Fearless Hyena 2 is REALLY going to test my will power. On one hand, I'd like to own all of Jackie's movies starting with New Fist of Fury on through to Who Am I?. On the other hand, it's Fearless Hyena 2.

Yeah, they just couldn’t have done a boxed set of the Inspector Wears Skirts films. The better known, overall better, and more successful IN THE LINE OF DUTY FILMS? Sure. But these, well, they just had to go out as singles barely a year or so apart!

Totally agree on FEARLESS HYENA 2. That should just automatically be included with any edition of the first film, almost as a kind of bonus feature. At least Criterion had the good sense to include it in a box with a mixed bag of other early Chan stuff, which is literally the only way it would ever get near their catalog. According to the Amazon UK listing, the only bonuses are a Frank Djeng commentary, alternate opening/closing credits, and a trailer (presumably in the Criterion box), so it’s an easy pass for me, at least until a super-cheap sale some day.

Also, I could swear I saw — and maybe bought — a Blu-ray SE of BEAST IN THE CELLAR before, but can’t find one on Amazon. Weird.

MAY RELEASES

Man of Violence / also includes: The Big Switch [Blu-ray]
Man of Violence / also includes: The Big Switch [DVD]
The Body Stealers [Blu-ray] art by Sean Longmore
The Body Stealers [DVD]
Hannie Caulder [Blu-ray]
Hannie Caulder [DVD]
Shout at the Devil [Blu-ray] art by Sam Gilbey
Shout at the Devil [DVD]
CJ7 [Blu-ray]
CJ7 [DVD]
Fist of Legend [4K UHD] art by Sam Green
Fist of Legend [Blu-ray]

Hannie Caulder is a personal favorite. I can't believe Shout at the Devil is getting another Blu-ray release.

I would love to get the 4K UHD of Fist of Legend. The only version I have is the old Dragon Dynasty DVD with good old Bey Logan on the commentary.

I assume these are all UK versions pictured at the moment (with the little ratings tags) and that some of them may or may not get US editions? Presumably FIST OF LEGEND will be a ‘both sides’ edition, and I think Sony’s CJ7 Blu-ray is OOP now. It has a really good commentary with the director/crew and an hour’s worth of decent making-of stuff that should negate the need to pile on more supplements, but I’m betting they couldn’t resist.

By the way, if you love that old Logan commentary, better hold on to the DD disc (although Frank Djeng and Venema/Leeder run circles around him for accuracy). That’s one track that won’t ever be used again, especially by 88, after the bad PR that shaded their previous attempt to bring him back into the spotlight a while back.

Interesting to see Pete Walker’s MAN OF VIOLENCE on there. I guess BFI’s excellent ‘Flipside’ Blu-ray editions —of which this was one of many — must be OOP or headed there soon. That edition had a whole extra Pete Walker film as a bonus feature (in two versions no less) plus the usual bits ‘n bobs. Many of the Flipside releases were secretly region-free despite being labeled as region B, including MAN, so I’d be curious to see if 88 follows suit.

UK releases.

JUNE RELEASES

Island Of Fire [Blu-ray]
The Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead [Blu-ray]
To Kill With Intrigue [4KUHD + Blu-ray Dual-Format]
To Kill with Intrigue [Blu-ray]
To Kill With Intrigue [DVD]
Anthropophagous WEB EXCLUSIVE [4KUHD + Blu-ray Dual-Format][details coming soon]
Anthropophagous [4KUHD + Blu-ray Dual-Format]
Anthropophagous [Blu-ray]
Anthropophagous [DVD]
American Pie [4KUHD + Blu-ray Dual-Format]
Absurd WEB EXCLUSIVE [4KUHD + Blu-ray Dual-Format][details coming soon]
Absurd [4KUHD + Blu-ray Dual-Format]
Absurd [Blu-ray]
Absurd [DVD]

To Kill with Intrigue is getting a UHD?! More willpower testing from 88.

And here I just mentioned in the Asian movies thread how Jackie and Donnie come up here more than so many other HK stars who’ve ‘went mainland’, and what do we get? More Jackie and Donnie!

In fairness, I’m actually stoked to see them digging a little deeper down the rabbit hole with ISLAND OF FIRE and especially HOLY VIRGIN. ISLAND was released on DVD in North America as THE PRISONER, and shortened by about 30 minutes (!) as I recall, and also made to look like a Jackie Chan movie, which it’s not. Uncut, it’s a great prison picture with a spectacular gunfight at the end. Plus there’s some stories behind its making that would make for interesting supplements. HOLY VIRGIN is not a good movie, with a really cool cast decidedly phoning it in (especially Sibelle Hu) but it’s a great midnight madness concoction, and a must-see in that sense, and full-on Category III to boot. Nudity galore from the opening credits onward, and loads of schlocky gore as the title might imply. Eager to see what extras they get for these. I’ve got TO KILL WITH INTRIGUE from 88 and Shout now, so I think I'm done with that one.

EDIT: Just remembered that HOLY VIRGIN was one of the earlier Blu-rays released — presumably unlicensed — by Gold Ninja Video up here, along with another lesser-known Donnie Yen movie ASIAN COP: HIGH VOLTAGE (1995). That’s one that 88 (or whomever) should have their eye on.
https://goldninjavideo.com/products/...n-vs-evil-dead

American Pie feels really out of place in that batch of titles.

And there’s definitely more ‘pie’ in HOLY VIRGIN than there is in AMERICAN PIE.

Bonus Announcement (release Date TBC, probably July)
BLACK CAT II (1992) featuring a brand new 2K restoration and further restoration and grade by 88 FIlms PLUS NEW and exclusive extras featuring Jade Leung & Robin Shou AND audio commentary by the one and only Frank Djeng

Oh, so those are US releases? If so, I'll try to grab the two Jackie Chan titles and possibly the Holy Virgin one, it looks like some bonkers fun.

Those are all UK only.

Crud.

I saw them the other day on their Facebook page and didn't see the BBFC ratings on the cover art and thought they were US.

I received an email from 88 this morning promoting a ‘2024 Website Exclusive #1’ (UK only in this case, and 1000 copies) which I assume will be an ongoing thing. Can’t imagine a more done-to-death title though:

Project A delayed until July 9.

OK, not too upset as it spaces out some of my purchases this spring


By the way, does anyone know what the name 88 Films is about? I was reading a guide about Nazi/far right symbology and was reminded that 88 is a prominent number for those folks...surely this is something else?

I guess that is a better name than 1.21 Films.

I'm a little embarrassed I didn't think of Back to the Future, that's never been a top favorite trilogy of mine (it's good, occasionally damn good, it's just not near the top. Though if I happen to catch part 3 on tv or something and it's right about to the final train scene, I'll always stop and watch).

And then there’s 101 Films, which I used to think was an offshoot of 88 or vice versa, but which is apparently its own thing. They release the occasional title in North America seemingly with little fanfare — I don’t recall them being discussed much here — with the bulk being put out in the UK, including some VS / AGFA stuff. Not sure what the ‘101’ refers to, but they’ve definitely got more than that number in their various collections.
https://101-films-store.com/collections/cult-collection

Low level college courses are numbered 100/101, they might be referencing their role as a "film school" type seller.

Or they love 101 Dalmations.

Either way, I'm seeing some interesting titles there, might need to do some shopping...

The Bodyguard From Beijing and Tai Chi Master hinted at by artist Sam Green. TCM in 4K apparently.