All four films were restored and approved by Melvin Van Peebles, and the gorgeously packaged box set also includes new conversations with Mario and film critic Elvis Mitchell, producers, and scholars. And that’s not it - there are documentaries and featurettes about Van Peebles, along with archival interviews from throughout his career, and three early short films. The man himself even introduces each of his works. He will truly be missed, but it feels like his influence isn’t going anywhere.įans of Hong Kong cinema should have one box set on their list, this six-disc release of one of the most popular series of films of the 1990s around the world. The movies that made Jet Li a star, the Once Upon a Time in China series bring China of the late-19th century to life with vivid period detail and mesmerizing action sequences.

These films not only elevated Jet Li to an international audience but the great Hong Kong New Wave auteur Tsui Hark. It starts with the 4K restoration of 1991’s Once Upon a Time in China, the first collaboration between Hark and Li, a gorgeous blend of modern action filmmaking and classic Chinese culture. Remember Legend? Tom Cruise was barely a star when Ridley Scott’s divisive fantasy epic was released way back in 1985.Įven Sammo Hung’s Once Upon a Time in China and America from 1997 is included in the set, which is loaded with special features like deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, archival interviews, and a new interview with Tsui Hark.įour sequels would follow - the first two have also been restored here in 4K, the final two in 2K, all presented with original Cantonese sound mixes. The wonderful people at Arrow have given this cult classic lavish treatment in a beautiful multi-disc package that allows fans to really see this film for the first time. And that’s somewhat literal because this edition includes several cuts of the film that emerged over an insane postproduction that forced Scott and his team to nip and tuck at the entire film.

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