7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
After his revered master is murdered by a rival dojo of Japanese imperialists, a marital arts student sets out to defend the honor of both his school and of the Chinese people.
Starring: Bruce Lee, Nora Miao, James Tien, Maria Yi, Robert Baker (I)Foreign | 100% |
Martial arts | 50% |
Drama | 36% |
Crime | 28% |
Action | 14% |
Thriller | 7% |
Romance | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Mandarin: LPCM Mono
English: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
Cantonese: Dolby Digital Mono
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Wei Lo's "Fist of Fury" (1972) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include archival interviews actors Riki Hashimoto. Jun Katsumura, Yuen Wah, and Nora Miao; new program with biographer Matthew Polly; archival audio commentary by Hong Kong-film expert Mike Leeder; and more. Also included with the release is an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by critic Jeff Chang as well as technical credits. In Cantonese, English, and Mandarin, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Firsts of Fury arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.
The recent 4K master that was prepared for this film is quite the visual stunner. There are so many dramatic improvements on it and in so many different areas that direct comparisons with the old Kam & Ronson Enterprises release that we reviewed a little over a decade ago are absolutely pointless. Indeed, delineation, clarity, and depth are so much better now that there is just a lot, and I mean a lot, more to see, both during close-ups and wider panoramic shots. The 4K master also boasts an outstanding color scheme, with lush and very solid primaries and beautiful nuances. There are a few darker sequences where it seems like the blacks become a tad too prominent, but the 4K master actually makes it quite easy to tell that there are some minor inconsistencies in the original photography. (This makes me believe that in native 4K even with the fluctuations these visuals would be rock-solid. I specifically took screencapture #17 to illustrate the 'issue'). Image stability is excellent. The entire film is spotless as well. A very, very impressive 4K makeover. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There are three standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: Mandarin: LPCM Mono, English: LPCM Mono, and Cantonese: Dolby Digital Mono. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.
I started viewing the film with the Mandarin track but then switched to the English track and also tested the Cantonese track. So, because I was switching between the tracks quite a bit, I can tell you that they are quite entertaining. The English track in particular has a ton of hilarious exchanges, which coupled with the exaggerated sound effects makes it a real gem. The Mandarin track is the most conventionally dramatic one. The three tracks also have different technical identities. They are very healthy, but clarity and dynamic intensity -- especially when the music is on and there is fighting -- are not identical on them. I think that they have been cleaned up and optimized very well.
If the rest of the films in Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits look as good as Fist of Fury, I predict that this box set will become one of the most popular releases in Criterion's catalog. The 4K master that was created for Fist of Fury is incredible, and in native 4K this film probably looks even better. To be honest, I was a little surprised by the dramatic makeover, and I think that a lot of other people will be as well once they get a chance to see it at home. Criterion's release also offers a very nice selection of new and archival bonus features. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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1972
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1985