Johnnie To's MAD DETECTIVE Hits DVD January 31st!

Fantastic news for Johnnie To fans! His latest collaboration with Wai Ka Fai, Mad Detective hits DVD in Hong Kong January 31st. The quick release is no surprise as that's the norm for Hong Kong releases but what IS surprising - particularly considering that the film has a US distributor and releases here in late June 2008 - is that the Hong Kong DVD release is both English friendly AND region free! Which means that it can be played anywhere on any DVD player with no special equipment required. Throw into the mix that it costs a whole lot less than the eventual US release will and, well, there's not much reason to wait for the domestic release, now is there?

Starring Lau Ching Wan as a mentally ill detective who believes he can see people's inner personalities the film is a much smaller, more intimate affair than To's recent outing such as Election or Exiled but is just as strong and has been a huge hit in Hong Kong and on the festival circuit. You'll find the trailer embedded in the ScreenAnarchy Player below the break and links to my review and an order page for the DVD below.