Asian Cinema Thread

One of the AniTubers I subscribe to posted this:

So I watched Swing Girls. It was quite funny in parts and heartwarming at the end. I would say similar to a CGDCT/SoL anime where the girls get into a thing and then "git gud" at it. In terms of Western films I'd say similar to the likes of The Full Monty or Calendar Girls, but with a lot less nudity.

PS If that sold you in any way don't watch that segment in the above video because he put the funniest moments in it!
 
mp-sailorsuit2.jpg


Arrow's release of Sailor Suit and Machine Gun is out now.

I first discovered the cinema of Shinji Sōmai nearly a decade ago, when a retrospective was staged at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2012. Unfortunately, I only managed to see one of the films screened - Typhoon Club - but it blew me away. Later, Moving was one of the films that were part of a touring programme to accompany Mark Cousins' terrific documentary A Story of Children and Film. Around this time, I started to hoover up any subtitled bootlegs of any other Somai films that I could get my hands on - which were few and far between but included Kaza-Hana, Lost Chapter of Snow, and Sailor Suit and Machine Gun.

I thought that it would only be a matter of time before one of his films was given an official release here but here we are, at the back-end of 2021 - and the 20th anniversary of Somai's death aged only 53 - and Arrow have just released Sailor Suit and Machine Gun. It is well overdue.

Somai is perhaps the most influential Japanese director to emerge in the 1980s, with future directors such as Shinji Aoyama and Kiyoshi Kurosawa (who appears in the extras here) acting as his assistants during this period. Sailor Suit and Machine Gun is his second feature and his biggest commercial success - making a star out of Hiroko Yakushimaru and spawning two later TV series as well as a "spiritual sequel" released in 2016.

The premise is as simple as it is preposterous: a yakuza boss is killed and therefore, through some sort of hereditary principle, his 17-year-old daughter takes over. Needless to say, she is not a natural fit for this role and the film develops not as a film that fits into the yakuza/gangster genre like, say, many of the Fukasaku films from Arrow's catalogue, or comfortably into the 'idol film' genre either but something that is in its own space.

Somai seems to enjoy concentrating on the tensions that develop by Izumi's position as head of the family - the tension between expectations and reality, between appearance and role, between seriousness and ridiculousness, between tradition and progression. And ultimately how these often competing elements not only apply to the characters in the film but to the moviemaking process - what kind of film does the audience expect? What does the audience expect - or demand - from its stars? Particuarly in Japan, where 'idols' are subject to tight controls over their image extending to things such as dating bans.

The unorthodox ending really hits this point home as Izumi - or is it just Hiroko Yakushimaru at this point? - has a Marilyn Monroe moment, filmed in the street with unsuspecting members of the public, while she makes shooting gun hand gestures that refers back to the plot of the film.

sailor12.png


Arrow have done right by the first-ever release of a Shinji Somai film in the West. They've included both the original theatrical cut and the extended 'complete' version that was re-issued following its initial success, both from 4K restorations performed by Kadokawa and released in Japan a number of years ago. The disc has been encoded by David Mackenzie / Fidelity in Motion so, as expected, I didn't pick up on any flaws.

The main video extra is a new 50-minute documentary called Girls, Guns and Gangsters, which is essentially a talking-head piece with several of Somai's collaborators, Japanese critics and scholars that is as good of a video extra that Arrow have ever produced for one of their Japanese releases. It serves as a great introduction to the director who, for reasons that are speculated on in the video, has yet to achieve either availability or critical reputation in the West despite adoration in his home country; he has 4 entries in the most recent Kinema Junpo poll of the best Japanese films of all time, with Typhoon Club placing at 12 - just above Kurosawa's Ikiru.

The booklet is also the best that I've read from Arrow in a while and features, amongst other things, a transcript of a conversation between Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Hiroko Yakushimaru that was recorded for Arrow earlier this year.

--

I hope that this is merely the first Western release of a Somai film and not the only one. He is a master filmmaker, which is on evidence in Sailor Suit and Machine Gun but it doesn't reach the heights that he would later achieve with the likes of Typhoon Club - as good of a candidate as any for the best film of the 1980s. Nevertheless, Sailor Suit is a fascinating work that doesn't neatly fit any categorisation and rewards rewatches.
 
If you liked One Cut of the Dead, you have to see the ingenious Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes, out on Blu-ray from Third Window Films. Next to no budget time travel sci fi comedy that works like intricate clockwork. Steins;Gate but better.
 
Another release schedule update for upcoming Asian UK releases on Blu-ray.

88 Films:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Dec 13th​
Armour of God
Jackie Chan,
Eric Tsang​
1986​
Cantonese
English
DE Blu-ray
Dec 13th​
Disciples of Shaolin
Chang Cheh​
1975​
Mandarin
English
Blu-ray
Jan 31st
2022​
Black Cat
Stephen Shin​
1991​
Cantonese
English
DE Blu-ray
Feb 7th
2022​
The Flag of Iron
Chang Cheh​
1980​
Mandarin
English
Blu-ray
Feb 7th
2022​
Legendary Weapons of China
Lau Kar-leung​
1982​
Mandarin
English
Blu-ray
Mar 21st
2022​
Monkey Kung Fu (Stroke of Death)
Mar Lo​
1979​
Mandarin
English
Blu-ray
Mar 21st
2022​
Shaolin Mantis (The Deadly Mantis)
Lau Kar-leung​
1978​
Mandarin
English
Blu-ray
--​
Flying Guillotine Part II
Hua Shan​
1978​
Mandarin
English
Blu-ray
--​
Half a Loaf of Kung Fu
Chen Chi-hwa​
1978​
Cantonese
English
--
--​
Hero
Corey Yuen​
1997​
Mandarin
English
Blu-ray
--​
Human Lanterns
Chung Sun​
1982​
Mandarin
English
Blu-ray
--​
Martial Club
Lau Kar-leung​
1981​
Mandarin
English
Blu-ray

Arrow Video:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Dec 6th​
Shawscope Volume One:
King Boxer
The Boxer from Shantung
Five Shaolin Masters
Shaolin Temple
Mighty Peking Man
Challenge of the Masters
Executioners from Shaolin
Chinatown Kid
The Five Venoms
Crippled Avengers
Heroes of the East
Dirty Ho​
Jeong Chang-hwa
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Ho Meng-hua
Lau Kar-leung
Lau Kar-leung
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Lau Kar-leung
Lau Kar-leung​
1972
1972
1974
1976
1977
1976
1977
1977
1978
1978
1978
1979​
Mandarin
English
LE Blu-ray
Jan 7th
2022​
Red Angel
Yasuzo Masumura​
1966​
JapaneseBlu-ray
--​
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Lau Kar-leung​
1978​
Mandarin
English
--
--​
Shawscope Volume Two
--​
--​
--LE Blu-ray

Cine Asia:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Jan 31st
2022​
Raging Fire
Benny Chan​
2021​
Cantonese4K Ultra HD SB
(Zavvi Exc.)
Blu-ray
Feb 28th
2022​
The Sacrifice
Guan Hu,
Frant Gwo,
Lu Yang​
2020​
MandarinBlu-ray

Eureka Entertainment:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Jan 24th
2022​
Warriors Two and The Prodigal Son
Sammo Hung​
1978
1981​
Cantonese
English
LE Blu-ray
Feb 21st
2022​
Skinny Tiger and Fatty Dragon
Sammo Hung​
1990​
Cantonese
English
LE Blu-ray

Third Window Films:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Dec 13th​
Nobuhiko Obayashi: Anti-War Trilogy:
Casting Blossoms to the Sky
Seven Weeks
Hanagatami
Nobuhiko Obayashi​
2012
2015
2017​
JapaneseLE Blu-ray
Jan 24th
2022​
Hiruko the Goblin
Shinya Tsukamoto​
1991​
JapaneseLE Blu-ray
Feb 21st
2022​
Crazy Thunder Road
Sōgo Ishii​
1980​
JapaneseBlu-ray
--​
Funky Forest: The First Contact
The Warped Forest
Hajime Ishimine,
Katsuhito Ishii,
Shunichiro Miki​
2005
2011​
JapaneseBlu-ray
--​
Zokki
Yamada Takayuki,
Takenaka Naoto,
Saitoh Takumi​
2021​
JapaneseBlu-ray
 
As we approach the year of 2022, it's time for another release schedule update for upcoming Asian UK releases on Blu-ray!

88 Films:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Feb 7th​
The Flag of Iron
Chang Cheh​
1980​
MandarinBlu-ray
Feb 7th​
Legendary Weapons of China
Lau Kar-leung​
1982​
MandarinBlu-ray
Feb 28th​
Black Cat
Stephen Shin​
1991​
CantoneseDE Blu-ray
Mar 21st​
Monkey Kung Fu (Stroke of Death)
Mar Lo​
1979​
MandarinBlu-ray
Mar 21st​
Shaolin Mantis (The Deadly Mantis)
Lau Kar-leung​
1978​
MandarinBlu-ray
May​
Hero
Corey Yuen​
1997​
MandarinBlu-ray
May​
Human Lanterns
Chung Sun​
1982​
MandarinBlu-ray
June​
Half a Loaf of Kung Fu
Chen Chi-hwa​
1978​
CantoneseBlu-ray
June​
Martial Club
Lau Kar-leung​
1981​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
Flying Guillotine Part II
Hua Shan​
1978​
MandarinBlu-ray

Arrow Video:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Jan 7th​
Red Angel
Yasuzo Masumura​
1966​
JapaneseBlu-ray
Jan 24th​
Damaijin Collection:
Daimajin
Return of Daimajin
Wrath of Daimajin
Kimiyoshi Yasuda
Kenji Misumi
Kazuo Mori​
1966​
JapaneseBlu-ray
(Re-release)
Mar 21st​
To Sleep so as To Dream
Kaizô Hayashi​
1986​
JapaneseBlu-ray
--​
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Lau Kar-leung​
1978​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
Shawscope Volume Two:
Invincible Shaolin
Magnificent Ruffians
Kid with the Golden Arm
Ten Tigers of Kwangtung
(+ more unannounced)
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh​
1978
1979
1979
1980​
--LE Blu-ray

Cine Asia:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Jan 31st​
Raging Fire
Benny Chan​
2021​
Cantonese4K Ultra HD SB
(Zavvi Exc.)
Blu-ray
Feb 28th​
The Sacrifice
Guan Hu,
Frant Gwo,
Lu Yang​
2020​
MandarinBlu-ray

Criterion:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Jan 3rd​
In the Realm of the Senses
Nagisa Oshima​
1976​
JapaneseBlu-ray
Mar 14th​
Pale Flower
Masahiro Shinoda​
1964​
JapaneseBlu-ray
Mar 21st​
Boat People
Ann Hui​
1982​
CantoneseBlu-ray

Eureka Entertainment:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Jan 24th​
Warriors Two and The Prodigal Son
Sammo Hung​
1978
1981​
CantoneseLE Blu-ray
Feb 21st​
Skinny Tiger and Fatty Dragon
Sammo Hung​
1990​
CantoneseLE Blu-ray
Mar 14th​
Midnight
Kwon Oh-seung​
2021​
KoreanLE Blu-ray
Mar 21st​
Odd Couple
Lau Kar-wing​
1979​
CantoneseLE Blu-ray
--​
Dreadnaught
Yuen Woo-ping​
1981​
CantoneseBlu-ray
--​
Hapkido
Huang Feng​
1972​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
Lady Whirlwind
Huang Feng​
1972​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
Running Out of Time
Johnnie To​
1999​
CantoneseBlu-ray
--​
Shaolin Plot
Huang Feng​
1977​
CantoneseBlu-ray

Third Window Films:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Jan 24th​
Hiruko the Goblin
Shinya Tsukamoto​
1991​
JapaneseLE Blu-ray
Feb 21st​
Crazy Thunder Road
Sōgo Ishii​
1980​
JapaneseBlu-ray
Mar 21st​
Funky Forest: The First Contact
The Warped Forest
Hajime Ishimine,
Katsuhito Ishii,
Shunichiro Miki​
2005
2011​
JapaneseLE Blu-ray
April​
Zokki
Yamada Takayuki,
Takenaka Naoto,
Saitoh Takumi​
2021​
JapaneseBlu-ray
May​
Onoda – 10,000 Nights in the Jungle
Arthur Harari​
2021​
JapaneseBlu-ray
June/July​
Summer Time Machine Blues
Katsuyuki Motohiro​
2005​
JapaneseBlu-ray
--​
Nobuhiko Obayashi Box Set 2:
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
His Motorbike, Her Island
The Island Closest to Heaven
School in the Crosshairs
Nobuhiko Obayashi​
1983
1986
1984
1981​
JapaneseLE Blu-ray
--​
Suicide Club
Sion Sono​
2001​
JapaneseBlu-ray
 
Last edited:
Third Window Films has announced plans to release Katsuhito Ishii's 2005 film Funky Forest: The First Contact (Naisu no Mori THE FIRST CONTACT) and his 2011 film The Warped Forest (Asatte no Mori) as a Blu-ray double pack.

Many of you are probably familiar with Funky Forest without realising as it was one of those Japanese films that had clips go viral years ago for being very "WTF" like this.

Now the biggest deal is actually The Warped Forest because to my knowledge this has never been released on home video in any region. It had a US festival release and that was it.
I've noticed that this is finally available for pre order!
 
Yeah literally only just been added a few days ago.

Eureka are announcing their april slate today and looks like there's two Yuen Biao films coming in the form of Dreadnaught and Knockabout.
 
Yeah literally only just been added a few days ago.

Eureka are announcing their april slate today and looks like there's two Yuen Biao films coming in the form of Dreadnaught and Knockabout.
I knew about Dreadnaught from the new years teases but Knockabout is one I hadn't seen leaked!
After I spent so much time tracking down the HKL version last year as well, damn! Haha

Weirdly out of all the already teased Eureka releases it's Johnny To's Running Out Of Time 1 & 2 I'm looking forward to most.
 
So both Dreadnaught & Knockabout are coming April 25th.
Still not a massive fan of the Darren Wheeling art style.
Admittedly these are a lot better than some of his previous ones (looking at Warriors Two & Prodigal Son........🤦‍♂️)

Screenshot_20220127-160353_Facebook.jpg
Screenshot_20220127-160408_Facebook.jpg
 
New updates.

88 Films:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Feb 28th​
Black Cat
Stephen Shin​
1991​
CantoneseDE Blu-ray
Mar 21st​
Monkey Kung Fu (Stroke of Death)
Mar Lo​
1979​
MandarinBlu-ray
Mar 21st​
Shaolin Mantis (The Deadly Mantis)
Lau Kar-leung​
1978​
MandarinBlu-ray
May 16th​
Hero
Corey Yuen​
1997​
MandarinBlu-ray
May 16th​
Human Lanterns
Chung Sun​
1982​
MandarinBlu-ray
May 30th​
Half a Loaf of Kung Fu
Chen Chi-hwa​
1978​
CantoneseBlu-ray
June 27th​
The Seventh Curse
Nam Nai Choi​
1986​
CantoneseDE Blu-ray
June​
The Killer Meteors
Jimmy Wang Yu
Lo Wei​
1976​
MandarinBlu-ray
June​
Martial Club
Lau Kar-leung​
1981​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
Flying Guillotine Part II
Hua Shan​
1978​
MandarinBlu-ray

Arrow Video:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Mar 21st​
To Sleep so as To Dream
Kaizô Hayashi​
1986​
JapaneseBlu-ray
--​
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Lau Kar-leung​
1978​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
Shawscope Volume Two:
Invincible Shaolin
Magnificent Ruffians
Kid with the Golden Arm
Ten Tigers of Kwangtung
(+ more unannounced)
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh​
1978
1979
1979
1980​
--LE Blu-ray

Cine Asia:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Feb 28th​
The Sacrifice
Guan Hu,
Frant Gwo,
Lu Yang​
2020​
MandarinBlu-ray
May 16th​
The Battle at Lake Changjin
Chen Kaige,
Tsui Hark,
Dante Lam​
2021​
MandarinBlu-ray
June 13th​
Shattered Earth
Jun Lee​
MandarinBlu-ray

Criterion:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Mar 14th​
Pale Flower
Masahiro Shinoda​
1964​
JapaneseBlu-ray
Mar 21st​
Boat People
Ann Hui​
1982​
CantoneseBlu-ray

Eureka Entertainment:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Feb 21st​
Skinny Tiger and Fatty Dragon
Sammo Hung​
1990​
CantoneseLE Blu-ray
Mar 14th​
Midnight
Kwon Oh-seung​
2021​
KoreanLE Blu-ray
Mar 21st​
Odd Couple
Lau Kar-wing​
1979​
CantoneseLE Blu-ray
April 25th​
Dreadnaught
Yuen Woo-ping​
1981​
CantoneseLE Blu-ray
April 25th​
Knockabout
Sammo Hung​
1979​
CantoneseLE Blu-ray
--​
Hapkido
Huang Feng​
1972​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
Lady Whirlwind
Huang Feng​
1972​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
Running Out of Time 1 & 2
Johnnie To​
1999​
CantoneseBlu-ray
--​
Shaolin Plot
Huang Feng​
1977​
CantoneseBlu-ray

Third Window Films:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
Feb 21st​
Crazy Thunder Road
Sōgo Ishii​
1980​
JapaneseBlu-ray
Mar 21st​
Funky Forest: The First Contact
The Warped Forest
Hajime Ishimine,
Katsuhito Ishii,
Shunichiro Miki​
2005
2011​
JapaneseLE Blu-ray
April 25th​
Zokki
Yamada Takayuki,
Takenaka Naoto,
Saitoh Takumi​
2021​
JapaneseBlu-ray
May​
Onoda – 10,000 Nights in the Jungle
Arthur Harari​
2021​
JapaneseBlu-ray
June/July​
Summer Time Machine Blues
Katsuyuki Motohiro​
2005​
JapaneseBlu-ray
--​
Nobuhiko Obayashi Box Set 2:
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
His Motorbike, Her Island
The Island Closest to Heaven
School in the Crosshairs
Nobuhiko Obayashi​
1983
1986
1984
1981​
JapaneseLE Blu-ray
--​
Suicide Club
Sion Sono​
2001​
JapaneseBlu-ray
 
Last edited:
Another batch of new updates, release date adjustments etc!

88 Films:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
16th May​
Half a Loaf of Kung Fu
Chen Chi-hwa​
1978​
CantoneseBlu-ray
16th May​
Hero
Corey Yuen​
1997​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Shaw Bros)
16th May​
Human Lanterns
Chung Sun​
1982​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Shaw Bros)
6th June​
The Killer Meteors
Jimmy Wang Yu
Lo Wei​
1976​
MandarinBlu-ray
20th June​
Martial Club
Lau Kar-leung​
1981​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Shaw Bros)
27th June​
The Seventh Curse
Nam Nai Choi​
1986​
CantoneseDE Blu-ray
--​
Flying Guillotine Part II
Hua Shan​
1978​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Shaw Bros)
--​
Tiger Cage
Yuen Woo-ping​
1988​
CantoneseBlu-ray

Arrow Video:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
--​
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Lau Kar-leung​
1978​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Shaw Bros)
--​
Shawscope Volume Two:
Invincible Shaolin
Magnificent Ruffians
Kid with the Golden Arm
Ten Tigers of Kwangtung
(+ more unannounced)
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh​
1978
1979
1979
1980​
MandarinLE Blu-ray
(Shaw Bros)

Cine Asia:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
16th May​
The Battle at Lake Changjin
Chen Kaige,
Tsui Hark,
Dante Lam​
2021​
MandarinBlu-ray
13th June​
Shattered Earth
Jun Lee​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
The Sacrifice
Guan Hu,
Frant Gwo,
Lu Yang​
2020​
MandarinBlu-ray

Criterion:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
9th May​
The Funeral
Juzo Itami​
1984​
JapaneseBlu-ray

Eureka Entertainment:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
25th April​
Dreadnaught
Yuen Woo-ping​
1981​
CantoneseBlu-ray
(Kung Fu Classics)
25th April​
Knockabout
Sammo Hung​
1979​
CantoneseBlu-ray
(Kung Fu Classics)
20th June​
Execution in Autumn
Lee Hsing​
1972​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Masters of Cinema)
20th June​
Shaolin Plot
Huang Feng​
1977​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Kung Fu Classics)
--​
Hapkido
Huang Feng​
1972​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
Lady Whirlwind
Huang Feng​
1972​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
Running Out of Time 1 & 2
Johnnie To​
1999​
CantoneseBlu-ray

Third Window Films:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
25th April​
Zokki
Yamada Takayuki,
Takenaka Naoto,
Saitoh Takumi​
2021​
JapaneseBlu-ray
16th May​
Onoda – 10,000 Nights in the Jungle
Arthur Harari​
2021​
JapaneseBlu-ray
June/July​
Summer Time Machine Blues
Katsuyuki Motohiro​
2005​
JapaneseBlu-ray
--​
Nobuhiko Obayashi Box Set 2:
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
His Motorbike, Her Island
The Island Closest to Heaven
School in the Crosshairs
Nobuhiko Obayashi​
1983
1986
1984
1981​
JapaneseLE Blu-ray
--​
Suicide Club
Sion Sono​
2001​
JapaneseBlu-ray

Other notes:
  • Cine Asia's Raging Fire 4K Ultra HD steelbook is available to order outside of Zavvi.
  • Arrow's latest release schedules does have Asian films but they're for US & Canada and are titles already released by either 88 Films or Eureka.
  • Slipcase version for One Armed Boxer is out of print if you were planning to collect Eureka's Kung Fu Classics branded releases.
 
Last edited:
I think it’ll probably just be a normal blu-ray release, just from a 4K remaster, as mentioned by Vincent Lyn. It’s also not marked with a circle on 88‘s 2022 hints lists, as ‘D’ for Drive was.
Honestly you never know, then again if they were going to choose a film that would get the 4K treatment first it would very likely be Dragons Forever.
 
Another batch of new updates, release date adjustments etc!

88 Films:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
16th May​
Half a Loaf of Kung Fu
Chen Chi-hwa​
1978​
CantoneseBlu-ray
16th May​
Hero
Corey Yuen​
1997​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Shaw Bros)
16th May​
Human Lanterns
Chung Sun​
1982​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Shaw Bros)
6th June​
The Killer Meteors
Jimmy Wang Yu
Lo Wei​
1976​
MandarinBlu-ray
20th June​
Martial Club
Lau Kar-leung​
1981​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Shaw Bros)
27th June​
The Seventh Curse
Nam Nai Choi​
1986​
CantoneseDE Blu-ray
--​
Flying Guillotine Part II
Hua Shan​
1978​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Shaw Bros)
--​
Tiger Cage
Yuen Woo-ping​
1988​
CantoneseBlu-ray

Arrow Video:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
--​
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Lau Kar-leung​
1978​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Shaw Bros)
--​
Shawscope Volume Two:
Invincible Shaolin
Magnificent Ruffians
Kid with the Golden Arm
Ten Tigers of Kwangtung
(+ more unannounced)
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh
Chang Cheh​
1978
1979
1979
1980​
MandarinLE Blu-ray
(Shaw Bros)

Cine Asia:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
16th May​
The Battle at Lake Changjin
Chen Kaige,
Tsui Hark,
Dante Lam​
2021​
MandarinBlu-ray
13th June​
Shattered Earth
Jun Lee​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
The Sacrifice
Guan Hu,
Frant Gwo,
Lu Yang​
2020​
MandarinBlu-ray

Criterion:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
9th May​
The Funeral
Juzo Itami​
1984​
JapaneseBlu-ray

Eureka Entertainment:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
25th April​
Dreadnaught
Yuen Woo-ping​
1981​
CantoneseBlu-ray
(Kung Fu Classics)
25th April​
Knockabout
Sammo Hung​
1979​
CantoneseBlu-ray
(Kung Fu Classics)
20th June​
Execution in Autumn
Lee Hsing​
1972​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Masters of Cinema)
20th June​
Shaolin Plot
Huang Feng​
1977​
MandarinBlu-ray
(Kung Fu Classics)
--​
Hapkido
Huang Feng​
1972​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
Lady Whirlwind
Huang Feng​
1972​
MandarinBlu-ray
--​
Running Out of Time 1 & 2
Johnnie To​
1999​
CantoneseBlu-ray

Third Window Films:
Date:Name:Director:Year:Language:Format:
25th April​
Zokki
Yamada Takayuki,
Takenaka Naoto,
Saitoh Takumi​
2021​
JapaneseBlu-ray
16th May​
Onoda – 10,000 Nights in the Jungle
Arthur Harari​
2021​
JapaneseBlu-ray
June/July​
Summer Time Machine Blues
Katsuyuki Motohiro​
2005​
JapaneseBlu-ray
--​
Nobuhiko Obayashi Box Set 2:
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
His Motorbike, Her Island
The Island Closest to Heaven
School in the Crosshairs
Nobuhiko Obayashi​
1983
1986
1984
1981​
JapaneseLE Blu-ray
--​
Suicide Club
Sion Sono​
2001​
JapaneseBlu-ray

Other notes:
  • Cine Asia's Raging Fire 4K Ultra HD steelbook is available to order outside of Zavvi.
  • Arrow's latest release schedules does have Asian films but they're for US & Canada and are titles already released by either 88 Films or Eureka.
  • Slipcase version for One Armed Boxer is out of print if you were planning to collect Eureka's Kung Fu Classics branded releases.
I'd also assume Cine Asia are doing a physical release of Spirit Walker as their tweets are saying 'early digital release' at the moment 🤞
 
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