Review by Michael Den Boer
Studio:
Theatrical: Shaw Brothers
Blu-ray: Well Go USA
Disc:
Region: 'A'
(as verified by the
Momitsu region FREE Blu-ray player)
Runtime: 1:32:16.998
Disc Size: 23,527,654,854 bytes
Feature Size: 22,451,925,056 bytes
Video Bitrate: 18.10 Mbps
Chapters: 10
Case: Standard Blu-ray case
Release date: April 27th, 2010
Video:
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Resolution:
1080i
/ 23.976 fps
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio:
LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps /
16-bit
LPCM Audio Chinese 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps /
16-bit
Subtitles:
English, Chinese, none
Extras:
• Trailers for Brave Archer and His Mate
(1:01; Letterboxed Widescreen), Holy Flame
of the Martial World (1:06; Letterboxed
Widescreen), Journey of the Doomed (1:03;
Letterboxed Widescreen).
The Film:
The plot revolves around a young man named
Wu Sung who is sent to prison after he kills
his adulteress sister in law and her lover.
Shortly after his arrival at Meng Chou, the
wardens son approaches Wu Sung with a chance
to regain his freedom. All he has to do is
remove the thug who now occupies the
warden's son's restaurant 'The Delightful
Forest'.
The Delightful Forest was co-directed by
Cheh Chang (The 5 Deadly Venoms) and Hsueh
Li Pao (The Battle Wizard). The Delightful
Forest is the second of four films in which
actor Lung Ti (A Better Tomorrow) would
portray the Wu Sung character. The other
three films are as follows, The Water
Margin, 7 Soldiers of Kung Fu and Tiger
Killer.
He gives a remarkable performance as Wu
Sung, who single handedly killed a tiger
with his bare hands. The Wu Sung character
is given plenty of obstacles to overcome
throughout the film and these moments are
where the film is at its best. Lung Ti's
most memorable moments include the scenes
leading up to his showdown with the thug
that now occupies 'The Delightful Forest'.
Along the way the Wu Sung drinks wine at
every inn that he passes. While most men
would be hampered by so much alcohol
consumption. Wu Sung somehow fights better
when he is inebriated.
The film's exceptional action sequences
where choreographed by Chia Yung Liu (He Has
Nothing But Kung Fu) and Chia-Liang Liu (The
36th Chamber of Shaolin). The film's stand
out action sequences is the bloody finale in
which Wu Sung takes on everyone who has done
him wrong. The score features music from
Ennio Morricone score for the film Once Upon
a Time in the West. Ultimately The
Delightful Forest is a solid martial arts
film that has languished in obscurity for
far too long.
Image:
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
Yet another interlaced transfer from Well Go
USA that is plagued by 'combing' which is
most noticeable during horizontal pan action
sequences. When compared to Well Go USA's
other Shaw Brothers Blu-ray's, Brothers Five
and The Heroic Ones. This transfer also only
offers a 'minimal' improvement over the
transfer for Well Go USA's DVD release. It
should be noted that I noticed a few
instances where the image pixilated. Well Go
USA is aware of this defect and have issued
this response.
It has come to our attention that The
Delightful Forest Blu-ray release, UPC
812491011126 is defective. The replicator
has tracked this to a glass master problem
and takes full responsibility for the
subsequent QC issue. We apologize for the
inconvenience this may have caused you.
Corrected discs are being replicated now and
will be available next week.
INSTRUCTION FOR REPLACEMENT:
1.) Return to original point of purchase.
IF consumer is UNABLE to return to original
point of purchase due to a sellers
Return/Exchange Policy, then proceed to the
following:
2.) Well Go USA will make replacement copies
available to consumers who cannot return to
original point of purchase. You can obtain a
new copy by sending in your defective (disc
and packaging) to the following:
ATTN: TDF - DEFECT
Well Go USA, Inc.
1601 E. Plano Pkwy. Ste 110
Plano, TX 75074
Please note that a new copy will not be
issued until we receive a defective disc
first. Include with your mailing:
Name
Address
Phone #
Email Address
For further inquires, email
info@wellgousa.com
Audio & Music:
This release comes with two audio options, a
Dolby Digital stereo mix in Mandarin and a
Dolby Digital stereo mix in English.
Removable English and Chinese subtitles have
been included. The two audio mixes are in
very good shape as dialog is always clear
and the action sequences sound robust. The
English subtitles don't appear to be 'Dub'
titles. Just like many of Well Go USA's
other Shaw Brother release, the subtitles
for this release have a few grammatical
errors.
Extras:
Extras are limited to three trailers Brave
Archer and His Mate, Holy Flame of the
Martial World and Journey of the Doomed. All
three trailers are presented in a
letterboxed widescreen, in Mandarin with no
English subtitles and in standard
definition.
Bottom line:
The Delightful Forest is yet another
disappointing Blu-ray release from Well Go
USA that fails to use the full potential of
the Blu-ray format.
Michael Den Boer
May 3rd, 2010
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