The vast filmography of Jackie Chan has been celebrated in a number of recent Blu-Ray anthologies, but few as exciting as Arrow’s upcoming 4K UHD box-set, JACKIE CHAN’S KNOCKOUT HITS! Seeking to provide an important fragment of Chan’s “East-to-West” transitional work with the same outstanding treatment Arrow afforded to Bruce Lee’s Golden Harvest output back in 2023, this six-film presentation captures some of Chan’s best movies in multiple edits and audio options – each hailing from a key period of Chan’s work where the star, for the second time, tried to break through into the North American market.
Though not aimed at the West per se, DRUNKEN MASTER II (102 mins., 1994, R) earned immediate worldwide kudos as one of Jackie Chan’s best martial arts movies. This briskly-paced, highly entertaining Chan outing was a sequel to his breakout 1978 Hong Kong hit, mixing comedy with stellar fight sequences and a breezy confidence synonymous with its star.
Warner Archive released a Blu-Ray of the picture five years ago, but this new Dolby Vision 4K (2.39) restoration from the OCN immediately surpasses it with vivid brightness and detail. As will be the case with all the films in this set, Arrow has preserved multiple versions of the picture: its original HK edit (102 mins.), an International Cut prepped by Golden Harvest (100 mins.), and the American edit which had been originally retitled “The Legend of Drunken Master” (102 mins.). Sound options are vast but match each edit: original Cantonese, Mandarin and English audio for the HK cut; English mono on the International version; and 5.1 DTS MA on the American cut. Optional subtitles are, of course, available across every edit.
Extra features include a new commentary by HK cinema authorities Frank Djeng and F.J., DeSanto; a new featurette with stuntman Wang Yao and others, reflecting on Chan’s early career; a new retrospective featurette featuring Yao, critics David West and James Mudge among others; new interviews with writer Yuen Kai-chi, stuntman Mars, academic Dr. Lars Laaman, plus an appreciation with historian Ricky Baker. There’s also an archival Chan interview shot for the U.S. release in 2000, an alternate Mandarin drinking scene, image gallery and more.
While Jackie Chan appeared in Robert Clouse’s “Battle Creek Brawl” back in the early ‘80s for Golden Harvest – along with starring in the all-star “Cannonball Run” comedies – Chan’s genuine stardom in the U.S. market didn’t happen until RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (90/106 mins., 1995, R) became a surprise hit in the winter of 1995. Here, Jackie plays a HK cop who heads to New York for his Uncle’s wedding, only to fend off a local motorcycle gang in the same way Charles Bronson among others had in vigilante-themed action thrillers decades prior.
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“Rumble in the Bronx,” though, is anything but another “Death Wish.” In fact, this ridiculous, free-wheeling lark – one of Chan’s most likeable vehicles – was mostly shot in Canada with just a dash of Big Apple filming. However, packed with ample humor and Jackie performing his own stunts as always, “Rumble in the Bronx” proved to be the vehicle that finally propelled the Hong Kong superstar into a long-running – though always up-and-down – career at the U.S. box-office.
Arrow’s two-disc UHD contains the longer (though flabbier) Hong Kong cut (106 mins.) on one platter with Dolby Vision HDR; its original Cantonese/English stereo audio as well as a rare, mono English dub; a new commentary by Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto; a retrospective with critics and crew members; an expanded interview with stunt woman Kathy Hubble; alternate footage; and an image gallery.
The second disc houses the better-known (here) International Cut that New Line released. This version was re-dubbed with Chan providing his own voice and J. Peter Robinson writing a new score – something that would provide the blueprint for several subsequent American re-cuts of Chan films that would follow in the years to come, not just from New Line but Dimension Films as well (where Quentin Tarantino talked the Weinsteins into gobbling up earlier Chan pictures for a quick buck). However, it’s worth noting these faster-paced U.S. cuts sometimes served the domestic audience better than their original HK counterparts, which are less frenetic but more measured and “leisurely” in terms of pacing.
Frankly, the dubbing in “Bronx” only adds to the movie’s charm, while the tightening of the film’s running time cut down on unnecessary, dull dialogue bits. Robinson’s score here, meanwhile, is superior to the film’s original soundtrack, providing it with a grander scale. Extras include EPK interviews with Chan, trailers, and a pair of scenes added to the network TV version.
Despite “Bronx”’s commercial success, it didn’t result in an immediate embrace of Chan’s next project, THUNDERBOLT (110 mins., 1995, R). Jackie here essays a car mechanic who takes to the Hong Kong streets at night in order to crack down on illegal street racers causing havoc in this Gordon Chan-directed affair co-starring Anita Yuen.
Though entertaining enough, “Thunderbolt” went right to video in the U.S. This enabled American fans, at least, to see the one and only Golden Harvest cut of the movie, clocking in at a flabby 110 minutes but punctuated with some great, trademark Chan set-pieces, including a fight in a “Pachinko” arcade.
Arrow’s UHD includes another sterling Dolby Vision HDR (2.39) 4K restoration from the OCN with the International Cut featuring Cantonese/English, and English (export and US dubs) in stereo and 5.1 DTS MA, respectively. Another Frank Djeng/F.J. DeSanto commentary, retrospective featurette, and interview with dubbing supervisor Paul Clay should provide ample insight for fans, while a 97-minute Japanese cut (presented in HD) provides what a prospective U.S. version likely would’ve resembled had the movie received a theatrical release here.
Despite passing on “Thunderbolt,” “Bronx” distributor New Line did pick up POLICE STORY 4 for the U.S. market and performed a similar cleansing (new edit, new score) on the picture for U.S. audiences. The result was JACKIE CHAN’S FIRST STRIKE (84/107 mins., 1997, PG-13), which isn’t quite as effective as “Rumble in the Bronx” but nevertheless offers a similar level of escapist fun with Jackie engaging in a wild and wacky Bond-ian adventure, complete with location filming in Australia, Russia and the Ukraine.
Alas, the editorial scissors went a little too far this time. While J. Peter Robinson’s Bond-styled rescore is fine, “editorial consultant” Michael Duthie’s cuts of some 23 minutes basically result in a “highlights” edit with major plot elements and even some action sequences having been trimmed from Stanley Tong’s original 107-minute HK version (which admittedly drags at times).
The good news is, again, Arrow’s UHD gives you the choice of edits, both in Dolby Vision HDR (2.39) with Cantonese/English (stereo) and Mandarin dubbed (stereo) for the HK version and 5.1/2.0 DTS MA 5.1 options on the U.S. cut. Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto’s commentary, a David West/James Mudge retrospective, interview with Djeng, trailers, and scenes added to the TV version are all included as well.
The last two films in the set preceded Chan’s breakout U.S. success with the “Rush Hour” series, and show the star trying to make more English-friendly affairs.
MR. NICE GUY (88/97 mins., 1997, PG-13) was even shot mostly in English in a play for audiences outside the East; it’s an enjoyable affair with Jackie playing a chef on Australian TV who gets mixed up with the Mafia and a local street gang. Action and comedy mix in this Samo Hung-helmed effort presented here in a trio of versions: Japanese and Hong Kong cuts (each 97 mins.) with 5.1 and 2.0 DTS MA audio, and the New Line 88-minute “International Cut” release (88 mins.), recut with J. Peter Robinson’s rescore.
The Dolby Vision HDR (2.39) transfer tops Warner Archive’s previous Blu-Ray edition while new extras include a commentary by James Mudge, another retrospective with Mudge and David West, a new appreciation by Frank Djeng, textless outtakes, and the trailer.
Finally, WHO AM I? (107/120 mins., 1998, PG-13) throws Jackie into a Bourne-like premise involving an amnesia-riddled man wrapped up in a government conspiracy that takes him on a globe-trotting adventure. Both the 120-minute Hong Kong cut, plus the slightly trimmed (as opposed to butchered) 107-minute International version are included, each with 5.1/2.0 DTS MA sound; this one retains Nathan Wang’s original score in both edits, each of course presented in new Dolby Vision HDR (2.39) restorations from the OCN.
James Mudge’s commentary, retrospectives on both this film and Chan’s subsequent filmography, a three-part Making Of, interviews with actor Glory Simon and cinematographer Ray Wong, and the usual trailers and image galleries round out the disc.
As with Arrow’s “Bruce Lee at Golden Harvest” box, each film is presented in its own case with a comprehensive 158-page booklet including production information, essays on Chan and his career efforts to break through the Asian market to worldwide box-office success, and differences between the assorted versions among other topics. You also get 24 lobby card reproductions and a reversible poster in a limited-edition box that’s already the catalog release to beat for ‘26.
New From Blue Underground
The early ‘80s were filled with sword-and-sorcery spectacles and wannabes. From the epic adventure of John Milius’ “Conan the Barbarian” to “The Beastmaster,” “The Sword and the Sorcerer,” “Yor: The Hunter From the Future,” the Lou Ferrigno “Hercules” pictures and countless others, fans were deluged by genre works at their local theaters and video stores.
While animator Ralph Bakshi’s “Lord of the Rings” grossed a healthy amount at the box-office in 1978, the film was an artistic disappointment in certain areas, offering some breathtaking sequences but also an uneven narrative that came to a complete and utter stop after the battle of Helm’s Deep.
If Bakshi’s ambitions in producing an animated feature of Tolkien’s books weren’t matched by his ultimate output, FIRE AND ICE (81 mins., PG; Blue Underground) — his 1983 collaboration with renowned fantasy illustrator Frank Frazetta — delivered, for the most part, on its more basic goals. Now available in a gorgeous MVD Shop-exclusive Steelbook 4K UHD, the movie has never looked as vibrant or sounded as powerful as it does here.
A fanciful comic-book fantasy come to life, this simplistic tale of a blonde warrior named Larn and his mysterious, hooded ally Darkwolf — who attempt to save scantily-clad Princess Teegra from an evil wizard named Nekron and his villainous mother — has all the requisite trappings of other live-action films from the period: namely, lots of action, protagonists of few words, and a basic story without much in the way of character development.
Naturally, it goes without saying that this isn’t a movie with any kind of depth (the script by “Conan” comic book veterans Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway could have been written for any issue of that decade’s Marvel Comic, just minus Robert E. Howard’s hero), but what differentiates it from the era’s other genre films are the visuals, most notably Bakshi’s trademark Rotoscoped animation and Frazetta’s colorful fantasy backdrops. A brisk pace adds to the movie’s entertainment value as well, in addition to William Kraft’s stirring score — undoubtedly influenced by Leonard Rosenman’s music for Bakshi’s “Rings,” but with a propulsive energy and strong thematic material that enhances the action throughout (Kraft’s score, which Angela Morley conducted, is even included in the Steelbook, in a reprise of its previously-released BSX Records CD).
“Fire and Ice” isn’t a classic film by any stretch, but it does provide good-looking, exciting comic book action, both for viewers old enough to recall the era and Frazetta’s paintings, as well as younger viewers who might appreciate the straightforward story and visuals, with Bakshi’s graphic style toned down here for a PG rating.
Blue Underground’s 4K UHD (1.85) offers a new scan of the original negative with Dolby Vision HDR and it simply looks terrific, boosting a spectrum of colors, contrasts, and brightness levels beyond the label’s previous Blu-Ray (a remastered BD is also housed inside here as well). A brand new Dolby Atmos soundtrack makes its debut on both format discs, and it provides Kraft’s score with a dynamic stereo sound stage marked by clear directional effects throughout; there are also 5.1 and 2.0 DTS MA options as well for the purists.
Some new extras have been produced for this limited edition. These include a 15-minute interview with Frank Frazetta’s daughter Sara, who talks about “The Art of Fire and Ice: The Frank Frazetta Legacy,” plus a seven-minute conversation with filmmaker/fan Robert Rodriguez. A newly compiled poster and still gallery is included along with the before-mentioned soundtrack CD. Other supplements are carried over from the label’s prior releases, including commentary from Bakshi, a vintage Making Of culled from the director’s personal archive, an interview with Bakshi on Frazetta, a photo gallery, “Sean Hannon’s Diary Notes,” and the original trailer.
For fans, this is a loving and spectacular package that ranks with Blue Underground’s best UHDs to date. Highly recommended!
Also New From Arrow
MORTAL KOMBAT KOLLECTION 4K UHD (1995-97; Arrow): Anybody want to go back to the ‘90s, when video game movie adaptations like the brilliant Jean-Claude Van Damme “Street Fighter,” the ahead-of-its time Disney edition of “Super Mario Bros.,” and the criminally underrated filming of “Double Dragon” ruled multiplexes everywhere? (No need to send emails — I’m being sarcastic!).
At the top of the list in terms of box-office was the reasonably entertaining 1995 New Line adaptation of fighting game franchise MORTAL KOMBAT (101 mins., PG-13), a fantasy that finds a trio of fighters whisked away to a mystical kingdom where they’re selected to fight for Lord Rayden (Christopher Lambert) in a tournament against eeeeeeeeeevil (as Richard Burton said a few times in “Exorcist II: The Heretic”).
The fight sequences are fairly well-executed, the special effects adequate, and Bridgette Wilson (Sampras) and Talisa Soto are both fetching enough to offset the total lack of character development or dramatic tension. Director Paul Anderson used this film as a springboard for a career of video game movies (he launched a decades-long “Resident Evil” series thereafter) while the classic techno theme song adds some punch to the soundtrack. “Mortal Kombat” isn’t any great shakes but for what it was – a sleeper that ended up grossing $70 million domestically at the tail end of summer ‘95 – it’s flashy and fun, at least for a while.
The movie’s success lead to an inferior sequel, MORTAL KOMBAT ANNIHILATION (95 mins., 1997, PG-13), which managed to only gross half as much as its predecessor. It also offers a similar reduction in quality, with only Robin Shou and Talisa Soto back from the original, and Christopher Lambert replaced by James Remar, in a hackneyed story that’s merely an excuse for 95 minutes of fight sequences and low-grade special effects. John R. Leonetti, who shot the original, made his directorial debut here, and wouldn’t be asked to sit in the director’s chair again until 2006’s “The Butterfly Effect 2″ (your call as to which sequel was worse!).
Even with the newer “Mortal Kombat” films having usurped these pictures in terms of fidelity to the source material, there’s still a cult following out there for the ‘90s “Mortal Kombat,” and Arrow’s 4K UHD box-set – available June 30th – trots out brand new 4K, Dolby Vision HDR restorations (5.1) of both movies with 5.1 and 2.0 DTS MA audio options and loads of extras.
The transfers offer a few splashes of HDR “pop” and the extras are copious: these include commentaries with podcaster Dave Baxter on both movies, plus a new commentary on the first film by director Paul (W.S.) Anderson. John Leonetti’s archival commentary is carried over for the second film, while new additions include interviews with stars Linden Ashby and Musetta Vander, director John Leonetti, producer Lawrence Kasanoff, make-up effects great Tom Woodruff, stunt performer J.J. Perry, and composer George S. Clinton. Trailers, vintage featurettes and archival interviews are included plus booklet notes by Simon Ward, John Torrani and fold-out mini-posters.
Also new from Arrow is a 4K UHD of Takashi Miike’s AUDITION (115 mins., 1999, R; Arrow), the controversial Japanese import that launched Miike into international fame. Whether or not this J-horror exercise if your cup of tea, Arrow’s 4K UHD is worthwhile for its fresh restoration (1.85) of the original Super 16mm camera negative with multiple sound (2.0/4.0/5.1 DTS MA) options, commentary with Miike and screenwriter Daisuke Tengan; a new commentary with Miike biographer Tom Mes; Miike’s introduction; a talk with Miike, older interviews with the cast, an appreciation by Japanese cinema expert Tony Rayns, trailers and some format-exclusive additions. These include a new interview with actor Ryo Ishibashi plus fresh writing by Anton Bitel, Jennie Kermode and Jamie Graham.
MARLOWE Blu-Ray (96 mins., 1969, PG; Arrow): Blah murder-mystery does feature an engaging enough turn from James Garner, essaying Raymond Chandler’s PI Philip Marlowe in what plays like an appetizer to the star’s long run on ‘70s TV hit “The Rockford Files.” This flatly shot MGM production adapts Chandler’s “The Little Sister,” with Marlowe looking for a woman’s missing brother in a late ‘60s set screenplay by Stirling Silliphant that’s convoluted even by the standards of the genre. What’s more, an appealing supporting cast ranges from Bruce Lee to Carroll O’Connor, Rita Moreno and Gayle Hunnicutt, but comes off little more than a more adult TV movie of its era. Arrow’s Blu-Ray boasts a new restoration from the 35mm OCN (1.85, mono) with extras including an appreciation by Howard S. Berger and the trailer, along with booklet notes from critics Jeff Chang and Priscilla Page.
WAKE IN FRIGHT 4K UHD (109 mins., 1970, Not Rated; Arrow): A seminal Australian genre exercise of the early ‘70s, “Wake in Fright” has also netted a cult following since its initial release. “Zulu”’s Gary Bond plays a schoolteacher in the Outback who, after losing big in gambling, becomes involved in the inner circle of a small town’s hard-drinking, borderline psychotic inhabitants including Donald Pleasence’s “Doc.” Ted Kotcheff (“First Blood”) helmed this taut psychological character study with some harrowing moments and strong performances; while I found the film a bit overrated myself, fans should be thrilled with Arrow’s peerless new Dolby Vision HDR (1.85) restoration with mono sound. Extras include two commentaries (Kotcheff and editor Anthony Buckley, plus author Peter Galvin); interviews with DP Brian West, sound editors Keith Palmer and Eddy Joseph; an appreciation of Pleasence by Kim Newman; a discussion between Philippe Mora and Paul Harris; a 2009 Q&A with Kotcheff; audio interviews with Kotcheff and John Scott, who scored the film; alternate scenes; a 2009 TV report on the movie’s restoration; a 1971 TV segment with behind-the-scenes footage; a trailer reel of other Aussie films made by foreign directors; an image gallery; booklet notes and more.
Radiance New Releases: An early and influential work from director Brian DePalma, HI, MOM! (87 mins., 1970, R; Radiance) has been remastered in a new 4K UHD edition from Radiance this month.
Robert DeNiro stars as a Vietnam vet who returns home, wanting to launch his would-be adult filmmaking career by filming his unknowing neighbors. He ultimately blunders his way into a series of other misadventures, including joining a militant African-American theater troupe, all against the backdrop of the counter-culture world of NYC circa 1970 in DePalma’s original script – an abrasive R-rated comedy spiced up with the director using all sorts of assorted filmmaking techniques to get his story across.
Like a lot of early films you’ll find from DePalma, Scorsese and Friedkin of that time period, “Hi, Mom!” is pretty brittle in its delivery and “of the moment.” The humor hasn’t aged well and some viewers may be turned off by it completely – it sort of exists in its own little time and place which you’ll either go with…or not.
Either way, Radiance’s 4K UHD (1.85, mono) offers a terrific restoration of the picture with Dolby Vision HDR. Insightful extras include a new commentary by critic Travis Woods; behind-the-scenes footage’’; DePalma’s earlier feature “Dionysus in 69” (standard def only); plus an interview with critic Ellen Jones and an archival conversation with producer/screenwriter Charles Hirsch. The trailer, reversible sleeve, Blu-Ray copy and notes from Matt Zoller Seitz round out the 3000-numbered limited edition.
Sadao Nakajima’s AESTHETICS OF A BULLET (97 mins., 1973) brings Japanese cinema viewers a hard-hitting, widescreen Yakuza drama where an unaffiliated street vendor becomes a rabble-rouser for the mob. Naturally, the fast money and climb up the proverbial ladder are met with a price in this atypical film for its genre at the time of its release, as Nakajima was initially turned down by Japan’s major studios when he went to produce it. Featuring a dynamic turn from Tsunehiko Watase in the lead, “Aesthetics…” receives a HD transfer (2.35) on Blu-Ray with extras including an appreciation from Robert Schwentke, interview with Kazuyoshi Kumakiri, archival interview with Nakajima, the trailer, and extensive booklet notes by Olaf Moller.
Due out June 23rd is the French thriller SOLO (87 mins., 1970), a character-driven work from Jean-Pierre Mocky about a violinist and jewel thief who tries to save his idealistic brother from being implicated with the left-wing gang he’s associated with – and responsible for a handful of deaths. A new 4K restoration (1.66) graces Radiance’s Blu-Ray with extras including interviews with Mocky, star Anne Deleuze, Mocky’s assistant Eric Le Roy, and archival conversations with the director in Radiance’s booklet notes…Finally, another Mocky project debuts on the 23rd from Radiance: Georges Franju’s influential LA TETE CONTRE LES MURS (97 mins., 1959), which finds Mocky as a rebellious man committed to a mental institution where he’s degraded by Pierre Brasseur’s Dr. Varmont. Mocky himself adapted his autobiographical novel for Franju’s debut feature co-starring the great Anouk Aimee and Charles Aznavour. The 4K restored transfer (1.37 B&W, mono) is exceptional with extras including archival interviews with Mocky, Franju and Aznavour, plus Eric LeRoy, and a limited edition booklet with notes by Raymond Durgnat.
FILM NOIR CLASSICS DOUBLE FEATURE: D.O.A./BORDERLINE Blu-Ray (83/88 mins., 1949-50; VCI): VCI pairs two of the better film noir thrillers of the late ‘40s in a new Blu-Ray double-bill. The highlight is the 1949 classic “D.O.A.” starring Edmond O’Brien as a poisoned man trying to find out who “murdered” him before his final 24 hours elapse. Infinitely better than the lame Dennis Quaid/Touchstone remake from the ‘80s, “D.O.A.” is paired here with “Borderline,” a tense affair with Fred MacMurray, Claire Trevor and Raymond Burr, set on the U.S.-Mexico border. Extras look at O’Brien, “D.O.A.” director Rudolph Mate, plus MacMurray and the latter’s director William A. Seiter, while 1080p (1.33 B&W) transfers and mono sound are on-tap for both.
DI’ANNO – Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer Blu-Ray (2025; Cleopatra): Documentary from Wes Orshoski looks at the “lost” crooner of Iron Maiden, complete with interviews with the actual Paul D’Anno, James Hetfield, Gene Simmons and Gary Bolt among them. Deleted scenes are included in Cleopatra’s now-available Blu-Ray (1.78)…Also new from Cleopatra is THE GOAT (90 mins.), a film from Ilari Biorelli starring Mira Sorvino and John Savagae. The slide show and a trailer are the sole extras in Cleopatra’s new DVD release (16:9).
Coming from MVD, BADLAND (165 mins., 2027) is a sprawling effort from writer-director Francesco Lucente, following an Iraq war vet (Jamiue Draven) kills his wife and family but spares his daughter (Grace Caroline Currey), with whom he takes on a cross-country trek. Very difficult subject matter that makes for a heavy going viewing experience, “Badland” (1.85) debuts on Blu-Ray from MVD having been mastered from the original 35mm negative with extras including deleted scenes, commentary, and behind-the-scenes featurettes.
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From HBO
Also available this week is the Complete First Season of A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS (208 mins., 2026; HBO), another adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s novels which, at least for the moment, takes on a more comedic and comparatively lighter approach than “Game of Thrones.”
Set a century before the events of Martin’s fantasy epic, “Knight” begins the adventures of Duncan and Egg – i.e. Duncan the Tall, who travels the kingdom with his diminutive squire, Egg, in a series of adventures spanning a successful first season on HBO. In fact, fans seemed to be more positive about this season than the later year of “Thrones” itself, with the series possessing the same, high quality production values as its counterpart.
HBO’s UHD contains Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos sound along with numerous featurettes taking viewers behind the scenes of the entire season along with behind-the-scenes interviews and a gag reel.
NEXT TIME: Kino Lorber’s latest! Until then, don’t forget to drop in on the official Aisle Seat Message Boards and direct any emails to our email address. Cheers everyone!