Kung Fu DVD

Media Blasters has been carving a niche for themselves for years in the business of releasing foreign genre films and anime on Region 1 DVD. You can thank them for the likes of the awesome martial arts/swordsman DVDs like 7 GRANDMASTERS, ZATOICHI: THE BLIND SWORDSMAN, and SAMURAI REINCARNATION.Media Blasters recently announced their genre releases for 2006:

ZATOICHI TV SERIES VOLUME 1 - Katsu Productions bought the successful ZATOICHI franchise to Japanese television during the 1970s. Media Blasters rolls out the initial season to Region 1 DVD. This 2 disc edition features the first 5 episodes of the hit Shintaro Katsu series. Media Blasters is releasing the set in full frame format with the original Japanese language with English subtitles. The ZATOICHI TV SERIES VOLUME 1 is available now. ZATOICHI TV SERIES VOLUME 2, containing another 5 episodes of Season 1 is available January 31st.

Also in January, Media Blasters is releasing the 1973 Samurai effort, BAIAN THE ASSASSIN starring Ken Ogata (of SAMURAI REINCARNATION and SHOGUN's SHADOW fame) as the title character. The disc will include a 16x9 enhanced transfer in the original Japanese language with English subtitles.

In February, Media Blasters unveils the epic 1969 Samurai film, GOYOKIN starring the great Tetsuro Tamba and Tatsuya Nakadai. The disc will include a 16x9 enhanced transfer in the original Japanese language with English subtitles.

Media Blasters is also releasing many other worthy classic and modern genre flicks on their Tokyo Shock label over first quarter 2006, including:

ATRAGON (1961) - The classic Toho science fiction film.
SCORPION: BEAST STABLE (1973) - 1970's exploitation effort
SUBEKAN DEKKA: THE MOVIE (1987) - Japanese super hero film.
KEI REI: TERROR OF BEAUTY (2004) - Creepy sequel to JU ON
MAN BEHIND THE SCISSORS (2004) - Japanese giallo production.
ART OF THE DEVIL (2004) - Disturbing Thai horror.
EKO EKO AZARAK: COMPLETE COLLECTION - Japanese high school witches.
KEKKO KAMEN SURPRISE (2004) - More hallucinogenic Japanese horror
GARUDA (2004) - Thailand's answer to the GODZILLA series
DIECOVERY (2003) -Another disturbing Thai horror effort.

Crash Cinema's "Venom Mob" Releases for May 2006

But still more from the Crash Cinema/Venom Mobs camp. These three upcoming titles on May 2nd 2006 are part of their OLD SCHOOL KILLAZ Collection. These first two titles are advertised to be in "CrashScope". We have to wonder what that is all about (but we are guessing they won't be widescreen!). Anyway, click the link below to get the scoop on these three titles in the OLD SCHOOL KILLAZ collection:

As usual, all these Venom Mob titles will be from full frame, English dubbed, crappy prints. Word on the street is that Crash Cinema will be turning back to their high quality Crash Masters editions in the near future. Lets hope so.

Brentwood's CHINESE HERCULES in Widescreen!

This March 2006, Brentwood Entertainment is putting out several more budget KUNG FU THEATER double features. Most noteworthy is the double feature DVD containing CHINESE HERCULES and MANTIS FIST AND TIGER CLAWS. Brentwood promises that for the first time on home video, their CHINESE HERCULES print will be widescreen and presented with 16x9 anamorphic enhancement. This is good news because this means that somehow Brentwood is potentially looking into locating actual film prints for their releases. If sales go well for CHINESE HERCULES, perhaps BRENTWOOD will realize that there is an audience for these remastered martial arts classics on DVD beyond the DVD-R bootleg crowd.

Crash Cinema Update

Just like Media Blasters, Crash Cinema is branching out into other genres such as anime, horror, and independent films. They've went and changed the name of their company and even set up a brand new website here: WWW.CRASHMEDIAGROUPINC.COM. Of course Crash Cinema hasn't abandoned their core legion of martial arts fans either. They'll still be churning out Crash Masters and Venom Mob discs in 2006 and beyond. The company has also inked a new distribution deal with Koch Vision which should ensure high visibility of all their DVD products. Anyway, if you interested in a learning the next few Crash martial arts DVDs slated for March 2006, click here.

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