Eureka! has revealed its September 2026 slate, headlined by a landmark collection of East German “Red Westerns” and two outrageous samurai exploitation classics from the golden age of Japanese cult cinema, both joining The Masters of Cinema Series in deluxe limited editions.
Leading the month’s releases is Eastern Trails: The Western at DEFA, a collection celebrating four of the most acclaimed Indianerfilme produced by East Germany’s legendary DEFA film studio. Closely related to the Spaghetti Western but distinguished by their political perspective, these films reimagined the American frontier through the struggles of Indigenous peoples against European settlers, offering a striking alternative to traditional Hollywood Westerns.
The set stars Yugoslav actor Gojko Mitić, whose performances across DEFA’s hugely successful Western cycle made him one of Europe’s biggest film stars. Included are Chingachgook the Great Serpent, Fatal Error, Apaches, and Blood Brothers. Following the success of The Sons of Great Bear in 1966, the Indianerfilme became some of DEFA’s most popular productions, attracting devoted audiences throughout Central and Eastern Europe as well as countries including Cuba.
Making their UK Blu-ray debut on 21 September 2026, the four films arrive as part of The Masters of Cinema Series in a strictly limited edition of 2,000 copies. The deluxe release is presented in a hardbound slipcase and includes an exclusive collector’s booklet.
Also arriving on 21 September is a must-have release for fans of Japanese cult cinema: Cruel Tales of the Bohachi .
Based on the manga by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima, the creators of Lone Wolf and Cub, Bohachi Bushido: Code of the Forgotten Eight remains one of director Teruo Ishii’s defining works. Often referred to as Japan’s “King of Cult,” Ishii crafted a blood-soaked, erotically charged samurai epic centred on a suicidal assassin, paving the way for Takashi Harada’s spiritual successor, Bohachi Bushido: The Villain.
Together, the films stand as prime examples of ero guro jidaigeki—period dramas blending eroticism with the grotesque—and capture the increasingly transgressive portrayal of sex and violence that characterised Japanese cinema during the 1970s.
Presented for the first time on UK home video, Bohachi Bushido: Code of the Forgotten Eight debuts in 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, while Bohachi Bushido: The Villain is included on Blu-ray. Released as part of The Masters of Cinema Series, the limited edition is restricted to 2,000 copies and comes housed in an O-card slipcase complete with an exclusive collector’s booklet, alongside an extensive selection of newly produced and archival special features.
