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Archive for the 'Eureka! Masters of Cinema' Category

‘Prison Walls – Abashiri Prison I-III’ on Blu-ray May 28!

Prison Walls Blu-rayIn Abashiri Prison, Takakura stars as Shinichi Tachibana, a yakuza sent to Abashiri as punishment for an attack on a rival gangster. He intends to serve his time as a model prisoner until he is shackled to the bullish Gonzo Gonda (Kōji Nanbara)unwittingly roped into an escape attempt orchestrated by Heizo Yoda (Tōru Abe) and forced to face the frozen wilderness of Hokkaidō. In Another Abashiri Prison Story, Tachibana has just been released when he stumbles across a stash of diamonds recently stolen in a heist – and attracts unwanted attention from criminals and cops alike. Finally, in Abashiri Prison: Saga of Homesickness, Tachibana reunites with his former yakuza associates, who are trying to go straight. That is, at least, until old rivals come looking for trouble… Prison Walls – Abashiri Prison I-III is released on Blu-ray May 28, 2024!
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‘The Valiant Ones’ on 4K UHD Blu-ray May 28!

Valiant Ones 4K Blu-rayDuring the reign of the Jiajing Emperor (Chao Lei), China’s coastal regions have come under attack by wokou – Japanese pirates under the leadership of the infamous Hakatatsu (Sammo Hung). To combat this threat, the Emperor tasks a trusted general, Zhu Wan (Tu Kuang-chi), with assembling a group of skilled warriors to find and eliminate the pirates. Under the command of General Yu Dayou (Roy Chiao), the band of soldiers – including husband-and-wife sword-fighters Wu Ji-yuan (Wing Bai) and Wu Ruo-shi (Feng Hsu) – set out to draw Hakatatsu, his ally Xu Dong (Han Ying-chieh) and their pirate clan into a series of spectacular showdowns. Inspired by historical events and featuring several storied figures drawn from Chinese history, The Valiant Ones is a standout wuxia film produced during the dying days of the genre, as audience tastes were shifting towards more grounded kung fu cinema. The Masters of Cinema series is proud to present The Valiant Ones on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray from a 4K restoration. Continue reading ‘‘The Valiant Ones’ on 4K UHD Blu-ray May 28!’

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‘The Cat and the Canary’ on Blu-ray April 23!

cat canary blu-rayPaul Leni (The Man Who Laughs) directs one of the most important and influential films in the early history of American genre cinema, which perfected the ‘old dark house’ formula and set the stage for the Universal horror cycle of the 1930s. Based upon the 1922 stage production by John Willard, The Cat and the Canary is a perfect blend of horror and black comedy and stands at the apex of a cycle of films adapted from mystery plays throughout the 1920s. It later inspired James Whale’s The Old Dark House and has been remade several times – but never bettered. The Masters of Cinema series is proud to present this cornerstone of horror cinema for the first time ever on Blu-ray from a glorious 4K restoration. Continue reading ‘‘The Cat and the Canary’ on Blu-ray April 23!’

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‘Touch of Evil’ on 4K UHD Blu-ray September 25!

Touch of Evil 4K UHD Blu-rayCharlton Heston portrays Mike Vargas, the Mexican chief of narcotics who sets out to uncover the facts surrounding a car bomb that has killed a wealthy American businessman on the US side of the border. As Vargas investigates, his newly-wed wife Susie (Janet Leigh, two years before Hitchcock’s Psycho) is kidnapped by a gang out to exact vengeance for the prosecution of the brother of their leader (Akim Tamiroff). Meanwhile, Vargas’ inquiries become progressively more obfuscated by the American cop Hank Quinlan (played by Welles himself, in one of the most imposing and unforgettable screen performances of his career), a besotted incarnation of corruption who alternately conspires with Susie’s captors and seeks solace in the brothel of the Gypsy madame (Marlene Dietrich) who comforted him in bygone times. Welles’ final studio-system picture has at last become secure in its status as one of the greatest films ever made. It remains a testament to the genius of Welles –– a film of Shakespearean richness, inexhaustible. The Masters of Cinema Series is extremely proud to present Touch of Evil in its UK debut on 4K UHD Blu-ray.
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‘Burning Paradise’ on Blu-ray May 29!

Burnig Paradise Director Ringo Lam’s (Wild SearchCity on Fire) only film in the wuxia genre is also one his best and bloodiest. Hunted by the Manchu government, a young Fok Sai-yuk is captured and sent to the Red Lotus Temple, where Shaolin monks are enslaved and viciously tortured by the sadistic warden Kung (Wong Kam Kong). Thrown into a pit of corpses and left to die, Fong survives and attempts to save his Shaolin brothers. Produced by Tsui Hark, Burning Paradise is a dark fantasy epic, filled with shocking violence and incredible choreography. Eureka Classics is proud to present the film for the first time in the UK since the VHS era in a blood-soaked special edition. Burning Paradise is released on Blu-ray May 29, 2022!
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‘Hopping Mad: The Mr. Vampire Sequels’ on Blu-ray May 22!

Hopping Mad Mr Vampire SequelsAfter the huge success of Mr. Vampire, Hong Kong audiences were desperate for more vampire-hopping action and the films’ producers were more than happy to oblige. A steady stream of jiangshi content was produced over the following years, and presented here are 4 of these classic titles from stunning new restorations. In Mr Vampire II (aka Vampire Family) an archaeologist and his students unwittingly set free a family of hopping vampires who wreak havoc in 1980s Hong Kong. Mr Vampire III returns to a period setting and sees Lam Ching-ying’s Taoist priest battle an evil witch (a brilliant performance by veteran actress Pauline Yuk-Wan Wong). Mr Vampire IV (aka Uncle Vampire) two feuding neighbors (a Taoist priest and a Buddhist monk) must join forces when their village is overrun by vampires. And finally in Vampire vs Vampire, Lam Ching-ying’s Taoist priest finds his jiangshi-fighting knowledge is of little help when he goes up against a European vampire.  Featuring a bevy of Hong Kong legends including Lam Ching-ying, Yuen Biao, Wu Ma, Richard Ng, Yuen Wah, and many more – this collection brings together four beloved films in definitive presentations in a very special edition. Filled with screams and laughs, Eureka Classics is proud to present Hopping Mad: The Mr Vampire Sequels on Blu-ray May 22, 2023!
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‘Andrzej Zulawski: Three Films’ on Blu-ray May 22, 2023!

Andrzej Zulawski Three FilmsAn uncompromising visionary and a true maverick of European cinema, the Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present three films by Andrzej Żuławski, all making their UK debuts on Blu-ray from new 4K restorations. Rich with multi-layered symbolism and apocalyptic imagery, The Third Part of the Night is Żuławski’s highly influential debut feature film. After his whole family is slaughtered during the Nazi-occupation of Poland, Michal (Leszek Teleszyński) decides to join the resistance but descends into madness after encountering a doppelgänger of his murdered wife. The Devil is a violent tale of Satanic seduction during the Prussian invasion of Poland in the 17th century, which proved so controversial upon release that it was banned for 16 years. And finally, On the Silver Globe, Żuławski’s masterpiece about a team of astronauts who land on a desolate planet and start a new society. When filming was 80% complete, the Polish government ordered the production to be shut down and all the negatives be destroyed. Miraculously, the original film reels were preserved and ten years later the film was presented at the Cannes Film Festival to great acclaim.  Andrzej Zulawski Three Films is released on Blu-ray May 22, 2023! Continue reading ‘‘Andrzej Zulawski: Three Films’ on Blu-ray May 22, 2023!’

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‘Creeping Horror’ on Blu-ray April 17!

Creeping Horror Blu-rayFour more tales of terror from the vaults of Universal Pictures, starring Lionel Atwill, Bela Lugosi, and Rondo Hatton. A maniacal hunter and collector of wild animals uses them to dispose of rivals and enemies in the shockingly violent Murders in the Zoo (dir. A. Edward Sutherland, 1933). Bela Lugosi stars in a creepy tale of strange characters, secret passages and a murderer who masters the art of “mind over matter” in Night Monster (dir. Ford Beebe, 1942). What started out as a treasure-making scheme ends up deadly for a group of people stuck in a haunted castle with a killer known as “the Phantom” in Horror Island (dir. George Waggner, 1941). And finally, Rondo Hatton is “the Creeper”, a giant of a man used as an instrument of evil by a mad sculptor in House of Horrors (dir. Jean Yarbrough, 1946). Creeping Horror will be released on Blu-ray April 17, 2023! Continue reading ‘‘Creeping Horror’ on Blu-ray April 17!’

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Catch ‘The Bullet Train’ on Blu-ray April 24!

Bullet Train Blu-rayKen Takakura stars as a mad bomber who plants a device on a high-speed Japanese train, programmed to detonate if the train’s speed drops below 80 kilometers per hour. The trains conductor (Sonny Chiba) must keep the train moving whilst the police track the madman down. Most well-known for inspiring the 1994 Hollywood blockbuster SpeedThe Bullet Train is a remarkably tense thriller from director Junya Satō, and Eureka Classics is proud to present it in this definitive edition for its UK debut on Blu-ray, from a 2K restoration of the original film elements. The Bullet Train will be released on Blu-ray April 24, 2023!
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‘The Saphead’ on Blu-ray Aug. 22!

Saphead Blu-rayIn 1920, having served a slapstick apprenticeship in the shorts of Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, Buster Keaton had earned the opportunity to headline his own series of two-reel comedies. The very moment at which he emerged as a star of his own shorts, Keaton was recruited to appear in his first feature film,The Saphead, based on a popular stage play. Keaton stars as Bertie Van Alstyne, the pampered son of a powerful Wall Street financier (William H. Crane). Having known no other lifestyle but privilege, he wanders through a variety of misadventures―an attempt at courtship, a trip to an illegal gambling den, and a tumble onto the floor of the Stock Exchange―oblivious to the obstacles that stand before him. The Saphead is released on Blu-ray in the UK August 22, 2022!

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‘Man Without A Star’ on Blu-ray Aug. 15!

Man Without a Star Blu-rayTrain-hopping his way to Wyoming, nomadic cowboy Dempsey Rae (Douglas) saves the life of young Jeff Jimson (William CampbellHush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte). Taking Jeff on as his protégé, Dempsey teaches him the life of a cowhand; how to ride a horse, rope and herd cattle, and how to shoot… Despite the land they work on being open range, Dempsey is horrified to find the local ranchers are resorting to the usage of barbed wire and refuses to work for anyone who uses it. But when an unscrupulous ranch owner (Jeanne CrainPinky) hires a brutal group of killers to push the other ranchers off the land, Dempsey is the only one who can help them fight back. Man Without a Star is released on Blu-ray in the UK August 15, 2022!

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ANGELA MAO: HAPKIDO & LADY WHIRLWIND on Blu-ray Aug. 22!

Angela Mao: Hapkido & Lady Whirlwind Blu-rayAngela Mao and director Huang Feng (The Shaolin Plot) were a superstar pairing that produced an incredible series of top tier kung-fu classics including Deadly China DollWhen Taekwondo Strikes and the two films presented here – Hapkido and Lady Whirlwind. Two excellent martial arts films make their debuts on Blu-ray—and the first time Lady Whirlwind has ever been available in the UK—from brand new 2K restorations! Angela Mao: Hapkido and Lady Whirlwind will be released on Blu-ray August 22, 2022!

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Police Story 3: Supercop on Blu-ray September 26!

Police Story Supercop Blu-rayJackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh team up in this action masterpiece! Featuring some of the most dangerous stunts ever performed on camera, Police Story 3: Supercop represents the pinnacle of Jackie Chan’s unique style of Hong Kong action filmmaking. A dazzling blend of gritty action cop drama, impeccably choreographed martial-arts sequences, and bone-crunching stunt work. Police Story 3: Supercop is released on Blu-ray September 26, 2022!

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‘The Police Story Trilogy’ on 4K UHD Blu-ray September 26!

Police Story Trilogy 4KThe most action-packed trilogy of all time comes to Ultra HD Blu-ray for the first time ever! Featuring some of the most dangerous stunts ever performed on camera, these three films represent the pinnacle of Jackie Chans unique style of Hong Kong action filmmaking. A dazzling blend of gritty action cop drama, impeccably choreographed martial-arts sequences, and bone-crunching stunt work – this series of films revitalized the Hong Kong action genre and established Jackie Chan as a worldwide superstar. The Police Story Trilogy is released on 4K UHD Blu-ray September 26, 2022!

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‘Universal Terror: Three Films Starring Boris Karloff’ on Blu-ray July 18!

Universal Terror Blu-rayA trio of horror tales from the vaults of Universal Pictures, all starring the iconic Boris Karloff. In the pulse-pounding crime thriller Night Key (dir. Lloyd Corrigan, 1937), Karloff plays the eccentric inventor of a high-tech security system who is kidnapped by a gang of burglars and forced to help them commit a series of robberies. Then, in the lavishly produced The Climax (dir. George Waggner, 1944), Karloff plays the house physician at an Opera house whose insane jealousy drives him to murder. And finally, Karloff stars as a doctor who risks his own life to save the captives of a mad count in The Black Castle (dir. Nathan H. Juran, 1952). Universal Terror: Three Films Starring Boris Karloff is released on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK July 18, 2022!

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‘Outside the Law’ on Blu-ray June 13!

Outside Law Blu-rayIn Outside the Law, Dean plays hard-boiled jewel thief Molly Madden. When her father is framed for murder by Black Mike Sylva (Lon Chaney), Molly partners with safecracker Dapper Bill (Wheeler Oakman) to stage a double-cross of their own. Outside the Law was Browning’s second film with actor Lon Chaney, whose gifts for elaborate makeup and ruthless villainy would flower under Browning’s direction, setting the stage for a series of monstrous characterisations that would revolutionize the melodrama and lay the foundations of the American horror film. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Outside the Law from a 4K restoration for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK June 13, 2022!

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‘The Shaolin Plot’ on Blu-ray June 20!

Shaolin Plot Blu-rayHong Kong movie veteran Chen Hsing (The Iron-Fisted Monk) plays a tyrannical ruler with the aim of collecting all existing Chinese martial arts manuals in order to obtain ultimate power. After obtaining the Wu Tang manual, he sets his sights on the Shaolin Temple and the secrets of their fighting style. Two Shaolin Monks (Casanova Wong and Yeong-moon Kwon) must team up with a Wu Tang fighter (James Tien) to defeat the villainous despot. On home video for the first time in the UK from a new 2K restoration, Eureka Classics is proud to present a towering classic that deserves to be recognised as one of the best and most important works of martial arts cinema. The Shaolin Plot is released on Blu-ray June 20, 2022!

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‘Execution in Autumn’ on Blu-ray June 20!

Execution Autumn Blu-raySince his childhood, Pei Gang (Ou Wei) has been spoiled by his rich grandmother who raised him after the death of his parents. Unable to control himself, in a fit of rage, Gang kills a pregnant woman – who indicated him as the father of her unborn child – and her cousins; for this he is sentenced to death, and will be beheaded in autumn, the traditional season for executions. His grandmother tries to save him, but this proves to be a task beyond her means. So, she makes him marry the young Lian (Tang Pao-yun), an orphan raised within the family, in prison, so that the Pei line does not die out. Execution in Autumn is released on Blu-ray June 20, 2022! Continue reading ‘‘Execution in Autumn’ on Blu-ray June 20!’

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