Tiger Cage Blu-ray Screenshots (Patreon)

[FYI, I'm running behind this week due to a flu/cold situation. Just getting back into things now. Might have some exclusives later today, but tomorrow is possible too]

Video

Using a thickly-grained film stock, Shout's encode isn't necessarily up for the challenge. Grain is reduced to noise frequently, sloppily compressed. This reduces texture overall, although mastering skews toward the softer end of things.

Flattened color reproduction brings minimal spunk to the flesh tones and primaries. Other than Hong Kong's glowing neons, color looks sparse and dull.

Likewise, black levels don't shine either, mediocre at their best depth. Contrast shines better, the best part of this merely okay presentation.

Audio

The ultimate example of the "tin can" effect, Tiger Cage sounds worse than many budget-less Shaw Brothers productions from the '70s. There is no range evident in the score, every instrument strained, flat, and at worse, even obnoxious at the highest peaks. Dismal dialog reproduction sounds as if heard between two cans and a string.