The Fantasy of the Deer Warrior (Blu-ray)

The peaceful animals of a Taiwanese forest live in harmony until a pack of wolves launches a brutal attack. Uncle Deer sacrifices himself defending the community and sends word to his son, the Deer Warrior. But the Deer Warrior is locked in a rivalry with Elk over the affections of the beautiful Miss Deer, a conflict stoked by the scheming Erotic Fox, who conspires with the wolves' leader. Incorporating elements from Aesop's Fables and performed entirely by live-action actors in animal costumes, this extraordinary Taiwanese-language fantasy from critic-turned-filmmaker Chang Ying was shot in the mountains of Beitou and is widely read as a political allegory of Taiwan under martial law. Restored in 2K by the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) from a 35mm duplicate negative as part of the Taiwan Film Project, initiated by Taiwan's Ministry of Culture.