On October 23, 2023, Eureka will be releasing the Blu-ray (Region B) for the 1973 Golden Harvest classic The Beach of the War Gods (read our review). This actioner stars – and is directed by – Jimmy Wang Yu (The Tattooed Dragon).
Kung Fu film innovator Jimmy Wang Yu (The Chinese Boxer) blends wuxia mayhem with Seven Samurai in Beach of the War Gods.
In the waning days of the Ming dynasty, Japanese marauders raid villages on the Chinese coast. A wandering swordsman (Wang Yu) single-handedly dispatches a group of the foreign thugs, and agrees to help defend the town. He assembles a core team of highly skilled warriors, including mercenary knife thrower Leng Ping (Yeh Tien, Blood of the Dragon) and hot-headed swordsman Iron Bull Chao (Han Hsieh, One Armed Boxer). Together, they train the townsfolk to stand up to the foreign pirates, using strategy and skill. When the army launches an all-out assault on the town, a ferocious battle rages, leading to final conflict on the Beach of the War Gods.
Co-stars include Lung Fei (The Ghost Hill), Hsueh Han (The Dragon Inn) and Choi Wang (Monks Fight).
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Beach of the War Godsranks among Jimmy Wang Yu’s best films, a briskly-paced historical adventure bursting with wild action.
Features:
- Limited Edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Tony Stella [2000 copies]
- 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray of the original Hong Kong theatrical cut from a brand new 2K restoration
- Original Mandarin mono audio
- Optional English dubbed audio
- Optional English Subtitles, newly translated for this release
- Brand new feature length audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
- Brand new interview with action cinema experts Mike Leeder & Arne Venema on the life and career of Jimmy Wang Yu
- Archival interview with Jimmy Wang Yu
- Trailers
- A Limited Edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver and a review of the film by Dr Craig D. Reid from his book The Ultimate Guide to Martial Arts Movies of the 1970s [2000 copies]
This title will soon be available 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!
Don’t miss the Trailer for the film below:
I remember seeing the French HK VIDEO VHS. Good memories.