Shout! Factory / Scream Factory

[Jameson281]

Fargo 4K UHD

Quite the score for them. Surprising.

I wouldn’t unload the BD that used presumably the same 4K master though, at least not yet. Shout is likely to apply quite a bit of grain reduction, which they have openly admitted as their preferred approach.

Roger Deakins supervised a new DolbyVision color grading for the 4K release.

[dwk]

Here are the titles in the Sony Chiba Vol 2 set:
The Defensive Power of Akido
13 Steps of Maki
Karate Warrior
The Great Okinawa Yakuza War
Karate for Life (yes, Shout is only releasing the third film in the Masutatsu Oyama trilogy)
Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon
The Okinawa War of Ten Years

[hearthesilence]

I wouldn’t unload the BD that used presumably the same 4K master though, at least not yet. Shout is likely to apply quite a bit of grain reduction, which they have openly admitted as their preferred approach.

Roger Deakins supervised a new DolbyVision color grading for the 4K release.

That's good to know - hopefully he told them to lay off the grain reduction.

[tolbs1010]

Finally watched the Shout/Scream 4K of Cat People. To hearthesilence's point, the grain reduction is almost total. Still, it looks much better than the atrocious Euro blu that I had previously.

It's a fine line with grain reduction. I definitely prefer a more film-like presentation, but a couple of the recent Criterion 4Ks (One False Move, particularly) look too "grainy" to these eyes. It ends up looking like digital noise. Curious as to whether any other viewers get this same impression, as I am certainly not an expert on this subject.

[EddieLarkin]

Whether any grain reduction at all was employed on Cat People I don't know, but to say that almost all grain is removed is complete nonsense. I watched the disc recently and it's very grainy whenever it isn't dupe footage, and had no problems with how it looks (though I did watch it in DV, which is FEL, and for all I know a lot of the grain may be compressed away on the HDR10 base).

[swo17]

Pay $90 for the 4K and it comes with a woodchipper scene snow globe. But will the flakes be white or red?

[therewillbeblus]

Ha, okay, that's inspired

[brundlefly]

Surprised the "Snow globe production image, not yet final" mock isn't just a photo from one of the many old VHS editions available on eBay. As long as they're recycling the idea. Though hopefully using fresh water.

VHS EditionShow

But will the flakes be white or red?

This unboxing video says both earlier globes had a mix of white and red flakes.

[cdnchris]

I bought that VHS when it came out. Sadly, the water evaporated/leaked out.

And yes, it was a mix of white and red flakes.

Edit: I found it, and apparently, I was wrong on it leaking. Instead, the water/solution had turned yellow.

[brundlefly]

So the video may or may not be superior, but the snow globe water should at least be clear and intact. Solid upgrade.

[dwk]

Edit: I found it, and apparently, I was wrong on it leaking. Instead, the water/solution had turned yellow.

That liquid in mine also yellowed.

[cdnchris]

I posted this image on Facebook. You shouldn't need an account to see it:

SpoilerShow

[swo17]

Edit: I found it, and apparently, I was wrong on it leaking. Instead, the water/solution had turned yellow.

That liquid in mine also yellowed.

How long did you expect these characters to go without relieving themselves?

[brundlefly]

Your snow globes have simply undergone a Ritrovata restoration. They're supposed to look like that.

[feihong]

In October:



Killer Clans (1976)
The Shaolin Avengers (1976)
The Web of Death (1976)
Death Duel (1977)
Soul of the Sword (1977)
The Vengeful Beauty (1978)
Life Gamble (1979)
The Deadly Breaking Sword (1979)
Shaolin Abbot (1979)
Shaolin Rescuers (1979)
Clan of the White Lotus (1980)

Whoa, didn't see this post until now; it didn't show up before when I saw the page. This is the box to get, holy sh*t. Killer Clans, Soul of the Sword, Vengeful Beauty, Life Gamble, Deadly Breaking Sword, and Shaolin Rescuers are stone cold masterpieces (maybe I'm getting too excited about Soul of the Sword, but I remember really liking it). Really different flavors from Shaw, apart from the Shawscope sets and the other sets in this series.

Killer Clans is Chor Yuen, the Hong Kong Mario Bava, doing a moody gloss on The Godfather set in the jiang hu world. The film is richly visualized, in a way that is patently different from the Chang Cheh model, incorporating Chor Yuen's smoother, more graceful camerawork and his eye for lustrous lighting. This is one of Chor Yuen's greatest pictures––next to films like Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan and The Sentimental Swordsman (dunno where to put movies as weird as Swordsman and Enchantress, but it and The Lizard and Duel for Gold are pretty great, also)––in spite of Hua Tsung's lackluster lead performance. Ku Feng is epic as the godfather, Yueh Hua great in the Tom Hagen role, and there are fantastic character roles for Lo Lieh, Wang Chung, and a very young Danny Lee, amongst many, many others.

I remember Soul of the Sword comes from director Hua Shan, weird maker of late-stage psychedelic Shaw pictures. Soul of the Sword is more straightforward and less stylish than Hua Shan's later Portrait in Crystal, Bloody Parrot (my favorite of these), or Little Dragon Maiden, but it's high quality, with a strong Ti Lung in the lead, and with an unusually substantial role for one of the most striking beauties who worked for Shaw Bros at the time, Lin Chen-Chi––whose credits include Life Gamble, Brave Archer II, and The Snake Prince, and whose career ends shortly after appearing as Pearl, the psychopathic lead character in Tsui Hark's Don't Play with Fire.

The director of The Vengeful Beauty, Ho Meng-Hua, had a huge career at Shaw Bros basically being the cut-rate Chang Cheh. He was the far lesser director, but when he seemed engaged, he turned out consistently better movies than Lo Wei. I've grown to avoid Ho meng-Hua films in general––they are slower and more boring than a lot of other Shaw pictures. But Vengeful Beauty worked way, way better for me than any other Ho Meng-Hua film––a story in which a pregnant martial artist has to escape a vicious roundelay of constant betrayals by everyone she thinks she can rely upon. The pursuit is suspenseful, Chen Ping is exceptional in the central role. It might be a bit of a letdown, since everyone who betrays her in the film betrays countless other people in countless other Shaw movies––but the drama is quality, the suspense I remember being palpable in spite of everything, and I recall the action being well made.

Life Gamble was supposed to come out on blu ray about a decade ago, but the company folded up on the morning of the disc's street date. This is one of the more unusual Chang Cheh movies, a kind of wuxia James Bond film. Alexander Fu Sheng is cooler here than in almost any other movie. He's legitimately cool here, is a another way to look at it––and I know he isn't cool in most movies.

Shaolin Rescuers is one of the best of the Venoms movies, alongside maybe House of Traps, The Daredevils, Ten Tigers from Kwangtung, and Legend of the Fox. This one grows in suspense, and builds to a genuinely epic climax.

Deadly Breaking Sword is the other great Alexander Fu Sheng movie (it actually co-stars Ti Lung, who is great in it). This is Sun Chung's best movie, a genuinely innovative revision of the Shaw brothers house-style picture, with a very different formulation than the standard. The character drama is vivid and unique, the action is filmed in an unusual, very striking way. And Sun Chung just has a much stronger sense than Chang Cheh of dynamic narrative movement.

Way too much money to spend on these releases––but that box is definitely, definitely full of diverse stuff, more mixed flavors than in any of these Shaw boxes yet. This one looks very worth it to me.

[dwk]

Another limited edition (1600) from Shout/Scream:
Xrimson Rivers 2: Angels of the Apocalypse

[domino harvey]

Subtitles: Original Language Version For The French Language Version, English SDH For The English Dub Version

What does this even mean— are they trying to dance around only having dubtitles?

[yoloswegmaster]

Coming in December:

Ring Collection 4K set
The Dead Zone 4K
JFK 4K set with 4 discs
Clue 4K
Point Break 4K
The Man in the Iron Mask 4K
Shaw Brothers Vol. 4
Last Man Standing

[Finch]

The SB Vol 4 films are

THE REBEL INTRUDERS (1080p High-Definition
Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 100 min.)
The "Venoms" are back in action again! After creating an international sensation in The Five Venoms, Taiwanese Opera artists Phillip Kwok, Chiang Sheng and Lu Feng reteamed with Chinese muscleman Lo Meng and super-kicker Sun Chien for this politically charged thriller. Set in the early Republican years, The Rebel Intruders follows skilled refugees who run afoul of a powerful traitor. From then on, it's one amazing battle after another!

TWO CHAMPIONS OF SHAOLIN (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 106 min.)
Legendary director Chang Cheh hit upon a winning formula by teaming three Taiwanese stars with a Korean kicker and a Chinese strongman in a super heroic series of kung fu-filled adventures – starting with the international cult favorite, The Five Venoms. This particular action-packed tale of Shaolin vs. Wu Tang fighters is special in that the fifth "Venom" worked behind the scenes while the other four strut their stuff all the more intently because of it.

LEGEND OF THE FOX (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 128 min.)
Revered director Chang Cheh co-wrote this showcase for a new discovery. Bloody thrills and superlative fight scenes buoy his exciting tale of revenge, which was choreographed by and features cameos from the director's three most popular "Venoms": Kuo Chue, Chiang Sheng, and Lu Feng. Already famous for starring in more than a dozen films, here they lend their extensive expertise to Chien Hsiao-hou, who went on to star in such classics as Mr. Vampire and Fist Of Legend.

BLACK LIZARD (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 87 min.)
Director Chor Yuen is famous for introducing elements of murder mysteries, detective tales, and emotional melodrama into kung fu films. This is one of those skilled thrillers, wherein he uses two editors and three martial arts choreographers to tell a tale of kidnapping, murder, frame-ups, and even being buried alive. The kung fu takes on a macabre, horrific flair in this stunning story of swordsmen and women struggling to save their true loves ... and their sanity.

HOUSE OF TRAPS (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 95 min.)
It started with The Five Venoms, the internationally loved kung fu thriller. It continues through more than a dozen bloody good films featuring the same actors in different roles. House Of Traps is considered the last official "Venoms" movie, but what a film it is. There's one plasma-spurting attack after another as heroes and rogues alike try to solve the secrets of a hell house. The core Venoms themselves choreograph the gory fun in this fond farewell to their worldwide film series sensation.

MASKED AVENGERS (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 91 min.)
The godfather of the kung fu film, Chang Cheh, started a winning streak by making the internationally renowned film, The Five Venoms. He followed that hit with many more high-flying films featuring the same cast in new roles. But of all the Venoms movies, this one stands out as perhaps the most chilling. Masked killers are wreaking havoc and instilling terror with their vicious weapons of choice: razor-sharp, gut-shattering tridents. Only three fearless fighters dare investigate, leading to mass murder and magnificent martial arts.

THE SWORD STAINED WITH ROYAL BLOOD (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 109 min.)
The godfather of the kung fu film, Chang Cheh, made this treasured and iconic adventure, featuring three of his five famous Venoms film actors. The spectacular action and intrigue starts when Phillip Kwok uncovers a sword, a training manual, a treasure map, and a secret message. The kung fu which ensues is as impressive as it is glorious.

FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 108 min.)
To showcase his incredibly agile new star, Cheng Tien-chi, venerated martial arts movie director Chang Cheh made this spectacular, internationally popular favorite. Evil ninjas (who attack with and from fire, sun, wood, water, and the ground) brutally slaughter a noble Chinese kung fu school's students. The one survivor finds a teacher and four students who are ninjutsu experts. The five graduates take revenge. With this strong structure and exceptional kung fu choreography (from the star and co-star Chu Ko), Chang Cheh created one of his very best films.

SHAOLIN PRINCE (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Cantonese & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 94 min.)
Tong Kai is one of the most respected names in martial arts movies, but may be less familiar because the veteran kung fu choreographer directed only three movies of his own. Of course, that makes Shaolin Prince, his first effort, perhaps the most special of the trio. His tale of two fugitive princes trying to recover the throne is a mind-bending wonder which used no less than five other choreographer friends to create kung fu configurations not only never seen before, but never even attempted!

SHAOLIN INTRUDERS (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Cantonese & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 90 min.)
Helmed by acclaimed martial arts choreographer Tong Kai, Shaolin Intruders is an entertaining amalgamation of eye-popping martial arts and thrilling detective story. On a routine courier mission, the prestigious Chin Hu Chief is murdered by four mysterious monks. When all evidence points to Ching Hua (Liu Yu-po), his friend Lei Hsin (Derek Yee) is determined to clear his name by barging in the Shaolin Temple thrice and entering into an intricate web of deception! The film is filled with jaw-dropping sequences including the "Twelve Vajrayana Array" and "Stool Array" which are lauded for their insane complexity and lightning speed.

HOLY FLAME OF THE MARTIAL WORLD (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Cantonese & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 90 min.)
This internationally popular tale of a brother and sister seeking vengeance for the death of their parents through the mythical yin/yang Holy Flame technique is an eye-popping epic. Phillip Kwok, famous as the star of Chang Cheh's internationally famous Venoms film series, both co-stars and choreographs this impressive tale – leading to a vaunted "action director" career with the cult classic Brotherhood Of The Wolf to his credit.

OPIUM AND THE KUNG-FU MASTER (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Cantonese & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 90 min.)
Tong Kai is considered one of the greatest kung fu choreographers ever, but he directed only three movies of his own. This, his last, is not only his greatest but one of the greatest ever, as it masterfully portrays the leader of the Ten Kwangtung Tigers as he falls victim to drug addiction. The tragedies and drama that ensue are as stunning as the kung fu, which was created by a superlative team of six martial artists. A legitimate masterpiece, this film is one of the finest, most affecting martial arts movies the Shaw Brothers ever produced.

How does this compare to the other sets in terms of must-have films?

[Mr Sausage]

Five Element Ninjas is wild, just nonstop head-cocking creativity. My favourite bit: the guy who topples over mid-fight by stepping on his own dangling intestine as tho’ it were a loose shoelace.

[MichaelB]

I saw it at the late lamented Scala Cinema with a packed audience who actually applauded the scene in which the evil water ninjas are defeated thanks to a combo of our heroes forming an inverted human pyramid, with the one at the bottom blithely skipping across the surface of the water on his toes.

[bad future]

Holy Flame of the Martial World is the only one of these I've seen, but I remember it as the most overwhelmingly maximalist cartoon laser show of a Shaw Bros. production I've yet encountered, Boxer's Omen almost feeling slow and restrained by comparison. (And I enjoyed Holy Flame more, but I also enjoy mountain dew and cotton candy.)

[Caligula]

Coming in December:

Ring Collection 4K set
The Dead Zone 4K
JFK 4K set with 4 discs
Clue 4K
Point Break 4K
The Man in the Iron Mask 4K
Shaw Brothers Vol. 4
Last Man Standing

Also in December: Shaun the Sheep: The Complete Series. Apart from the 6 seasons, bonus features will include:
The Farmer's Llamas (2015 Special)
The Flight Before Christmas (2021 Special)
Mossy Bottom Shorts (2012)
Championsheeps Shorts (2012)

[TBickle020776]

It seems Shout has a good relationship with Oliver Stone. Shout Factory’s release of The Hand is terrific too with an engaging Stone commentary and interview. At the end of the Stone interview he almost gets choked up because he is so appreciative that Shout gave The Hand a release so I feel he holds them in high regard and would love to see more of his films released with them.

I hope to see The Doors on 4K from Shout in the near future since they have been on an Oliver Stone binge lately.

[beamish14]

It seems Shout has a good relationship with Oliver Stone. Shout Factory’s release of The Hand is terrific too with an engaging Stone commentary and interview. At the end of the Stone interview he almost gets choked up because he is so appreciative that Shout gave The Hand a release so I feel he holds them in high regard and would love to see more of his films released with them.

I hope to see The Doors on 4K from Shout in the near future since they have been on an Oliver Stone binge lately.

I thought The Doors was now Lionsgate, which makes it a bit unlikely. Would love to see an HD release that approximates the 70mm 6-track stereo sound, though