You can always count on niche banners to keep up the posterity on classics for physical media, including Eureka Entertainment which has been on a roll with a variety of genres in its output since 1981.
Their latest brings forth martial arts cinema legend Ching Siu-Tung’s 1983 wuxia hit, Duel To The Death, which makes its return to physical media via the UK-based distributor and packed with a bevy of special features to make the purchase worth your while. Our own Vance Ang took to the dashboard for his own providential thoughts in a review he remarkably posted way ahead of this announcement.
As genres, horror and thriller films manage to build up the tension, where a violent final act reaches a crescendo that will stay in the consciousness of the viewer for many hours, if not days or even weeks. Yet Duel is neither horror nor thriller. Evidently, there are some minor supernatural elements due to the presence of ninjitsu, yet even as a simple period martial arts film it manages to achieve the same shock ending prevalent in a Lucio Fulci or Mario Bava horror film.
Duel To The Death is just one of a few titles per its Fall announcement. Currently slated for a September 20 release, pre-orders are now underway at the official website with full billing about the film, and all listed special features.
Every ten years, a duel is held between the finest Japanese and Chinese martial artists to determine whose Swordmanship is superior. During the Ming Dynasty, as the next duel approaches, the chosen candidates are caught in the middle of a battle between Ninjas and Shaolin monks. Only a Duel to the Death will settle the countries’ conflicts and stop the bloodshed.
Known for his classic film, A Chinese Ghost Story, as well as for directing Tsui Hark’s the Swordsman saga, this debut feature from director Ching Siu-tung is filled with dazzling visuals and astonishing martial arts choreography (also by Ching Siu-tung, who would later choreograph the action sequences for Zhang Yimou’s acclaimed wuxia triptych; Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and Curse of the Golden Flower), Duel to the Death comes to Blu-Ray for the first time in the UK from a brand new 2K restoration.
SPECIAL FEATURES
•Limited Edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling [2000 copies]
•1080p presentation on Blu-ray from a new 2K restoration from the original film elements
•Original Cantonese audio
•Optional English dubbed audio
•Optional English Subtitles, newly revised for this release.
•Brand new feature length audio commentary by Asian film expert •Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
•Brand new interview with screenwriter Manfred Wong
•Archival interview with Norman Chui Siu-keung
•Archival interview with Flora Cheung
•Alternate English credits
• A LIMITED EDITION collector’s booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver; and a reprint of Frank Djeng’s original liner notes from the US laserdisc release [2000 copies]
*All extras subject to change