The Film (4/5)

In the not so distant future (of the now pasted) 2015, an evil Demon Princess named Elzebu returns to Earth to wreak havoc and try once again to rule the world. She soon unleashes an army of Devil monsters and skeleton soldiers to start her dirty work. But she didn't count on Science Headquarters and their top-secret laboratory. There Professor Ying-Te (Hsieh Wang) turns one of his top agents Rayma (Danny Lee) into the Super human Inframan.

By the late sixties and the early seventies, Japanese styled sci-fi and Fantasy was at an all-time high. The new Television market in Japan was soon home To Tsuburaya Production's Ultraman and a whole host of Tokusatsu series. Due to their popularity in most markets in Asia, the famous Shaw Brothers studio decided to take their turn at this trend with SUPER INFRAMAN.

SUPER INFRAMAN (1975) is a fine example of a Martial Arts and Monster movie hybrid. It looks and feels like a mega budgeted episode of one the Ultraman or Kamen Rider shows. Even some of the score uses music from Tsuburaya 's Ultra Seven (1967). And it turns out that Shaw Brother's in-house style and aesthetic works perfectly for this type of film. At a brisk 87 minutes, every scene is filled with kinetic energy and Non-stop monster action. And it never once gets exhausting.

Director Hua Shan (KUNG FU ZOMBIE) fills the film to the gills with outlandish set pieces and a full use of the Shaw Scope widescreen image. Every aspect is enjoyable and helps the coolness of the piece. The suitmation, gadgets, the lab sets with flaks and Beakers of various bubbly liquids, and the mix of fooley work. The fight scenes are well choreographed by Chia Tang, and the effects by Michio Mikami add a special flavor with the smoke attacks and some of the wildest explosions caught on film.

As a fan of Tokusatsu series and the Godzilla Franchise I found the movie to be deeply rewarding. But just as an action film it's one of the zaniest experiences I've had in a while. A perfect Saturday afternoon flick with plenty of imagination.

Audio/Video (5/5)

The movie comes with two audio options. First up is the Mandarin LPCM 2.0 sound mix. The audio sounds like it was recorded yesterday. There Is no hiss or pops. The second sound mix is the English dubbed 2.0 LPCM Sound mix. There has been plenty of debate about how good some of these dub tracks are. But this one is well acted and sounds crisp. So, if you're feeling nostalgic about the Kung Fu Theater days, you're in for a treat. English subtitles are included.

The 1080p HD transfer is nothing short of remarkable! The colors are vivid, and the focus is razor sharp. The reds and blues are especially pleasing on the eye. There is almost no film grain and I couldn't see any digital noise. The amount of detail visible in every shot is outstanding. Textures of clothes can be seen just as clear as their flamboyant explosions.

Extras (2/5)

The disc itself comes with a production stills gallery. As for the package, it comes with reversible cover art that showcases the original poster, and a Booklet of liner notes with an Essay with Calum Waddell. The essay covers the INFRAMAN's place in kaiju movie history and goes more in-depth on the still current trend thanks to the 2014 GODZILLA and PACIFIC RIM.

Overall (4.5/5)

Fans of Tokusatsu action and The Shaw Brothers rejoice, this edition from 88 Films is the perfect upgrade for your collections. This special effect extravaganza has never looked better. Highly Recommended.