Sakuran - 88 Films

As usual with the stuff I get from 88 Films, I had never heard of Sakuran, but the cover alone intrigued me. I knew I was in for something, at the very least, visually impressive. Sakuran, the debut film from photographer Mika Ninagawa, is more than just visuals. It captures the life of a sex worker in a compelling and realistic manner.

First off, I am not a fan of movies about sex workers. They tend to make for a tough watch, highlighting the struggle of such a life. I just don’t need a movie to make that point for me; I think it’s an inherent fact of that world. But with Sakuran, which follows the journey of Kiyoha from initially being sold to a brothel to rising up to oiran, it’s more complicated than that.

The easy route for Sakuran would be to present the world of 18th century Japanese courtesans as visually beautiful but with a dark underside. There is a bit of that, to be sure, but there’s more nuance than just “pretty things can hide darkness.” It’s best portrayed in the film in the goldfish metaphor. Kiyoha, after attempting to run away, is told that a goldfish can stay within the bowl and be beautiful. If it leaves the bowl, it could die, and even if it can escape the bowl and make it to a river, it will grow into an ugly carp. For this time period, this metaphor perfectly captures the chances a beautiful woman in Japan has. 

Kiyoha can stay in her bowl at the brothel and exert quite a bit of power as an oiran (she would have a say in who her clients are, for instance). She could live in a beautiful world, even if it is also a bit of a prison. Or she could chance the outside world, which will undoubtedly be uglier, at least on the surface level, than her life in the brothel. Typically in a movie like this you immediately want the main character to get away from this life, but Sakuran makes it a more interesting question. 

There’s not much more to say beyond that. If you’re like me, and this was completely unknown to you, then it is very much worth checking out. It isn’t the depressing watch you might imagine, and the colorful world created by Ninagawa is mesmerizing at times.

Transfer and Special Features

88 Films has quickly become one of my favorite distributors. First, the films always look great. Second, the cases and cover art are always interesting, and they don’t stick with a set style. This release doesn’t have the slip cover that I’ve come to love, but it’s fine without it because the cover art is so arresting. 

As for the special features, there’s a commentary and a featurette from Amber T. of Fangoria that gets into the history of the film and the inevitable comparisons to Memoirs of a Geisha. There is also a beautiful booklet included with an article that gives extensive background of the world of the film that is immensely helpful for ignorant viewers like myself.

Duel to the Death - 88 Films

As I’ve been watching more and more releases from 88 Films, I’ve come to expect that they are purveyors of underseen classic Asian films. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve seen so far, but Duel to the Death (out now) is the first film that I’m shocked isn’t more well-known.

Duel to the Death is a fairly simple story about a duel between Japanese and Chinese martial artists. Of course, there is plenty of treachery and ninja chaos along the way. There is a theme of honor throughout, but let’s face it, this is all about the fight choreography. 

Duel contains some of the best sword fights and ninja attacks I’ve ever seen. Looking back on the phenomenon of Crouching Tiger in 2000, it’s crazy that Duel, which came out seventeen years earlier (!), isn’t considered as ground-breaking. This is nothing against Crouching Tiger, a movie I love, but it’s maddening to think this movie has been out all this time, and I’m just now seeing it. 

This is why I love reviewing physical media. It gives me a chance to see movies I didn’t even know existed. And for fans much more in the know than me, 88 Films provides a great presentation for a film previously only available as a bootleg or shitty YouTube upload. To see a film like this get the 88 Films treatment is fantastic. 

It’s hard to sell just how amazing the choreography is in this film aside from just telling people to watch it, but I’ll try. The wirework is phenomenal as long as you give the Crouching Tiger benefit of the doubt that everyone can basically fly in this world. 

Flying around looks great and all, but the sword fights are the standout. Too often, even great sword fights in film look too planned out. But when it’s done well, it looks like the combatants are actually trying to kill each other. Throughout the film, I kept wondering how many actual on-set accidents and injuries occurred because it seems impossible that the performers could be that good. Maybe I’m gushing a bit too much here, but when you watch enough martial arts stuff, you get excited when you see it done so masterfully. 

But it’s the ninja stuff that puts this over the top for me. As a man-child, I’ve always dug ninjas, but they’re usually more enjoyable as a concept than in practice. And let’s face it: the Ninja Turtles are ninjas in name only; they are the loudest anthropomorphic mutant ninja turtles of all time. Jokes aside, ninjas are often just bodies for the heroes to unleash violence upon, but in Duel to the Death they feel truly overwhelming. 

Part of the overwhelming nature is the quick cut editing during their attacks and the sheer number of them, but it’s also in their methods. Ninjas blow themselves up, form into giants, use silent hang-gliders, morph into naked ladies, throw shuriken faster than machine guns, etc. The sound effects are perfect, as well, from the wooshing of swords and fabric as they flip through the air, and the soft patter as a drove of them infiltrate a fortress. They are truly a feast for the senses, and I found myself grinning through most of their scenes because it’s exactly what I want from ninjas on film.

That’s the case for the entire film. This is simply what I want from an excellent martial arts film: simplicity, a running time under ninety minutes, compelling swordplay, explosive ninjas, a bit of gore and dismemberment but not so much it becomes a joke, recurring musical motifs, and excellent sound effects. If you’re like me, and you’ve never even heard of Duel to the Death and you like all the elements I’ve mentioned, then check this out immediately. If you’re already a fan, then you need to order this excellent release now.

Transfer and Special Features

As I watched bits of the film from the aforementioned YouTube upload as I wrote this (I don’t have the Blu-ray handy), it really made the case for what 88 Films does. Sure, it’s still a fun movie, but the upload is awful, from the dub to the general look of the film. This new Blu-ray looks incredible, and you have multiple options for the languages. I prefer the original to the dub, but it’s nice to have the option.

There are a few interviews included as well as a doc on wirework that are worth checking out.

There is also a collectible book with multiple articles included that I found very informative, especially since I’m so new to this genre. You’ll come away with plenty of recommendations from it. 

And there’s all the stuff that’s expected from 88 Films, like the reversible cover and the best cardboard slipcovers in the business.

Random Thoughts

I love the way the dudes who attacked the puppeteer are handled. The daughter makes the widow an unwitting accomplice in vengeance. She seemed upset about this, but I bet when she looks back on it she will appreciate being included in killing her husband’s murderers.

Not to make everything about Star Wars, but I couldn't help but think about lightsaber duels while watching this. Regardless of any issues I or anyone else may have had with the sequel trilogy, I can't imagine anyone was blown away with the use of lightsabers in the trilogy (the throne room sequence was pretty good, but I sincerely have no strong memories of any other fights from the three films). If sword fights could look this good over forty years ago, then why can't it be replicated today? Why aren't better choreographers being hired for high profile series? I just don't get it.

The ninjas are so fucking brutal in this. They were planning on halving the daughter from the crotch up at one point. Fucking animals.

This was a great movie to watch right after revisiting Kill Bill. I love that film, but it’s nice to see some of the shit Tarantino undoubtedly “borrowed” from films like this.

She Shoots Straight - 88 Films

Thanks to 88 Films, my Hong Kong cinema education continues with She Shoots Straight (or Lethal Lady, according to the English credits special feature), available on 2/24/26. This female-driven action film from director Cory Yuen surprised me throughout, not just with great stunt work and action, but also with an insanely tragic dinner scene in the middle of the film. Films like this always deal with loss since a lot of them are revenge-driven, but in On the Run (another recent Hong Kong release from 88 Films) death is dealt with an acceptable coldness. There’s an attempt at that here, but the film instead dwells on the loss for a moment before jumping back into the action.

I imagine most people interested in this film are simply wanting a blu-ray version of a film they’ve enjoyed for years, but if not, here’s your SPOILER warning. Although the plot summary on the back of the case spoiled it for me, so I guess it’s fair game. I was just surprised by how long it takes for the major death to occur in the film. 

She Shoots Straight begins as an in-law drama as Inspector Mina marries Inspector Huang Tsung-Pao, and it’s clear that his sisters, who are also all cops, do not approve. This, of course, causes plenty of awkwardness at work, with the sisters primarily concerned that Mina is overshadowing Tsung-Pao. After his death at the hands of a kill-crazy Vietnamese gang, Mina and her in-laws put aside their differences for revenge. Having a common enemy is always a good way to bring people together.

Normally, a film about getting along with in-laws would bore me, but adding martial arts and gunplay made things much more interesting. The gun violence was okay, though a little light in the squib department for my taste, but the stuntwork is amazing. Most scenes are downright acrobatic. The action alone makes this worth watching.

The family drama provided an emotional depth that I usually find lacking in films like this, however. The standout scene is when Mina and Chai-Ling have to attend Mother Huang’s birthday dinner, and they decide to pretend Tsang-Pao is still alive until after the dinner. This is fucking insane, of course, but it makes for a dramatically-rich sequence in which the sister and sister-in-law struggle to maintain their composure, creating a fever pitch that ends in agony when the death is revealed. 

The fact that the film is female-driven is most likely why this scene is included whereas a male-driven revenge film typically doesn’t dwell too long in misery. But the female aspect is treated more matter-of-fact than a novelty. There is no question of any of the sisters’ ability as police officers, and they seem more capable than Tsung-Pao. Instead, the characters have made peace with the male-driven world they live in. Tsung-Pao is kind of worshipped by all of them since he’s the only son, and the need for Mina to become pregnant is given importance because of this, as well. 

Mina is only pregnant because Tsung-Pao poked holes in a condom, which is fucking wild. But I guess it’s a good thing he did? In any other movie, that act would be seen as a betrayal, not as a “good thing he did that” moment. Although, I don’t know how Mina could still be pregnant by the end of the film. Pregnant women aren’t supposed to ride roller coasters or jump on trampolines; they don’t even warn women about not chasing after gang members on a motorbike or getting into extended martial arts battles because it’s a given that you shouldn’t do those things while pregnant. But I’ll suspend my disbelief and assume the baby is just fine after all that.

Despite that narrative distraction, She Shoots Straight worked for me on every level. I look forward to continuing my journey though Hong Kong cinema, especially if there are more films like this out there.

Special Features and Transfer

As always, I’m no expert on the transfer stuff, but it looked great to me, and I thought the infrared sequences looked especially good. I feel safe claiming this is the best this film has ever looked.

There’s an interview with the screenwriter that provides some insight into Hong Kong cinema in general at the time. 

And this might seem trivial, but 88 Films make the best slipcovers. In the past, I’ve just thrown most slipcovers away. But as I’ve gotten more into collecting, they’ve been a nice addition to a release, but they are usually flimsy and pointless. Their slipcovers are much more sturdy than most, and I would be disappointed without them.

There’s also an audio commentary with Asian cinema expert Frank Djeng.

It has both the original Cantonese and English dub (I only watched the Cantonese version). 

And there’s reversible cover art.