Import Corner: Iceman Cometh: Limited Edition (88 Films) Blu-ray Review + 1080p Screenshots + Packaging Shots

88 Films brings the very interesting Iceman Cometh to blu-ray with all the bells and whistles that we have come to expect from the label and we take a look at it.

Studio: 88 Films
Release Date: August 18th, 1989 (theatrical) / December 19, 2022 (blu-ray)

Run Time: 1 hour 54 minutes 40 seconds (HK version) / 2 hours 7 minutes 1 second (Tawainese version)

Region Code: B (locked)
Picture: 1080p (1.85:1 aspect ratio)

Sound: Cantonese LPCM 2.0, English LPCM 2.0, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (HK version) / Mandarin LPCM 2.0, Cantonese / Mandarin hybrid LPCM 2.0, English / Mandarin hybrid LPCM 2.0 (Taiwanese version)
Subtitles: English
Slipcover: Hard slip box only on the Limited Edition version
Digital Copy: No
Starring: Yuen Biao, Maggie Cheung, Yuen Wah, Tai Po, Elvis Tsui, Corey Yuen, Stanley Fung
Written by Johnny Mak, Stephen Shiu
Directed by Clarence Fok
Rating: BBFC: 15 (contains strong violence)

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Poster

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What's It About?

When 16th-century Ming guard Fong Sau-ching (Yuen Baio) sets out to capture vicious rapist Feng San (Yuen Wah) both men end up falling into a glacier to be frozen in time. Thawed out by scientists over 300 years later, the confused guard must learn to cope with the modern world and continue in his quest to vanquish his opponent.

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Video/Audio

ICEMAN COMETH comes to courtesy of 88 Films. They have given the film a brand new 2K restoration and the results are great. There is nice layer of grain, with it getting heavy at times, which leads to a decent amount of detail throughout. Colors and skin tones look accurate and true. Blacks are deep and inky and the film retains that Hong Kong look (smokey interiors, slightly washed out exteriors) extremely well.

There are three tracks for your listening pleasure. The first track is the original Cantonese which sounds great. The classic English dub with trigger people's nostalgia while the new English dub is something to avoid entirely.

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Extras/Packaging

Audio Commentary with Kenneth Brorsson and Phil Gillon of the Podcast on Fire Network

Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng and FJ De Santo

On Thin Ice - Clearence Fox on Iceman Cometh (24m 46s, HD, 1.78:1)

The Icing on the Cake - Tony Rayns on The Iceman Cometh (22m 28s, HD, 1.78:1)

Cold as Ice - David West on The Iceman Cometh (19m 43s, HD, 1.78:1)

"Warrior Prince" - An Interview with actor Yuen Biao (10m 23s, SD, 1.78:1)

"Nemesis" - An Interview with actor Yuen Wah (14m 6s, SD, 1.78:1)

"The Time Warriors" Opening and Closing Credits (2m 50s, HD, 1.85:1)

Before / After VFX Comparison (5m 25s, HD, 1.85:1)

Hong Kong Cantonese Trailer (3m 30s, HD, 1.85:1)

International English "Time Warriors" Trailer (2m 4s, SD, 1.85:1)

Yuen Biao Action Showcase (silent) (2m 21s, HD, 1.85:1)

Disc 2 contains no special features

If ever you wanted to learn everything about ICEMAN COMETH then you have to pick this set up. The two commentary track start things off rather nicely with two different perspectives on display here with the commentators provided us a healthy amount of behind the scenes information while also giving us their thoughts on the film, its stars, and the filmmakers.

There are three brand new features here with an interview with the film's director Clerance Fok who gives us a ton of behind the scenes stories and whatnot. The retrospective with Tony Rayns is the best feature on the set as he gives us a ton of info about the film but he also gives us info about other films from the people who made ICEMAN COMETH. The David West feature is a nice feature that gives us tons of info about the film. Some of these features do contain similar information but it never gets overbearing. The older interviews with Yuen Biao and Yuen Wah are fun. We also get to see the TIME WARRIORS opening and closing credits which is nice. The second best feature comes in the form of a before and after comparison of the film's VFX.

88 Films has given ICEMAN COMETH the royal treatment. This release comes in the same kind of hard box 88 Films has used on a lot of their releases including SNAKE AND CRANE ARTS OF SHAOLIN, DRAGONS FOREVER 4K, and RIGHTING WRONGS. The artwork, Sean Longmore, who did the artwork for 88 Films' releases including TIGER CAGE I-III, THE SEVENTH CURSE, and the upcoming IN THE LINE OF DUTY boxset. The artwork is gorgeous and fits the film very well. Inside the hard box are a double wide, blu-ray that houses six postcards that feature the lobby cards used during the film's release. Also in the case are the two blu-ray discs, one for the Hong Kong version of the film and the special features while the second disc houses the extended Tawainese version of the film. The artwork on the discs come from the hard box artwork. The blu-ray case also features the Sean Longmore artwork on one side and the film's original theatrical poster along with the TIME WARRIORS artwork on the back.

Also in the hard box is a 72-page booklet featuring an essay by Matthew Edwards along with poster art, lobby cards, and shots from the film. There is also a double-sided poster featuring the Sean Longmore art on one side and the film's original theatrical poster on the other side. I wish that 88 Films had put the TIME WARRIORS poster art on the poster instead of the Sean Longmore art as that artwork is featured all throughout the set while the TIME WARRIORS artwork features twice. It would have been nice but doesn't hamper the set at all.

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Overall

ICEMAN COMETH is a decent flick. The film is a fish out of water film like MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE, BEASTMASTER 2: THROUGH THE PORTAL OF TIME, and ENCINO MAN. This was a trend that was previlant in the late 80s and early 90s and ICEMAN COMETH is the lessor of those films. The beginning and ending fight scenes are fantastic, and there are a few fight scenes sprinkled throughout but the stuff in the middle is kind of boring. The one saving grace for the middle section is Maggic Cheung, who is a powerhouse here is turned into a damsel in distress in the second half of the film which is something I really hated. There is also an out of place rape that happens in the middle of the film. Sure, we don't really see it, but it turns the film sour for a bit. I didn't like ICEMAN COMETH but you might.

This release is really nice. We have great picture and sound and the special features are fun. The packaging is great, as usual and this is an all around beautiful set. Highly recommend despite me not liking the film.

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Extras/Menus