Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Summer days, they happen so fast. Don’t let August pass you by without checking out this Tuesday’s new movies on Blu-ray and DVD. Here are your Asian and genre movie releases for the week of 8/7/12:

ASIAN CINEMA

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 150 minute cut of the 2011 Taiwanese epic, produced by John Woo. The brave Seediq tribe fends off the imperial Japanese army in this film based on historical incident

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale – 4 1/2 hour International Version (Blu-ray/DVD) – Well Go USA is also bringing the full version of the “Seediq Bale” saga to Blu-ray and DVD

Yamada: Way of the Samurai (IMPORT Blu-ray) – Amazon is offering an IMPORT Blu-ray of this film starting August 13th. This 2010 Thai historical action film is also known under the title “The Samurai of Ayothaya”

Legendary Amazons (IMPORT Blu-ray) – Well Go USA will be bringing this film to North America with a Region 1 release in a few short months. If you can’t wait, Amazon is offering an IMPORT Blu-ray of the 2011 Hong Kong historical action flick on August 13th

FOREIGN CINEMA

Sebastiane: Remastered Edition (Blu-ray) – director Derek Jarman’s 1976 film, considered a landmark in gay cinema, now in hi-def

The Tempest: Remastered Edition (Blu-ray) – Derek Jarman’s 1979 visually stunning adaptation of the famous Shakespeare play

Foreign Letters (DVD) – this 2012 Hebrew-language movie focuses on the bond between a young Israeli immigrant and a Vietnamese boy

MAINSTREAM

Heroes and Demons (DVD) – I’ve never even heard of this 2011 thriller but it has a cast that any producer would kill for circa now: Chris Hemsworth, Andrew Garfield, Kirsten Dunst, and Tom Hardy

Steve Niles’ Remains (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 2011 post-apocalyptic tale based on a graphic novel by “30 Days of Night” creator Steve Niles

The Liquidator (DVD) – Vinnie Jones stars in this 2011 direct-to-video international thriller

Born 2 Race (Blu-ray/DVD) – some people are just born to race as you’ll find out in this 2011 direct-to-video racing thriller

The Crow (DVD) – Lionsgate re-issues the classic 1994 film starring Brandon Lee on a low-priced DVD

NEW TO BLU-RAY

Grosse Pointe Blank: 15th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray) – John Cusack stars in this 1997 action-comedy about a hitman attending his high school reunion

High Fidelity (Blu-ray) – more Cusack for your money with this 2000 comedy set in a record store

Clue: The Movie (Blu-ray) – the 1985 cult classic based on the board game comes to hi-def

Adventures in Babysitting: 25th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray) – Elizabeth Shue headlines this beloved 1987 comedy, now in hi-def

Full Metal Jacket 25th Anniversary (Blu-ray) – Stanley Kubrick’s 1987 Vietnam War classic returns to Blu-ray with an Anniversary edition

Bound (Blu-ray/DVD) – before the Wachowskis made it big with “The Matrix,” they wrote and directed this lesbian-tinged 1996 crime thriller

Spaceballs (25th Anniversary Edition) (Blu-ray) – Mel Brooks’ 1987 send-up of all things “Star Wars” comes to Blu-ray

The Incredible Mr. Limpet (Blu-ray) – Don Knotts headlines this 1964 blend of animation and live-action

INDIE

Blue Like Jazz (Blu-ray/DVD) – a young man struggling with his Christian faith flees to the most immoral college he can find in this 2012 indie film

CLASSICS

Rio Grande (Blu-ray) – the famous 1950 Western starring John Wayne, now in dazzling hi-def

The Long Memory (DVD) – John Mills stars in the 1953 crime thriller from the Rank Collection

Highly Dangerous (DVD) – the Rank Collection presents this 1950 noir film on DVD

The Seekers AKA Land of Fury (DVD) – the Rank Collection also releases this 1954 film set in New Zealand during the 1820’s

HORROR

The Boogens (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 1981 horror film about a monster who escapes from a mine to terrorize a small town

Mr. Hush (Blu-ray/DVD) – a small town serves as the backdrop for a battle between good and evil in this 2010 horror movie

Interested in any of these movies? If so, we hope that you’ll consider ordering from our affiliate to help support this site. Thank you!

Kung Fu Bob's artwork oozes with great detail

Introducing Kung Fu Bob, an artist who has been drawing ever since he could hold a crayon. In the beginning, he started illustrating animals, comic book heroes, monsters and a variety of robots. He never went to an art school (let’s face it, great artists are born with it). He works with a variety of mediums including pencil, charcoal, water color, acrylic, sculpture, silk-screening, color pencil, markers, etc.

Kung Fu Bob recently started a blog that features his martial arts movie artwork, which includes framable prints of Donnie Yen (Ip Man), Choi Min-sik (Old Boy), Hwang Jang Lee (Hitman in the Hand of Buddha), Sonny China (The Street Fighter), Jim Kelly (Black Belt Jones), Tomisaburo Wakayama (Lone Wolf and Cub), Shaw Brothers icons (The Venoms) and much more.

Cityonfire hopes you’ll take the time and browse around Kung Fu Bob’s blog. You might find something for that perfect-someone’s room, office or playroom. The prints make a definite one-of-kind gift for a martial arts movie fanatic.

"Soar Into the Sun" Korean Theatrical Poster

You remember Rain, don’t you? He’s the Korean singing and acting sensation who crossed over into American cinema with roles in the Wachowski Brothers’ big screen Speed Racer (2008) and the bloody good guilty pleasure Ninja Assassin (2009). Well, he’s back in his native country and ready to hop into the cockpit of a sleek fighter jet for the summer blockbuster Soar Into the Sun.

A teaser trailer is online here. The production values look sky high – no pun intended – and the teaser promises plenty of intense aerial action, even if it doesn’t offer much hint of a plot.

If that’s whet your appetite, head on over here for the poster and a glimpse of Rain in his pilot gear. Soar Into the Sun arrives in Korean theaters this August 2012.

Update: In a move that seems designed only to confuse audiences, the film has alternately been promoted as Soar Into the Sun (see: the new poster) and Return to Base. But it’s looking likely that the official title is Return to Base, seeing as how that’s the name stamped all over the latest trailer. You’ll find plenty of new stills at that link as well.

BREAKING NEWS: A new trailer is online with English subs. Hooray!

"Deranged" Korean Theatrical Poster

You thought America had it bad when Steven Soderbergh unleashed his Contagion on an unsuspecting populace? Korean director Park Jung Woo might just be upping the ante with his new film Deranged, which is set to be released in theaters over there this July. In the film it seems that some ne’er-do-wells have dumped the bodies of dead dogs in the river – dogs infected with a new strain of virus that eventually makes its way to humanity and causes Korean citizens to go quite literally insane.

Deranged stars Kim Myung min, Kim Dong Wan, Moong Jung-Hee, and Lee Ha-Nui. We will get back to you as soon as a trailer is available. In the meantime, check out some high-quality stills from the film at Beyond Hollywood.

Update: A teaser trailer is available.

Also check out another poster at Beyond Hollywood. Scope out four new pictures from the film, some of which involve mass hysteria. Twitch Film debuted this intense new one sheet poster.

Unfortunately it’s not subtitled but there’s a new-ish trailer for the film online now. Thanks to 24 Frames Per Second for uploading it. Don’t forget that Deranged is receiving a limited theatrical release in North America this July 27th. We should have a review of the film for you in the coming weeks.

BREAKING NEWS: Kindly enough, the cast of Deranged made a video giving a shout-out to their fans in North America and abroad.

"Battle Royale” Japanese Movie Poster

Due to the success of The Hunger Games (2012), which was similar to – and – helped popularize Kinji Fukasaku’s Battle Royale (2000) in America, The CW Network is currently in discussion to remake Battle Royale as an English-language TV series. If a deal is reached, the TV series will source off Koushun Takami’s original novel and the story will be expanded into a series of hour long episodes.

LA Times reports: When Hunger Games came out in the spring, it effectively killed any chances of a Royale film; citing the similarities, producers said at the time that no studio would want to risk looking like copycats. This explains why they’re remaking it as a TV series instead of a film. For for the full article, visit LA Times.

Updates: EW.com reports that Mark Pedowitz, The CW’s entertainment president, loves the idea of doing a Battle Royale TV show. But when Pedowitz is questioned about bringing Battle Royale’s brutal content to a broadcast network, he replies: “We’re not planning to do anything that we cannot get on the air”.

"No Mercy" Korean Theatrical Poster

This week features a host of familiar Asian horror titles being re-released on DVD by Palisades Tartan with all new cover art and, in some cases, all new titles. In addition, Blue Underground is repackaging several great Italian genre films in affordable DVD sets. Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 7/31/12:

ASIAN CINEMA

No Mercy (DVD) – CJ Entertainment brings this taut 2010 Korean serial killer thriller to North America

Hindsight (DVD) – Song Kang-ho (“Thirst”) tries to leave behind a life of crime in this 2011 Korean thriller

Ghosts of War (DVD) – Palisades Tartan offers a re-release of the 2004 Korean film “R-Point.” Yep, despite new packaging and a new title, it is the same film. This supernatural military tale unfolds during the Vietnam War

Dorm (DVD) – Palisades Tartan also re-releases this 2006 Thai horror film set in a boys’ boarding school

Phone (DVD) – this 2002 Korean horror film about a mysterious phone call and a series of deaths is re-released on DVD by Palisades Tartan

The Maid (DVD) – Palisades Tartan brings this 2006 Chinese-language horror film to DVD once again with new cover art

Devil’s Feast (DVD) – in this unrated 2007 Japanese sexploitation film, a young newsreporter finds herself caught between the biggest scoop of her life and a deadly sex cult

FOREIGN CINEMA

Le Havre (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection brings this 2011 French-language film from acclaimed director Aki Kaurismäki to hi-def. The story follows a young African refugee who becomes a shoeshine boy in the French harbor city of Le Havre

La Grande Illusion (Blu-ray) – director Jean Renoir’s classic 1937 anti-war film comes to Blu-ray courtesy of the Criterion Collection

Waves of Lust (DVD) – this 1975 Italian exploitation spin on Polanski’s “Knife in the Water” was helmed by infamous “Cannibal Holocaust” director Ruggero Deodato

Lula, Son of Brazil (DVD) – this 2009 Portugese-language film is a moving account of the early life of Brazil’s most revered president

Facts of Murder (DVD) – Mya Communications brings this 1959 Italian crime film to DVD with an original Italian audio track

The Light Thief (DVD) – this 2010 film from the country of Kyrgyzstan is a heartfelt parable of good and evil

Soul of Sand (Pairon Talle) (DVD) – in this 2010 Indian film, a young couple is besieged by their evil landlord

The Hunter (DVD) – not to be confused with the recent Willem Dafoe film of the same name, this 2010 Farsi-language film follows a man’s slow breakdown from reality and confrontation with local police after his wife and daughter go missing

MAINSTREAM

Total Recall: Mind-Bending Edition (Blu-ray) – Paul Verhoeven’s classic 1990 sci-fi film receives another Blu-ray release, this time with a brand new hi-def transfer supervised by the director himself

Hijacked (Blu-ray/DVD) – “The Expendables 2” star Randy Couture stars in this 2012 direct-to-video action thriller about a plane hijacking

Fortress (Blu-ray/DVD) – a low-budget 2012 film about aerial battles during World War II

4.3.2.1 (Blu-ray/DVD) – when four friends encounter some deadly thieves, their lives are changed forever in this 2010 film from the UK

Zyzzyx Road (DVD) – Katherine Heigl and Tim Sizemore star in this 2006 independent thriller

Sand Sharks (DVD) – in this 2011 low-budget creature feature starring Hulk Hogan’s daughter, there are sharks…under the sand!

Nazi Invasion – Team Europe (Blu-ray) – it’s ‘Team America’ meets ‘Inglorious Basterds’ with this 2010 tale of the Nazi invasion of England – told with puppets

Firstborn (Blu-ray/DVD) – Peter Weller (“Robocop”) butts heads with his new girlfriend’s son in this 1984 British thriller

RE-RELEASES

Midnight Movies Vol 1: Horror Triple Feature (A Blade in the Dark/Macabre/Shock) (DVD) – Blue Underground presents three Italian horror films from the 70’s and 80’s, two directed by Lamberto Bava and one directed by his father, the legendary Mario Bava

Midnight Movies Vol 2: Western Triple Feature (Companeros/Four of the Apocalypse/Run Man Run) (DVD) – Blue Underground brings you a selection of 70’s Italian spaghetti Westerns in this 3-film DVD pack

Midnight Movies Vol 3: Action Triple Feature (Big Racket/Heroin Busters/Street Law) (DVD) – three of the best 70’s Italian crime films of all time are brought together in one DVD package, courtesy of Blue Underground. If you like tough guys with big guns and attitudes to match, you won’t want to miss these flicks

Midnight Movies Vol 4: Thriller Triple Feature (Bloodstained Shadow/Short Night of Glass Dolls/Who Saw Her Die) (DVD) – more bloody 70’s Italian horror fun, from the good folks at Blue Underground

CLASSICS

River of No Return (Blu-ray) – two icons of Hollywood, Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe, headline this 1954 Western

HORROR

Detention (Blu-ray/DVD) – this critically-praised 2011 horror film from the director of “Torque” finally makes its way to home formats

ATM (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 2012 horror/thriller about three friends held captive inside an ATM

The Faculty (Blu-ray) – Robert Rodriguez’s 1999 flick about a group of genre-savvy teens fighting off an alien invasion is now in hi-def

Whisperer in the Darkness (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 2011 adaptation of the H.P. Lovecraft story, filmed in a black-and-white 1930’s noir style

The Bunny Game (Blu-ray/DVD) – whispered and rumored about online, this 2010 horror shocker finally makes its way to an unrated retail release

The Haunting of Whaley House (Blu-ray/DVD) – a low-budget 2012 horror film about a haunted house

Dead Season (DVD) – this low-budget 2011 zombie film shuffles its way onto DVD

Interested in any of these movies? If so, we hope that you’ll consider ordering from ouraffiliate to help support this site. Thank you!