By Mark Pollard | Published December 19, 2009

Coming January 26, 2010 to DVD in the U.S. from Media Blasters is the licensed, remastered release of Chang Cheh’s bloody kung fu classic FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS (aka CHINESE SUPER NINJAS). According to HKFlix, Media Blasters’ DVD release will come with Mandarin and English audio tracks, a 105-minute running time, an interview with Lo Meng, stills gallery, and trailers.

When a quintet of nasty ninjas — hell-bent on world domination —nearly massacres an entire clan, its lone survivor must take the path of revenge. He meets up with an old master well-versed in the ways of the ninja. Now armed with secret knowledge and newfound friends, he must battle the awesome power of the Five Element Ninjas (gold, wood, fire, water, earth).

This 1982 Shaw Brothers production was the legendary martial arts filmmaker’s uniquely colorful and frenzied take on the ninja craze of the early 1980s. While not such a big hit in Hong Kong, it gained a large cult following overseas thanks to the film’s outrageous martial arts action and the past popularity of Chang’s similarly themed Venoms Mob films. Although only one Venom, Lo Meng, is present for this outing all of the distinctive Shaw Brothers house style and gruesome fighting excess that made films like THE FIVE VENOMS and TWO CHAMPIONS OF SHAOLIN international hits is present here.

Media Blasters was also supposed to release Chang Cheh’s Venoms flick THE KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM at the end of this month but it has been put on hold indefinitely apparently, hopefully to be rescheduled sometime next year.

Other Media Blasters titles to look for early next year include Blu-ray releases of Chang Cheh’s DEADLY DUO and Takashi Miike’s ICHI THE KILLER, pinku actioner LADY NINJA KASUMI: VOLUME 5, and Takashi Miike’s gangster movie LIKE A DRAGON.

Related Topics:
Chang Cheh  •  DVD  •  Five Elements Ninjas (1982)  •  Lo Meng  •  Media Blasters  •  Shaw Brothers  •  upcoming