Keith Cooke was awesome in China O'Brien. He pulled off one of the earliest triple kicks on two opponents -- that became his signature move. Donnie Yen would start using that move, as well.

Some folks, including me, would say you’re not missing much when it comes to these video store era films. She definitely brought her game to a lot of them, but a lot of them weren’t up to her game. Her Hong Kong pictures were probably better showcases for her martial arts (and screen martial arts) prowess, but obviously she couldn’t stay there forever. I still think she had potential to cross over a bit more than she ever really did. This will probably get some eyes rolling, but I think some of her most naturalistic acting work (with comic tones, no less) was in one of only two features directed by famed stunt coordinator and second-unit director Spiro Razatos, an ensemble-ish action comedy (with plenty of Razatos’ trademark bigger-than-the-budget-should-allow car stunts) from 1991 called FAST GETAWAY with, of all people, Corey Haim (who I was never a huge fan of, but who was ok in it). At the time, I kinda thought her second-billed role in this well-produced, somewhat high-concept B picture might get her into bigger Hollywood productions, even if as a co-star or supporting player, but perhaps the need to be the lead kept her cranking out DTV stuff to diminishing returns for years to come (including the sequel to this):

I didn’t think Cooke was much of an actor — and his filmography kinda bears that out — but I could tell from the first time I saw him fight in the CHINA O’BRIEN movies and then in the slightly better KING OF THE KICK-BOXERS around the same time, that he clearly knew his shit.



The Valiant Ones 4K for me.

Trying to get their ducks in a row before VS releases their edition later...

Eureka just announced Wong Jong’s Street Fighter II-inspired (but not really wink-wink because Wong was too cheap to pay for the rights) FUTURE COPS as a web store exclusive, limited to 1000 copies. This is a typical Wong Jing free-for-all that throws in everything and the kitchen sink; some stuff works, some stuff is pretty cringey, but the action is pretty solid, especially when everyone suits up (sorta!) at the end. And Chingmy Yau makes for a very appealing sorta-Chun Li. This is probably a better-known title than many in Eureka’s catalog, so I’m curious why it has restrictions on it. Fear of Capcom perhaps?

The website says why. The elements were a little below their standards and they weren’t allowed to work on the print.

This release of Future Cops is presented from a studio supplied HD transfer that Eureka had no involvement in. Sadly the master is just below the level of quality that we would normally expect. Despite our persistent efforts, the studio would not allow us to restore the film. As this may be the last opportunity for this cult classic to get a physical media release in the UK, we have decided to proceed but on a very limited number and as a Eureka store exclusive. We don’t believe that the slight imperfections in the feature master will affect your enjoyment of this wacky martial arts extravaganza.

Please note that this will be the only physical release of this film that we will issue, there will not be a standard reissue to follow.

Yeah, I read the listing more closely (after I posted part of it, of course) and saw that. Guess it makes sense. I have mixed feelings about it, though. I think when it comes to Hong Kong movies, especially, these boutiques might need to lower their ‘standards’ ever-so-slightly on occasion because there’s a lot of cool shit out there that just isn’t restorable to pristine condition (or is held by fussy parties), but might still sell more than 1,000 copies over time instead of having this sort-of forced scarcity built in. Not everything needs to a top-to-bottom makeover if a reasonably decent scan can be provided, which sounds like the case here. FUTURE COPS was a high-profile release and a sizeable hit in Hong Kong back in the day due, and I don’t recall any previous western releases outside of maybe Tai Seng in North America, which would’ve been a rebadged Hong Kong DVD anyway. If the master only has “slight imperfections” but is otherwise solid, as they suggest it is, just release it in the main line instead of increasing the odds that some people wont get one. I’m assuming any of the American boutiques wouldn’t fare much better on permissions for this film (if they bother). Oh well, who knows, maybe Eureka already struggles to sell a thousand copies of stuff they’ve released so far, so doing this ensures less excess stock sitting around for years.

I think it is more about not releasing a product to mass retailers that is below their standards and where people may complain. Sort of along the lines of why The Mystery of Chess Boxing was a bonus feature and not and individual release. If you make it a store exclusive, the people buying it directly will hopefully see the notice and proceed at their own discretion. Since they are not selling it widely, they went with a lower number.

Oh I totally get why they’re doing it, and whatever works is fine by me, but I just feel that their ‘standards’ defence loses some weight with a film like this, where the master is in what sounds like really solid condition. CHESS BOXING was truly more of a ‘this is all that remains’ scenario, but I just did a quick skim of my Panorama Hong Kong Blu-ray of FUTURE COPS and the picture quality is frankly excellent (plus it has the mono soundtrack). Admittedly I can’t say that as a home theater expert with super-calibrated equipment, but I just think in some cases exceptions can be made, not unlike how Vinegar Syndrome does (along with other labels, if I’m not mistaken) when they’re upfront about using sources that are a step or two removed from the camera negative. It doesn’t seem to drastically affect the quantities they release, and their reputation for quality and curation remains unvarnished. Regardless, I’ll probably grab this soon enough, and then do it all over again when one of the U.S. labels takes a crack at it.

Just out of curiosity is the film itself any good? I watched the trailer and it seemed like cheesy fun. I was also trying out to figure which Street Fighter characters each actor was supposed to be playing.

Back in the day, I gave it a 6 out of 10, for whatever that’s worth, and having recently imported and watched the HK Blu-ray to replace my ancient non-anamorphic DVD, I put it in to skim to the action bits and ended up watching the whole thing again. It’s no classic of world cinema, but I still got a kick out of it at face value. Wong Jing, as you may know, can be an acquired taste. In movies like this, particularly, he throws in everything but the kitchen sink, requires a lot of A-listers to pitch to the cheap seats, and piles on the low-brow and slapstick humour (as the trailer shows). I wasn’t (and am still not) super knowledgeable about the Streetfighter II game, but I was able to educate myself at the time to figure out some of the in-jokes that eluded me while watching it. Gamers of a certain age will have much less work to do, I’m sure. Wong’s CITY HUNTER (which legally used the SF characters as I recall) is probably the better of his ‘adaptations’, but this one is reasonably entertaining. And it really is the best of the Streetfighter movies.

If you routinely buy/import any of Eureka’s lesser known titles, then this could rank close to some of those. The trick here, as always, is whether a U.S. label will release it again over here, or maybe there’s some kind of legal grey area in the U.K. that means they’ll be the only ones getting this.

This guy makes a pretty good case for seeing it, and provides most of the necessary context (read: other shows Wong Jing ripped off for it) plus an excellent rundown of Wong’s methodology, which isn’t entirely unique to him in Hong Kong cinema, but which he did better than just about anyone:

Just a quick FYI for those on the fence regarding FUTURE COPS, but Eureka and Diabolik have sold out. It's still available at Grindhouse Video for the time being (based on a limited allotment). Not sure if any other sites are carrying it, though.
https://grindhousevideo.com/products...dition-blu-ray

Orbit still does too.

Summer Sale – 25% Off
Offer Ends MONDAY 19th August, 10AM (BST) OR While Stocks Last.
https://eurekavideo.co.uk/promotions...r-sale-25-off/

I won’t go through the various HK-related discussions here to quote myself griping about all of these boutique labels ignoring – for decades, really – all of the 60’s spy movies (and other genres, including some fun contemporary musicals) from the Shaw Brothers library while endlessly focusing on the martial arts movies in that catalog, but I will say that set is insanely overdue, well chosen, and wisely presented as a triple feature instead of dragging out the process with singles of these lesser-known films in the west. Never thought I’d be able to upgrade my old IVL DVDs of these! Decent extras on the set, too, over and above the usual commentary:

I also have to give Eureka extra credit for getting THE SWORD, which is a fantastic debut picture from noted ‘Hong Kong New Wave’ director Patrick Tam, of the same generation that produced the likes of Tsui Hark and Ann Hui, both of whom have generally been better represented on disc. Metrograph has been doing screenings of two or three of Tam’s subsequent films – all classics – but I’ve yet to see any announcements regarding Blu-ray releases (fingers crossed): LOVE MASSACRE (1981), NOMAD (1982) and MY HEART IS THAT ERERNAL ROSE (1989). Good essay about Tam and his films right here.

Eternal Rose is coming from Kani. I think it is getting announced on the 1st.

Good to know! Hopefully the others will follow. He’s never really had much representation in the west in rep cinemas or especially home video, and these little signs of boutique labels finally moving further into areas beyond Jackie Chan and martial arts films are quite promising. Kani’s had a few good ones already.

Should've posted this earlier, but Metrograph also has a nice interview with Tam on their site, which makes me hopeful that he was able to participate in supplements for his disc releases.

https://metrograph.com/patrick-tam/