In which a freedom fighter is crucified, imprisoned, blinded, and then - due to some unfortunate use of black magic - turned into a pig!
It’s time to get weird and wild, B-movie fans!
The Warrior Trilogy, starring Barry Prima, gets its blu-ray debut courtesy of Mondo Macabro’s limited edition release of all three films in the trilogy. With a shoestring budget and all sorts of horrible acting, these films pull off some amazing scenes of brutal WTF moments and some crazed kung-fu as a local warrior-freedom fighter Parmin (nicknamed Jaka Sembung) fights against the demanding Dutch colonial army in Java by any means necessary.
Want some sleazy black magic effects? Want to see an early attempt at an eye transplant or the resurrected dead searching for their own head? Look no further than with this collection of far out there and gone flicks. These low budget films - 1981’s The Warrior, 1983’s The Warrior Against Blind Swordsman, and 1985’s The Warrior vs. the Ninja - are completely out of their mind as they tackle a cheapo depo version of martial arts by way of Indonesia and bring to the silver screen the bloated heroics of a comic book character originally written by Djair.
Fantasy martial arts flicks rarely get this horrible . . . in a good way. This is low budget cinema at its worst and it is nonstop entertainment. The kind you laugh at hours after witnessing it.
To be clear, director Sisworo Gautama Putra knows the material well enough to never go into lengthy discussions about revolutions and so on. He gives the audience exactly what they want as a wrongfully-imprisoned freedom fighter breaks out - rather hilariously - and takes his cause to the street, beating up various members of the Dutch army, some hired goons, and a pagan magician, who brings an entire dead army to life in an effort to put an end to Parmin’s advance.
Okay, so yeah Barry Prima - who has gone on the record to disavow all the films he ever starred in - looks a little too westernized to be completely believable in the role but, truthfully, that’s part of the comical charm of these cult classics. The films are complete trash. But they will make you laugh . . . and there is the value in watching as Prima - and a dummy which looks a lot like him - gets launched straight into the air after getting punched in the face by the bull-killing muscles of a fire-breathing goon.
Completely ridiculous and over-the-top with its version of chop socky theatrics, The Warrior Trilogy is being released by Mondo Macabro and, as it is limited to only 1500 copies, may be already out of print.
Mondo Macabro Exclusive / Two-disc Slipcover Edition - Limited - 1,500 copies
Home Video Distributor: Mondo Macabro
Available on Blu-ray - June 20,2024
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles: English
Video: MPEG-4 AVC; 1080p
Audio: English or Indonesian audio options with English subtitles
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; two disc set
Region Encoding: Region Free
This outrageously entertaining fantasy flick stars 1980s action hero Barry Prima. He plays Jaka Sembung, a kind of Robin Hood figure who possesses mystical powers. As a figurehead for his country's rebellion against oppressive invaders, Jaka Sembung is captured, tortured and left for dead. But he returns, even more powerful than before. In desperation, the invaders resurrect an evil wizard and set him against Jaka Sembung in a fierce fight to the death. Packed with jaw-dropping action scenes and astonishing special effects, The Warrior Trilogy is the ultimate cult classic. These films are fully remastered and completely uncut.
Video
Look, these films never looked good. Be happy with what you get here. Framed in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, The Warrior films arrive on blu-ray thanks to a HD transfer from the best surviving elements of the film. Some colors pop while the black levels seem stronger than remembered, defining the edges of the shadows as men walk across the sand-swept streets and do some death-defying flips. The film is dominated with reds and greens. It’s a low budget film, for sure, but the simple backgrounds burst with new details and a nice level of clarity. Black levels are solid and skin tones are natural. This is, after all, a dark film. There are lots of night scenes; thankfully, the lines hold their edges. Shadows are defined and the film has a new depth previously unseen.
Audio
The 2.0 audio for each of the three films is presented in either English or Indonesian options.
Supplements:
Commentary:
- None
Special Features:
Not only do you get the three films in the trilogy, buyers also score the 2 disc set with slipcover and reversible inner sleeve featuring brand new art by Jolyon Yates, a 20 page color booklet with new writing on the films by Pete Tombs, and the following supplemental items
- HD transfer from the original negative
- New Interview with filmmaker Joko Anwar
- New Interview with SFX maestro EL Badrun
- New Interview with writer/assistant director Imam Tantowi
- Archive interview with Imam Tantowi
- Interview with producer Gope Samtani
- Trailers for The Warrior, The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman and The Warrior and the Ninja
Movie | ||
Video | ||
Audio | ||
Extras | ||
Composite Blu-ray Grade
|