THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE (1975)
aka Jin san jiao
Label: Dark Force Entertainment
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 94 Minutes 51 Seconds
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 (No Subtitles)
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.35:1)
Director: Rome Bunnag
Cast: Lo Lieh, Sombat Metanee, Feng Tien, Ni Tien
The Golden Triangle (1975), directed by Rome Bunnag (Kun pi), is a bad-ass Hong Kong/Thailand co-production about an undercover Interpol agent who infiltrates a powerful opium syndicate operating in Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle. It starts off with Peter Wong (Lo Lieh, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin), a smooth Chinese drug dealer operating out of Bangkok, when he is discovered by the authorities, which leads to an encounter with an attractive woman, who helps him cross the border into Burma where he joins a drug cartel operated by the vicious drug-smuggler Lo Han (Tien Feng, Fist of Fury). We then meet Chat (Sombat Methanee, The Kung Fu Brothers), another outlaw on the run, who joins an opium syndicate controlled by the beautiful and enigmatic Hong Song Wu (Tanny Tien Ni, Crocodile, Corpse Mania), becoming an enforcer for her crime family, who are in direct competition with Lo Han.
This flick is front-loaded with bad-ass action, while it's light on any actual kung fu it makes up for it in just straight-up action set pieces, with no shortage of gun battle, fisticuffs, dirt bike getaways, some terrific car chase carnage, and a wild finale that features our hero taking out the baddie by launching a car into a speedboat. this is really quite an entertaining and action-packed crime thriller set against a backdrop of the international opium drug trade, and it looks like it was quite a production there are what look like hundred of extras during a couple of scenes, the action is well-staged and kinetic, and the cast is pretty terrific, particularly Lo Lieh as the charismatic and smooth Peter Wong. I also liked that the film gives some sympathies to opium-grower Hong Song Wu, who explains that opium is the only way that the people in the territory can earn a living, that it is not they who turn poppies into opium for the drug-trade, but the Westerners. On top of that the film is gorgeously shot by Yung-Lung Wang (Five Fingers of Death), giving the film an at times epic tinge, with action scenes that get your blood pumping, shot with a kinetic editing style and just over the shoulder POV energy that had me giddy from start to finish.
Audio/Video: The Golden Triangle (1974) makes it's HD debut on a region-free Blu-ray from Dark Force Entertainment in 1080p HD widescreen (2.35:1), advertised as being sourced from the only known existing 35mm print that is the most uncut version available with new color correction. I thought it looked pretty terrific, there are certainly flaws and blemishes throughout with speckles, tears, digs and photochemical staining, but the colors generally look quite excellent, black are strong, it just has a fun grindhouse patine to it. Audio comes by way English DTS-HD MA 2.0 with Optional English Subtitles. The dubbed English dialogue sounds fine, as does the pretty great score, there are some occasional clicks and pops, the higher registers can get shrill, but it's quite serviceable.
There are no extras, no subtitle, just a stitic meni with the option to play. The single-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork featuring the original illustrated movie poster.
Special Features:
- None
Screenshots from the Dark Force Entertainment Blu-ray:
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