Yuen Woo-Pin is best known in Hollywood as being the action choreographer who changed everything when he came from Hong Kong and elevated the fight scenes in The Matrix and Kill Bill movies along with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. But he wasn’t only a stunt director. Back in Hong Kong, he was one of the hottest directors. He made Jackie Chan a superstar with Drunken Master and Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow. One of his biggest hits was The Miracle Fighters. Now you’ll get to be impressed when Yuen Woo-Pin controls the action and the drama on the screen. The Blu-ray arrives from Eureka! in June. You’ll be able to see all the details in this tale of a forbidden marriage and the extremes a man will go to not break it up. Here’s the press release from Eureka!:
THE MIRACLE FIGHTERS –
A DELIRIOUS, FRENETIC, AND WILDLY IMAGINATIVE KUNG FU MOVIE FROM THE LEGENDARY YUEN WOO-PIN
Eureka Entertainment announces the June 25 release of The Miracle Fighters, the 1982 kung fu fantasy classic from the legendary choreographer/director Yuen Woo-ping. Presented on Blu-ray from a brand new 2K restoration as part of the Eureka Classics range. The first print run of 2000 copies only will feature an O-card slipcase and collector’s booklet.
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 (Yuen Shun yee) 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 (Yuen Yat-chor) – finds himself relentlessly pursued by Sorcerer Bat, and turns to two quarreling taoist priests in the hope of protecting himself with their magic.
Made in the same mold 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.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling (first print run of 2000 copies only]; 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; Action Master: An Interview with Yuen Woo-ping – archival interview by Frédéric Ambroisine; John Kreng on Yuen Woo-ping – brand new documentary featurette by Michael Worth; Reversible sleeve featuring original poster artwork; Trailer; PLUS: A limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by James Oliver (first print run of 2000 copies only).
PRESS
“★★★★★ An unabashedly silly and endlessly fun feature from a legend of Hong Kong cinema…” – easternKicks
“★★★★ the most delirious, frenetic and wildly imaginative kung fu movie the director ever put his name to” – City on Fire
The Miracle Fighters
The Miracle Fighters is a comedic tale of taoist magic directed by the martial arts maestro behind Drunken Master – the legendary Yuen Woo-ping!
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.
Media
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
