"Actor: Shih JUN"

• LEGEND OF THE MOUNTAIN | Blu Ray | (19/03/2018) from £13.51   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Although most commonly associated with the Wuxia genre, in 1979 King Hu directed the epic fantasy-horror, Legend of the Mountain. Heavily influenced by traditional Chinese aesthetics and Zen Buddhist philosophy, it has come to be regarded as one of his greatest filmmaking achievements. A young scholar, Ho Yunqing (Shih Jun, A Touch of Zen, Dragon Inn), is tasked by an eminent monk to transcribe a Buddhist sutra said to have immense power over the spirits of the afterlife. To execute his work in peace, he travels to an isolated monastery deep in the mountains, where he encounters a number of strange people, including the mysterious and beautiful Melody (Hsu Feng, A Touch of Zen, Dragon Inn). As malicious spirits attempt to steal the sutra, Ho becomes entangled in a conflict between duelling forces of good and evil. Will he leave the mountain alive? Adapted from a Song Dynasty folk tale, Legend of the Mountain exemplifies King Hu's masterful command of spectacular visuals and philosophical insights into life and existence. Heavily edited upon release, the film has now been fully restored to its original length in stunning 4K, and The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present the film for the first time ever on home video in the UK, in a special Dual Format edition. BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES: Limited Edition O-Card (2000 units) first print run only 1080p presentation of the film on Blu-ray, with a progressive encode on the DVD Uncompressed LPCM mono audio Newly translated English subtitles A new video essay by critic and filmmaker David Cairns A new interview with Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns Trailer A collector's booklet featuring an abundance of archival writing and imagery

• Daimajin Collection Limited Edition | Blu Ray | (26/07/2021) from £54.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  THE ANCIENT GOD DAIMAJIN ARISES! The Daimajin Trilogy saw Daiei's Kyoto studios bringing its own iconic movie monster to life in a unique but short-lived series that transplants the Golem legend to Japan's Warring States period of the late-16th century. In Daimajin, directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda (Yokai Monsters, Zatoichi on the Road), the young son and daughter of the benevolent feudal lord Hanabusa flee to the mountains when their parents are slain by the treacherous usurper Odate. Ten years later, when the elderly priestess who has harboured them is also murdered, the rage of the slumbering ancient god that lies beneath the crumbling giant stone idol hidden deep in the forests in the mountains is invoked. In Return of Daimajin, Kenji Misumi (Tale of Zatoichi, Lone Wolf and Cub) brings his usual stylistic flourish, as the wrathful deity is roused from his new home on an island in the middle of a lake by the violent incursions of a vicious warlord. In the final film, Wrath of Daimajin, by veteran jidaigeki director Kazuo Mori, four young boys make a perilous trip to elicit the help of the ancient mountain god in freeing their family members who have been enslaved by a tyrannical lord. Remarkably overlooked in the West, these three thrilling tales of feudal oppression and divine retribution meted out by the iconic stone warrior of the title combine lavish period detail with jaw-dropping special effects. Special Features: High Definition Blu-rayTM (1080p) presentation of the three Daimajin films Lossless original Japanese and dubbed English mono audio for all film Optional English subtitles Illustrated collector's 100 page book featuring new essays by Jonathan Clements, Keith Aiken, Ed Godziszewski, Raffael Coronelli, Erik Homenick, Robin Gatto and Kevin Derendorf Postcards featuring the original Japanese artwork for all three films Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Frank DISC ONE DAIMAJIN Brand new audio commentary by Japanese film expert Stuart Galbraith IV Newly filmed introduction by critic Kim Newman Bringing the Avenging God to Life, a brand new exclusive video essay about the special effects of the Daimajin films by Japanese film historian Ed Godziszewski Alternate opening credits for the US release as Majin - The Monster of Terror Trailers for the original Japanese and US releases Image gallery DISC TWO RETURN OF DAIMAJIN Brand new audio commentary by Japanese film experts Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp My Summer Holidays with Daimajin, a newly filmed interview with Professor Yoneo Ota, director of the Toy Film Museum, Kyoto Film Art Culture Research Institute, about the production of the Daimajin films at Daiei Kyoto From Storyboard to Screen: Bringing Return of Daimajin to Life, a comparison of several key scenes in Return of Daimajin with the original storyboards Alternate opening credits for the US release as Return of the Giant Majin Trailers for the original Japanese and US releases Image gallery DISC THREE WRATH OF DAIMAJIN Brand new audio commentary by Asian historian Jonathan Clements Interview with cinematographer Fujio Morita discussing his career at Daiei and his work on the Daimajin Trilogy Trailers for the original Japanese release Image Gallery