Following the success of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Iron Monkey" was recently re-released in theaters.  BUENA VISTA has just released it on dvd and it's worth adding to one's collection. 

Set in China, during feudal times, "Iron Monkey" is the tale of a character similar to Zorro.  While peasants are being abused by an evil governor, a physician seeks to correct injustices through his alter ego, "The Iron Monkey".  What makes the story so entertaining is not just the great effects, but the characters. "The Iron Monkey" is assisted in his efforts by a father and son team of martial arts experts!  While its pacing is dramatically different than that of "Crouching Tiger" it's still equally as entertaining!  Many of the "flying" Kung-fu sequences are exciting to watch, and the film never drags.

The dvd offers the correct 1.85:1 ratio with 16:9 enhancement.  The image is sensational!  Colors are solid and fleshtones appear natural throughout!  Contrast is also excellent, with deep blacks and greys.

The audio mix offers both the original Chinese track and a horrible "english" dub.  Both are offered with dolby digital 5.1. This is an outstanding mix!  The rear speakers are abundant with atmospheric effects throughout the film, and dialogue is always intelligible.  The various fighting sounds are felt throughout all speakers at crucial moments, with great impact, and there's a surprising amount of LFE effects as well!

Tarantino offers some insight into this and Martial Art films in general during a brief supplementary interview.  There's also a very brief interview with the film's star.

As is typical with BUENA VISTA, there is an abundance of trailers included!