Emmy© Award winner Hiroyuki Sanada (SHOGUN, MORTAL KOMBAT) stars in this wild, action-packed film, available for the first time on Blu-ray!
On the death bed of his adoptive father, Texas-raised rancher Joji learns a shocking family secret – he has a twin brother and sister he never knew about. Determined to find his brother, Joji travels to Japan only to discover he has been mysteriously killed. As he stays with his sister and digs deeper, Joji uncovers his uncle’s involvement in criminal enterprises, including plans to obtain a priceless 130-carat diamond known as the Queen of Sheba. Betrayal and vengeance unfold as Joji confronts his corrupt uncle and fights to avenge his family.
ROARING FIRE had a brief U.S. theatrical release by New Line Cinema in 1982 and features an all-star cast including Sonny Chiba, Etsuko Shihomi, and legendary wrestler Abdullah the Butcher, and is directed by veteran filmmaker Norifumi Suzuki (SHOGUN’S NINJA, SEX & FURY).
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Video Quality
Roaring Fire arrives on Blu-Ray via Toy Robot Video with a pleasing 1080p master in its original aspect ratio derived from an HD master supplied by Toei. While we always dream of a label that cares as much as this one to have more of a hand in the restoration process, the master delivered here is in really nice shape. We did not spot much wear and tear at all, only revealing fleeting specks and nicks at worst. The presentation avoids virtually all instances of compression artifacts, banding, and other digital anomalies. Some moments appear to be slightly soft, but this is seemingly tied to the quality of the source elements and not a fault with the transfer.
Some sporadic signs of age remain, but the source proves to be in ideal shape and has been restored with a fair amount of consideration. Outside of the occasional subtle variance, this release is pretty fetching as it avoids the most common anomalies. The transfer preserves its natural look throughout without digital tinkering decimating detail. The grain resolves well without any notable signs of spiking or clumping. The transfer delights when it comes to color saturation in the locales, clothing, and production design. The presentation shows off fine detail as you observe subtle facets of the fabrics and backgrounds without issue. Toy Robot Video has delivered a quality presentation for audiences.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray presents the film with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio dual mono track in the original Japanese which presents everything quite well. There are no unexpected instances of damage or audio dropouts, even if there are subtle signs of age at points. Dialogue can sound a bit hollow in a few scenes, but primarily it is clear and easy to follow. The music does a fine job of settling the varied tone of the film, and it comes through with a nice fidelity. The film lands a kick when it comes to hand-to-hand combat and other notable set pieces, but it also knows how to handle the calmer scenes of dialogue. Toy Robot Video has provided an audio track that holds up just swell. Optional English subtitles are provided.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film historian Brian Bankston delivers an informative commentary track in which he discusses the place of this film in Japanese action cinema, the careers of the talent involved, the influences of certain trends of the time, the balancing of the tones, the legacy of the feature, and more.
- Fire-Storm!: A new 23-minute interview with Japanese film critic Akihiko Ito in which he discusses the impressive career of Sonny Chiba, his international popularity, and more.
- A Roaring Success: A new 21-minute interview with critic James Mudge (easternKicks.com) in which he provides a retrospective on Roaring Fire, the influence of Sonny Chiba on the feature, the scarcity of the feature internationally, the early career of Hiroyuki Sanada, and more.
- Wrestling with Fire: A new 17-minute interview with pro-wrestling critic and film writer Chris Lines in which he discusses the life and times of Abdullah the Butcher, his unique qualities, and more.
- A Buffet of Comedy and Action: A new 25-minute interview with critic Clément Rauger, who delves further into the secrets of Roaring Fire, the background of the performers, and more.
- Theatrical Trailers (3:30)
- TV Spot (0:31)
Final Thoughts
Roaring Fire finds the great Hiroyuki Sanada putting forth a performance that is in line with some of the most beloved names from the world of Asian cinema. He is a strong, charismatic lead who handles action, drama, and comedy with an assured balance. The narrative is bonkers, as so much is blended together that you will never lack for something to chew on. It is not as overtly respectable as some of the titles Sanada would appear in in later stages of his career, but it delivers hard-hitting fun. Toy Robot Video has released a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and a rich assortment of supplements. If you enjoy thrilling Japanese action films, this will probably work well for you. Recommended
Roaring Fire is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Toy Robot Video 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
