Category Archives: Asian Titles

New & upcoming Blu-ray/DVD releases of Asian films, including Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai and more. Please click on the Amazon.com affiliate links to support this site.

Branded to Kill Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2011 When Japanese New Wave bad boy Seijun Suzuki delivered this brutal, hilarious, and visually inspired masterpiece to the executives at his studio, he was promptly fired. Branded to Kill tells the ecstatically bent story of a yakuza assassin (chipmunk-cheeked superstar Joe Shishido) with a fetish for sniffing boiled rice who botches a job and ends up a target himself. This is Suzuki at his most … Continue reading

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Tokyo Drifter Blu-ray & DVD (Criterion)

RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2011 In this jazzy gangster film, reformed killer Phoenix Tetsu’s attempt to go straight is squashed when his former cohorts call him back to Tokyo to help battle a rival gang. This onslaught of stylized violence and trippy colors got director Seijun Suzuki in trouble with Nikkatsu studio heads, who were put off by his anything-goes, in-your-face aesthetic, equal parts Russ Meyer, Samuel Fuller, and Nagisa … Continue reading

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Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams: Archive Collection DVD (Warner)

RELEASE DATE: October 18, 2011 Academy Award-winning director Akira Kurosawa (“The Seven Samurai,” “Ran”), whose cinematic genius has inspired such classic films as “Star Wars” and “The Magnificent Seven,” presents his 28th, and most personal, film. Visually splendid, Kurosawa’s film consists of eight powerful vignettes, one of which features acclaimed director Martin Scorsese as painter Vincent Van Gogh. “Breathtaking… dazzling,” says The New York Times.

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Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame Blu-ray & DVD (Indomina)

RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2011 Tsui Hark’s (Knock-Off) epic mystery film Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame swept the 30th Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Director, Best Actress (Carina Lau), Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Sound Effects, and Best Visual Effects. Nominations include: Best Film, Best Action Cherography (Sammo Hung), Best Original Score (Peter Kam), Best Supporting Actor (Tony Leung, Deng Chao), Best Cinematography … Continue reading

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Dragon Dynasty Jet Li 3-Disc Blu-ray Set: Fist of Legend, Legend Fong Sai Yuk & Tai Chi Master (Weinstein)

RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2011 Together for the first time in one complete Blu-ray package: Fist of Legend, Legend of Fong Sai Yuk (first time on Blu-ray), and Tai Chi Master (with Michelle Yeoh). Trailers: Fist of Legend | Legend of Fong Sai Yuk | Tai Chi Master

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Dragon Dynasty 2-Disc DVD Set: Legend of the Black Scorpion aka The Banquet & Empress and the Warrior (Weinstein)

RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2011 This set contains: Ching Siu-tung’s Empress and the Warrior starring Donnie Yen, Kelly Chen and Leon Lai; and Feng Xiaogang’s Legend of the Black Scorpion (aka The Banquet), starring Zhang Ziyi, Ge You, Daniel Wu and Zhou Xun. Trailers: Empress and the Warrior | Legend of the Black Scorpion

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Dragon Dynasty Jet Li 3-Disc DVD Set: Fist of Legend, The Enforcer aka My Father is a Hero & Tai Chi Master (Weinstein)

RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2011 Together for the first time in one complete DVD package: Fist of Legend, The Enforcer (aka My Father is a Hero), and Tai Chi Master (with Michelle Yeoh). Trailers: Fist of Legend | The Enforcer | Tai Chi Master

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Magnificent Ruffians aka Destroyers DVD (Tokyo Shock)

RELEASE DATE: Early 2012 According to Tokyo Shock, this title has been delayed until early next year. 1979’s Magnificent Ruffians is a “Venoms” movie directed by Chang Cheh and starring Philip Kwok, Chiang Sheng, Lo Meng, Sun Chien, Lu Feng, Wang Li, Yu Tai Ping and Annie Liu. Check out the cityonfire.com review here.

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Zombie Triple Feature DVD Collection (Section 23)

RELEASE DATE: November 8, 2011 The Ninja Triple Feature includes Koji Kawano’s Attack Girls’ Swim Team vs. The Undead, Ken’ichi Fujiwara’s Zombie Self-Defense Force! and Naoyuki Tomomatsus’ Zombie Hunter Rika. Japanese school girls and bloody zombie action – they may not be George Romero quality, but they might be just as entertaining! These films are currently available individually, but will be released for the first time together, at an amazing … Continue reading

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Ninja Triple Feature DVD Collection (Section 23)

RELEASE DATE: November 15, 2011 The Ninja Triple Feature includes: Ninja She-Devil, I Was a Teenage Ninja! and Ninjaken: The Naked Sword. All highly exploitive and extremely sexy. Nudity, martial arts… what else can you ask for? Directed by Pink Film (Japanese softcore pornographic theatrical film) master Yoshikazu Kato. These films are currently available individually, but will be released for the first time together, at an amazing price.

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The Brave Archer Part 2 DVD (Tokyo Shock)

RELEASE DATE: November 22, 2011 Directed by Chang Cheh (The Delinquent), this 1978 flick, starring Alexander Fu Sheng (8 Diagram Pole Fighter), is based on Louis Cha’s novel “The Legend of the Condor Heroes”. Also stars Philip Kwok (Five Deadly Venoms), Kara Hui (My Young Auntie), Lo Mang (Crippled Avengers) and Danny Lee (The Killer) and many more. Also known as Kung Fu Warlords 2.

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Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Blu-ray & DVD (Fox)

RELEASE DATE: November 1, 2011 Fox Entertainment has announced that it will release on Blu-ray critically acclaimed director Wayne Wang’s (Chinese Box) Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2011), starring Li Bingbing (Detective Dee), Russell Wong (The Sanctuary), Gianna Jun aka Jun Ji-Hyun (My Sassy Girl), and Vivian Wu (The Last Emperor). Check out the trailer here.

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The Piano in a Factory DVD (Film Movement)

RELEASE DATE: December 6, 2011 To fight for custody of his daughter who loves playing the piano, a steel factory worker decides to forge a piano from scratch. A delightful Chinese film that artfully blends music, romance, comedy and just a little social comment a thoroughly enjoyable movie experience! – Mark Adams, Screen Daily Check out the trailer here.

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BKO: Bangkok Knockout Blu-ray/DVD (Magnolia)

RELEASE DATE: August 30, 2011 Bangkok Knockout is a 2010 Thai martial arts film, directed by Panna Rittikrai (Ong-Bak 2). It revolves around a group of martial arts students who are enjoying a reunion party when a bomb goes off in the building. When they wake up, some of their friends have been kidnapped and they soon find a group of assassins coming after them. Check out the trailer and … Continue reading

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Leiji Matsumoto and Daft Punk: Interstella 5555 Blu-ray (Virgin)

RELEASE DATE: October 4, 2011 First time on Blu-ray! This Japanese animated musical film was produced by Daft Punk (features all their music from their album “Discovery”) along with Toei Animation, under the supervision of Leiji Matsumoto (Captain Harlock, Space Battleship Yamato). The film has no dialogue and minimal sound effects and features 1970s/1980s-style anime. Check out the trailer here.

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