Wicked Priest Collection Limited Edition Blu-ray

Best known for his iconic performance as the stoic Ogami Itto in the legendary Lone Wolf and Cub series, Tomisaburo Wakayama reveals a very different side of his screen persona in the wildly entertaining Wicked Priest films, where a devout Buddhist monk is just as comfortable with women, gambling, sake and fistfights as he is with prayer.

Wakayama stars as Shinkai, a hard-drinking, card-playing monk who prefers judo throws to sermons when it comes to guiding sinners back to the righteous path. In the original Wicked Priest, he is placed on probation after defeating a gang of thugs, only to uncover corruption within his own religious order as rogue priests align themselves with the yakuza.

The adventures continue in Wicked Priest 2: Ballad of Murder, where Shinkai clashes with local gangsters who enlist the Zatoichi-inspired fighting monk Ryotatsu (Bunta Sugawara, Battles Without Honor and Humanity) to exact revenge after being blinded by Shinkai. Wicked Priest 3: A Killer’s Pilgrimage finds Shinkai defending a coastal village from pirate revolutionaries while continuing his rivalry with Ryotatsu. In Wicked Priest 4: The Killer Priest Comes Back, he returns to his snowbound hometown for his mother’s memorial service, only to discover that his childhood friend has become a ruthless yakuza boss. Finally, Wicked Priest 5: Blood on the Commandments brings the series to an explosive conclusion as Shinkai and Ryotatsu face one another for the final time.

Blending outrageous comedy, explosive martial arts action and unforgettable performances from Tomisaburo Wakayama, the Wicked Priest series remains one of the great hidden gems of Japanese genre cinema and a true showcase for one of its most charismatic stars.

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• Brand new restorations of all five films:
• Wicked Priest
• Wicked Priest 2: Ballad of Murder
• Wicked Priest 3: A Killer’s Pilgrimage
• Wicked Priest 4: The Killer Priest Comes Back
• Wicked Priest 5: Blood on the Commandments
• High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentations of all five films
• Original lossless Japanese mono audio
• Optional English subtitles on all five films
• Composing the Gospel – brand new video essay on composer Isao Tomita by James Balmont
• Taisho Troubles – brand new video essay on the films’ historical setting by Jonathan Clements
• Offscreen Battles – brand new interview with James Mudge on 1960s Japanese cinema
• Martial Arts and Super Mario Brothers – interview with Patrick Macias and Matt Alt on Tomisaburo Wakayama
• Priest or Monk – primer on Buddhism and popular culture by Patrick Macias and Matt Alt
• Original theatrical trailers for all five films
• Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon
• Collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Camille Zaurin