RELEASE DATE: February 17, 2025
On February 17, 2025, Eureka is releasing the Blu-ray (Region A/B) for Legend of the 8 Samurai, a Japanese box-office sensation directed by the revered Kinji Fukasaku (Battle Royale).
Legend of the Eight Samurai brings together an impressive ensemble cast, including Hiroko Yakushimaru (Sailor Suit and Machine Gun), Hiroyuki Sanada (Ring), Sonny Chiba (Fighting Fist) and Etsuko Shihomi (Soul of Chiba), in a sweeping epic that blends fantasy with historical drama.
The Satomi Clan have been all-but wiped out by their mortal enemies: the ghoulish members of the undead Hikita Clan. The last Satomi survivor is Princess Shizu (Yakushimaru), who goes into hiding to avoid meeting the same fate as her family. Left to wander on her own, she eventually becomes entangled with farmer-turned-soldier Shinbei (Sanada) and then a pair of warrior monks who reveal themselves to be two of eight fabled Hakkenden – or “Dog Warriors” – who can lift the curse that has been placed upon her family. Together, they must find the rest of the Hakkenden and take on the leader of the Hikita Clan: the evil Tamazusa (Mari Natsuki).
Following Message from Space, which transported the story to a science fiction setting, Legend of the Eight Samurai is Fukasaku’s second loose adaptation of Toshio Kamata’s Shin Satomi Hakkenden, itself an adaptation of Kyokutei Bakin’s earlier epic novel Nanso Satomi Hakkenden. The Masters of Cinema series is proud to present the film on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK from a new 4K restoration.
Features:
- Limited Edition (2000 copies)
- Limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Chris Malbon
- 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray from a brand new 4K restoration
- Uncompressed original Japanese audio and alternate English dub track Optional English subtitles
- Optional English subtitles
- New audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Joe Hickinbottom
- New Interview with Kinji Fukasaku’s son, filmmaker Kenta Fukasaku
- New video essay by film historian and critic Stuart Galbraith IV
- Theatrical trailer
- A limited collector’s booklet featuring a new essay by Tom Mes, co-founder of Midnight Eye (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!
Enjoy the film’s Trailer below:
Awesome!
There’s a new film based on the same source material out in Japan this year: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33741205/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_hakkenden
Haven’t seen it yet, but looking forward to checking it out as the 1983 is a nostalgic favorite for me.
i’ve watched a couple flicks from the director of the new hakkenden, expect a terrible crappy cgi fest.