Eureka Entertainment has announced two new titles to join their collection on Blu-Ray this June: The Miracle Fighters (1982) and Beast Fighter: Karate Bullfighter & Karate Bearfighter (1975). These represent a kung fu fantasy classic and a pair of martial arts movies based on a hit manga series. Details on these films can be found below:
The Miracle Fighters
Street Date: June 25, 2024
Synopsis: The Miracle Fighters is a comedic tale of taoist magic directed by the martial arts maestro behind Drunken Master, The Magnificent Butcher and Iron Monkey – the legendary Yuen Woo-ping!
During the Quing dynasty, marriage between Manchu and Han people is outlawed. When it is discovered that high-ranking official Kao Hsiung (Eddy Ko) has taken a Han wife, the Emperor informs him that he will be forgiven – but only if he kills his beloved before the court. When he refuses, Kao Hsiung is marked for death by the powerful Sorcerer Bat (Shun-yee Yuen) and forced to watch as his wife is slain before his eyes. Kao Hsiung flees, kidnapping the Crown Prince during his escape – but soon the prince is dead, and Kao Hsiung is forced to silently replace him with another young boy. In adulthood, that innocent child – Shu Gut (Yat-Chor Yuen) – finds himself relentlessly pursued by Sorcerer Bat, and turns to two quarrelling taoist priests in the hope of protecting himself with their magic.
Made in the same mould as its contemporaries Encounter of the Spooky Kind and The Dead and the Deadly, this riotous kung fu fantasy was followed by two equally entertaining thematic sequels in Shaolin Drunkard and Taoism Drunkard. Eureka Classics is proud to present The Miracle Fighters on Blu-ray from a brand new 2K restoration.
The first print run of 2000 copies in each territory will feature an O-card slipcase and collector’s booklet.
Bonus Materials
- Limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling
- 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray of the original Hong Kong theatrical cut from a brand new 2K restoration
- Original Cantonese mono audio and optional classic English dub
- Optional English subtitles, newly translated for this release
- Brand new audio commentary on the Hong Kong theatrical version by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
- Brand new audio commentary on the export version by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
- John Kreng on Yuen Woo-ping – brand new documentary featurette by Michael Worth
- Reversible sleeve featuring original poster artwork
- Trailer
- Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by James Oliver
Beast Fighter: Karate Bullfighter & Karate Bearfighter
Street Date: June 25, 2024
Synopsis: The mighty Sonny Chiba (Bodyguard Kiba) stars in two spectacular martial arts movies based upon the real life of Masutatsu “Mas” Ōyama – the fabled bull-slaying karate master who trained none other than Chiba himself.
In Karate Bullfighter (or Champion of Death), a karate tournament is crashed by an enigmatic martial artist calling himself Ōyama (Chiba), who arrives in tattered rags and beats all who dare challenge him. But Ōyama’s entrance into the world of karate has unforeseen consequences, and soon he is fighting for far more than sporting victory. Then, in Karate Bearfighter, Ōyama is expelled from the karate community for refusing to pull his punches. With no where else to turn, he takes a job with the yakuza after running into Kimura (Hideo Murota), who Ōyama once knew as a fellow member of the Imperial Japanese Air Service before he turned to a life of crime. Ultimately, though, Ōyama has no more respect for his superiors on the streets than he did in the dojo…
Directed by Kazuhiko Yamaguchi (Sister Street Fighter), Karate Bullfighter and Karate Bearfighter were adapted from the popular manga series Karate Baka Ichidai by Ikki Kajiwara, which ran from 1971 to 1977 and chronicled the life and legend of Mas Ōyama. Eureka Classics is proud to present both films for the first time ever on Blu-ray from brand new restorations of the original film elements by Toei.
The first print run of 2000 copies in each territory will feature an O-card slipcase and collector’s booklet.
Bonus Materials
- Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by JJ Harrison
- 1080p presentations of both films across two Blu-ray discs, from new restorations of the original film elements by Toei
- Original Japanese mono audio
- Brand new feature length audio commentaries on both films by action cinema experts Mike Leeder & Arne Venema
- In Search of the Ultimate Truth – Brand new video essay by Jonathan Clements, author of A Brief History of the Martial Arts
- Original theatrical trailers
- Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Eddie Falvey
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Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.