Blu Tuesday is a weekly column where we review the newest Blu-ray and 4K releases, along with a brief rundown of the included bonus material, to determine whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping.
Pick of the Week: “The Killer”
When the Hong Kong Cinema Classics label was first announced, two titles were at the top of everyone’s mind: “Hard Boiled” and “The Killer,” the John Woo-directed films that have long divided fans over which is the best. For my money, “Hard Boiled” is Woo’s magnum opus, but this 1989 action-thriller isn’t too far behind thanks to some fantastic set pieces and yet another great performance from Chow Yun-Fat, who at this point was already a big star in Hong Kong. While both movies share many of the same traits, “The Killer” is a more poignant entry in the heroic bloodshed genre that explores its themes of honor, sacrifice and loyalty in ways that hit deeper emotionally. It’s probably the most serious film in Woo’s career, though it’s not without the stylistic hallmarks that made him one of the most influential action directors of the ’80s and ’90s, resulting in a movie that has as much violence as it does heart.
Extras include a pair of new audio commentaries (one by Woo and film journalist Drew Tayler, and the other by author David West), as well as the previously released commentary track from the Criterion Collection; the new feature-length documentary “The History of Heroic Bloodshed”; new interviews with Woo, producer Terence Chang and editor David Wu; deleted scenes; and a 50-page collector’s booklet with four essays. FINAL VERDICT: BUY
Also Out This Week:
“His Girl Friday” (4K) — Howard Hawks’ 1940 screwball comedy, “His Girl Friday,” is arguably one of the best films of its era, but it’s difficult to ignore how problematic and outdated the movie is by today’s standards, particularly Cary Grant’s grossly misogynistic newspaper editor. Though played by the ever-charming Grant, the character is an awful human being whose manipulation and overall treatment of Rosalind Russell’s headstrong reporter sours what is otherwise a really amusing film. The rapid-fire dialogue is a dizzying yet hilarious delight, while Russell’s turn is so memorable that it stands among the best female comedy performances in cinema history. It’s just a shame that the movie as a whole hasn’t aged quite as well, because although “His Girl Friday” is very much deserving of the Criterion treatment, its inclusion comes with a giant asterisk. Extras include an interview with film scholar David Bordwell; archival interviews with Hawks about making the movie; a 1940 radio adaptation of the film; a 4K restoration of director Lewis Milestone’s 1931 film, “The Front Page”; essays on “His Girl Friday” and “The Front Page” by film critics Farran Smith Nehme and Michael Sragow; and much more. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
