Eureka Blu-ray Synopsis: Directed by legendary action choreographer Yuen Woo Ping (The Matrix; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Dreadnaught expertly blends majestic action sequences with superb physical comedy, courtesy of stars Yuen Biao, Bryan Leung Kar Yan, and Yuen Shun Yee. A violent criminal known only as White Tiger (Yuen Shun Yee; Iron Monkey) is hiding amongst a theatre troupe, murdering anyone who discovers his identity (as well as anyone who happens to annoy him). Mousy, a timid laundry man (Yuen Biao; Project A), crosses paths with White Tiger several times but always manages to escape. When the killer instead targets his friend (Bryan 'Beardy' Leung; Warriors Two),Mousy must overcome his cowardly nature and acquire the skills necessary to defeat the White Tiger. Notable for being the final film in which Kwan Tak Hing portrayed folk hero Wong Fei Hung (and, oddly enough, for its famous laundry scene being directly referenced un Batman Forever), Dreadnaught is a cult favourite amongst martial arts fans, and Eureka Classics is proud to present the film from a brand new 2K restoration! (95 Mins)

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Hong Kong Legends DVD Synopsis: Action maestro Yuen Biao (Project A) stars opposite veteran star Kwan Tak Hing (75 years old and lethally fast), who reprises the role of the legendary Wong fei Hung in a wonderful mixture of breathtaking physical comedy and genuine chills. Biao is 'Mousy' and is every bit as shy and retiring as his name suggests but what he doesn't realise is that his sister has been secretly training him in Eagle Claw, which might just explain the inovative way he dries his laundry! It's also just as well as his encounter with the psychotic White Tiger (Yuen Shun Yi) could end his washing days for good! It takes the combined fight skills of Mousy, Wong Fei Hung and star student Ah Foon to take on White Tiger in a film that will delight fans of 'Drunken Master' and 'Snake In The Eagles Shadow'. (92 Mins)

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Made In Hong Kong VHS Synopsis: Yuen Shen is Tiger, a psychotic killer. The murder of his wife does not improve his mental state, but sends him on a death trip. Hell-bent on slaughter, he targets hapless laundry boy Mousey (former stuntman and choreographer par excellence Yuen Biao). Directed with customary genius by veteran Jackie Chan helmer Yuen Woo Ping, 'Dreadnaught' delivers matchless kick-ass sex-drenched kung fu action by the minute. (96 Mins)

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Views: The illustrious Wong Jing pens the story for this classic kung-fu comedy that sees Yuen Woo Ping return to the world of Wong Fei Hung for the fourth time as a director, with the wonderful Kwan Tak Hing reprising his role from The Magnificent Butcher from only a couple of years prior – his final role as the legendary hero after portraying him almost 100 times since the late 1940s. The incredible Yuen Biao plays Mousy, a timid laundry man who has some unfortunate clashes with a violent criminal called White Tiger. Hiding amongst a theatre troupe to avoid the law-men who seek him, White Tiger cripples and kills anyone who gets in his way with his anger often triggered by the sound of bells that remind him of his late wife. But after he kills Mousy's closest friend Ah Foon - a pupil of Wong Fei Hung - the scared fighter is forced to throw his fear aside and take-on the killer so that he can seek revenge!

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I love Dreadnaught! The first time I had ever seen anything from the film was in the early 90s documentary Deadliest Art: The Best Of Martial Arts Films, and incredible production that highlighted some of the finest moments from Hong Kong cinema to that point – most of which were produced by Golden Harvest. Dreadnaught always excited me as it highlighted scenes such as Fung Hak On's killer tailor measuring up Wong Fei Hung, Yuen Shun Yi's attack on Leung Kar Yan while dressed as the two-faced ghost, and Yuen Biao's incredibly skilful way of doing laundry – a scene that would later be re-worked for Chris O'Donnell as Robin in Batman Forever. In the late 90s, Dreadnaught got a wonderful VHS release in the UK courtesy of Made In Hong Kong, followed by DVD release almost a decade later by Hong Kong Legends. But my latest addition is on Blu-ray from Eureka Video that presents this classic flick in a wonderful 2K restoration, giving me the best viewing experience I have ever had of this film to date. Having made his directorial debut with the incredibly popular Snake In The Eagles Shadow just a few years before, Yuen Woo Ping offered up something a little different with Dreadnaught from all the other titles he had directed beforehand. It was clear that he had a love for Wong Fei Hung themed films, although it would be over a decade later from this before he would return to direct the character in the awesome Iron Monkey and underrated Hero Among Heroes. Of course, over the same period Woo Ping would lend his talents as an action-choreographer for films such as Last Hero In China and the ever-popular Once Upon A Time In China series that still involved Wong Fei Hung. I always felt that Dreadnaught was very similar in tone to Jackie Chan's amazing kung-fu comedy, The Young Master, a film that was made just a year before and featured a number of Dreadnaught co-stars including Yuen Biao, Lily Li, Fung Hak On, Fan Mei Sheng, and others. And while Woo Ping opts to lessen the kung-fu action for a more atmospheric piece (offering up scenes of tension more akin to that of a slasher flick), he still manages to provide a hugely entertaining piece that is still as entertaining today as it was over 40 years ago.

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Yuen Biao is just amazing as Mousy, the scared-but-very-athletic laundry boy. Although he doesn't get to take part in a lot of kung-fu action, fans are still treated to an amazing display of physicality and comic acting by the young star. Having started as a child-actor alongside his brothers Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung (along with a number of other stars from the Peking Opera School), Biao went on to appear in over 50 films before getting his big break in Sammo Hung's fantastic Knockabout. From Fist Of Fury and The Valiant Ones to The Magic Blade, The Man From Hong Kong and Hand Of Death to Enter The Fat Dragon, it was clear that the little dragon had something special which was very quickly recognised by fans of Hong Kong cinema after his roles in the aforementioned Knockabout, The Magnificent Butcher, The Young Master, and this – as well as his outstanding performance in the epic Prodigal Son which also came out in 1981. Biao is joined once again by the wonderful Leung Kar Yan after the pair shared the screen in Sammo Hung's brilliant Enter The Fat Dragon and Knockabout, as well as Warriors Two that saw Yuen Biao in a smaller bit-part. Kar Yan plays Ah Foon, one of Wong Fei Hung's most respected students and the character that Yuen Biao plays in Once Upon A Time In China. Of course, Kar Yan does a fantastic job once again – getting to bust a move more than once which is always a treat to watch. But for me, it has to be Yuen Shun Yi who steals the show as the psychotic White Tiger. Having joined the film industry with his brothers in the later 1960s – all of whom were following in their famed father's footsteps – Shun Yi appeared in well over 100 films before gaining bigger roles after his brother (Woo Ping) took to directing. A bit-part in Drunken Master was followed by the lead role in its unofficial 'official' sequel Dance Of The Drunk Mantis, with roles in films such as Six Directions Boxing, The Buddhist Fist, and Two Toothless Tigers, following. As White Tiger, Shun Yi gets to go wild and delivers a brilliant performance of a martial-maniac who is happy to destroy anything or anyone in his path – even ripping the heads of live chickens when they fly in his face. It's also worth noting that the lovely Yuen Qiu – who made a return to the industry after playing the role of the landlady in Kung Fu Hustle – appears as his wife before she is killed by the very cops that want to take them in. They are joined by the aforementioned Kwan Tak Hing as Wong Fei Hung, the awesome Philip Ko Fei as Tam King in yet another villainous role, Lily Li as Yuen Biao's sister who has been secretly training him in Eagle Claw kung-fu, Fan Mei Sheng as Marshal Pao – backed by his team of cops which include Brandy Yuen, Yuen Cheung Yan,and Yue Tau Wan, and the brilliant Fung Hak On who plays the killer tailor hired to get rid of Wong Fei Hung (a scene that I have always loved). Jackie Chan Stunt Team member Danny Chow plays Gorgeous Koon, the leading man of the theatre troupe and popular actor San Kuai appears as a poorly fighter who opts to give Wong Fei Hung a bit of bother for a quick fix.

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As with the majority of Yuen Woo Ping's self directed flicks, he is joined by his brothers in front of and behind the camera with the Yuen Clan handling the films action-choreography. While Dreadnaught was still an early production from their filmography, the team had already highly impressed the world with their work on Jackie Chan's Snake In The Eagles Shadow and Drunken Master, Dance Of The Drunk Mantis, The Magnificent Butcher, and The Buddhist Fist – all of which still sit as genuine classics of Hong Kong cinema today. In Dreadnaught, the Yuen Clan deliver an interesting mix of martial arts action from the wonderfully choreographed kung-fu fights of Wong Fei Hung to the brutal moves and attacks of White Tiger – but it works, with many of the fight scenes being hailed as some of Woo Ping's finest work which gives his audience plenty of great moments to remember, including an inventive lion dance and brutal finale that allows Yuen Biao to let loose as he faces-off against the psychotic White Tiger. All-in-all, Dreadnaught is a classic slice of Hong Kong cinema that is still as entertaining today as it was when I first saw it – blending highly inventive kung-fu action with a 70s-style slasher flick that highly entertains!

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Overall: Brilliantly directed and hugely entertaining, Dreadnaught is a fantastic entry to the filmography of Wong Fei Hung that should be seen by any fan of Hong Kong cinema!

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Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 2 K Restoration, Audio Commentary with Mike Leeder & Arne Venema, Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng & Michael Worth, Archival Interview with Lily Li, Trailers

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Hong Kong Legends DVD Extras: Who Is Wong Fei Hung Featurette, Interview with Lily Li, Trailers

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Watch my unboxing video of the Eureka Video release HERE