My Weird Wish-Picks (for unreleased Asian films)

*War of the Wizards* (AKA *The Phoenix),* the sole directorial venture by Sadamasa Arikawa, a special effects director for Toho Studios, this Taiwanese film features Richard Kiel, goofy fantasy action, and terrific theme music. *The Story of Chinese Gods* was a staple of late-night TV "Kung Fu Theater," but the English dub version was pretty roughly cut in places. Also made in Taiwan. While the story is very popular (going through multiple retellings in recent years) this one is the Asian equivalent of Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings--trying to cram a HUGE story into less than ninety minutes with some really half-assed animation. Ideally, a release would have alternate dubs and a Cliff Notes version of Feng Shen Bang to help viewers get all the references. The final boss hero was patterned after Bruce Lee. Some of Toei Animation's old-school hits have gotten Blu releases, but not *Jack and the Witch,* which had a solid English dub that became one Jersey station's annual Halloween tradition. Deserves better. So does *Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon* (which has gotten a Japanese BD but also has a good English dub), *Panda and the Magic Serpent,* and *Saiyuki* (AKA *Alakazam the Great!)*