ADDITION: Camera Obscura 4K UHD (August 2023): Camera Obscura have released Brian Trenchard-Smith + Jimmy Wang Yu's "The Man from Hong Kong" to 4K UHD. A dual-layered Blu-ray comes in the package with the film in 1080P and further supplements. The image quality itself is a product of source - which is not particularly nuanced. The image has inherent softness, surprising colors but, even in 2160P, is quit uninspiring on my system. It's one of those that probably will not look much better on digital than it does here with the thick textures - despite the HD presentation not being very dynamic overall. The 4K UHD marginally improves the Blu-ray visual quality while, basically, maintaining the same color scheme.   

It is likely that the monitor you are seeing this review is not an HDR-compatible display (High Dynamic Range) or Dolby Vision, where each pixel can be assigned with a wider and notably granular range of color and light. Our capture software if simulating the HDR (in a uniform manner) for standard monitors. This should make it easier for us to review more 4K UHD titles in the future and give you a decent idea of its attributes on your system. So our captures may not support the exact same colors (coolness of skin tones, brighter or darker hues etc.) as the 4K system at your home. But the framing, detail, grain texture support etc. are, generally, not effected by this simulation representation.

NOTE: 44 more more full resolution (3840 X 2160) 4K UHD captures, in lossless PNG format, for Patrons are available HERE

We have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages to date: One False Move, The Tall T (software uniformly simulated HDR), Cold Eyes of Fear (software uniformly simulated HDR), Rules of the Game (no HDR), The Manchurian Candidate (software uniformly simulated HDR), After Hours, Rain Man (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Changeling (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Night of the Hunter (software uniformly simulated HDR), 12 Angry Men (software uniformly simulated HDR), Branded to Kill (no HDR), Picnic at Hanging Rock (software uniformly simulated HDR), Two Orphan Vampires, The Shiver of the Vampires, Drowning By Number (software uniformly simulated HDR), Serpico (software uniformly simulated HDR), Cool Hand Luke (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Seventh Seal (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Maltese Falcon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mildred Pierce (software uniformly simulated HDR), Tár (software uniformly simulated HDR), Marathon Man (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dazed and Confused (software uniformly simulated HDR), Three Colors: Blue (software uniformly simulated HDR), Invaders From Mars (software uniformly simulated HDR), Death Wish (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (no HDR), High Plains Drifter (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mystery Men (software uniformly simulated HDR), Silent Running (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dressed to Kill (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Power of the Dog  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Escape From Alcatraz (software uniformly simulated HDR), I, the Jury (no HDR), Casablanca (software uniformly simulated HDR), In the Mood For Love (NO HDR applied to disc), The Werewolf vs. the Vampire Woman  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Blow Out (software uniformly simulated HDR), Night of the Living Dead (NO HDR applied to disc), Lost Highway (software uniformly simulated HDR), Videodrome (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Last Picture Show (software uniformly simulated HDR), It Happened One Night (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Mummy (1932)(software uniformly simulated HDR), Creature From the Black Lagoon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Bride of Frankenstein (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Amityville Horror  (software uniformly simulated HDR), The War of the Worlds (1953) (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Incredible Melting Man  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Event Horizon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Branded to Kill (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Killing (software uniformly simulated HDR), Killer's Kiss (software uniformly simulated HDR.)

On their 4K UHD, Camera Obscura use a linear PCM mono track (16-bit) in the original English language with an optional German-language DUB (and a second, 'alternative' English track.) "The Man From Hong Kong" is filled with various types of violence, action and explosions to hand-to-hand martial arts combat. They can punctuate scenes with rousing depth but the audio remains authentically flat. The score is credited to Noel Quinlan plus the 'theme' Sky High performed by Jigsaw, A Man Is A Man Is A Man sung by Deena Webster and Power sung by Peter Nelson. It rises above the meager video quality but adds drama to the intense action scenes. The disc offers optional German or English subtitles - and is, like all 4K UHD, region FREE, playable worldwide.

The Man From Hong Kong was Brian Trenchard-Smith's feature debut. He is akin to a poor "B" cousin to the machismo beauty of a Walter Hill.... with unapologetic style and less polished productions (read 'lower budget'.) I've enjoyed many of his films - notably the Ozploitation gem Turkey Shoot. But not this one - from the miscast George Lazenby to the hodge-podge of Hong Kong Martial Arts to an Australian Bond-resonating thriller. I did appreciate seeing Sammo Hung as a drug carrier early on, although the whole film just moves from extended fight sequences to extended fight sequences, explosions, car chases etc.. I'm probably being too hard on it - there were fun moments of excess. Camera Obscura's 4K UHD release of The Man From Hong Kong will appeal to Trenchard-Smith fans with a heavy dose of wayward 70's cinema nostalgia. It has the media-book appeal, commentary and plenty of supplements.  

Gary Tooze