The American Genre Film Archive continues their mission to bring unseen curios to home video
For the unknowing, Turkish genre cinema is a delightful trove of batshit insanity. Much of it is inspired by, or often direct remakes of, popular American films (see Turkish Star Wars), a trend fueled by lax licensing laws. Of course they also produce their own original genre fare, albeit tinged with similar nuttiness. AGFA/Something Weird continue their mission to preserve and share the cinematic curios they find with their first release from this region, The Sword and the Claw.
Synopsis
They took his money. They took his family. And now, they’ve taken his hands. But they can never take his revenge! Exploding from the same hallucinogenic netherworld as TURKISH STAR WARS, THE SWORD AND THE CLAW stars Turkish genre legend Cüneyt Arkin in his most iconic role. It’s CONAN THE BARBARIAN meets The Three Stooges meets DOLEMITE with more lo-fi bloodshed, pop-art visuals, and bizarro dubbing than the boundaries of reality can handle. This is the movie that Kung-Fu Express described as, “Dirtiest fighting ever!”
The tale of The Sword and the Claw is a familiar one at its core. A king is assassinated, a tyrannical ruler seizes the throne, and the proper heir is squirreled away in secrecy to safety, eventually returning to take what is his and liberate the common folk. It’s the journey this man takes that brings the nuttier elements of Turkish cinema into play while feeling somewhat familiar at the same time. The boy is eventually taken in by a pride of lions and raised into a fearsome fighter, one that protects the innocents he comes across. So far so Jungle Book. But when he connects with the resistance, leading the rebellion against the tyrannical kingdom that should be his, he joins the cause and begins his quest, encountering a host of colorful characters that help or hinder the Lion Man along the way.
The film opens with a bang — a battle sequence that encapsulates much of what the film is all about. Crazy action sequences blend blood and humor, with a weird vibe wrought throughout. After this opening it introduces adventure elements, a quest for the lead and a land of dangers in front of him. The martial arts component is present throughout; it’s really akin to the Shaw Brothers taking on Tarzan. Turkish action legend Cüneyt Arkin brings plenty of energy as the fierce Lion Man while his counter, the malevolent Altar, is wonderfully brought to life by Cemil Sahbaz. There’s plenty of scenery chewing from all the cast to be honest, the effect enhanced by some (unintentionally?) rough English dubbing. In addition to the hammy acting, technical flaws and the cheapness of the sets are very much evident. But to the right viewer, it only adds to the charm. It’s in the final act that the film takes things up a notch, our hero having lost his hands to acid (yes), having them replaced by metal claws that ensure his lion pounce ability (yes that is also a thing) is all the more effective. This sentence pretty much sums up the appeal of The Sword and the Claw, a film packed with weirdness and gusto that never fails to entertain.
The Package
The release presents a new 4K transfer of the film, sourced from the only known 35mm print in existence. AGFA aims to preserve the natural look of the stock rather than try and overly process the image, and the film source is usually a worn rarity, so don’t expect a pristine transfer from their releases. The first 10 minutes or so show a LOT of speckling, as well as scratches and other damage. After this it does clear up somewhat. Colors hold a good vibrancy and detail is good. Special features include:
- New 4K scan from the only surviving 35mm theatrical print!
- Face-smashing action trailers from the AGFA vault! A selection of trailers for other bonkers genre fair.
- Bonus Movie: BRAWL BUSTERS, a new 2K scan from an original theatrical print! AGFA traditionally include a second “B-side” movie as an extra. Here it’s the 1978 Brawl Busters. As the title implies, it’s another martial arts film, with little in the way of plot but with some great action scenes and characters, notably a female assassin squad. The dubbing actually features American actors getting into the tone of the film pretty well too. A great compliment to the main feature.
- Reversible cover art with illustration by Alexis Ziritt (SPACE RIDERS)!
- ** Unlike the past AGFA releases, there are no liner notes included this time round, a shame as they’re always worth a read.
The Bottom Line
There’s a clunky charm to The Sword and the Claw, with cheap sets and some dubious acting balanced by an undeniable sense of adventure and some genuinely impressive and vibrant action sequences. It’s another odd treat from AGFA, and certainly their most entertaining release so far, backed up by a great set of extras that further burnish their niche Blu-ray cred.
The Sword and the Claw is available via MVD Entertainment from Jan 23rd, 2018.
About AGFA
The American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit located in Austin, Texas. AGFA exists to preserve the legacy of genre movies through collection, conservation, and distribution. Formed in 2009, AGFA focuses on outlaw exploitation movies that were produced from the 1960s through the 2000s. From manic hicksploitation epics to bloodthirsty shoestring goreblasts, each title in AGFA’s collection is a celebration of culture that should never be forgotten. Housing over six thousand 35mm film prints and trailers, our non-profit archive counts among its board members and advisors Alamo Drafthouse founders Tim and Karrie League, filmmakers Paul Thomas Anderson, Anna Biller, Frank Henenlotter, and Nicolas Winding Refn, musician RZA, exploitation film savior Lisa Petrucci, and genre film superheroes Zack Carlson, Kier-La Janisse, and Lars Nilsen.