Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Disc:

Video (both):

Audio:

ON DVD (regions 2, 7, 8 - NTSC):
• King Hu 1932-1997, a 47-minute documentary on the director featuring interviews with colleagues, collaborators and historians (47:59)
• Golden Blood, a new video essay by critic and filmmaker David Cairns (17:37)
• 36-PAGE BOOKLET featuring Hu's director statement from the Cannes film festival a 1975 interview with King Hu by Tony Rayns; the original short story the film is based on; the eight characteristics of ''the swordswoman'' in King Hu's films; and archival images.

DVD of the film included

• Documentary from 2012 about director King Hu (47:59)
• New interviews with actors Hsu Feng (13:47) and Shih Chun (17:27)
• New interview with filmmaker Ang Lee (13:35)
• New interview with film scholar Tony Rayns (34:05)
• Trailer (1:41)
• PLUS: An essay by film scholar David Bordwell and notes by Hu from a 1975 Cannes Film Festival press kit

Bitrate:

 

 

 

The Film:

An influential martial arts film and an acknowledged influence on Ang Lee's amazing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, King Hu's A Touch of Zen opens with young scholar Ku Shen-chai working at his portraiture stand in a small frontier town. He lives with his nagging mother in a supposedly haunted, rundown house at the edge of the abandoned Ching Liu estate. One day, a stranger named Ou-Yang Yin asks for his picture to be painted, and then suddenly leaves. Soon, another stranger -- this time a beautiful woman named Yang Hui-Ching -- suddenly moves into the complex next door. The presence of these strangers has an increasingly unnerving effect on Ku, and he rightfully comes to believe that the entire town is involved in some bizarre political intrigue. After a night of passion between Ku and Yang, Ou-Yang Yin stages a surprise attack on the compound, which Yang surprisingly thwarts with dazzling aplomb. Yang reveals to him that her father was an honorable general executed due to the nefarious doings of the powerful Eunuch Wei. With the aid of General Shih and Lu (who pose as the town's blind beggar and herb vendor respectively), Yang was spirited away first to a monastery where she learned martial arts and then to Ku's remote corner of China. Ou-Yang Yin, Eunuch Wei's henchman, has in turn vowed to pursue her to the ends of the earth. As Ou-Yang Yin rallies Wei's army to the walled estate, Ku -- having spent a lifetime researching military history -- devises a brilliant strategy to crush the siege and win the heart of this most unusual woman.

Excerpt fromTimeOut located HERE

Image :    NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

A Touch of Zen is absolutely gorgeous on Blu-ray from The Masters of Cinema group in the UK.  The image quality shows a film-like thickness and colors are wonderfully realized via the 1080P. This 3-hour film is housed on a dual-layered Blu-ray with a very high bitrate. The film starts with this text screen:

It also state "The digital restoration of this film is solely sponsored by Ms. Hsu Feng". It is neither glossy nor unnaturally sharp but shows some depth and black levels are pristine and as impressive as the colors. I would guess the restored 2.35:1 may be the best its has looked since its original theatrical run. There is no visible damage, speckles or marks. This Blu-ray offers a rich, mesmerizing 1080P presentation. Exceptional in so many ways.

The Criterion is from the same restoration and starts with the same screen above. I can't see much difference via their dual-layered disc although the Criterion states that this is a "4K digital restoration" but it is less technically robust than the Master of Cinema transfer which has a higher bitrate (not sharing their BD disc with many extras). I watched the entire film again and it looked just as good on my 60" system. If there are differences they are small. Colors are supported well. In-motion I might give a small edge to the UK transfer.   

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

1) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The audio is transferred via a linear PCM 1.0 channel mono channel track at 1152 kbps. It is authentically flat and has a lot of the traditional music and whiplash-like action effects we hear in other Wuxia-style efforts. The score is by Ta Chiang Wu (Hu's earlier Dragon Inn) and Tai Kong Ng (his only film credit) and the high-end is, predictably, a bit weak (as we find in much of these particular gene films) but is suitable to the film with occasionally surprising depth. There are optional English subtitles and my Oppo has identified it as being a region 'B'-locked.

Ditto for the audio - Criterion duplicate with a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original Mandarin. It probably can't sound any better. There subtitle translation is slightly different (see sample above - slightly larger font too) and their Blu-ray disc is region 'A'-locked.

Extras :

The lone Blu-ray, as well as having the film, offers a select scene commentary (of almost 1.5 hours) by critic and Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns filling in some highly pertinent information regarding the production. It is as professional as all his work is. The only other extra on the Blu-ray is a trailer.

But there are two DVDs - one (dual-layered - regions 2, 7, 8 - NTSC) with further supplements. King Hu 1932-1997 is a 48-minute documentary on the director featuring interviews with colleagues, collaborators and historians - iconic praise for Hu - and it is very educational and worth indulging. Also on this DVD is Golden Blood, a new 17.5-minute video essay by critic and filmmaker David Cairns - and it too has fabulous value. A wonderful supplement in gaining background. The package has a second DVD of the film and has a 36-page liner notes booklet featuring Hu's director statement from the Cannes film festival a 1975 interview with King Hu by Tony Rayns; the original short story the film is based on; the eight characteristics of ''the swordswoman'' in King Hu's films; and archival images.

This may represent the biggest difference in the two Blu-ray packages. Criterion also include the, 48-minute, 2012 documentary about director King Hu but where the Masters of Cinema put in on the DVD (in SD), Criterion have it in 1080P sharing it on their dual-layered Blu-ray disc. Criterion add quite a bit more with new, self-produced, interviews with actors Hsu Feng (13:47) and Shih Chun (17:27), filmmaker Ang Lee (13:35) and an excellent 34-minutes with film scholar Tony Rayns. There is also a re-release trailer advertising 4K theatrical showings and the package has a liner notes booklet with an essay by film scholar David Bordwell and notes by Hu from a 1975 Cannes Film Festival press kit.

Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

 

Masters of Cinema - DVD

 

Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
A Touch of Zen is an amazing film - and has some gorgeous eye-candy. Its not only one of the best I have seen from this genre, but I could have taken 100s more screen captures. While the film is 3-hours, you really never want it to end. What a super release for Masters of Cinema to release on Blu-ray. The 1080P presentation, alone, is worth the price for this film but the package with extensive booklet, select-scene commentary and full DVD of, two impressive, video extras makes it wholly under-valued purchase. It has our very strongest recommendation!

Both packages are so impressive - as is the film experience. Both have immense value - Criterion, predictably, have alternate supplements and the a/v is jaw-dropping on both. I consider it another must-own and to buy the one best suited to your geographic region. I'm keeping a sealed copy on my shelf. This film represents the heights of this home theatre format, IMO.  

Gary Tooze

January 19th, 2016

June 16th, 2016

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