RETURN OF KUNG FU TRAILERS OF FURY -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

"My first two kung fu movies consisted of a double feature of super-cheap, super-obscure flicks at my local cinema one night back in the early 70s.  The titles have long receded into the sodden recesses of my memory but I wouldn't be surprised if their trailers appear somewhere on this disc."

My review of the previous kung fu trailer collection from Severin Films, KUNG FU TRAILERS OF FURY, began with this poignant moment of wistful nostalgia, and the same goes double for this new follow-up disc.

RETURN OF KUNG FU TRAILERS OF FURY, or "The Night the Kung Fu Trailers of Fury Came Home--Again", is more and more, and yet still more (35, to be exact)  gloriously goofy previews of all those cheapo kung fu flicks that were being churned out by the rickshaw-load in Hong Kong back in the 70s. 

 

Rest assured, this bursting-at-the-seams batch of fists 'n' feet potboilers contains no CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON-level epics.  It's all gloriously grade Z, as though Ed Wood himself had opened up a school for action directors in Hong Kong.

Often these condensed versions are better than the actual feature films, because they cut out all the boring exposition and lame character interplay and get right down to the pure, unadulterated chop-socky action. 

And that's what this non-stop parade of trailers is--just one furious clash after another, accompanied by some deathless dialogue and hilarious text exclamations such as "Intriguing story!" and "Good Actors From Many Nations Makes This Film Outstanding!"

 

The collection features about an equal ratio of contemporary urban dramas and historical tales with lots of flowing white hair and bushy eyebrows. Regardless of the technical quality of each individual film, the stuntwork and choreography are rarely short of amazing.

First up is THUNDERBOLT, and right off the bat there's some of that incredibly fake-looking wirework that we all love. YELLOW-FACED TIGER is yet another "new Bruce Lee" flick, this time offering Don Wong as the hero and none other than a young Chuck Norris as a formidable bad guy with an equally formidable moustache.

THE STORY OF CHINESE GODS, described as "China's first full-length color animation feature!" boasts a 3-eyed Bruce Lee character and some not-so-hot animated action.

 

Other titles include BRUCE AND THE IRON FINGER, SHAOLIN INVINCIBLE STICKS, INVISIBLE TERRORIST, REVENGE OF THE SHAOLIN KID, HELL’S WINDSTAFF, THUNDERING MANTIS, THE LEGENDARY STRIKE, KUNG FU KILLERS, CRAZY HORSE & INTELLIGENT MONKEY, THE AVENGING BOXER, and SNUFF-BOTTLE CONNECTION.  They add up to a full 134 minutes.

My favorite moment comes during the preview for a wacky comedy called KUNG FU MASTER NAMED DRUNKEN CAT, which, in addition to its distinct Benny Hill influence, makes this bold promise to potential viewers: "It's John Cheung vs. The Midget! Funny!"

It's interesting to see these trailers in Blu-ray since they're so wonderfully battered and scratched-up in the great grindhouse style.  Are we supposed to be happy that all the scratches and imperfections that make these old trailers so distinctive are now in high-def? 

Having grown up watching old movie prints in theaters and on late-night TV, I love that old beat-up look. These trailers have it in abundance, and it suits me just fine to see it so well-preserved here.  

The Blu-ray from Severin Films is widescreen with Dolby 2.0 sound and English subtitles.  The wall-to-wall commentary track is highly informative thanks to a panel of kung fu cinema experts including writer Ric Meyers ("Films of Fury"), Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival), Ric Stelow (Drunken Master Video), and martial arts instructor Greg Schiller. 

If you got a kick out of Severin's first volume of kung fu trailers, then RETURN OF KUNG FU TRAILERS OF FURY should strike your fancy as well.  It's solid entertainment for lovers of no-frills kung fu cinema. 

Buy it from Severin Films

RETURN OF KUNG FU TRAILERS OF FURY -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures' "THE GREAT WALL" In Theaters Feb. 17

Between courage and fear.  Between monsters and men.  A wall stands that must never fall. 

Academy Award® winner MATT DAMON (The Martian, The Bourne franchise) leads humanity’s greatest fight for survival in The Great Wall, from Legendary and Universal Pictures. 

When a mercenary warrior (Damon) is imprisoned within The Great Wall, he discovers the mystery behind one of the greatest wonders of our world.   As wave after wave of marauding beasts, intent on devouring the world, besiege the massive structure, his quest for fortune turns into a journey toward heroism as he joins a huge army of elite warriors to confront this unimaginable and seemingly unstoppable force.

Directed by one of the most breathtaking visual stylists of our time, ZHANG YIMOU (Raise the Red Lantern, Hero, House of Flying Daggers), the action-fantasy marks his first English-language production and the largest film ever shot entirely in China.  To create The Great Wall, Yimou has assembled a formidable cast and filmmaking team that represents the best of East and West in a unique global production that delivers unmissable spectacle on the grandest scale.   

The thrilling adventure comes from an original screenplay by the writing duo CARLO BERNARD & DOUG MIRO (Prince of Persia, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice) and TONY GILROY (Michael Clayton, The Bourne Legacy).  It is based on a story by MAX BROOKS (World War Z) and EDWARD ZWICK & MARSHALL HERSKOVITZ (The Last Samurai, Love & Other Drugs).  The film is produced by Legendary CEO THOMAS TULL (Godzilla, Jurassic World), CHARLES ROVEN (American Hustle, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy), JON JASHNI (Pacific Rim, Warcraft) and Legendary East CEO PETER LOEHR (Shower, The Children of Huangshi).  

The quartet guided the production along with executive producers including Legendary’s JILLIAN SHARE (Pacific Rim, Warcraft), longtime Roven associate ALEX GARTNER (Warcraft, Get Smart), E. BENNETT WALSH (The Kite Runner, Kill Bill series), LA PEIKANG (Warcraft) and ZHANG ZHAO (Paths of the Soul).  Co-producers on the project are veteran Chinese filmmaker ZHANG “ER YONG” WANG (The Children of Huangshi, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt), ERIC HEDAYAT (Date Night) and ALEX HEDLUND (As Above, So Below).   

In The Great Wall, Damon stars as William Garin, a battle-scarred mercenary and master archer taken captive by a secret army of elite warriors known as The Nameless Order.  In a vast military outpost called the Fortress City, they fight to protect humanity from supernatural forces upon one of the greatest defensive structures ever built: The Great Wall. 

On his journey, Garin is joined by PEDRO PASCAL (Netflix’s Narcos, HBO’s Game of Thrones) as his sword-wielding sidekick, Pero Tovar, a tough, wise-cracking Spaniard who has become a brother-in-arms to William; and two-time Oscar®-nominee WILLEM DAFOE (Platoon, Shadow of the Vampire, The Grand Budapest Hotel) as Ballard, a shadowy prisoner inside the fortress who plans his escape from his longtime captors while hoping to pilfer their greatest weapon during his getaway.
 
Toplining the production’s esteemed, superstar Chinese cast are a widely celebrated Asian industry veteran and one of its rising new stars.  The renowned Hong Kong actor ANDY LAU (House of Flying Daggers, Running Out of Time, Infernal Affairs) reunites with director Zhang as Strategist Wang, the sage alchemist inside the fortress…whose clever inventions help its inhabitants keep the monstrous forces at bay. 

He is joined by breakout actress JING TIAN (Special ID, Police Story 2013, The Man from Macau) as Lin Mae, the fearless fighter and leader of the fortress’ balletic, gravity-defying aerial warriors, the allfemale Crane Corps.  In turn, she ultimately rises to command the outpost’s entire military faction, The Nameless Order, against the creature attacks.
 

The film also features a supporting cast of seasoned Chinese talent that includes veteran actor HANYU ZHANG (Assembly, The Taking of Tiger Mountain) as General Shao, the patriarch who passes his command of the fortress’ troops to Lin Mae; LIN GENGXIN (Bubu jingxin, The Taking of Tiger Mountain) as Commander Chen, the leader of the Eagle Corps, the crossbow marksmen who skillfully brandish the weapon with deadly accuracy; EDDIE PENG YU-YEN (Jump Ashin!, Rise of the Legend) as Commander Wu, who leads the Tiger Corps, the fortress’ engineering and artillery forces, against the supernatural enemy; XUAN HUANG (Breaking the Waves, The Golden Era) as Commander Deng, leader of the fortress’ cavalry, the Deer Corps; ZHENG KAI (China’s TV hit Running Man) as Shen, Strategist Wang’s imperial liaison whose political agenda conflicts with The Nameless Order’s mission; and CHEN XUEDONG (the Tiny Times 1.0 trilogy) as one of the fortress’ Imperial Guards who will readily sacrifice himself to save the empire’s royalty. 

The Great Wall also welcomes to its cast a pair of China’s pop-music sensations—LU HAN (the band EXO) as Peng Yong, a soldier struggling under the command of the Bear Corps’ Gen. Shao who must overcome his fear and prove himself heroic during the creature onslaught; and JUNKAI WANG (frontman for China’s TFBOYS), who makes his professional acting debut as The Emperor, the 17-year-old royal ruler tested before his time. 

They are joined by a pair of young Chinese actresses who portray lieutenants in Lin Mae’s Crane Corps—YU XINTIAN (Death Is Here 3 & 4) and LIU QIONG, a student at Beijing’s Central Academy of Drama who, like Junkai Wang, makes her professional acting debut in the film.  

For the epic fantasy-adventure, Zhang has assembled a topnotch technical team behind the cameras.  This includes two-time Academy Award®winning production designer JOHN MYHRE (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha);costume designer MAYES C. RUBEO (Warcraft, Avatar); editors MARY JO MARKEY (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Trek) and CRAIG D. WOOD (Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, Rango); and cinematographers STUART DRYBURGH (The Piano, Once Were Warriors, HBO’s Boardwalk Empire) and ZHAO XIAODING (his 10th collaboration with ZHANG YIMOU, one that began with House of Flying Daggers), who utilized for the first time the Aeroflex Alexa 65 camera, capturing the fantasy in grand 6K resolution while bringing a new level of visual fidelity to the big screen. 

Joining this team are five-time Oscar® winner RICHARD TAYLOR (The Lord of the Rings trilogy), whose WETA Workshop designed the film’s vast arsenal of weaponry; and visual effects supervisor PHIL BRENNAN (Snow White and the Huntsmen, The Wolverine), who teams up with ILM Far East VFX supervisor SAMIR HOON (Star Trek Into Darkness, Hitman Agent 47) to create the story’s predatory Tao Tei creatures. 

Collectively, the film’s cast and technical crew celebrate 25 Academy Awards® with 43 additional nominations.  The Great Wall filmed entirely on location in China, the largest Hollywood co-production ever mounted in the world’s fourth-largest country.  With the exception of China, Universal Pictures will distribute the film globally.  China Film Co., Ltd, along with Le Vision Pictures, Legendary East and Wuzhou Distribution will oversee the Chinese release.

Release date: February 17, 2017

Genre: 3D Action-Thriller

Cast: Matt Damon, Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe, Hanyu Zhang, Eddie Peng, Lu Han, Kenny Lin, Junkai Wang, Zheng Kai, Cheney Chen, Xuan Huang and Andy Lau
Directed by: Zhang Yimou

Story by: Max Brooks and Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz

Screenplay by: Carlo Bernard & Doug Miro and Tony Gilroy

Produced by: Thomas Tull, Charles Roven, Jon Jashni, Peter Loehr

Executive Producers: Jillian Share, Alex Gartner, La Peikang, Zhang Zhao, E. Bennett Walsh

Co-Producers: Eric Hedayat, Er Young, Alex Hedlund

Starring global superstar Matt Damon and directed by one of the most breathtaking visual stylists of our time, Zhang Yimou (Hero, House of Flying Daggers), Legendary's The Great Wall tells the story of an elite force making a valiant stand for humanity on the world's most iconic structure. The first English-language production for Yimou is the largest film ever shot entirely in China. The Great Wall also stars Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe and Andy Lau.

The film will be released in 3D by Universal Pictures.

Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures' "THE GREAT WALL" In Theaters Feb. 17

Get ready for CLASH OF EMPIRES -- September 6 on Blu-ray and DVD from Image Entertainment

A clash of swords is like a call to arms.  But a clash of empires will summon much, much more!

On September 6, Image Entertainment releases Clash of Empires, an exhilarating story of brave deeds from distant times.  A narrative that travels through unknown lands towards nameless peril, Clash of Empires will be available on Blu-ray™ for an MSRP of $29.97 and on DVD for an MSRP of $27.97.

It is 120 AD and the ferocious powers of Rome, China, and Malaysia are set to collide in a power play of epic proportions. War is imminent – and the destinies of three people will either incite it or prevent it.  A warrior and descendant of Alexander the Great named Merong (Stephen Rahman Hughes, Highlander: The Source) is escorting a Roman prince (Gavin Stenhouse, “Nearly Famous”) through the dangerous regions of Asia to meet his bride-to-be, the beautiful Chinese princess Meng Li Hua (Jing Lusi).  As a daughter of the expanding Han Dynasty the princess is a great prize – and when she is kidnapped, it sets them on a course that could alter the fate of the entire world.

Clash of Empires features an international cast and incredible action sequences headed by renowned Hong Kong stunt choreographer Chan Man Ching (member of the Jackie Chan Stuntman Team). A colossal film in the epic tradition, Clash of Empires is a thrilling combination of romance and betrayal…of adventure and danger!

Clash of Empires Blu-ray™
Genre:                        Action/Adventure, Feature Film
Rating:                        R for bloody violence and battle sequences
Languages:                  English 
Format:                       1.78.1
Audio:                         DTS HD Master Audio 5.1
Subtitles:                     English, Spanish
Year:                          2011
SRP :                           $29.97
Street Date:                 September 6, 2011
Pre-Book:                   August 9, 2011
Length:                        105 minutes
UPC :                           014381700954
Cat#:                           EPG7009BD

Clash of Empires DVD
Genre:                        Action/Adventure, Feature Film
Rating:                        R for bloody violence and battle sequences
Languages:                  English 
Format:                       1.78.1
Audio:                         Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:                      English, Spanish
Year:                           2011
SRP :                            $27.97
Street Date:                 September 6, 2011
Pre-Book:                   August 9, 2011
Length:                        105 minutes
UPC :                           014381700725
Cat#:                           EPG7007DVD

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Get ready for CLASH OF EMPIRES -- September 6 on Blu-ray and DVD from Image Entertainment

"Legend of the Black Scorpion" Coming to Blu-Ray

ALL THE ACTION NOW IN HIGH-DEFINITION

‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ Zhang Ziyi Stars In This Story Filled With Elaborate Fight Choreography, Magnificent Costumes And Sweeping Cinematography

Arriving On Blu-ray Disc October 26 From Vivendi Entertainment And The Weinstein Company

“The world’s best action choreographer, Yuen Woo-Ping, might have topped himself.” - The Hollywood Reporter

Synopsis: International star Ziyi Zhang of Hero, Memoirs of a Geisha and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon dazzles in this breathtaking action epic inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Renowned action choreographer YuenWo-Ping (The Matrix and Kill Bill films) and the Academy Award®-winning art director* and composer** of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon create “an extravagant spectacle of sin, balletic violence and bloodthirsty politics” (New York Asian Film Festival). Nominated for seven 2007 Hong Kong Film Awards, Legend of the Black Scorpion Blu-ray (known internationally as The Banquet) is filled with astonishing action sequences like none you’ve ever seen.

Starring: Zhang Ziyi (Jet Li’s Hero, Memoirs of a Geisha and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Yuen Woo-Ping (Fight Choreographer, Matrix and Kill Bill films), Timmy Yip (Oscar winner for Best Art Direction, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and Tan Dun (Oscar winner for Best Original Score, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)

Special Features:
·Audio Commentary By Hong Kong Cinema Expert Bey Logan
·Master Of Ceremonies: An Exclusive Interview with Director Feng Xiaogang
·Warrior Prince: An Exclusive Interview with Leading Man Daniel Wu
·A Dynasty Uncovered: Behind The Scenes on Legend of The Black Scorpion
·Trailer Gallery

Price: $19.97
Order Due Date: September 21, 2010
Street Date:                         October 26, 2010
MPAA Rating:                        Not Rated
DVD Catalog #:                        WN02708
Run Time:                                    126 minutes
Languages:             English & Mandarin
Subtitles:                English & Spanish

Our original review of the DVD

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"Legend of the Black Scorpion" Coming to Blu-Ray

THE WARLORDS -- DVD review by porfle

Drama, intrigue, and bone-crushing battle action combine in THE WARLORDS (2007), a fact-based war epic which takes place in late 1800's China during a terrible civil war.

Pang (Jet Li), a commander in the Ching army, is the sole survivor of a battle against Taiping rebels.  He finds himself allied with a ragtag band of thieves led by Er-Hu (Andy Lau) and Wu-Yang (Takeshi Kaneshiro, RED CLIFF), whose village is constantly being raided by the vile General Ho of the Ching forces.  Pang suggests that Er-Hu and his men join the military in order to feed their people and reduce their vulnerability.  Becoming blood brothers, Pang, Er-Hu, and Wu-Yang lead their army in a series of conquests which bring them to the attention of the Imperial Council, a group of deceitful, self-serving old men who profit from the war and don't want it to end.

The blood brothers eventually find their bond severely tested as Er-Hu is shocked by Pang's growing ruthlessness and ambition.  Complicating matters is the fact that Er-Hu's wife Lian (Jinglei Xu) has fallen in love with Pang, which Wu-Yang believes is adversely affecting Pang's decisions as the split between him and Er-Hu widens.  With the Imperial Council wielding their influence behind the scenes, each man chooses a course of action that could lead them to disaster.

THE WARLORDS is beautifully directed and photographed, particularly during the dramatic scenes which take up most of the film's latter half.  But in the earlier battle sequences the emphasis isn't on pictorial splendor or style as much as a gritty, rough-hewn realism.  Beginning with the attack on a Taiping supply convoy by Er-Hu's band of thieves and continuing with their conquest of Shu City--with the group now an army battalion under Pang's command--the film bristles with massive scenes of bloody violence.

There's no dazzling martial arts or fancy swordplay (director Peter Chan consciously avoided the fantasy-tinged "wuxia" style of the Chang Cheh films or even some of the later Chinese historical epics).  This is grueling, blood and thunder, hack and slash battle consisting of crowds of men trying to butcher each other.  The Shu City battle is the action highlight of the film, especially when Jet Li's ferocious General Pang thrusts himself into the thick of things.  A couple of the CGI moments are a little off--when Pang slashes the legs off half a dozen opponents with one swipe, it doesn't look very convincing--but when he hoists up a lit cannon and uses it to blow the hell out of all the enemy's other cannons, it's pretty thrilling.

The rest of the movie concentrates on political intrigue as Pang's rise to power is fueled by conflicting motives and he finds himself at odds with Er-Hu, who only wants justice for the poor and a simple life with Lian.  Wu-Yang is caught in the middle and is forced to take drastic action to preserve their bond, but the Imperial Council pulls all their strings to the very end.

If you're looking for wall-to-wall battle action you'll be disappointed--still, the drama and ultimate tragedy of this story are compelling.  There is, finally, a genuine martial arts battle near the end which is integral to the plot and, again, is depicted very realistically.  All of this is aided considerably by the fine performances of the four leads, with the world-weary, battle-scarred Jet Li proving himself quite capable as a dramatic actor.

The DVD from Magnolia's Magnet label is in 2.35:1 widescreen with Dolby 5.1 English and Mandarin soundtracks.  Subtitles are in English and Spanish.  Extras include the documentary "117 Days: A Production Journal" and deleted scenes.

Depicting a harsh and fascinating era in Chinese history, THE WARLORDS succeeds both as a thrilling war movie and an emotional story of political intrigue and personal tragedy.  It doesn't aspire to the conspicuous visual poetry of a film like RED CLIFF, but instead displays its own straightforward, hard-edged style that's just as effective.


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THE WARLORDS -- DVD review by porfle

RED CLIFF -- DVD/Blu-Ray review by porfle

(NOTE: Blu-Ray comments by Ian Friedman. This review is for the 148-minute Western edit of the film; in Asia, it runs 280 minutes and was released in two separate parts. The longer version is also available on the Magnet DVD label.)


"A dream for 18 years...five years of preparation...almost a year of principle photography" begins the making-of featurette for Magnet's new DVD release of John Woo's epic RED CLIFF (2008), and there's little doubt where all that effort went. I haven't seen all of Woo's films, but if this isn't his masterpiece then I can't wait to see the one that tops it.

The story is taken from the fact-based Chinese legend of the "Three Kingdoms" and begins in 208 A.D. Years of civil war have brought the defeat of the Northern warlords by prime minister Cao Cao (Fengyi Zhang), a fierce military leader who now has his sights set on conquering the peaceful Southern territories. Browbeating a weak Emperor into declaring the two Southern rulers traitors, Cao Cao then leads his huge naval and infantry forces toward what he is confident will be certain victory. Achieving this, his next goal will be to usurp the throne of the Emperor himself.

When the soldiers and civilians under ruler Liu Bei are forced into retreat, he sends his brilliant military strategist Kongming (Takeshi Kaneshiro) to seek the help of the young and inexperienced ruler Sun Quan, hoping that their combined efforts might withstand Cao Cao's invasion. Sun Quan's viceroy Zhao Yu (Tony Leung) accepts the challenge and, with Kongming's help, sets about devising a battle plan with which their vastly outnumbered forces might stand a chance against overwhelming odds.

After the plot is set into motion, the first half of the film is a steady, suspenseful buildup to the initial clash between Cao Cao and the Southern alliance. This bloody battle between two mighty ground forces would suffice as a grand finale for most war films (which it does, in fact, for RED CLIFF PART 1 as released in Asia). After being lured into an ambush by Sun Quan's fearless young sister, Princess Shang Xiang (Wei Zhao), who is determined to help defend her homeland, the invading army is thwarted by Zhao Yu's brilliantly effective tactic known as the "Tortoise Formation." Here, soldiers mass together using their shields in unison to create a living maze which traps the enemy forces. The resulting battle is rife with Woo's distinctive flashes of imaginative imagery and technical prowess.


With this defeat, Cao Cao then establishes a base camp across the river from Red Cliff and plans a massive naval attack. Thus, the buildup of suspense begins anew as the two sides plot to outwit each other and gain the advantage in the impending sea battle, until at last RED CLIFF explodes into one of the most spectacular warfare sequences ever filmed. Arrows darken the skies, great wooden warships collide in raging walls of flame, and hundreds of soldiers engage in furious hand-to-hand combat and brutal swordplay. These are some of the most thrilling and mind-boggling visuals ever devised for a film of this kind, as Woo brings all of his accumulated skills as an action director to bear with a sustained intensity that is spellbinding.

With all of this, however, the story and characters are a major part of what makes RED CLIFF such a rewarding experience. Tony Leung gives a strong performance as the wise and valiant Zhao Yu, providing a stark contrast to the equally good Fengyi Zhang's arrogant, war-loving Cao Cao. In THE KILLER, Woo used cross-cutting to highlight the similarities between his adversarial main characters, while here, he does so to accentuate their essential differences. We see Cao Cao making his war plans and Zhao Yu anticipating them all; later, Zhao Yu shares tender moments with his devoted wife Xiao Qiao (Chi-Ling Lin) while a lovelorn Cao Cao, who adores Xiao Qiao from afar, seeks hollow comfort amidst his uncaring concubines.

Xiao Qiao's devotion to Zhao Yu leads to a pivotal sequence, beautifully crafted by Woo, in which she steals away to Cao Cao's camp and surrenders herself to him in order to delay his attack. The enemy warlord reveals a poignant emotional vulnerability here, giving his character a depth beyond that of the standard villain. As a climax to the monumental battle which follows, Zhao Yu's mad dash to rescue Xiao Qiao from certain death is portrayed in such exquisitely cinematic terms that the result is both thrilling and fiercely romantic. Here, Woo impressively demonstrates that his former melodramatic tendencies have matured into sheer visual poetry.


Other episodes throughout the film are memorable. A scene involving a little boy and an off-key flute introduces Zhao Yu's character in delightful visual terms, as does his stirring stringed-instrument duet with Kongming. There's a breathtaking CGI-enhanced passage in which Kongming releases a white carrier pigeon while the camera pulls back to track its progress as it flies past the scores of ships in Cao Cao's vast navy, over the shoreline and into the enemy encampment, all in one seamless shot. Woo's camera is constantly on the move, but always with purpose.

Technical aspects such as set design, costuming, and cinematography are all first-rate, and the stunts and fight choreography of the battle scenes are consistently exciting. CGI is well-used for the most part, adding scope to the film's endless masses of soldiers and warships and enhancing the pictorial splendor of many breathtaking shots. Yet there are enough flesh-and-blood extras and massive real-world sets to create a genuine sense of wonder and spectacle.

The DVD from Magnolia's Magnet label is in 2.35:1 widescreen with both Mandarin and English-dubbed Dolby 5.1 soundtracks. Subtitles are in English and Spanish. Extras include the featurette "The Making of an Epic: Red Cliff", a brief interview in which John Woo discusses the creation of the carrier pigeon shot, the promo short "HDNet: A Look at Red Cliff", storyboards, and trailers for other Magnolia releases.

The Blu-ray shows excellent color and detail with no sign of digital tampering. The clarity and vivid color work perfectly for an epic movie like Red Cliff, since it consists of huge armies and vistas. The sound mix is in a word, thundering, it really sounds like a battle from the period of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms in your living room. The sound separation is excellent with great directional support.

It's interesting to compare an early Woo film such as THE KILLER with this one to see how far an already great director has evolved over the years. He has refined his formidable skills to such an extent that watching a towering achievement like RED CLIFF makes me wonder how much better Woo can possibly get. It left me both exhausted and exhilarated, and glowing with renewed respect for John Woo as a consummate film artist of the first order.


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RED CLIFF -- DVD/Blu-Ray review by porfle

John Woo's "RED CLIFF" - On Blu-ray Disc And DVD March 23 From Magnolia Home Entertainment

From Legendary Cinema Action Master John Woo Comes A New Epic Like No Other As RED CLIFF, Arrives on Blu-ray Disc And DVD March 23 From Magnolia Home Entertainment As Part of the Six Shooter Film Series.

Both the US Theatrical Version and the Original International Version Containing Part I & Part II with a combined runtime of almost five hours will be made available on Blu-ray Disc and DVD.

“THRILLING FILMMAKING...RED CLIFF BLAZES ACROSS THE SCREEN WITH A SWEEP THAT MOST MOVIES CAN ONLY DREAM OF.”- The Huffington Post

“Red Cliff is a legendary filmmaker’s visual symphony.”- Wall Street Journal

“A formidable prelude to an epic battle with resplendent effects and action spectacles.”- Hollywood Reporter


In 208 A.D., the Han Dynasty Emperor grants permission to the greedy General Cao Cao to form a movement that will pulverize two warlords who stand in his way. The warlords, Liu Bei and Sun Quan, are sworn enemies but know their only hope for survival is to band together and counter the attack. Although outnumbered by Cao Cao’s vast and fast approaching army, the warlords put their rivalry behind them and end up surprising all those who doubted their small brigade.

One of the most expensive film productions in Chinese cinema and the highest grossing box office, RED CLIFF garnered six Hong Kong Film ‘09 Awards including Best Art Direction, Best Costume & Make Up Design, Best Visual Effects and Best Supporting Actress. Back together for the first time since the classic Hard Boiled, RED CLIFF reunites legendary action-cinema master Woo and international superstar Leung.

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John Woo's "RED CLIFF" - On Blu-ray Disc And DVD March 23 From Magnolia Home Entertainment

BATTLE OF THE WARRIORS -- DVD review by porfle

Director Jacob Cheung stages a sweeping epic of ancient warfare and political intrigue with BATTLE OF THE WARRIORS, aka A Battle of Wits (2006). Despite the somewhat cheesy-sounding new title, this is amazing, superbly-mounted filmmaking on a grand scale, yet the human drama is strong enough not to be overshadowed by the visual opulence.

In the Warring States Era of China circa 370 B.C., the walled city of Liang comes under siege by the vastly superior forces of the conquering Zhao army. In desperation, Liang turns to the Mozi, legendary peacekeeping warriors who are experts at defense, for help. They send one man, Ge Li (Andy Lau).

Ge Li's brilliant tactics allow Liang to defeat the Zhao and drive them into retreat, but Ge Li's growing popularity with the people prompts the despicable king (Zhiwen Wang) to order his execution under false charges. Ge Li escapes with some of his followers, then returns when Liang falls to a surprise second invasion from the Zhao.

Renowned Hong Kong actor Andy Lau, who recently did a fine job as an aging drug kingpin in PROTEGE, makes Ge Li into a heroic and admirable character whose goal is to bring peace to the warring factions. Thus his betrayal by the duplicitous, egotistical king and the subsequent atrocities committed against those loyal to Ge Li are the stuff of classic tragedy.

This is compounded by a doomed love affair between him and a female cavalry officer named Yi Yue (Fan Bingbing), who bitterly rebukes the king and is also sentenced to death. Others who rebel against Ge Li's treatment and suffer the consequences are master archer General Niu Zi Zhang (Siu Ho Chin) and Prince Liang Shi himself (Korean pop star Siu Ho Chin).

As an action film, BATTLE OF THE WARRIORS becomes somewhat anticlimactic about halfway through, right after the battle sequence between the Zhao and the hopelessly outnumbered Liang. As a tragic romance, character study, and political thriller, it remains compelling to the end. Ge Li's relationship with Zhao commander Xiang Yan-zhong (Sung-kee Ahn) is especially interesting--they're rational men who can see warfare for the game that it is, which allows Ge Li to suggest a dispassionate resolution for the commander to consider. Such reason, however, is beyond the king, who continues to use violence and terror to preserve his power.


For me, though, the best part is the siege that takes place during the first half of the film. Part RETURN OF THE KING, part THE ALAMO, with a SEVEN SAMURAI vibe running through it as well, it's a stunning battle sequence using a full-scale set of the walled city and thousands of extras and horses--the kind of exhilarating, old-fashioned epic filmmaking that you just don't see enough of anymore. The Zhao attack is fierce, and Ge Li's amazingly clever strategies for driving them back and finally defeating them are thrilling. (The only drawback, naturally, is some hinky CGI that pops up here and there.) A couple of subsequent battle scenes in the latter half of the film--including the rather fanciful sight of enemy warriors floating over the city's walls in little hot air balloons--are there mainly to serve the story and don't generate nearly as much excitement.

Director Cheung keeps the camera moving with a succession of impressive shots, and the cinematography by Yoshitaka Sakamoto is fine. Opulent set design and authentic costumes add to the visual splendor. The musical score by Kenji Kawai is powerful and evocative.

Dragon Dynasty presents the film on a single disc in 2.35:1 widescreen with Mandarin Dolby 5.1 and English Dolby 5.1 sound. Subtitles are available in English and Spanish. Bonus features consist of a lengthy featurette, "The Making of Battle of the Warriors", and an informative commentary track by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan.

With Andy Lau's fine lead performance, technical excellence in all areas, and a story that combines rich human drama with some of the most awe-inspiring battle scenes of recent years, BATTLE OF THE WARRIORS is an intense and memorable film.


Buy it at Amazon.com

BATTLE OF THE WARRIORS -- DVD review by porfle

Chinese History Through Kung Fu Movies TImeline

So now you can try and check out the unique and interesting periods of Chinese history through kung fu movies. This list was done a couple of years ago but most likely wasn't seen by many recent members. We're also going to try and add to it more as even just the last three in terms of TVB and Shaw releases have been tremendous. Credit first of course.

Thread/idea by gfanikf KFF

Timeline from http://www-chaos.umd.edu/history/time_line.html (coutesy of gfanikf - this forum)
Sensasian Timeline & List from http://tinyurl.com/35woeu

Magic8 posted this on asiandvdguide
iskandam posted this on KFCC
muay thai media posted this on KFCC
Jin Yong posted this on KFF
Limubai2000 added this (KFF)
Sensasian List link found by curtpdx (KFF)

Compiled by Limubai2000 from KFF

Chinese History Through Kung Fu Movies Timeline v .3

2690-2590 B.C. Huang Di

2333-2234 B.C. Tang Yao

2233-2184 B.C. Yu Shun

2100-1500 B.C. Xia

1700-1027 B.C. Shang

Last Woman of Shang (iskandam)
Na Cha The Great (Sensasian)
A Maid From Heaven (sensasian)

1027-771 B.C. Western Zhou

A Step Into The Past (TVB Serial)(Sensasian)
The King With My Face (Sensasian)

770-221 B.C. Eastern Zhou

770-476 B.C. -- Spring and Autumn period

Hsi Shih (Jin Yong)
Saga Of zhou Dynasty The Spring And Autumn Period (Sensasian)

475-221 B.C. -- Warring States period

Saga Of Zhou Dynasty The Warring States (Sensasian)

221-207 B.C. Qin

Emporer's Shadow (Magic8)
Hero (Magic8)
Emporer And The Assasin (Magic8)
First Emporer of China IMAX (Documentary)(Limubai2000)
Terracotta Warriors (Sensasian)
Shin No Shikoutei (Sensasian)
The First Emporer (Sensasian)
The Rise Of The Great Wall (Sensasian)

206 B.C.- A.D. 9 Western Han

Great Conqueror's Concubine Part 1 & 2 (iskandam)
Farewell To My Concubine (Sensasian)
Beyond The Great Wall (Sensasian)
Han Dynasty (Sensasian)
Heroic Prince (Sensasian)
Wulung Prince (Sensasian)
Silk Road Parts 1,2, & 3 (Sensasian)

A.D. 9-24 Xin (Wang Mang interregnum)

A.D. 25-220 Eastern Han

A.D. 220-280 Three Kingdoms

Three Kingdoms (TV-50) (iskandam)
Generation Pendragon (Sensasian)
Li bu And Diao Chan (Sensasian)
Hero Of The Three Kingdoms (Sensasian)
Strategy Of Three Kingdoms (Sensasian)

220-265 -- Wei

221-263 -- Shu

229-280 -- Wu

A.D. 265-316 Western Jin

The Butterfly Lover (Sensasian)
The Lovers (Sensasian)
2002 Butterfly Lovers 40 (Sensasian)

A.D. 317-420 Eastern Jin

A.D. 420-588 Southern and Northern Dynasties

Mulan (Sensasian)
Wu Yen (Sensasian)
Master Of Zen (Sensasian)
The Legend Of Lady Chung (Sensasian)
Dharma - Founder Of Shaolin (Sensasian)

420-588 Southern Dynasties

420-478 -- Song

479-501 -- Qi

502-556 -- Liang

557-588 -- Chen

386-588 Northern Dynasties

386-533 -- Northern Wei

534-549 -- Eastern Wei

535-557 -- Western Wei

550-577 -- Northern Qi

557-588 -- Northern Zhou

A.D. 581-617 Sui

A.D. 618-907 Tang

Warriors Of Heaven And Earth (Magic8)
Empress Wu Tse-Tien (Jin Yong)
Yang Kwei Fei (Jin Yong)
Foundation (Sensasian)
The Queen Of Tibet (Sensasian)
Heroic Ones (Sensasian)

A.D. 907-960 Five Dynasties

907-923 -- Later Liang

923-936 -- Later Tang

936-946 -- Later Jin

947-950 -- Later Han

951-960 - Later Zhou

A.D. 907-979 Ten Kingdoms

A.D. 960-1279 Sung

Water Margin (Magic8)
All Men Are Brothers (Magic8)
Deadly Duo (Jin Yong)
Heroes Of Sung (Jin Yong)
Brave Archer (series) (Jin Yong)
Golden Lotus (Jin Yong)
Legend Of The Condor Heroes (Book & Movie) (Sensasian)
Cat And Mouse (Sensasian)
The Lion Roars (Sensasian)
Twelve Gold Medallions (Sensasian)
The Grand Substitution (Sensasian)
The Heroine Of The Yangs Part 1 & 2 (Sensasian)
General Father, General Son (Sensasian)
Ashes Of Time (Sensasian)
Seven Warriors, Five Heroes (Sensasian)
Justice Pao - The Princes (Sensasian)
The Legend Of the Condor Heroes Parts 1,2 & 3 (TVB Series) (Sensasian)
Young Impartial Judge Parts 1 & 2 (Sensasian)
The Bride Napping (Sensasian)
Bao Gong Sheng Si Jie (Sensasian)
Junior Master Bao (Sensasian)
The Return Of The Condor Heroes (Sensasian)
Yue's Young Warriors (Sensasian)
Justice Pao - Zhe Bao Mian (Sensasian)
Yeung Female Warriors Parts 1 & 2 (Sensasian)
Ghenghis Khan (Sensasian)
The Yang's Saga (Sensasian)
Ghenghis Khan (TVB Series) (Sensasian)
All Men Are Brothers - Blood Of The Leopard (Sensaian)
Legend Of Condor Heroes (Puppet Show) (Sensasian)

960-1127 -- Northern Sung Brave Archer (series) (Jin Yong)

1127-1279 -- Southern Sung Brave Archer (series) (Jin Yong)

A.D. 916-1125 Liao

A.D. 1038-1227 Western Xia

A.D. 1115-1234 Jin

A.D. 1279-1368 Yuan

Musa (iskandam)
Bichunmoo (iskandam)
One Armed Swordman (Jin Yong)
Little Dragon Maiden (Jin Yong)
Brave Archer (series) (Jin Yong)
Marco Polo (Jin Yong)

Fall of Yuan to Ming
Musa (Muay Thai Media)
Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber Part 1 & 2 (Jin Yong)

A.D. 1368-1644 Ming

Secret Service Of The Imperial Court (Jin Yong)
The Kingdom And The Beauty (Sensasian)
Princes Chang Ping Parts 1 & 2(Sensasian)
Flirting Scholar (Sensasian)
The Three Smiles (Sensasian)
The Saga Of Yeun Soong Wun (Sensasian)
Big Foot Queen (Sensasian)
Chinese Odyssey - King Zhengde And Phoenix (Sensasian)

A.D. 1644-1911 Qing

New Tale Of Flying Fox (Jin Yong)
Emporer And His Brother (Jin Yong)
The Voyage Of Emporer Qian Long (Jin Yong)
The Emporer And The Beauty (Jin Yong)
Blood Brothers (Jin Yong)
Huang Fei Hung/Once Upon A Time In China Series (Muay Thai Media)
Boxer Rebellion (Muay Thai Media)
Empress Dowager (Jin Yong)
Last Tempest (Jin Yong)
Burning Of the Imperial Palace (Jin Yong)
Reign Behind the Curtain (Jin Yong)
Iron Bodyguard (Jin Yong)
Five Shaolin Masters (Jin Yong)
The 36th chamber of Shaolin (Jin Yong)
Disciple of the 36th Chamber (Jin Yong)
Return to the 36th chamber (Jin Yong)
Heroes Two (Jin Yong)
Executionners From Shaolin (Jin Yong)
Clan Of The White Lotus (Jin Yong)
Invincible Shaolin (Jin Yong)
Two Champion Of Shaolin (Jin Yong)
The Master (Jin Yong)
Dirty Ho (Jin Yong)
Sword Stained with Royal Blood (Jin Yong)
Legend of the Fox (Jin Yong)
Shaolin Temple (Jin Yong)
Adventures of Emperor Chien Lung (Jin Yong)
The Emperor and the Minister (Jin Yong)
Royal Tramp 1 & 2 (Jin Yong)
Iron Monkey (Sensasian)
Justice My Foot (Sensasian)
Hail The Judge (Sensasian)
Lawyer, Lawyer (Sensasian)
The Legend Of Ji Xiao Lan (Sensasian)
The Duke Of Mount Deer (TVB Series) (Sensasian)
Hero Fong Sai Yuk (Sensasian)
Prodigal Son (Sensasian)
Emporer Chien Lung And The Beauty (Sensasian)
Fake Emporer (Sensasian)
Anecdote Of Hau Zhuang (Sensasian)
Killing Machine (Sensasian)
Legend Of Yong Zheng Parts 1 & 2 (Sensasian)
Book And Sword Parts 1,2 & 3 (Sensasian)
Romance Of Book And Sword (Sensasian)
Voyage Of Emporer Chien Lung (Sensasian)
Warriors Two (Sensasian)
New Legend Of Shaolin (Sensasian)
Kangxi's Love Story Parts 1 & 2 (Sensasian)
Twilight Of the Forbidden City (Sensasian)
Reign Behind A Curtain (Sensasian)
Last Emporer (Sensasian)
Lover Of The Last Empress (Sensasian)
Lai Shi, China's Last Eunnuch (Sensaian)
Young Of wong Fei Hung (Sensasian)
Opium War (Sensasian)
Sino Dutch War 1661 (Sensasian)
New Legend Of Fong Sai Yuk Part 3 (Sensasian)
Legend of Yong Zheng (Sesasian)
Kangxi Dynasty (Sensasian)
Yong Zheng Dynasty (Sensasian)
Dynasty Of Chien Lung (Sensasian)
Mr Winner (Sensasian)
Tales of a Eunnuch (Jin Yong)
Fong Sai Yuk Parts 1 & 2(Muay Thai Media)
Once Upon A Time In China (Magic8)

A.D. 1912 - 1949 Chinese Civil War/WW2

Fist Of Fury (Magic8)
Fist Of Legend (Magic8)
Vengeance (Jin Yong)
Anonymous Heroes (Jin Yong)
The Warlord (Sensasian)
May And August (Sensasian)
Soong Sister (Sensasian)
Peking Opera Blues (Sensasian)
Peony Pavilion (Sensasian)
Till We Meet Again (Sensasian)
Boxer From Shantung (Sensaian)
Route (Sensasian)
Shanghai Grand (Sensasian)
Lord Of East China Sea Parts 1 & 2(Sensasian)
Fist Of Legend (TV Series) (Sensasian)
Man Behind The Sun (Sensasian)
Centre Stage (Sensasian)
Narrow Escape (Sensasian)
Vermilion Door (Sensasian)
Story Of Three Loves Parts 1 & 2 (Sensasian)
Bund (Sensasian)
Spring River Flows East - The Eight War Torn Years (Sensasian)
Star, Moon and Sun Parts 1 & 2 (Sensasian)
Kawashima Yoshiko (Sensasian)
Fist Of Hero (Sensasian)

Chinese History Through Kung Fu Movies TImeline

Time for you all to learn the history of China to help you enjoy your Kung Fu more!

Now you're properly thinking, Ian I'm watching Kung Fu what could possibly be the benefit of learning about the history of China? Well, what may seem like a plot details may actually represent an interesting facet of Chinese history from the the eunuchs, the salt trade, to armed escort services to much more. The goal of this new section Chinese History through Kung Fu Movies is to show the background information from scans of my Chinese history books in conjunction with clips mentioning the subject in the related Kung Fu movie. Also I'm going to post information of Chinese culture such as food and music occasionally too. I should also mention that I majored in Gov't + Law and History and minored in Asian Studies at Lafayette College. I'm also working on a MA in Poli Sci and Villanova University and will soon be starting law school at Seton Hall, just to give you a little background on me.

I hope you all enjoy this new section.

Time for you all to learn the history of China to help you enjoy your Kung Fu more!