MCBASTARD'S MAUSOLEUM: FURIOUS (1984) (Visual Vengeance Collector's Edition Blu-ray Review + Screenshots)

FURIOUS (1984)

Visual Vengeance Collector's Edition

Label: Visual Vengeance

Region Code: Region-Free

Rating: Unrated

Duration: 71 Minutes 49 Seconds

Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.78:1)

Director: Tom Sartori, Tim Everitt

Cast: Simon Rheel Phillip Rheel Arlene Montanol Mika Elkan, Howard Jackson

The cult martial arts flick Furious (1984) features the fierce Kung Fu master Simon (Simon Rhee, Showdown in Little Tokyo) who sets out to avenge the death of his sister Kim (Arlene Montano, L.A. Streetfighters), who at the start of the film we see perused and killed after a chase through mountainous terrain, the killer apparently after her enchanted tusk. This seems like it's set in ancient times, but we then find out after the brother Simon is introduced, who is running a martial arts school in a modern city center that it is current day 1984, where he lives in a treehouse. The quest for vengeance is a bit meandering to be honest, by the end of the film that elements is a bit lost, but along the way he is aided by the mysterious Master Chan (Phillip Rhee, Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave) while the evil Mika the karate sorcerer (Mika Elkan) attempts to thwart him by stealing a mystical amulet with super-charged mystical power.

The threat becomes a bit of a world-ending scenario involving alien karate wizards, a giant dragon's head, a DEVO-esque new wave clone band, mystical animals including a talking pig - there's a little bit of everything here. This z-grade no-budget production is a highly enjoyable mix of bizarre bat-shit mystical shenanigans and martial arts bad-assery, throwing in horror elements and some fun lo-fi camera tricks and ropey special effects that keep things entertaining if a bit hard to fully comprehend at times. In the extras you glean that it was largely shot without a script, and it shows, but it's fun and when the fight choreography kicks in it's pretty terrific.

Audio/Video: Furious (1984) arrives on region-free Blu-ray from Wild Eye Entertainment's SOV specialty sub-label Visual Vengeance looking about as good a the tape-source elements can, framed in 1.78:1 widescreen, in 1080i. It's looks like a VHS, it's soft and smeary looking, fine detail and textures are vague, and it's murky, but colors generally look good, and it's never less that watchable. It's not HD perfection, pretty far from it, but for connoisseurs of 80's SOV oddities who live for this sort of lo-fi DIY action-flick there's plenty to appreciate about his presentation. Audio comes by way of English 2.0 stereo Dolby Digital with optional English subtitles. Much like the video presentation the audio side of things is lo-fi but totally watchable, the dialogue, sound effects, and the surf music soundtrack all fare well in the mix, just don't expect it to be hi-fi perfection, it ain't.

We get a massive array of extras for this one, even by the usual standard of VV this is excessive in the best possible way. We get an Archival Audio Commentary with co-director Tim Everitt who touches on everything from locations, the in-camera effects, the cast, the new wave band, the Rhee Brothers martial arts choreography, post-production and so much more. We also get a brand new Audio Commentary with Justin Decloux of The Important Cinema Club and Peter Kuplowsky of the Toronto International Film Festival who talk about their experience screening the film in Canada, talking about their love of the flick, and pointing out those who went onto bigger careers.

We also get a the 53-min High Kicking In Hollywood: Co-director Tom Sartori Interview, the 54-min The Kung Fu Kid: Co-director Tim Everitt Interview; and the 21-min North American No-Budget Martial Arts Cinema Primer, which is spirited and enthusiastic, offering up a zero-budget martial arts cinema primer that I loved, some of the flicks mentioned include The Deadly Art Of Survival, Death Promise, The Instructor, Treasure Of The Ninja, and plenty more, highly recommended. Decloux shows up again for the 11-min Rhee Brothers Career Overview - Justin Decloux Video Essay, tracking the brothers career from no-budget flicks to huge Hollywood productions.

There's also a 29-min Archival Scarecrow Video Podcast with Tim Everitt (2013); the silent 3-min Furious New Wave Band - Behind The Scenes Super 8 Footage, plus the 15-min Scorched Earth Policy: Full Six Song EP (1987) that plays over footage and still of the band, as well as the 21-min

Cinema Face: Live in Concert (1986) featuring a vintage VHS taping of a live gig. We also get the 12-minute

Tom Sartori 1980s Music Video Reel featuring three music videos by M.D. Hall performing "Stop It", the song "High Life" by an unknown band, plus "Amway" by Mercury Blue - none of which I've ever heard of and I am pretty sure never made it to MTV. Additionally there's the 22-min of Tom Sartori Super 8 Short Films Reel featuring short films Allegiance, Bum Doubt, and Hong Kong Flew. Th first of which is presented without sound, a Civil War era short, followed by a day-in-the-life of a city bum, and a shaky travelogue of a trio to Hong Kong. Disc extras re finished up with two vintage Furious Trailers and a new cut Visual Vengeance Trailer for the film, plus a selection of Visual Vengeance Trailers for Born a Ninja, Commando the Ninja, Kung Fu Rascals, and The Nine Demons.

As usual Visual Vengeance do not skimp on the packaging ephemera. The single-disc release arrives in a clear keepcase with a Reversible Wrap featuring the original VHS artwork, plus a Limited Edition Slipcover with its own unique artwork by The Dude, which is limited to the first-pressing only. Inside there's a 2-Sided Insert with alternate artwork, a synopsis and credits, plus a Folded Mini-Poster featuring a reproduction of the original one-sheet movie poster, a 'Stick your own' VHS Sticker Sheet, plus a Limited Edition Throwing Star Key Tag.

Special Features:

- New SD master from original tape elements

- Archival Audio Commentary with co-director Tim Everitt

- Audio Commentary with Justin Decloux of The Important Cinema Club and Peter Kuplowsky of the Toronto International Film Festival

- High Kicking In Hollywood: Co-director Tom Sartori Interview (53:16)

- The Kung Fu Kid: Co-director Tim Everitt Interview (53:35)

- North American No-Budget Martial Arts Cinema Primer - Justin Decloux Video Essay (21:18)

- Rhee Brothers Career Overview - Justin Decloux Video Essay (10:30)

- Archival Scarecrow Video Podcast with Tim Everitt (2013) (29:29)

- Furious New Wave Band - Behind The Scenes Super 8 Footage (2:55)

- Scorched Earth Policy: Full Six Song EP (1987) (14:30)

- Cinema Face: Live in Concert (1986) (20:42)