The Invincible (DVD – Eyecatcher Movies)

Jimmy Wang Yu’s THE INVINCIBLE, an obscure 1972 wuxia movie from Taiwan makes an appearance on DVD with English subtitles courtesy of German label Eyecatcher Movies. The anamorphic widescreen print is a Frankenstein’s monster of patched together source material but the effort was worth it. Collectors, Wang Yu fans and wuxia film enthusiasts now an option to see this movie in less than ideal yet entirely watchable condition given the alternative of watching nothing at all.

Image quality is very good for about 90 percent of the movie. The main source print must have been in good condition. There is only moderate degradation and print colors are still fairly strong. The remaining portion of the film is comprised of a second, lesser source print that has very low resolution. The two prints are spliced together well but the difference is noticeable in the extreme. That said, there isn’t too many places where it appears.

The original Mandarin audio source was apparently in worse shape. While what is present sounds decent for a 1972 mono track, it often cuts back to the German-dubbed that is also available on this release, presumably where audio was missing or damaged. It’s a little annoying at first but like the print patch job, it was professionally spliced and it’s possible to get used to it.

Bonus features are definitely geared towards collectors who will undoubtedly appreciate the trailers, alternate credits and sizable slideshow gallery or promotional pics.

Trailers – There are two German trailers for THE INVINCIBLE. I’ve never understood why all of the German-language trailers that the distributor puts on their martial arts releases have audio that sounds like it was recorded in a bathroom. There are also German trailers for EASTERN CONDORS and ROYAL WARRIORS, as well as an original Hong Kong trailer for DUEL TO THE DEATH.

Alternate Scenes – Alternate opening and end credits from a Korean version of the film are included.

Gallery – Lots of great photos here including original German and Chinese lobby card art, promotional stills, poster art, and behind-the-scenes pics.

Format: Region 0 PAL DVD
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
Audio: Mandarin 1.0, German 1.0
Subtitles: German, English
Length: 88 minutes
Release Date: 2009.09.20