Arrow Video has announced two new titles to join their collection on Blu-Ray this February: Fear Is The Key (1972) and The Shaolin Plot (1977). These represent a riveting crime thriller and a martial arts masterpiece. Details on these films can be found below:

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Fear Is The Key [Limited Edition]

Street Date: February 13, 2024

Synopsis: From bestselling author Alistair MacLean (The Guns of Navarone, Where Eagles Dare) comes a pulse pounding, rip-roaring rampage of revenge starring Barry Newman, the king of existential cool who had previously put the pedal to the metal in Vanishing Point. Mysterious drifter John Talbot (Newman) arrives in a small Louisiana town, picks a fight with local police and gets arrested. In court it is revealed he’s wanted for a number of violent crimes, but nothing is quite what it seems. Staging a daring escape, Talbot abducts seemingly random spectator Sarah Ruthven (Suzy Kendall) and hits the road at high speed for a journey filled with unexpected twists and turns: a crashed airplane, a sleazy private investigator, criminal enforcers, and an oil millionaire. It’s a journey toward truth and vengeance and Talbot won’t hit the brakes until he gets there. Director Michael Tuchner (Villain) delivers a crackerjack crime-thriller packed with great performances (including Ben Kingsley in his first movie role), an unforgettable score by Roy Budd (Get Carter), and stunt sequences coordinated by the legendary Carey Loftin (Bullit, Vanishing Point, The French Connection). Fear Is the Key is a white-knuckle winner that demands to be seen!

Bonus Materials

High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
Original lossless mono audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
New audio commentary by filmmaker and critic Howard S. Berger
A Different Kind of Spy Game, a new visual essay by film critic and author Scout Tafoya
Fear in the Key of Budd, a new appreciation of composer Roy Budd and his score for Fear Is the Key by film and music historian Neil Brand
Bayou to Bray, an archive featurette in which crew members look back on the making of the film
Producing the Action, an archive interview with associate producer Gavrik Losey
Theatrical trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh
Double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh
Illustrated collector’s booklet with new writing by filmmaker and critic Sean Hogan

The Shaolin Plot [Limited Edition]

Street Date: February 13, 2024

Synopsis: In 1977, fight choreographer Sammo Hung made one last film under his mentor, director Huang Feng (Lady Whirlwind, Hapkido) before graduating to the director’s chair himself with The Iron-Fisted Monk. That film was the rarely-seen martial arts ensemble thriller The Shaolin Plot, which sees the pair reunite with Hong Kong heavy Chan Sing (New Fist of Fury). Prince Daglen (Sing) is hellbent on completing his comprehensive collection of Chinese martial arts manuals and mastering each form against his opponents. With only two manuals left to obtain, he sends his most dangerous henchman, a renegade monk (Hung) armed with two golden cymbals acting as flying guillotines, to steal the manual of Wu-Tang. To steal the sacred texts of Shaolin, however, the wicked Daglen will have to infiltrate the temple himself. The stage is set for a clash between Daglen, his cronies and surviving Wu-Tang student Little Tiger (James Tien, The Big Boss), alongside a lethal duo of Shaolin warrior monks (Casanova Wong, Warriors Two and Kwan Yung Moon, My Young Auntie). Based on a story by legendary storyteller Ni Kuang (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin), The Shaolin Plot is a classic tale of martial arts intrigue and deception, combining the incoming new wave of action with the old, resulting in one of the most overlooked and underrated kung fu classics from one of the most prolific Hong Kong film studios of all time!

Bonus Materials

2K restoration from the original film elements by Fortune Star
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
Original lossless Mandarin and English mono options
Optional English subtitles
Commentary by martial arts film experts Frank Djeng & Michael Worth
Commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder & Arne Venema
Alternate English credits
Original theatrical trailers
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Peter Glagowski

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