Eureka! has announced its January 2024 line-up, which features Samurai Wolf 1 & 2, two anarchic, spaghetti western-inspired samurai adventures from legendary genre auteur Hideo Gosha; When Taekwondo Strikes, an Angela Mao kung-fu classic from the heyday of the genre; and Kung Fu Cult Master, an unadulterated, over-the-top martial arts action starring Jet Li.

SAMURAI WOLF 1 & 2 [KIBA ŌKAMINOSUKE & KIBA ŌKAMINOSUKE: JIGOKU GIRI]
(Japan 1966 / 1967) | Blu-ray | 29 January 2024 | £26.99

A duo of chanbara masterpieces from one of the genre’s greatest directors, Hideo Gosha. Out of a desire to make what he felt was a truly no-holds-barred sword-fightingfilm, Gosha took inspiration from the samurai films of Akira Kurosawa as well as the spaghetti Western sub-genre they had inspired. Working with a low-budget to free himself from the restrictive oversight of his producers, the result was Samurai Wolf and Samurai Wolf II, the story of a charismatic ronin named Kiba (played by Isao Natsuyagi).

In the first film, Kiba wanders into a small town and ends up ensnared in a local conflict that’s more than meets the eye, and in Samurai Wolf II Kiba gets mixed up in a complex web of intrigue, involving a crooked goldmine owner, a cynical swordsman, and an arrogant dojo master.

With stunning black and white cinematography and ultra-stylish action sequences, the Samurai Wolf films are a lean, mean triumph of samurai cinema and the Masters of Cinema series presents both films for the first time ever in the UK, on Blu-ray.

BLU-RAY FEATURES:

• Limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Tony Stella [2000 copies]
• Presented in 1080p HD from restorations of the original film elements by Toei
• Uncompressed original Japanese Mono audio
• Optional English subtitles
• Audio commentary on Samurai Wolf by film historian and writer Chris Poggiali
• Outlaw Director - Hideo Gosha featurette with Tomoe Gosha
• Reversible sleeve featuring original poster artwork
• A collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes

All extras subject to change.

WHEN TAEKWONDO STRIKES [TAI QUAN ZHEN JIU ZHOU] (Hong Kong / South Korea 1973)
Blu-ray | 22 January 2024 | £17.99

The Queen of Kung Fu Angela Mao and the King of Taekwondo Jhoon Rhee join forces in this action packed Hong Kong classic.

In Japanese occupied Korea, resistance leader Lee (Rhee) is captured by the Japanese occupying forces. To rescue him, his pupil Jin (Carter Wong, The Skyhawk) must get help from a Hapkido expert (Mao) and together they fight there way through an army of Japanese villains played by a number of genre favourites including Hwang In-shik (Way of the Dragon), Kenji Kazama (The Streetfighter) and Sammo Hung (The Millionaires’ Express).

ureka Classics is presenting When Taekwondo Strikes on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK from a brand new 2K restoration.

BLU-RAY FEATURES:

• Limited Edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling [2000 copies]
• 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray of the original Hong Kong theatrical cut from a brand new 2K restoration
• Original Mandarin mono audio
• “Classic” English dubbed mono audio
• Optional alternate English audio track with different music cues
• Optional English Subtitles, newly translated for this release
• Brand new feature length audio commentary by film historian and author Samm Deighan
• The Best of the Martial Arts Films (1990, dir. Sandra Weintraub. 91 mins) – feature-length documentary presented by John Saxon
• Trailers
• A Limited Edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver [2000 copies]

KUNG FU CULT MASTER [YI TIN TO LUNG GEI] (Hong Kong 2022)
Blu-ray | 29 January 2024 | £17.99

One of director Wong Jing’s most underappreciated films is this wuxia extravaganza based on Jin Yong’s The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber.

While various martial arts sects fight over a pair of mythical swords that grant great power, Zhang Wuji (Jet Li) goes on a quest to become a great martial artist and end the conflict.

Presented from a new restoration of the original film elements, Eureka Classics presents Kung Fu Cult Master for the first time ever on Blu-ray.

BLU-RAY FEATURES:

• Limited Edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling [2000 copies]
• 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray of the original Hong Kong theatrical cut from a new restoration of the original film elements
• Original Cantonese mono audio
• Optional English Subtitles
• Brand new feature length audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng
• Archival Interview with Sammo Hung from 2004 by Frédéric Ambroisine
• Trailer
• A Limited Edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Simon Abrams [2000 copies]