On May 4, 2026, 88 Films is releasing a 4-Disc 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Region B) for The Protector, a 1985 actioner from director James Glickenhaus (The Exterminator) and Jackie Chan (The Shadow’s Edge). The film is now available for Pre-order at Goodie Emporium, so secure your copy today!
After the kidnapping of a wealthy businessman’s daughter, maverick New York City cops Billy Wong (Chan) and Danny Garoni (Danny Aiello) are sent to garner leads in Hong Kong, but the pair find themselves beset by the local police and crime boss, Harold Ko (Roy Chiao) who will stop at nothing in ensuring the continuity of his drug empire.
The Protector is well known for the widely reported creative clash between Jackie Chan and director James Glickenhaus, which ultimately led Jackie to re-shoot portions of the film for its Hong Kong release. Unhappy with how the U.S. version represented him, Jackie re-edited the film, removed material he found “offensive,” and added new scenes and talent — effectively creating a distinct cut tailored to his vision and style. His mixed experience on The Protector even motivated him to make — and direct — Police Story that same year, a film that would go on to become an action masterpiece.
This release will mark The Protector’s first-ever debut on 4K Ultra HD. It will also include the aforementioned alternate Hong Kong Version (Jackie’s recut of the film) in 4K Ultra HD.
Also included is the rare “Japanese Cut” in 4K Ultra HD. This cut represents the film in its “fullest” form, featuring Cantonese dialogue for the Hong Kong sequences and English for the New York scenes, along with an end-credit outtakes montage. Considered an extended cut, it lines up closely with Jackie Chan’s own recut, but still keeps several moments he later removed from the U.S. version. Long available on Japanese laserdisc, this version has also resurfaced on various Japanese Blu-ray releases.
Limited Edition Features:
- O-Ring and Rigid Slipcase featuring artwork by Sean Longmore
- Art Cards
- Double-sided poster
- 80 Page Book featuring new writing on the film by William Blaik and Thorsten Boose plus interview with cinematographer Henry Chung
Features:
- Brand-new 4K restorations in 1.85:1 aspect ratio from the Original 35mm Camera Negatives
- Presented in Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range (HDR10 Compatible)
- 4K (2160p) UHD presentations
- High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray discs also included
- US/International Version: approx. 95 minutes
- Hong Kong Version (Jackie Chan’s personal edit): approx. 92 minutes
- Japanese Extended Version: approx. 104 minutes
- 2.0 Stereo Soundtrack
- 5.1 DTS-HD MA Remixed Soundtrack
- English SDH Subtitles
- Cantonese with English Subtitles [Japanese & HK cuts]
- Brand new audio commentary by East Asian film experts Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) & F.J. DeSanto [HK Cut]
- Audio Commentary by George Clarke & Mike Leeder [HK Cut]
- Mars Cheung on The Protector [15.44]
- Hard Edge: Interview with Writer/Director James Glickenhaus [24.21]
- Follow the Puck: Interview with Cinematographer Mark Irwin [33.43]
- A Tale of 2 movies with Steve Lawson: A side-by-side comparison of the HK cut and the US cut of the film [18.19]
- Archive Behind the Scenes Featurette [5.10]
- International Trailer
- Japanese Trailer
- Hong Kong Trailer
- Japanese Teaser Trailer
- Reversible sleeve featuring new art by Sean Longmore and original Hong Kong art
Pre-order today at The Goodie Emporium, a U.S.-based online store that currently has many Import Shaw Brothers/Golden Harvest/martial arts DVD/Blu-ray movies in-stock – with New titles being added regularly!
Watch the U.S. and Hong Kong Trailers below:
I thought it’s 1985. The Protector was also appropriated by Harvey and Quentin for that Tony Jaa movie.
Someone liked Tom Yum Going being called The Protector?
Ninja Terminator appropriated it first: https://letterboxd.com/film/ninja-the-protector/
=)
This movie has grown on me over the years as a straight up guilty pleasure. As long as you go in expecting something on par with Cannon. It’s still great to hear Chan drop F bombs.
However one has to speak on Danny Aiello. A legitimate decent actor. See Do the Right Thing. Playing a guy so dumb and obnoxious I’m amazed they didn’t get Jim Belushi the role. His line ‘Did you grow a mustache down there’ paraphrasing is truly cringe worthy. I don’t drink anymore but every time I see him in that movie I feel the need to drown my second hand embarrassment. His ‘Sonovabitch!’ line when Roy Chiao throws down brass knuckles is also very bad.
IA lot of me wishes it were a Brandon Lee movie instead. Such is the natural prequel to Showdown in Little Tokyo.
I’ve always appreciated this movie as a guilty pleasure. I liked Danny Aiello in this film, but wish his character was more fun loving like he was in the under appreciated Hudson Hawk.
But I was soured from the behind-the-scenes stories, especially when James Glickenhaus showed what a delusional hack he was when he didn’t take any responsibility for what went wrong and acted like Jackie Chan’s brand of action was never good, and that he was the problem.
It’s funny how he claimed that before he had Sam Elliot doing Jackie Chan-styled stunts (simulated) in Shakedown.
Shakedown is literally the only decent film said director made. It’s too be fair to the guy a reasonable actioner with two likeable leads and some impressive stunts, but not on Jackie Chan’s level. Obviously.
However his work on The Exterminator is just dreadful. You had a great opening with the pez dispenser scene and then it goes limp. Even the meat grinder scene is lame because of how poorly acted and badly directed it is. I’m often amazed by the fanfare said movie has. At least the terrible sequel was hilarious.
McBain is probably one of the dumbest movies I’ve ever seen, and I’m counting Ironheart and Virtual Combat and Elektra.
For me though The Protector, Double Impact, Showdown in Little Tokyo and Cradle 2 The Grave are a quadrilogy of schlock films kung fu films.
Same with how I consider Drive 1996, Knock Off and Bridge of Dragons to be a weird ass series of Twilight Zone wackiness kung fu flicks.
I don’t think all those other films belong together. It’s been a while since I watched Double Impact, but while it isn’t high art, I don’t consider it schlocky either.
Cradle on the other hand was just abysmal. Poorly shot and edited fight scenes, bad jokes, and way too much attention was on DMX who was very unprofessional and disrespectful behind the scenes.
Drive is also far from being schlock as it beat Rush Hour at its own game before the later film was even conceived. Knock Off is just way out there, and Bridge of Dragons was certainly schlocky.
I am glad that the recent releases of Protector give us the option to watch both versions. The inclusion of them on the Shout Factory box set was very generous.
Schlock is fun. It’s only a problem when such sucks. Then such is just garbage. Double Impact, Drive were all throwaways that were made with style, still schlock, even if it’s great.
Yeah, schlock is fun and good. But I don’t think those two films fall in that category. They stand alongside any action film that’s good enough to be released in theatres and get a bunch of promotion.
The Protector on the other hand is definitely in that category. In fact, Jackie Chan’s changes for the HK version made it a little less schlocky, which I’m sure rubbed some people the wrong way.
Both versions of this movie suck but if the Japanese cut is not included there’s zero point in buying this imo.