As expected I have pre-ordered a number of Asian Cinema releases from Terracotta Distribution store as they're my go-to for ensuring that I do get a copy and also supports the retailer and distributors. But this one was a bit interesting because it was delayed due to one of them being shifted back to 10th August and there was another item that had sold out in advance and I wasn't sure if my copy was reserved or not given the timing. Fortunately it's all here.
Starting off with the 88 Films titles. The first is a Japanarchy release with Fumihiko Sori's 2002 film Ping Pong (ピンポン) which is based on the Taiyō Matsumoto manga which as most of you would know was also adapted into an anime by Tatsunoko Production and Masaaki Yuasa. The film stars Yosuke Kubozuka (GO), Arata Iura (Air Doll), Sam Lee (Made in Hong Kong), Shido Nakamura (Death Note) and Koji Ohkura (St. John’s Wort). The Japanarchy release includes a Scanavo package with an obi-strip, reversible cover and booklet.
Next is a Category III release but also the first in this sub-range to be released on 4K Ultra HD - Lam Nai-Choi's 1991 film Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (力王), based on a Japanese manga by Masahiko Takajo. This is a very fun film and I'm happy to upgrade this one especially as 88 Films have once again done their own 4K restoration (their Blu-ray release was also an improvement over the previous Blu-ray releases in the past). The film stars Louis Fan Siu-Wong (Ip Man), Fan Mei-Sheng (The Young Master), William Ho (Prison on Fire), Gloria Yip Wan-Yee (The Cat) and Yukari Ôshima (Iron Angels). The film already received a deluxe collector's edition Blu-ray release so for this re-release we have a double-sided o-card slipcase cover artwork with a J-card for logos/specs and a double-sided poster.
And then we have a Shaw Brothers 88 Asia release but the first to be in a rigid box collection. Shawscope Triple Feature offers three films; Chang Cheh's 1980 film Two Champions of Shaolin (少林與武當) starring Chiang Sheng (The Five Venoms), Lo Meng (Ip Man films), Candy Man (Devil Hunters), Wong Lik (Five Element Ninjas) and Sun Chien (The Five Venoms); Tong Kai's 1982 film Shaolin Prince (少林傳人) starring Ti Lung (A Better Tomorrow), Derek Yee Tung-Sing (The Sentimental Swordsman), Jason Pai Piao (Killer Constable), Ku Feng (Magnificent Warriors) and Chan Shen (Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan); and Tong Kai's 1983 film Shaolin Intruders (三闖少林) starring Derek Yee Tung-Sing, Lau Yuk-Pok (Secret Service of the Imperial Court), Jason Pai Piao, Phillip Ko Fai (The Boxer's Omen) and Chan Shen. For this release we have a rigid box housing Scanavo cases and double sided posters for each film. The distributor hinted there's more box sets like this so I'm curious to see what they have to offer.
Next we have an Arrow Video release which features two films together in one set both starring Reiko Ike (Terrifying Girls’ High School). Norifumi Suzuki's 1973 film Sex & Fury (不良姐御伝 猪の鹿お蝶) also starring Christina Lindberg (The Kyoto Connection), Akemi Negishi (Lady Snowblood), Ryōko Ema (Terrifying Girls’ High School) and Naomi Oka (Assault! Jack the Ripper); and Teruo Ishii's 1973 film Female Yakuza Tale (やさぐれ姐御伝 総括リンチ) also starring Makoto Aikawa, Arumi Kuri, Meika Seri (In the Realm of the Senses) and Jun Midorikawa (Aesthetics of a Bullet). This is an interesting release because both of these films were first released on Blu-ray in the west by Discotek Media via their Nihon Nights label but I figured a UK release was going to happen at some point considering it's the type of film that would get brought over here. For this limited edition release we have an o-card slipcase with reversible artwork and a booklet.
And another double feature release, this time from Third Window Films focused on director Chūsei Sone (Angel Guts: Red Classroom). First is the 1981 film Scars of the Sun (太陽のきずあと) starring Kenichi Kaneda (The Imperial Navy), Satoshi Sadanaga (The Legend of Sayo), Mirai Hayashi, Koji Tanaka (Yokohama BJ Blues) and Ken Ogata (The Ballad of Narayama), and the second is exclusive to this limited edition release which is his 1983 film Blow the Night! Let’s Spend the Night Together (“BLOW THE NIGHT!” 夜をぶっとばせ) starring Namie Takada, Eiji Kobayashi, Yuka Komatsu, Kazumi Kawai (The King of Minami films) and Shūichirō Moriyama (Porco Rosso). Like the recent Toshiaki Toyoda double feature release, this one is also packaged with a Scanavo case, o-card slipcase and a small booklet.
war saga, with a fittingly epic score by James Horner. Truly, they don't make 'em like this anymore. An added plus is a young Diane Kruger being utterly convincing as Helen of Troy, aka a woman worth sailing 2000 ships over. When released, Troy was a film overshadowed by its contemporaries, such as Gladiator: a 7-8/10. Hollywood has fallen so far it may as well be a 9-10/10, now. 
