself anyway, ordering this with the 4K of Armor of God II and Wake in Fright from Orbit.

[ryannichols7]

the Arrow version has incredible extras, especially Tony Rayns' commentary, so very much worth picking up/hanging onto, but man that master was ancient. even with DNR, this should be a massive improvement. hopefully at some point Arrow release a UHD with a better master in the US, though probably wishful thinking

[dwk]

The Cat is coming to Blu later this year (Jluy or August, so October or November)

Brand New 2K Restoration From The Original Negative
Remastered Original Cantonese Monoaural Soundtrack
Newly Translated English Subtitles
Audio Commentary By Frank Djeng (Ny Asian Film Festival)
Brand New Film Interview With Writer Gordon Chan
Image Gallery
Limited Edition Rigid Slip Case With New Artwork By Sean Longmore
Limited Edition 40 Page Perfect Bound Book
Limited Edition Premium Artcard

[beamish14]

The Cat is coming to Blu later this year (Jluy or August, so October or November)

Brand New 2K Restoration From The Original Negative
Remastered Original Cantonese Monoaural Soundtrack
Newly Translated English Subtitles
Audio Commentary By Frank Djeng (Ny Asian Film Festival)
Brand New Film Interview With Writer Gordon Chan
Image Gallery
Limited Edition Rigid Slip Case With New Artwork By Sean Longmore
Limited Edition 40 Page Perfect Bound Book
Limited Edition Premium Artcard

This is a big one for me. Just an incredible piece of entertainment

[Grand Wazoo]

The Cat is coming to Blu later this year (Jluy or August, so October or November)

Brand New 2K Restoration From The Original Negative
Remastered Original Cantonese Monoaural Soundtrack
Newly Translated English Subtitles
Audio Commentary By Frank Djeng (Ny Asian Film Festival)
Brand New Film Interview With Writer Gordon Chan
Image Gallery
Limited Edition Rigid Slip Case With New Artwork By Sean Longmore
Limited Edition 40 Page Perfect Bound Book
Limited Edition Premium Artcard

This is a big one for me. Just an incredible piece of entertainment

This features one of the most insane fight scenes I've ever witnessed in a film, and the titular cat looks nearly identical to my cat. Absolute winner.

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

Is that a UK exclusive? I swore the version on Criterion Channel opened with the Janus logo.

The Cat is one of those films I’ve been telling people for years to watch. Blind bought the laserdisc years ago for $1 and popped it in one night only to be shocked by what it was versus the sort of sweet looking laserdisc cover. I think for people looking for true blue wacky cinema, it doesn’t get much wackier.

[dwk]

It is a US release (probably UK too, but that hasn't been confirmed) and no it didn't open with the Janus logo when it was on the channel. I think it only had the original production company/theatrical release logos.