Not too much going on in the Arrow Video streaming entries for September but it is noticeable for two new entries; firstly the Wicked Priest series - yes all five films - is hitting Blu-ray on the same day, but is also available for streaming. Secondly the Toy Robot release of A Man of Reason is streaming before the physical release. hits shelves, so you can try before you buy!
Wicked Priest
Most famous for his role as the stoic Ogami Itto in the legendary Lone Wolf and Cub series, Tomisaburo Wakayama shows a different side in the ebullient martial arts comedy series Wicked Priest, where a devout man of the cloth doesn't let a little thing like his vows keep him away from women, booze and brawls!
Wakayama plays Shinkai, a Buddhist monk with a penchant for drinking and gambling, setting sinners straight with judo throws rather than sermons. In the first film, he's placed on probation for fighting off a gang of thugs, but when he hears of rogue priests in his order consorting with yakuza, he returns to punch them towards enlightenment. The first sequel sees Shinkai run afoul of local mobsters who then hire his nemesis, the Zatoichi-inspired fighting monk Ryotatsu (Bunta Sugawara, Battles Without Honor and Humanity), hellbent on revenge against Shinkai for blinding him. In the third film, Shinkai joins the fight to defend a coastal village against pirate revolutionaries, whilst still finding the time for bawdy misadventures and fighting off the tenacious Ryotatsu. Shinkai returns to his snowy hometown for his mother's memorial in the fourth film and is shocked to discover his childhood friend has become a ruthless yakuza, and must encourage the local community to fight back against his gang. Finally, Shinkai must face off against the vengeful Ryotatsu one last time in the series' thrilling concluding installment.
Wakayama shines as the rascally Shinkai whose roguish ways attract the ire of his superiors before they're won over by his righteousness and affinity for roundhouse-kicking ruffians. A thrilling blend of raunchy humor and explosive karate fights, the Wicked Priest series is the nirvana of Japanese 60s action comedy!
A Man of Reason
A man looking to start a new life. A past that wants him dead.
After spending a decade in prison, former hitman Su-hyuk (Jung Woo-sung – THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD) learns he has a daughter and decides to take a chance at a normal life. His former mob boss, Eung-gook (Park Sung-woong – Netflix’s BLOODHOUNDS), feels betrayed and orders his right-hand man, Seong-joon (Kim Jun-han) to watch over the reformed hitman, who in turn hires two merciless assassins. Ruthless in their own brutal ways, the motorbike-bound killers quickly approach Soo-hyuk with deadly intentions.
The acclaimed directing debut of Korean superstar Jung Woo-sung, A MAN OF REASON is a fast-paced rollercoaster ride of action and mayhem.
