Director John Woo teams up with actors Chow Yun-fat and Leslie Cheung, adding heist action-comedy Once A Thief to his league of Golden Princess classics.

Three orphans grow up to become art thieves under the tutelage of a crime boss. Romance complicates matters when the trio are double-crossed.

This special release features an exclusive SteelBook with the film remastered on 4K UHD and Blu-ray from the original 35mm negative, plus a 60-page Hardcover Booklet with production stills and brand NEW essays, all housed in a Lid Hardbox.

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Video Quality

Imprint Films brings Once A Thief to 4K UHD Blu-Ray in the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 courtesy of a new 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negative in 2160p with Dolby Vision/HDR. This label is based in Australia, but both the 4K UHD and Blu-Ray discs in this set will play in all 4K UHD and Blu-Ray players, including those in the United States. This particular master originated from Shout! Studios, who released their own 4K UHD Blu-Ray in the United States earlier this year. We have not viewed that particular release, but considering the Imprint release opens with the Shout! Studios logo, it presumably is pretty close in execution. This new restoration also marks the first time the film has been available on Blu-Ray in English-speaking territories, so even those who are not 4K UHD capable may want to add this to their collection to view the film in great quality. The new master looks exceptional.

This transfer retains the natural film grain, which keeps this feature from looking overly smooth and sterile. There is impeccable facial detail, such as smile lines and perspiration, as well as texture on clothing and within the production design. The encoding holds together well with no serious shortcomings when it comes to compression artifacts. The disc really shines with Dolby Vision, which refines the color palette to an ideal level. While this is not a Technicolor spectacle, you do find some bold and vibrant colors within the clothing and production design, as well as in some vehicles. Black levels are deep and allow the picture to provide a favorable amount of depth in the shadows. Highlights are dialed in and deliver stability without veering into blooming. There is also no notable print damage thanks to a thoughtful restoration process. This is a strong release for fans of the Golden Princess library.

Audio Quality

Imprint Films brings us this new 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a series of audio options, including an LPCM 2.0 dual mono track in the original Cantonese and English, a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio surround sound track in Mandarin, and a DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio track in Cantonese. While we always recommend sticking with the original language track, all of the tracks that we sampled provided a strong sonic experience.

The original mono track sounds the most robust to us, but the expansion to 7.1 is thoughtfully executed with none of the sounds rendering unnatural. The environmental effects, such as the roar of the engine or chatter within the auction house, fill the room with each aspect effectively delineated. The occasionally jaunty soundtrack creates a lighthearted mood for this caper, and it emanates with lovely fidelity. Dialogue emerges clearly without being crowded out by the music or other effects. The track does not experience any serious damage or distortion. Imprint Films has delivered a first-rate audio experience. Optional English subtitles are provided on this disc.

Special Features

The Imprint 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Once A Thief is provided in a SteelBook inside a Hardbox packaging. This also includes an exclusive 60-page hardcover booklet with an essay from film historians Sean Gilman and Brian Tallerico, along with some production notes and photos. This explores the legacy of the feature, its themes, the background of the creative figures, and more, which is very illuminating. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Hong Kong film critic James Mudge provides a commentary track in which he speaks about how this film fits into the career of John Woo, the Hong Kong film industry of the time, the work of the performers, the legacy of the film, and more.

New Interviews: A collection of new interviews is provided with the creative team in which they reflect on the production of the film, how this film was a response to the financial disappointment of Bullet in the Head, the dynamics between the performers, and much more.

- Handling a Heist – Interview with Director John Woo (23:53)

- Thoughts About Thievery – Interview with Screenwriter Clifton Ko (21:24)

- Stealing Some Shots – Interview with Cinematographer Poon Hang-Sang (27:10)

- Heists and Lows – Interview with Producer Terence Chang (7:55)

- Art of the Steal – Interview with Editor David Wu (10:03)

Hong Kong Confidential – Inside Once a Thief with Author Grady Hendrix: An eight-minute piece in which the film historian delves into the history of the film.

Once A Star, Always An Icon – Film Critic Frank Djeng on Actor Leslie Cheung: A 17-minute appreciation piece in which the film historian delves into the career of the actor.

Archival Interviews

- Brothers In Arms – Archival Interview with Producer Terence Chang (11:16)

- Up Close and Personal – Archival Interview with Director John Woo (35:24)

- Archival Interview with Kenneth Tsang (7:00)

Image Gallery (5:33)

Original Theatrical Trailer (1:22)

Final Thoughts

Once A Thief is an often-overlooked entry in John Woo’s career, especially given some of the classics to his name. This particular outing does not contain the gritty, jaw-dropping thrills of his most lauded work, yet he makes up for this with a genuine sense of fun and fearlessness. The humor leans quite large, so it will not appeal to all tastes, but it is a great time if you find yourself drawn to the genre. Imprint Films has delivered a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray that offers a stellar A/V presentation and some amazing special features. Recommended

The Imprint Films edition of Once A Thief is now available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Imprint Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.