On September 12, 2023, Arrow Video is releasing the Blu-ray (Region A) for Sammo Hung’s Golden Harvest masterpiece, The Prodigal Son. This 1982 film stars Yuen Biao (Eastern Condors), Frankie Chan (Burning Ambition), Lam Ching-Ying (Pom Pom and Hot Hot), Sammo Hung (My Flying Wife) and Wei Pei (Young Master).
Official details:
In 1978, actor/director Sammo Hung gave Hong Kong audiences the Wing Chun crash course of Warriors Two, while his next directorial effort, 1979’s Knockabout, gave Yuen Biao the chance to shine as its lead star. But it would be in 1981 that he would combine Biao’s newfound screen presence and the legacy of Warriors Two’s Leung Tsan into what is still considered one of his best directorial efforts: The Prodigal Son.
Leung Tsan (Biao) is a wealthy young man living the dream, thinking he’s the “”Kung Fu King”” of the town of Foshan. However, his dream is about to become a nightmare when he is easily beaten in a fight by the star of a traveling opera troupe, Leung Yee-Tai (Lam Ching-Ying). It is at this low point that the truth is revealed to Tsan – all of his “victories” have been nothing but paid-for set-ups by his family out of a misguided act of protection. With this revelation, Tsan pleads with Yee-Tai to train him in the form of combat that led to his defeat: Wing Chun. Yee-Tai, with the help of fellow Wing Chun master Wong Wah-Bo (Hung), will train Tsan to not only be as skilled as he once thought he was, but even better. Though a mysterious challenger (Frankie Chan) and his ruthless Manchu bodyguards may end the journey before it can even begin…
Winning the award for Best Action Choreography at the inaugural Hong Kong Film Awards in 1982, The Prodigal Son is considered by many to be not only one of the best films to showcase the style of Wing Chun, but also one of the best martial arts films of all time, with some of the most tightly choreographed and fast paced fight scenes that remain just as jaw-dropping over four decades later!
Details:
- 2K restorations from the original elements by Fortune Star of both the original HK “Theatrical Release Presentation” and the “Home Release Presentation”
- High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
- Original lossless Cantonese, Mandarin, and English mono options
- Optional English subtitles
- Commentary by martial arts cinema expert Frank Djeng & actor Bobby Samuels
- Commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder & Arne Venema
- Wing Chun 101, an interview with Wing Chun sifu Alex Richter
- Life Imitating Art, archival featurette featuring interviews with Wing Chun instructor and producer Guy Lai talking about the art, illustrated via demonstrations by Sifu Austin Goh and Jude Poyer
- The Heroic Trio, archival featurette featuring interviews with director Sammo Hung and stars Yuen Biao and Frankie Chan looking back on the making of the film
- Original theatrical trailers
- Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Joe Kim
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Joe Kim
- Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Peter Glagowski
Eureka’s Region B version of the film (with Warrior’s Two included) is currently 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!
Those are some nice looking extras! Even though I already have most of the films Arrow, Shout, 88 and others are releasing in recent times, it’s too hard not to buy them!
In my top ten…I mean one of the ten best martial arts movies ever made.