Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Spanish Blood Bath: Night of the Skull / Violent Blood Bath / The Fish with the Eyes of Gold – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Spain, 1974 (Night of the Skull), Spain/Italy, 1974 (Violent Blood Bath), Spain, 1974 (The Fish with the Eyes of Gold)
Directors: Jesús Franco (Night of the Skull), Jorge Grau (Violent Blood Bath), Pedro L. Ramírez (The Fish with the Eyes of Gold)
Cast: Alberto Dalbés, Evelyne Scott, William Berger, Maribel Hidalgo, Lina Romay, Vicente Roca, Yelena Samarina, Antonio Mayans, Ángel Menéndez, Luis Barboo, Swan Heinze, Jesús Franco (Night of the Skull), Fernando Rey, Marisa Mell, Máximo Valverde, Espartaco Santoni, Elisa Laguna, Julián Navarro, María Vico, Carmen Martínez Sierra, Nené Morales, José Lifante (Violent Blood Bath), Wal Davis, Norma Kastel, Ada Tauler, Ricardo Vázquez, Barta Barri, María Elena Arpón, Rex Martín, Víctor Israel, Montserrat Prous, Gustavo Re (The Fish with the Eyes of Gold)

Release Date: February 27th, 2024
Approximate Running Times: 82 Minutes 31 Seconds (Night of the Skull), 92 Minutes 8 Seconds (Violent Blood Bath), 84 Minutes 19 Seconds (The Fish with the Eyes of Gold)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Night of the Skull), 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Violent Blood Bath, The Fish with the Eyes of Gold)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Spanish (All Films), DTS-HD Mono English (Violent Blood Bath)
Subtitles: English (All Films), English SDH (Violent Blood Bath)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $54.98

"In the early 70s, while Italy led the charge in the production of gialli, its neighbor to the West, Spain, began churning out more and more of its own takes on the genre. With their uniquely Catalan flavor and casts, this trio of criminally-underseen Spanish gialli have all been newly restored in 4K from their 35mm camera negatives and are at last making their worldwide Blu-ray debuts from Vinegar Syndrome.

After Lord Archibald Marion is brutally murdered by an unknown assailant, the bitter and feuding members of his family gather at his large country mansion for a reading of the will. But their arrival is marked by a second grisly killing, that of Archibald's wife, which sets into motion an increasingly chilling series of deaths. One of only a handful of traditional gialli directed by Jess Franco (Venus in Furs), the improbably Louisiana-set, Night of the Skull (La noche de los asesinos) is a delightfully pulpy old-dark-house whodunit.

A notoriously harsh French judge, vacationing at a luxury resort, finds his holiday interrupted when a mysterious killer begins murdering those in and around the hotel. But what makes these killings all the more unsettling is that they're being carried out identically to the methods used by the judge's executed murderers. Offering a more subtextual narrative which leads to a memorably cynical and downbeat ending, Jorge Grau’s (The Blood Spattered Bride) Violent Blood Bath (Pena de muerte) is a uniquely thought-provoking entry in the annals of Spanish gialli.

Derek, a handsome young Englishman, has recently moved to a Spanish seaside town. A lothario, Derek is quick to begin seducing the local women, only for a murderer to start picking them off one by one. Despite his protests of innocence, the police conclude that Derek is a sex maniac and responsible for the crimes. However, could another individual be behind the heinous killings? Remaining thematically and structurally aligned with its Italian forebears, Pedro Luis Ramírez’ (School of Death) The Fish with the Eyes of Gold (El pez de los ojos de oro) is an engrossing, twist-filled coastal caper with plenty of murders and other macabre surprises." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5 (Night of the Skull), 4.5/5 (Violent Blood Bath, The Fish with the Eyes of Gold)

Here’s the information given about the transfers, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from their 35mm original camera negatives".

Night of the Skull comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.8 GB

Feature: 22.4 GB

Violent Blood Bath comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.2 GB

Feature: 26.6 GB

The Fish with the Eyes of Gold comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.1 GB

Feature: 22.9 GB

When it comes to colors, image clarity, and black levels, the three films are comparable quality-wise. Flesh tones look correct, colors look very good, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and all three films always look organic. That said, all three films have some source-related debris and other source imperfections. Night of the Skull has the most of these imperfections.

Audio: 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono Spanish - Night of the Skull), 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Spanish - Violent Blood Bath, Violent Blood Bath - DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono Spanish - The Fish with the Eyes of Gold)

Night of the Skull comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Spanish with removable English subtitles. Dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. That said, there are some sibilance issues that are most noticeable when it comes to the score.

Violent Blood Bath comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Spanish and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks are in good shape; dialog comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced; and ambient sounds are well represented. Included are removable English subtitles for the Spanish language track and removable English SDH for the English language track.

The Fish with the Eyes of Gold comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Spanish with removable English subtitles. The audio is in good shape, dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise things sound very good.

Extras:

Extras for Night of the Skull include an interview with actor Antonio Mayans (13 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles) and an interview with Sitges Festival director Ángel Sala (9 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles).

Extras for Violent Blood Bath include an interview with Carlos Grau, son of director Jorge Grau (20 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor José Lifante (11 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles) and an interview with Ángel Sala (9 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles).

Extras for The Fish with the Eyes of Gold include 5 Spanish Giallo Recommendations by Ángel Sala (2 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles) and an interview with Ángel Sala (14 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art and a spot gloss slipcover (limited to 5,000 units).

Summary:

Night of the Skull: Though Jess Franco’s films from the 1970s were known for their erotic content, every now and then he would make films that were more conventional. Case in point: Nigth of the Skull is a film that would see Jess Franco return to his Gothic horror roots. That said, Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cat and the Canary and an unnamed Edgar Wallace novel are two sources Jess Franco drew from for Night of the Skull.

The narrative revolves around a family who gathers for the reading of a will for their recently deceased patriarch.

After you have seen a good number of Jess Franco’s films, you start to notice recurring elements. And though Night of the Skull has a few of these elements, like his overreliance on zoom shots and a whipping scene that is reminiscent of his De Sade-influenced films, The result is a fairly straight-forward Gothic horror film that looks and feels like it could have been directed by anyone.

Besides Gothic horror elements, Night of the Skull at times feels like an Agatha Christie murder mystery. The bulk of the narrative is about the police and their investigation into the growing number of corpses. And when it comes to the kills, each one is different and inventive. When it comes to the kills, don’t expect gore; they are virtually bloodless.

The performances are best described as serviceable; there is no one performance that stands out, and the cast does have a few recognizable faces. Notably, Lina Romay was still in the early stages of her four-decade collaboration with Jess Franco. The cast also features Antonio Mayans (Cries of Pleasure), another frequent collaborator of Jess Franco.

When discussing the films of Jess Franco, there are generally two kinds of people: “those who love just about everything Jess Franco has done” and “those who think he is a talent-less hack." I would put myself in the first group of those who love just about everything he has done. I have seen 120 of his films to date, and I would say that I have enjoyed something about every one of them. Ultimately, Night of the Skull is a film that really never goes anywhere, and I can’t imagine anyone enjoying this film outside of Jess Franco completists.

Violent Blood Bath: Directed by Jorge Grau, whose other notable films are Blood Ceremony, The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue, and Hunting Ground.

The narrative revolves around a judge on vacation who starts to question his sanity when a series of murders happen that are identical to the cases he worked on.

Violent Blood Bath has an excellent premise about a judge known for his harsh punishments. The narrative explores how his judgments have weighed heavily on him; though he has sentenced many to death, they have committed heinous crimes and are most deserving of their verdicts.

Another area where Violent Blood Bath excels is the well-crafted narrative. Besides very effectively using flashbacks that provide insight into the people sentenced by the judge, the narrative also does a great job concealing who is committing the mimic killings.

When it comes to the performances, the cast is all very good, especially Fernando Rey (The French Connection) in the role of the judge. He delivers an exceptional performance that perfectly captures the essence of his character and their state of mind. Another performance of note is Marisa Mell (Danger: Diabolik) in the role of the judge’s much younger trophy wife.

Though there are a series of grisly murders, they all happen off-screen. Showing the aftermath of the carnage actually enhances these moments. That said, these moments are surprisingly strong, despite the lack of stylized onscreen kills.

Though Spanish and Italian thrillers of the 1970s have many similarities, Violent Blood Bath is a film that bears little connection to the Italian-made thrillers. In Violent Blood Bath, the protagonist's perspective and state of mind play a significant role since what unfolds is in the realm of the psychological instead of the visceral. Ultimately, Violent Blood Bath is a well-made psychological thriller that does a fantastic job of building momentum towards a twist finale that brings everything that preceded it into focus.

The Fish with the Eyes of Gold: Directed by Pedro L. Ramírez, who is most known for directing School of Death.

The narrative revolves around an Englishman who becomes the prime suspect while on holiday in a Spanish seaside town.

The Fish with the Eyes of Gold is a Spanish thriller that falls in line with Italian thrillers of the 1970s. The mystery of the killer and the murder set pieces are stylish and have a visceral tone. And another familiar trope of childhood trauma plays a significant role in The Fish with the Eyes of Gold.

One thing you can count on when watching an Italian thriller, and in this case, a Spanish thriller, is a violent kill that sets the narrative in motion. In the opening moments, someone wearing a diving suit savagely murders a woman on the beach. This scene does a superb job of setting the tone for what follows. Also, though there are clues to the killer's identity, the narrative does a good job concealing who the killer is.

When it comes to the performances, they are adequate; no one performance stands out. The most recognizable cast member is Montserrat Prous (Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac) in the role of a promiscuous woman who ends up being the killer's second victim. She makes the most out of her limited screen time. By far and away, the weakest performance is by Wal Davis (The Horrible Sexy Vampire) in the role of the protagonist. Ultimately, The Fish with the Eyes of Gold is a well-made Spanish thriller that has an ample amount of carnage, sleaze, and a few well-placed red herrings.

Spanish Blood Bath is another solid release from Vinegar Syndrome; each film comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras for each film, recommended.



























Written by Michael Den Boer

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Singapore Sling – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Greece, 1990
Director: Nikos Nikolaidis
Writer: Nikos Nikolaidis
Cast: Meredyth Herold, Michele Valley, Panos Thanassoulis

Release Date: March 26th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 111 Minutes 44 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Greek/English/French
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $44.98

"On a dark and stormy night, Mother and Daughter, a wealthy pair of psychopathic killers with a penchant for murdering their servants, happen upon a badly injured man, laying dying in the mud. Bringing him back to their opulent villa, they begin nursing him back to health; naming him Singapore Sling in the process. As soon as he is "well" enough, the twisted duo begin subjecting him to every manner of torture imaginable. But as each of them develop their own unique interest in their mysterious victim, a perverse love triangle begins to unfold, leading to shocking revelations..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative".

Singapore Sling comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.5 GB

Feature: 30.4 GB

The source looks excellent; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Greek, English, and French. There are no issues with distortion or background noise; the dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, this track sounds excellent. Included are removable English subtitles for Greek and French dialog and removable English SDH for all dialog.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with cinematographer Aris Stavrou (5 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Panos Thanassoulis (9 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Michele Valley (12 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Marie-Louise Bartholomew, wife of director Nikos Nikolaidis (11 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival documentary from 2011 exploring the work of director Nikos Nikolaidis titled Directing Hell (80 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Greek with removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, a spot gloss slipcover (limited to 5,000 units) and a 20-page booklet with an essay titled The Guts of Noir written by David Church.

Summary:

Looking for his long-lost love, Laura, a man ends up in the arms of the same woman who killed Laura.His captors are a mother-daughter team who use torture to get them off while having sex. They give the detective the nickname Singapore Sling. The women reenact right before his eyes their various murders, including the murder of his girlfriend Laura. Will Singapore Sling be able to escape before it becomes his turn to die?

Singapore Sling is without a doubt the most bizarre murder mystery ever committed to celluloid. The story shifts from conventional moments, which reveal the mysteries the detective seeks to uncover, to set pieces that are beyond description. There is vomiting and golden showers while having sex and gutting victims’ organs by organs that pop up at regular intervals throughout the 112 minutes.

While watching Singapore Sling, the time length does become a problem as things drag and scenes start to resemble scenes you have already seen. Then there is the acting, which is also unconventional, with characters breaking the fourth wall and talking into the camera. That said, the performances definitely veer into the realm of the over-the-top. Another thing about the characters that some might find off-putting is that the three characters each speak a different language: Greek, English, and French.

Fortunately, when it comes to the visuals, Singapore Sling delivers, and then some. Shot in striking black and white, the visuals have a film noir quality to them that works well within the confines of the story as it unfolds. Ultimately, Singapore Sling is a perfect blend of exploitation and avant-garde that is a must-see film if you are a fan of transgressive cinema.

Singapore Sling gets a definitive release from Vinegar Syndrome that comes with an exceptional documentary about the director Nikos Nikolaidis and a solid audio/video presentation. Highly recommended.








Written by Michael Den Boer

Saturday, March 23, 2024

The Bounty Hunter Trilogy: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Japan, 1969 (Killer's Mission, The Fort of Death), Japan, 1973 (Eight Men to Kill)
Directors: Shigehiro Ozawa (Killer's Mission, Eight Men to Kill), Eiichi Kudô (The Fort of Death)
Cast: Tomisaburo Wakayama (All Films), Yumiko Nogawa, Tomoko Mayama, Satoshi Tianjin, Gorô Mutsumi, Kenji Ushio, Eijirô Yanagi (Killer's Mission), Kanjûrô Arashi, Seizô Fukumoto, Gorô Ibuki, Asao Koike, Tomoko Mayama, Minoru Ôki (The Fort of Death), Shigeru Amachi, Takashi Ebata, Tatsuo Endô, Jûkei Fujioka, Ryûtarô Gomi, Noriko Maki, Manabu Morita, Taketoshi Naitô, Yutaka Nakamura, Minoru Ôki (Eight Men to Kill)

Release Date: March 25th, 2024 (UK), March 26th, 2024 (USA)
Approximate running times: 89 Minutes 28 Seconds (Killer's Mission), 97 Minutes 39 Seconds (The Fort of Death), 88 Minutes 2 Seconds (Eight Men to Kill)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese (All Films)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £34.99 (UK), $64.95 (USA)

"Before he made his name in 'Lone Wolf' and 'Cub' Tomisaburô Wakayama starred in this triptych of violent samurai spectacles that draw on James Bond and Spaghetti Westerns for inspiration yet feature the familiar style and blood-spattering action of the period.

In director Shigehiro Ozawa's (The Streetfighter) "Killer's Mission", Wakayama stars as Doctor (and spy-for-hire) Shikoro Ichibei, who is hired to prevent the sale of firearms to a hostile Shogun.

In Eiichi Kudo's (13 Assassins) follow-up, "The Fort of Death", Ichibei is hired on a Seven Samurai-style mission to protect a village of farmers from a ruthless Lord.

The final film sees Ozawa return for "Eight Men to Kill", in which Ichibei is hired to recover a cache of stolen gold from the government's mine. Featuring an array of weapons and gadgets that would make Q proud (with Ichibei supported by a band of helpers including fellow spies, Ronin and female ninjas), the Bounty Hunter films deliver action thrills galore and deserve to sit alongside the celebrated action epics that followed." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (Killer's Mission, The Fort of Death, Eight Men to Kill)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Each film in The Bounty Hunter Trilogy was transferred in High-Definition by Toei Company Ltd and supplied to Radiance Films as High-Definition digital masters."

Killer's Mission comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 30.7 GB

Feature: 26.3 GB

The Fort of Death and Eight Men to Kill comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.9 GB

Feature: 22.2 GB (The Fort of Death), 20 GB (Eight Men to Kill)

The sources used for these three films are all in excellent shape. Also, quality-wise, the three films look comparable. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look great, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and all three films retain an organic look.

Audio: 4.5/5 (Killer's Mission - LPCM Mono Japanese, The Fort of Death - LPCM Mono Japanese, Eight Men to Kill - LPCM Mono Japanese)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese, and each film comes with removable English subtitles. All of the audio tracks are in great shape; there are no issues with background hiss or distortion. Dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras on disc one include a theatrical trailer for Killer’s Mission (3 minutes 13 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an interview with film historian and Shigehiro Ozawa expert Akihito Ito about the filmmaker (15 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles) and an audio commentary with Tom Mes for Killer’s Mission.

Extras on disc two include an image gallery (17 images - posters/stills), a theatrical trailer for The Fort of Death (3 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), a theatrical trailer for Eight Men to Kill (3 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles) and a video essay on Eiichi Kudo by Japanese cinema expert Robin Gatto (18 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Japanese film clips). 

Other extras include reversible cover art, six postcards of artwork from the films, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings, and a 240-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information for each film, an essay titled So Many People Are Dead! Written by Alan Silver, an obituary of Eiichi Kudo written by Kinji Fukasaku titled Remembering Eiichi Kudo, an interview piece on Shigehiro Ozawa after his retirement from filmmaking titled “The Decline of Niinkyo Movies Changed My Life”, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Killer's Mission: Directed by Shigehiro Ozawa, who would also direct Eight Men to Kill. Notable films he directed are The Street Fighter Trilogy, The Defensive Power of Aikido, and Sister Street Fighter: Fifth Level Fist.

The narrative revolves around Shikoro Ichibei, a doctor who moonlights as a samurai for hire. He is hired to prevent an arms purchase by a rogue clan that plans on using the weapons against the shogun.

Killer's Mission was the first of three films that make up the Bounty Hunter Trilogy. The first two films, Killer's Mission and The Fort of Death, were made in quick succession, while the third film, Eight Men to Kill, was made four years later.

The thing that immediately grabs you while watching Killer's Mission and the two films that precede it is how different they are from other samurai films from that era. Though there are instances where guns play a role in samurai films, in The Bounty Hunter trilogy, guns and other modern artillery play as large of a role as swords do in a more traditional samurai film. Another thing that sets The Bounty Hunter trilogy apart from more traditional samurai films is the lack of a code of honor by most of its samurai characters.

Tomisaburo Wakayama (Lone Wolf and Cub), in the role of Shikoro Ichibei, is the heart and soul of the Bounty Hunter Trilogy. In this first installment, he delivers a phenomenal performance that perfectly introduces his character. Also, though his character proves time and again that he is more than capable when it comes to defending himself, the most surprising aspect of his performance is how effectively he uses humor. In one moment, his character pretends that he is blind, which serves as an inside joke since his brother Shintaro Katsu is most famous for portraying Zatoichi, a blind swordsman.

The influence of the Spaghetti western genre is something that makes the Bounty Hunter trilogy stand out from more traditional samurai films. When one considers that it was samurai films like Yojimbo that were used as templates for key Spaghetti western films like A Fistful of Dollars, the influence of the Spaghetti western on the Bounty Hunter trilogy is even more interesting.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where Killer’s Mission does not excel. The narrative does a fantastic job of balancing expositional moments and action sequences. Also, there are no issues with pacing as things move along briskly. And though Tomisaburo Wakayama dominates every moment he is in, the rest of the cast are all very good in their roles. Ultimately, Killer's Mission is a solid action film that fans of samurai films should thoroughly enjoy.

The Fort of Death: Directed by Eiichi Kudô, whose other notable films are 13 Assassins, The Great Killing, and Eleven Samurai.

The narrative revolves around oppressed villagers who hire Shikoro Ichibei in their fight against a ruthless lord who is overtaxing them.

Despite switching directors, this second installment in the Bounty Hunter trilogy still retains the same vibe and look as its predecessor. Also, influences play a role in The Fort of Death, as its premise bears a strong resemblance to that of the that of the Seven Samurai. This time around, Shikoro Ichibei is joined by other samurai who assist him in defending the villagers.

Also, more than any other film in the Bounty Hunter trilogy, modern weapons are front and center in The Fort of Death. Besides pistols and rifles, this time around Shikoro Ichibei unveils a secret weapon: the gatling gun. In response to Shikoro Ichibei’s weapon, his opponents use cannons. And when the gatling gun gets too hot, Shikoro Ichibei has another man piss on it to cool it down, making it a memorable moment.

Tomisaburo Wakayama (Sympathy for the Underdog), in the role of Shikoro Ichibei, delivers another exceptional scene-stealing performance. Also, The Fort of Death spends more time on Shikoro Ichibei’s life as a doctor than Killer's Mission. When it comes to the rest of the cast, they are all very good.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where The Fort of Death is lacking. The well-constructed narrative does a great job of balancing exposition and action sequences. Also, pacing is never an issue, as the narrative does a phenomenal job building momentum towards a bloody finale. When it comes to onscreen carnage, The Fort of Death, like its predecessor, has an ample amount of bloodshed and gruesome kills. Ultimately, The Fort of Death is an exemplary sequel that somehow betters its predecessor.

Eight Men to Kill: Directed by Shigehiro Ozawa, who would also direct Killer's Mission. Notable films he directed are The Street Fighter Trilogy, The Defensive Power of Aikido, and Sister Street Fighter: Fifth Level Fist.

The narrative revolves around a samurai named Shikoro Ichibei who is hired by the shogun to retrieve stolen gold.

Shigehiro Ozawa, who directed Killer’s Mission, returns for this third and final installment. Once again, the look and vibe of Eight Men to Kill are in line with their two predecessors. Also, the spaghetti western influence continues, and nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to the premise of stolen gold. Another connection is how Eight Men to Kill, like its predecessor, The Fort of Death, explores government corruption.

For the third time around, Tomisaburo Wakayama (Black Rain) returns in the role of Shikoro Ichibei. And once again, he delivers a performance that does not disappoint. Another performance of note is Shigeru Amachi (Jigoku) in the role of a samurai. When it comes to the rest of the cast, they are all very good in their roles.

Though there were bloody moments, carnage played a role in the first two films in the Bounty Hunter trilogy. Things are taken up a few notches with Eight Men to Kill, with severed limbs and decapitations. Also, when it comes to weaponry, just like its predecessors, Eight Men to Kill is not your traditional samurai film.

From a production standpoint, Eight Men to Kill is a film that fully exploits its resources. The well-executed narrative is filled with broken alliances and double and triple crosses. Also, pacing is never an issue, as things move along quickly. Ultimately, Eight Men to Kill serves as a perfect swan song for Shikoro Ichibei.

The Bounty Hunter Trilogy is an exceptional release from Radiance Films; all three films are given solid audio/video presentations and insightful extras, highly recommended.



























Written by Michael Den Boer

Spanish Blood Bath: Night of the Skull / Violent Blood Bath / The Fish with the Eyes of Gold – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray) Theatrical Release...