After the Manchu government sends soldiers to kill all of the Shaolin Monks, a young disciple named Fong Sai-Yuk flees with his master in order to avoid being captured and executed. While on the run, Fong meets a young prostitute named Dou Dou who tries to help Fong and his master hide from a ruthless Manchu General skilled with a flying guillotine. Unable to save his master, Fong and Dou Dou are both captured and sent to an underground work prison known as the Red Lotus Temple. Run by a sadistic warden named Kung, who has a penchant for torturing and decapitating his prisoners, the Red Lotus Temple is a booby trap riddled Hell from which no one can escape. Thrown into a pit full of corpses and left to die, Fong must rally the other prisoners to fight back against their evil captors if they have any hope of escaping a fate worse than death. However, Fong must first contend with a former Shaolin disciple turned traitor as well a mysterious masked female fighter in order to save Dou Dou and free himself.
A staggeringly violent martial arts epic, BURNING PARADISE is considered one of director Ringo Lam’s (City on Fire) best and most underrated films, as well as his only foray into the Wuxia genre. Produced in collaboration with visionary filmmaker Tsui Hark, BURNING PARADISE separates itself from other kung fu films of the time by incorporating dark fantasy elements and bloody fight choreography with a slick production value and bleak storyline. Vinegar Syndrome is proud to present this seldom seen gory martial arts shocker in its first English-friendly Blu-ray release, restored in 2K from the original camera negative.
directed by: Ringo Lam
starring: Willie Chi, John Ching, Yamson Domingo, Chun Lam, Carman Lee, Kuei Li, Quan Lin, Kam-Kong Wong, Xiqian Wu
1994 / 105 min / 1.85:1 / Cantonese Mono with English subtitles
Additional info:
- Region A Blu-ray
- Newly scanned & restored in 2K from its 35mm original camera negative
- Commentary track with film historian & author Samm Deighan
- “A Rare Confidant” (16 min) – a brand new interview with actor Wong Kam Kong
- Archival interview with Producer Tsui Hark (5 min)
- Video essay by filmmaker Chris O’Neill (20 min)
- Original theatrical trailer
- 12-page booklet with essay by martial arts film historian and author Grady Hendrix
- Inside sleeve artwork
- Newly translated English subtitles and SDH subtitles
