A list of martial arts/swordplay movies from Hong Kong's Shaw Brothers studios that I have seen

KUNG FU 1!! Shaw Brothers martial arts and swordplay movies

Sheng Fu, Hou Hsiao, Kara Ying Hung Wai, Chia-Hui Liu, Liu Chia-Yung, and Chia-Liang Liu in Legendary Weapons of China (1982)

Wuxia Movies

Wuxia is sub-genre of the martial arts film and is defined by specific features. The word translates literally as “martial chivalry” or “martial hero”; and the main elements that make up the wuxia film are the warrior, xia, whose actions (and swordsmanship) are governed by specific codes and the world which they inhabit, known as jianghu (‘rivers and lakes’). Xia warriors often embody what is known as the wen-wu dyad. Wu represents physical strength and martial power, while wen represents mental, civic and literary accomplishment. Similar in form to the yin-yang, the two opposing masculinities work in harmony to create the masculine ideal. Although the martial arts of wuxia film share some ground with the more recognized subgenre of the kung fu film, there are significant differences that separate the two. The wuxia film features fantastic elements and has a basis in mythology, with the films often described as ‘epics’. This is particularly evident when considering the xia warrior, whose abilities and skill range far beyond the human boundaries that limit the kung fu protagonist; the xia warrior is often able to fly or run on water, for example. As Stephen Teo argues “the essential marker of difference distinguishing the kung fu film from the wuxia film was the emphasis on ‘real fighting’." 

Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, and Ziyi Zhang in House of Flying Daggers (2004)

Shaw Brothers watch list. Most of these are available on Amazon Prime UK to stream in HD.

Zoe Saldaña and Sam Worthington in Avatar (2009)

Kiefer Sutherland, Reiko Aylesworth, Carlos Bernard, Jude Ciccolella, Glenn Morshower, and Mary Lynn Rajskub in 24 (2001)

Vincent Price and Virginia North in The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)

Tim Robbins in The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

A list of all the Shaw Brothers films I've watched, from newbie to aficionado.

Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Chang Chen, and Ziyi Zhang in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

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