AN ETERNAL COMBAT is part of our Vinegar Syndrome Archive collection, celebrating forgotten cinematic oddities from the video store era. This collection was inspired by our own brick & mortar video stores, with locations in Bridgeport, CT; Aurora, CO and soon to come Toronto, ON!
Unique to this line, each hand numbered limited edition release will come fitted in a specially designed, bottom loading VHS inspired slipcase, while also including a double-sided poster.
These releases will ONLY be available on our website and at participating indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them. This slipcase edition (designed by Tony Stella) is strictly limited to 5,000 units and may (but probably not) be followed by a standard edition in the future.
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In late 15th century China, “The Master,” a Taoist priest, has been destined to fight the Japanese “Demon King;” a vengeful spirit who has power over the forest. The Demon King has fallen in love with a woman named Gigi and forces her to be his bride. As The Master begins his fateful battle with the Demon King, they’re unexpectedly thrust into a time vortex which transports them 500 years into the future to modern-day Hong Kong wherein they discover Gigi’s reincarnation, who is being terrorized by her vicious ex-boyfriend, Ben.
Skillfully blending fantasy and wuxia with touches of horror, Thomas Yip’s AN ETERNAL COMBAT is a thrilling and fast-paced rarity which stars Ching-Ying Lam (Mr. Vampire), Joey Wang (A Chinese Ghost Story), along with legendary character actor, Anthony Wong (Ebola Syndrome) playing the type of deranged psychotic for which he would become famous. Packed with thrilling sword fights, death-defying stunts, along with laser-shooting weaponry and black magic, Vinegar Syndrome Archive is delighted to present the Blu-ray debut of this Hong Kong hidden gem, presented in a new restoration.
Newly scanned & restored in 2K from its 35mm original camera negative
Presented in its original Cantonese language soundtrack with newly translated English subtitles, along with a Mandarin language dub track
"From Magic to Direction" (9 min) - a brand new interview with action director Benz Kong To-Hoi
A never-before-seen career-spanning archival interview with actor Anthony Wong conducted by Frédéric Ambroisine (13 min)
12-page booklet with an essay by John Charles
Reversible sleeve artwork
Newly translated English subtitles
Overall rating: 4.5299683 / 5 from 317 reviews.
AI Generated Review Summary
An Eternal Combat, a thrilling martial arts film from Vinegar Syndrome Archive, is celebrated for its excellent restoration, captivating fight scenes, and gorgeous artwork. Customers praise the fun, entertaining movie, exceptional acting, and fantastic VSA release, making it a must-have for collectors.
Summary topics
Entertainment Value (7%): It was noted by customers that the fun was great and they were very happy with their purchase.
Release Quality (8%): It was noted by customers that this release is fantastic and one of their favorite VSA releases.
Film Quality (12%): It was reported by customers that this movie is a great, entertaining, and fun martial arts movie.
Acting Quality (10%): It was noted by customers that the action in this movie is excellent and highly praised by many.
Picture Quality (6%): Customers expressed satisfaction with the picture, describing it as good, great, amazing, and all around good.
"Entertaining time travel movie, has some funny comedic scenes, I recommend this release." — David E.
"Restoration looks incredible, as do the special features and packaging. . ." — Conor T.
"There’s presentation looks fantastic, the artwork on the slip box is gorgeous." — james b.
Reviews
Good release.
"This is a great release and it's highly entertaining and enjoyable. The video quality is superb. A great portrayal of horror comedy line."
— Guillermo M. (5/5)
A Hong Kong Fantasy Unearthed: The Blu‑ray Resurrection of An Eternal Combat
"A supernatural romance‑action hybrid resurrected with boutique care. An Eternal Combat is a neon‑lit, wire‑assisted slice of early‑90s Hong Kong fantasy cinema—earnest, imaginative, and finally given the restoration it deserves. Essential for collectors who crave the magical, the melodramatic, and the defiantly analog."
— Shawn G. (5/5)
Amazing release for a not so amazing movie
"The good: incredible artwork by Tony Stella, great extras, packaging, booklet, picture quality, sound, etc. Everything you could want in a VS release is here. The not so good: this movie is just OK. Glad I have it in the collection but treading pretty close to "for HK completists only" territory I'm afraid."
— Todd H. (3/5)
An Eternal Combat
"Looks great with nice transfers and good performances in this hongkong epos about eternal combat. Good choice but not the best HK movie."
— Erik O. (3/5)
Anthony Wong is my favorite
"Anthony Wong is my favorite actor. I bought this fantasy martial arts movie starring Anthony Wong because of him. I can’t want to see how he portrays the plot in this video. 🙃"
— Miles M. (5/5)
A Delightfully Strange Hong Kong Fantasy Adventure
"An Eternal Combat is another example of Hong Kong cinema throwing seemingly incompatible genres together and somehow making the combination work. Martial arts, supernatural fantasy, comedy, and time travel all collide in a story that rarely stops long enough for you to question how ridiculous it has become. The shifts between ancient and modern settings provide plenty of opportunities for comedy, while the fantasy elements and action keep the movie moving at a brisk pace. The tonal changes can be abrupt, but that's also a large part of its personality. The practical effects and old-school fantasy imagery give the film considerable charm, especially for viewers who enjoy the anything-goes approach of late 80s and early 90s Hong Kong genre movies. Overall, An Eternal Combat is weird, energetic, and thoroughly entertaining for anyone willing to embrace its particular brand of cinematic chaos."
— Tim L. (5/5)
wuxia kitchen sink
"a proper weird, and proper delightful wuxia that's all over the place in a good way. goofy, gonzo, fun nearly wall to wall. excellent restoration and supplements."
— William M. (4/5)
Eternal awesome
"Awesome restoration, cover and film."
— Brett C. (5/5)
This movie is wild. It
"This movie is wild. It jumps all over the place from scene to scene. It's honestly kind of hard to follow the story, such as it is, so just enjoy the ride. I was hoping the special features or the included booklet would explain the heck I just watched, but they only talk about the making of the movie. The director apparently started out by doing magic tricks. If you already love this movie, you will not be disappointed by this release: great packaging, transfer, and special features."
— Michael O. (5/5)
Thomas Yip's 1991 wuxia horror
"Thomas Yip's 1991 wuxia horror mashup throws Ching-Ying Lam, Joey Wang, and a genuinely unhinged early Anthony Wong into a blender with sword fights, black magic, and laser weaponry, and somehow it all works. VSA's restoration is the first time this has been properly available outside of rough bootlegs, and it earns its place on any serious Hong Kong cinema shelf."
— Tristin B. (5/5)
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