Tag Archives: Cantonese

Project A and sequel are each coming to 4K in June

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Cover art for the film 'Project A' featuring dynamic action scenes with characters in various poses, including a sailor and martial artists, against a colorful background.
DVD cover of the movie 'Project A Part II', featuring colorful illustrations of characters in action, including martial arts poses and comedic scenes.
Commissions Earned

The films “Project A“ (1983) and its sequel “Project A: Part II“ (1987) are each coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray in the United States on June 9th via 88 Films, distributed by MVD Entertainment Group.

Jackie Chan directed both movies, with Sammo Hung [aka Sammo Kam-Bo Hung] co-directing the first. The first 1983 movie starred Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen, Dick Wei, Isabella Wong, Wai Wong, and Hoi-San Kwan. The 1987 sequel starred Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung, Bill Tung, Carina Lau, David Lam, Ray Lui, and Rosamund Kwan.

“Project A” has received a 4K remaster of the Hong Kong Cut [106 minutes] from the original negatives and is presented in UHD (2160p) in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible). Also, there is a 4K remaster of the Extended Taiwanese Cut [115 minutes], from the original negatives, presented in UHD (2160p) in the original 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Both versions of the movie include Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) high dynamic range. Audio features Dolby Atmos in Cantonese & Mandarin-language options and lossless mono with newly translated subtitles and the English Mono Dub, featuring Mandarin Inserts during extended scenes in the Taiwanese Cut.

“Project A: Part II” has received a 4K remaster of the Hong Kong Cut [107 minutes] from the original negatives presented in UHD (2160p) in the original 2.39:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible). Also, there is a 4K remaster of the Export Cut [98 minutes], from the original negatives, presented in UHD (2160p) in the original 2.39:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible). Audio will feature Cantonese-language options in mono and Dolby Atmos, and Mandarin mono with newly translated subtitles [Hong Kong Cut]. As well as an English Mono Dub [Export Cut].

EDITORIAL NOTE: These two films have previously been released on 4K UHD Blu-ray here in the United States back in 2024 [together] as part of “The Project A Collection“ Deluxe Limited Edition 4K UHD Blu-ray set. These releases [in June] will be the first time that the films have been released individually on 4K in the United States.

You can find “Project A“ on 4K UHD Blu-ray available for preorder at Amazon and MVD Shop. Also, “Project A: Part II“ on 4K UHD Blu-ray is available for preorder at Amazon and MVD Shop.

Bonus materials for the 2-disc “combo pack” releases, featuring the Blu-ray Disc counterpart, are listed below, after the break, for each film.

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The Swordsman Trilogy on 4K and Blu-ray in March

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Cover art for 'The Swordsman Trilogy' featuring a group of martial artists holding swords, set against a bold red and yellow background.
Commissions Earned

“The Swordsman Trilogy“ will be released in a 4K UHD Blu-ray / Blu-ray set on March 3rd via Hong Kong Cinema Classics (Shout! Studios).

The trilogy, all directed (or co-directed by) Siu-Tung Ching, includes these films:

  • “Swordsman” (1990) in 4K UHD and HD
  • “Swordsman II” (1992) in HD
  • “Swordsman III: The East is Red” (1993) in HD

EDITORIAL NOTE: Only the first film in this trilogy will be presented in 4K UHD. It will also include its Blu-ray Disc counterpart in HD. The sequels will be presented in HD on Blu-ray Discs.

The first movie was co-directed by King Hu, Raymond Lee, and Hark Tsui. The cast for the first movie included Samuel Hui, Cecilia Yip, Jacky Cheung, Sharla Cheung, Siu-Ming Lau, and Fennie Yuen. The second film’s cast included Jet Li, Brigitte Lin, Michelle Reis, Waise Lee, Rosamund Kwan, Shi-Kwan Yen, and Fennie Yuen. The cast for the third movie included Brigitte Lin, Joey Wang, Rongguang Yu, and Jean Wang.

The first movie received a 4K scan from the original camera negative. The tech specs for the first film include a 2160p video presentation in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) form of high dynamic range and Cantonese [and English dubbed] lossless DTS-HD Master Audio Mono, with English subtitles. Tech specs for the other two films on Blu-ray (as well as the first) include a 1080p HD video presentation in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, along with Cantonese & English DTS-HD MA Mono sound, with English subtitles.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray/Blu-ray set is now available for preorder at Amazon and GRUV. The full list of extras (supplemental materials) included with this 4-disc set is listed below, sorted by disc.

Disc 1 (4K UHD Blu-ray) “Swordsman” in 4K

Disc 2 (Blu-ray) “Swordsman” in HD:

  • NEW A Time of Legends: Interview with Co-Director Raymond Lee
  • NEW Cult of Personality: Interview with Actor Fennie Yuen
  • NEW David Wu: Proud Wanderer—A Career Retrospective with Editor David Wu
  • NEW Hark’s Dynasty: The Early Years of Film Workshop—Interview with General Manager/Executive Producer Terence Chang
  • NEW Hong Kong Confidential: Inside Wuxia with Author Grady Hendrix

Disc 3 (Blu-ray) “Swordsman II” in HD:

  • NEW Phoenix Rising: Interview with Actor Fennie Yuen
  • Trailer

Disc 4 (Blu-ray) “Swordsman III: The East is Red” in HD:

  • NEW A Return to Wuxia: Interview with Co-Director Raymond Lee
  • Trailer

The John Woo film Once A Thief on 4K in January

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Commissions Earned

The 1991 film “Once A Thief“ is coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray on January 27th, 2026, via Hong Kong Cinema Classics / Shout! Studios. John Woo directed and co-wrote the film. It starred Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, Cherie Chung, Kong Chu, and Kenneth Tsang.

This movie received a 4K scan from the original camera negative. The tech specs for the 4K UHD Blu-ray include a 2160p video presentation in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible), accompanied by Cantonese and English (dubbed) lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono sound. It will also feature newly translated English subtitles.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray is now available for preorder at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and GRUV. For those of you who do not already know, GRUV is the new home for Shout! Factory [Shout! Studios] physical media release.

The 2-disc set will be a “combo pack” with a Blu-ray Disc counterpart included, featuring bonus materials listed below.

  • Audio Commentary with James Mudge (Hong Kong Film Critic at easternKicks)
  • Handling a Heist: Interview with Director John Woo
  • Thoughts About Thievery: Interview with Screenwriter Clifton Ko
  • Stealing Some Shots: Interview with Cinematographer Poon Hang-Sang
  • Interview with Producer Terence Chang
  • Interview with Editor David Wu
  • TBC Interview with One of Leslie Cheung’s Producers
  • Hong Kong Confidential: Inside Once A Thief with Author Grady Hendrix
  • Once a Star, Always an Icon: Film Critic Frank Djeng on Actor Leslie Cheung
  • Archival Interview with Actor Kenneth Tsang
  • Theatrical Trailer

The 1989 John Woo film The Killer on 4K in December

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Commissions Earned

The 1989 film “The Killer“ is coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray in a “Deluxe Limited Edition” on December 2nd via Hong Kong Cinema Classics, distributed by Shout! Studios. The movie was written, produced, and directed by filmmaker John Woo. It starred Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh, Chu Kong, and Tsang Kong.

The motion picture has received a new 4K Scan from the original camera negative. The tech specs for the 4K UHD Blu-ray include a 2160p video presentation in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible), accompanied by Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono and English (dubbed) DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono sound mixes. The English dub will feature optional English subtitles, newly translated for this release. This 3-disc set will be a “combo pack” including a Blu-ray with the HD counterpart as well as a second Blu-ray for bonus materials.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray Deluxe Limited Edition is now available for preorder at Amazon, GRUV, and Walmart. Also, you can preorder directly via the ShoutFactory website. Below you can find a glimpse at the physical packaging and extra in the form of a 52-page booklet (featuring four expert essays and extensive art), as well as a reversible artwork sleeve.

Commissions Earned

The bonus materials set to be included with the release are listed below, sorted by disc.

Disc 1 (4K UHD Blu-ray):

  • NEW Audio Commentary With Director John Woo And Film Journalist Drew Tayler
  • NEW Audio Commentary With Critic And Author David West
  • Audio Commentary With Director John Woo And Producer Terence Chang (Recorded By The Criterion Collection)

Disc 2 (Blu-ray):

  • NEW Audio Commentary With Director John Woo And Film Journalist Drew Tayler
  • NEW Audio Commentary With Critic And Author David West
  • Audio Commentary With Director John Woo And Producer Terence Chang (Recorded By The Criterion Collection)

Disc 3 (Blu-ray):

  • NEW “The Hero Of Heroic Bloodshed: A John Woo Documentary” – A Feature Length Documentary On The Cinema Of Hong Kong’s Iconic Director, Featuring New Interviews With John Woo, Stuntman Bruce Law , Producer Michael Colleary, Writer Mike Werb, Producer Lori Tilkin de Felice, Director Roel Reiné, And Many More!
  • NEW “A Bullet Ballet” – An Interview With Director John Woo
  • NEW “My Kind Of Hero” – An Interview With Producer Terence Chang
  • NEW “Editing The Killer” – An Interview With Editor David Wu
  • NEW “Hong Kong Confidential” – An Inside The Killer With Author Grady Hendrix
  • Deleted And Extended Scenes
  • Trailers
  • Image Gallery

The 1992 film Hard Boiled comes to 4K in November

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Commissions Earned

The 1992 John Woo film “Hard Boiled“ is finally coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray on November 4th via Hong Kong Cinema Classics / Shout! Studios. This will be spine number 17 in the HKCC line. John Woo directed and co-wrote the movie. It starred Chow Yun-Fat, Philip Chan, Teresa Sun-Kwan Mo, Phillip Chung-Fung Kwok, and Tony Leung Chiu-wai. It’s worth noting that this motion picture is “Certified Fresh” by critics’ reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie has received a NEW 4K scan from the original camera negative. The tech specs for the 4K UHD Blu-ray include a 2160p video presentation in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision and HDR10, accompanied by Cantonese lossless DTS-HD Master Audio Mono sound with English subtitles. An English language dub in DTS-HD MA Mono will also be included. This “Deluxe Edition” release will come as a 3-disc “combo pack” with its Blu-ray Disc counterpart included, along with a bonus Blu-ray Disc for extras.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray is now available for preorder at Amazon. Also, you can preorder directly at Shout! Factory’s website, where you’ll get a free poster (while supplies last). The release will include a reversible sleeve and an exclusive 52-page booklet as physical extras. You can see these are pictured below.

The bonus materials set to be included on the 3-disc set are listed below, sorted by disc.

Disc 1 (4K UHD Blu-ray):

  • NEW Optional English Subtitles Newly Translated For This Release
  • NEW Audio Commentary With Director John Woo And Film Journalist Drew Tayler
  • NEW Audio Commentary With Film Historian Frank Djeng
  • Audio Commentary With Director John Woo, Producer Terence Chang, Filmmaker Roger Avary, And Critic Dave Kehr (Recorded By The Criterion Collection)

Disc 2 (Blu-ray):

  • NEW Audio Commentary With Director John Woo And Film Journalist Drew Tayler
  • NEW Audio Commentary With Film Historian Frank Djeng
  • Audio Commentary With Director John Woo, Producer Terence Chang, Filmmaker Roger Avary, And Critic Dave Kehr (Recorded By The Criterion Collection)

Disc 3 (Blu-ray):

  • NEW “Violent Night” – An Interview With Director John Woo
  • NEW “Boiling Over” – An Interview With Actor Anthony Wong
  • NEW “No Time For Failure” – An Interview With Producer Terence Chang
  • NEW “Hard To Resist” – An Interview With Screenwriter Gordon Chan
  • NEW “Boiled to Perfection” – An Interview With Screenwriter Chung Hang Ku
  • NEW “Body Count Blues” – An Interview With Composer Michael Gibbs
  • NEW “Hong Kong Confidential” – Inside Hard Boiled With Author Grady Hendrix
  • NEW “Gun-Fu Fever” – An Interview With Author Leon Hunt
  • NEW “Chewing The Fat” – An Interview Academic With Lin Feng
  • Deleted And Extended Scenes
  • Trailers
  • Image Gallery

The 1987 film City on Fire comes to 4K in August

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Commissions Earned

The 1987 film “City on Fire“ is coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray on August 26th via Shout! Studios / Hong Kong Cinema Classics. Ringo Lam directed and co-wrote the film. It starred Chow Yun-Fat, Sun Yueh, and Danny Lee. The movie has been newly remastered and restored. Here are some details from Shout! Studios about this and the other upcoming HKCC (Hong Kong Cinema Classics) releases.

“Shout! Studios, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Film Archives, has been working diligently to remaster and restore several prized hits, all scanned in stunning 4K from the original camera negatives. The video and audio have been restored, and the subtitles have been newly translated. Action fans and martial arts and movie enthusiasts will relish these definitive releases of Hong Kong cinema masterpieces, available for digital download and on-demand across major digital entertainment platforms in the U.S.”

This comes from a new 4K scan from the OCN (original camera negative). The tech specs for the release include a 2160p video presentation in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision and HDR10 forms of HDR. It also includes both the original Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono sound, with English subtitles, as well as English (dubbed) DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. The release will come as a “combo pack” with its Blu-ray Disc counterpart included. The 4K UHD Blu-ray is now available for preorder at Amazon.

UPDATED: Also, you can now preorder directly via the ShoutFactory website. The bonus materials set to be included on each disc of this set are listed below.

DISC 1 (4K UHD Blu-ray):

  • NEW Optional English Subtitles Newly Translated For This Release
  • NEW Audio Commentary With Film Historians Frank Djeng And F.J. DeSanto

DISC 2 (Blu-ray):

  • Image Gallery
  • NEW Optional English Subtitles Newly Translated For This Release
  • NEW Audio Commentary With Film Historians Frank Djeng And F.J. DeSanto
  • NEW Burn It Down! – An Interview With Screenwriter Tommy Sham
  • NEW Hong Kong Confidential – Inside City On Fire With Author Grady Hendrix
  • NEW Some Like It Hot – An Interview With Film Historian Ric Meyers
  • NEW Burning Rivalries – An Interview With Film Historian Kim Newman
  • Theatrical Trailer

Below, after the break, you can find a trailer for the Hong Kong Cinema Classics.

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