7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Despite the national resistance, the Manchurians have taken over China, but the Ching Emperor fears that the Shaolin Temple disciples would overthrow the dynasty. So he disguises himself as a disciple, in order to become a kung fu master and control the Shaolin monks. But according to custom, he must pass the test of the legendary 18 Bronzemen before he can leave the Temple...
Director: Joseph KuoForeign | 100% |
Action | 15% |
War | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Mandarin: LPCM Mono
English: LPCM Mono
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (A, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of Cinematic Vengeance: 8 Kung Fu Classics from Director Joseph Kuo.
The hits (and/or kicks, smacks and whacks) keep on comin', with this set from Eureka! Entertainment following releases like Shawscope Volume One from Arrow and a number
of offerings from 88 Films like The Chinese Boxer and
Disciples of Shaolin in my review queue. The big
difference between those films and the ones featured in this huge collection is that these were the handiwork of one Joseph Kuo, a name
which may frankly not be all that familiar even to lovers of the "kung fu" genre. Kuo was, as they say, a "multi-hyphenate" who frequently wrote,
produced and directed his films, which tended to be independently financed far, far away from the riches and "studio system" of facilities like the Shaw
Brothers. As commentator Frank Djenge mentions on more than one disc, that meant Kuo often tried to film outside, where he didn't have to pay for
things like sets, which can give these films a kind of distinctive ambience at times. According to the press sheet Eureka! sent with the (check) discs,
seven of the eight films in this set are making their worldwide debuts on
Blu-ray.
Return of the 18 Bronzemen is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Eureka! Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1. This presentation ranks up there with The Shaolin Kids in terms of my visceral reaction to not just its really gorgeous suffusion, but also its generally really excellent detail levels. Despite a tendency to once again keep things in fairly claustrophobic interior locations, fine detail on things like costumes is really great looking. There are some of the same odd anamorphic squeezing that shows up in several of the other presentations in this set, and occasional wide shots have a lack of clarity (and maybe a lack of actual focus ) toward the center of the frame (see screenshot 10). Grain resolves naturally throughout. My score is 4.25.
Return of the 18 Bronzemen features LPCM Mono audio in either Mandarin or English. Toggling between the two tracks discosed that the English track is not quite as hot as the Mandarin track, and the Mandarin track has a much brighter, more open, high end, which some may feel is actually a detriment when some of the louder music plays. The English track is occasionally beset with outright crackling and distortion at higher amplitudes, with the treble frequencies repeatedly encountering stumbles. Despite any deficits, dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.
Return of the 18 Bronzemen has some really interesting elements, not the least of which is the ostensible anti-hero at the center of the story, and I think if the third act in particular had been massaged a bit better, the result could have been an unexpected high point in this era of martial arts films. As it stands, it's still often exciting and inventively staged. Technical merits are generally solid. Recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
少林寺十八銅人 / Shao Lin Si shi ba tong ren
1975
少林功夫 / Shao Lin gong fu
1974
酒仙十八跌 / Jiu xian shi ba die
1979
Jue quan / Hu bao long she ying / 絕拳 / 虎豹龍蛇鷹
1977
少林小子 / Shao Lin xiao zi
1975
迷拳三十六招 / Mi quan san shi liu zhao
1979
Shi fu chu ma / 師父出馬
1979
Quel maledetto treno blindato
1978
猩猩王 / Xīng xīng wáng | 88 Asia Collection #6
1977
Palace Carnage / Can ku da ci sha / Qing gong da ci sha / 清宮大刺殺 / 88 Asia Collection #36 / Slipcover in Original Pressing
1978
火燒紅蓮寺 / Huǒ shāo hóng lián sì | Eureka Classics
1994
Fung wan II
2009
怪獣島の決戦 ゴジラの息子 / Kaijûtô no kessen: Gojira no musuko
1967
Bai yu lao hu | 白玉老虎 | 2K Restoration
1977
冒險王 / Mo him wong | Eureka Classics
1996
三大怪獣 地球最大の決戦 / San daikaijû: Chikyû saidai no kessen
1964
ゴジラ・エビラ・モスラ 南海の大決闘 / Gojira, Ebirâ, Mosura: Nankai no daiketto / Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster
1966
Jeon Woochi: The Taoist Wizard
2009
Yattâman
2009
AGFA
1975