The Leg Fighters (1980) (The Pearl Collection) - October 15, 2019

[MifuneFan]

VCI have created a new imprint called The Pearl Collection that are "dedicated to publishing important classic and neglected martial arts films from Asia in editions that offer the highest technical quality available and original supplements and content." The first title from this new line is The Leg Fighters (1980), releasing on October 15th.

Bonus Materials

• NEW 2K RESTORATION OF ORIGINAL 35MM CHINESE PRINT
• Audio commentary by filmmaker, actor and Kung Fu Film fan Michael Worth
• Michael Worth visits with director Lee Tso Nam
• Original Theatrical Trailer to Nam's The Hot, The Cool and The Vicious
• Discussion with Dan Halsted, curator of Portland's Hollywood Theater Kung Fu Night
• Original film memorabilia and behind the scenes photos
• An original illustration was commissioned from popular genre artist, Ian McEwan!

Phoenix (Kuang-Li Hsia) is a rebellious young student in martial arts, so when her father brings in a new Kung Fu instructor, high-kicking Tan Hai-Chi (Tao-Liang Tan), she will find herself having to shape up quickly as a deadly master approaches (Kang Peng) looking for Tan to avenge his brother's death. With action scenes from Sun Jung-Chi Sun and Kang Peng, the fights set new standards in kicking choreography under the knowledgeable action eye of Tso Nam Lee (The Hot, The Cool and The Vicious).

[tomkatholic]

Quality control can’t even get the title right on their packaging, I don’t exactly have high hopes for the disc content itself

[bsend]

Looks cool but VCI makes me weary

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by tomkatholic

Quality control can’t even get the title right on their packaging, I don’t exactly have high hopes for the disc content itself

The Leg Fighter(s) is an alternate title.

The original title is The Invincible Kung Fu Legs.

Great idea for a label, not one of the better examples given the talent involved.

Hopefully The Hot, the Cool, and the Vicious will be next.

[ltb2.0]

I'm definitely interested.

[saltysam]

i'll be buying, need to support these releases and the film sounds right up my street.

[trentdiesel]

We need a label to really start to bang out martial arts and kung fu films, I hope it pans out and they release some cool stuff

[theranchhand]

Originally Posted by tomkatholic

Quality control can’t even get the title right on their packaging, I don’t exactly have high hopes for the disc content itself

Quality control is on point as the title actually is The Leg Fighters.

The scan is a new 2K off of the best available 35mm print available (in this case a Chinese print with burned in subs, but think an English audio is also being included).

Pearl River's objective is to do film-school-in-a-box with classic martial arts films. This is not VCI per se but the company working with filmmaker and full fledged Kung Fu film fan Michael Worth rescuing mainstream and off beat gems in their original aspect ratios. It's not the Criterion of Kung Fu yet, but with enough sales it will get there.

Two other titles have already been scanned and will be announced a little later.

[bruce holecheck]

Originally Posted by theranchhand

Quality control is on point as the title actually is The Leg Fighters.

Okay, but the spine calls it THE LEG FIGHTER. Singular.

[Ky-Fi]

Great. I've got a good bunch of my favorite Shaws and Golden Harvest on Blu, but I would definitely like some from smaller studios or independents.

[theranchhand]

Originally Posted by bruce holecheck

Okay, but the spine calls it THE LEG FIGHTER. Singular.

Haha. Good point! But the cover graphics will change so good catch.

There is another label I am working with releasing a dozen more of the smaller independent titles. Hoping that we can track down prints for Thundering antis, Seven Commandments of Kung Fu, Hot, Cool and Vicious, etc.

[monwobbbo]

all for old school kung fu. sadly decent prints let alone negatives exist for very few titles. kung fu fans have also proven to be rather cheap which killed the Shaw Brothers releases here in the US.

[theranchhand]

Originally Posted by monwobbbo

all for old school kung fu. sadly decent prints let alone negatives exist for very few titles. kung fu fans have also proven to be rather cheap which killed the Shaw Brothers releases here in the US.

Very true. I spent the last 3 years scouring Canada, New York, Taiwan and Hong Kong for workable release prints and they are pretty scarce. They mostly remain in the hands of collectors who are the odd balls and just want to keep them and watch them in their garage (met a few of those). But some out of left field sources like South Africa and even North Carolina have turned up some prints buried in the vaults.

If these upcoming blurays do well, we will unbury more.....

[CineSicko]

Originally Posted by theranchhand

If these upcoming blurays do well, we will unbury more.....

Any chance of TANG RAN KE (1972), a.k.a. BRUTAL BOXER, a.k.a. BLOOD FINGERS? It's essential that someone release a 2.35:1 uncut version of that infamously gory martial arts treasure.

[Monterey Jack]

What I'd love is for more of those "Dragon Dynasty" titles from the DVD era to get upgraded to Blu.

[gskmeva]

Originally Posted by theranchhand

Quality control is on point as the title actually is The Leg Fighters.

The scan is a new 2K off of the best available 35mm print available (in this case a Chinese print with burned in subs, but think an English audio is also being included).

Pearl River's objective is to do film-school-in-a-box with classic martial arts films. This is not VCI per se but the company working with filmmaker and full fledged Kung Fu film fan Michael Worth rescuing mainstream and off beat gems in their original aspect ratios. It's not the Criterion of Kung Fu yet, but with enough sales it will get there.

Two other titles have already been scanned and will be announced a little later.

I'm super stoked about this release. I'll definitely need to support VCI so we can get more kungfu films released onto bluray.

A little disappointed that they could only get a theatrical print with burned in subs but it's better than nothing considering that many negatives and prints of kungfu films have been lost forever.

BTW, I did a quick check online and those theatrical English subs are quite bad.

Anyone know if they will be re-translated?

[Markgway]

Check out the cool painted Thai poster:



http://zennposters.blogspot.com/2012...post_7631.html

[saltysam]

Originally Posted by theranchhand

Very true. I spent the last 3 years scouring Canada, New York, Taiwan and Hong Kong for workable release prints and they are pretty scarce. They mostly remain in the hands of collectors who are the odd balls and just want to keep them and watch them in their garage (met a few of those). But some out of left field sources like South Africa and even North Carolina have turned up some prints buried in the vaults.

If these upcoming blurays do well, we will unbury more.....

Hi, not sure if you are a member there but i've started a thread about this/these releases over at KFF. Could be a good move for you to post updates etc there as well, you'll be preaching to the converted

http://www.shaolinchamber36.com/kung...ay-collection/

[MobFu72]

I will support any classic Kung Fu Blu-ray release. I'm in !!!

[Killer Meteor]

Chop-Sucky: Bad Kung Fu Dubs - The Invincible Kung Fu Legs - YouTube