Vinegar Syndrome 4K UHD Blu-ray Synopsis: In 1957, after nuclear war with the Russian, America has become a post-apocalyptic wasteland where Rockabilly reigns supreme and Elvis is the true King. 40 years later, the King has fallen and society needs a new leader. Buddy, a katana wielding guitarist, travels to the city of Lost Vegas where he is determined to prove himself as the new King of Rock and Roll. On his journey, Buddy is confronted by a murderous array of musical outlaws including cannibals, Russians, and even Death himself. Buddy must use both his music and martial arts skills in order to defeat his foes, but his biggest challenge comes in the form of a young orphan boy who won't leave his side after being rescued from bandits. Will the boy be Buddy's downfall or his salvation..? A midnight movie sensation of the late 90s, Lance Mungia's Six-String Samurai is a wild blend of samurai film, spaghetti western, and post-apocalyptic road film, all mixed with a cool 1950s Rockabilly vibe. Written by and starring trained martial artist Jeffery Falcon and featuring an original score by the cult band The Red Elvises, Vinegar Syndrome is delighted to bring Six String Samurai to Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD for the first time, newly restored from its 35mm original camera negative and featuring a wide array of newly produced extras, including an extended making-of documentary! (91 Mins)

 

Views: Jeff Falcon's Six String Samurai had somewhat slipped into obscurity since its release over 20 years ago, which is odd considering how much excitement it made during its screening at the 1998 Slamdance Film Festival where it bagged the awards for Best Editing and Best Cinematography – and rightfully so, as the film delivers some epic looking shots. The film was also praised by most of the influential film magazines, websites and critics on its time of release and went on to gain a small cult following after a limited theatrical release and has only just seen the light of day on Blu-ray and 4K courtesy of Vinegar Syndrome. The post-apocalyptic martial-arts musical is set in an alternate late 1990's where, in 1957, the Russians attacked the United States with their nuclear weapons that saw the majority of the land destroyed. With most of the government collapsed, the only safe place left to go is to the futuristic city of Lost Vegas – a safe haven that has been tortured forever by The Red Army and ruled by King Elvis. But 40 years later, King Elvis is now dead and Vegas needs a new King! Enter Buddy, a quick-witted fast-kicking swordsman who has been travelling the wastelands with his trusty guitar – kicking ass and plucking strings. On his journey, Buddy saves a young boy from a gang of bandits who quickly latches onto the hero and becomes the closest thing he has to family. At the same time, Death has been tracking him down, killing off other musicians across the land with the help of his bandmates – determined to get his hands on Buddy's guitar. Battling cannibals, mutants, deadly gangs, fellow musicians, and the Red Army, Buddy and his little sidekick make their biggest journey of their lives in order to reach Lost Vegas!

 

I first saw Six String Samurai about a year after its release when I lived in Toronto, but on my return to Northern Ireland I found it quite tricky to find a copy. Obviously the internet made that possible, but my point is that this slick little indie-flick just didn't seem to have had the wider release it so bloody deserved. The film was written by director Lance Mungia and leading man Jeff Falcon, with the latter also working overtime as the action-choreographer, costume designer, and co-producer. It's clear that both of them had a strong love for music and movies, as there are many highlighted throughout this fun comic-book story with its blend of Mad Max, The Warriors, Lone Wolf & Cub, The Wizard Of Oz, and any amount of classic kung-fu or spaghetti-western classics - most notable with its distorted opening that confused many projectionists over the years. And while Six String Samurai may not be for everyone, it does make for a fun watch and offers up some gorgeous cinematography, slick editing, and an enjoyable soundtrack by Brian Tyler and the Red Elvises, which just adds to the many homages to US musical legends that include Buddy Holly (the main hero) and Slash from Guns N' Roses (Death). As an independent film director of 7 features, I have always supported and championed indie film-makers from around the world – something that is quite evident with my annual film festival which I launched in 2009 – and after watching the extensive interviews about the making-of Six String Samurai on this Vinegar Syndrome release, I can understand the challenges, fun, struggles, and excitement of making such a film. But I also get the frustration involved when your film doesn't attract the audience you want; especially when you have poured so much blood, sweat and tears into it, which is why I really love and appreciate what Vinegar Syndrome have done with this release – allowing Lance Mungia and his production team the chance to reach a whole new audience with a gorgeously restored film.

 

With inspiration from Akira Kurosawa, Sergio Leone, George Miller, Federico Fellini and any amount of Shaw Brothers films, Six String Samurai has a lot more going for it than it first appears. Watching the making of documentary and listening to the audio commentary on this release really lets the viewer understand the passion and ideas behind the project, which is why I found it strange that director Lance Mungia hasn't went on to do anything quite as exciting. It would be a good 7 years later before Mungia would make his second feature film, which came in the form of the poorly received sequel, The Crow: Wicked Prayer, which starred Edward Furlong, David Boreanaz, Tara Reid, and Dennis Hopper – although he hasn't really done much since. While the same could be said for most of the first time crew involved, the biggest mystery has to be that of the disappearance of star Jeff Falcon soon after the films release...

 

The American wushu wonder-boy first came to the attention of film fans when he started working in the Hong Kong film industry in the late 1980s, starring alongside some of the greats such as Cynthia Rothrock, Yukari Oshima, Sandra Ng, Lam Ching Ying, and Frankie Chan. With scene stealing appearances in The Inspector Wears Skirts 1 & 2, Burning Ambition, Outlaw Brothers, Blonde Fury, and Prince Of The Sun, as well as roles in Operation Pink Squad, Way Of The Lady Kickboxers, Caged Beauties, and the hilarious Oh! Yes Sir! with Frankie Chan, Jeff was always one of the most impressive Westerners to appear in Hong Kong films and was always a pleasure to watch in action. With Six String Samurai, the plan was to launch Jeff as a new action hero – leaving the persona of the gwailo villain, I guess – and giving him his first major starring role as the leading man. Honestly, and as much as it may lack the showdowns against some Hong Kong action legends, this has to be one of the greatest roles of his career allowing Jeff to express himself as an artist, an actor, and action-choreographer. Falcon nails the role of Buddy perfectly, oozing a coolness and charm that really should have elevated him into something bigger. While there are many fight scenes that owe more to Ashes Of Time than anything else, Jeff gets to show some incredible moves a number of times, blending his wonderful kicks with plenty of fast swordplay that is sure to keep any fan of Hong Kong cinema happy. Unfortunately, it seems that the world just wasn't ready for him or tales of Buddy the samurai – a disappointing result that no doubt hit Jeff Falcon hard.

 

That said, this restoration of Six String Samurai has definitely breathed new life into the film, allowing fans to see and learn so much more about the production than we could ever have caught in its original SD release. As mentioned, the award winning cinematography from Kristian Bernier is just gorgeous with almost every shot in the film offering-up something wonderful, capturing some stunning landscapes from the films locations in Death Valley National Park. I've always enjoyed Six String Samurai, but now I love it! It's a film that gets better with every watch and should have done so much more for those involved. So for something a little different, a little unique, and a film that leaves a lasting impression, grab yourself a copy of Six String Samurai (preferably this one from Vinegar Syndrome) and see what the independent film world has to offer!

 

Overall: Stunningly shot and packed with some beautiful fight scenes, Six String Samurai is great fun and one of Jeff Falcon's finest moments!

 

Vinegar Syndrome 4K UHD Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration, Audio Commentary with Lance Mungia & Kristian Bernier, Audio Commentary with Lance Mungia, Extensive Making Of Documentary, Extensive BTS Photo Gallery, 'Garden Of Rio' Short Film by Lance Mungia

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Watch my unboxing video of the Vinegar Syndrome release HERE