By Not even a single day has passed since my last news post about a Kung Fu film getting a 4K release and we’re now talking about another. On 88 Films’ Instagram account, the boutique label has announced that Jet Li’s classic Fist of Legend will receive a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release this May. While it will be a UK-only edition, all 4K discs are region-free.
As you can see from the embedded post, there isn’t much Kung Fu coming in May. The only other notable Hong Kong movie is CJ7, Stephen Chow’s directorial effort following Kung Fu Hustle and the final film he would star in. It wasn’t well received back in the day and its reputation hasn’t improved much. Still, it could prove an interesting watch with a commentary track or some insight special features.
The rest of 88 Films’ line-up includes other golden oldies such as The Body Stealers, Hannie Caulder, Shout at the Devil, and Man of Violence. I am very surprised that these films are getting individual DVD releases, but people do still buy that format. DVDs don’t look especially good being upscaled to 4K, but not everyone has made the jump to the UHD format.
If you haven’t seen Fist of Legend, though, just buy the film. This 4K release is bound to be the definitive version, but you can currently find an old Blu-Ray from 2011 on Amazon for $26. It’s an okay remaster and good enough for those on the fence.
[Source] Instagram