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With most martial arts movies, it's hard to avoid a predictable ending, but Five Shaolin Masters pulls that off perfectly. Most films in the genre, whether it's an old school kung fu movie or something a bit more modern, follow the same basic formula, even if they're stories differ widely. Typically, they culminate in the hero triumphing over the villain in a hotly contested showdown in the closing minutes of the film.

Many of the greatest martial arts movies end in this manner, including Enter the Dragon, Way of the Dragon, Drunken Master, and The Karate Kid. These fights can be intense, well-choreographed, and entertaining even after multiple viewings. But, that's not to say that they keep the viewer on the edge of their seat, wondering who's going to win. In most scenarios, there's no secret who will emerge the victor, even if the hero takes a beating early on.

Known primarily for their work in The Five Deadly Venoms, a group of five martial arts actors starred in a slew of entertaining kung fu flicks. Martial arts movies have a tendency to recreate actor pairings that studio already know can lead to success. Jackie Chan's Three Dragons movies with Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung are a perfect example of this. Also worth mentioning are the various partnerships between Ti Lung and David Chiang in classic Shaw Brothers movies, as well as the films that boast Jean-Claude Van Damme and Scott Adkins as co-stars.

The vast majority of these actor team-ups are duos and trios, but that's not the case for the Venom Mob. Taking their name from their Five Deadly Venoms movie from 1977, the Venom Mob consisted of five actors, all of whom being talented martial artists. A long list of great kung fu movies managed to pack...

Due to the vagaries of rights acquisition, it has taken Arrow Video three volumes of its indispensable Shawscope series to offer the movie that started it all in terms of Shaw Brothers Studio’s ascent to the top of the Hong Kong box office: Chang Cheh’s groundbreaking 1967 wuxia The One-Armed Swordsman. As such, it can be easy to take for granted Chang’s ultraviolence and grim thematic undertones given how many later, more refined efforts from Chang and other filmmakers have already been released.

Nonetheless, The One-Armed Swordsman’s economy of pacing and visceral transmission of its hero’s rage give the film a power undiminished by the host of copycats that flooded the Hong Kong market over the next decade. Jimmy Wang Yu’s maimed warrior, Fang Kang, cuts an instantly iconic profile: hair bound in a fin-like top knot and beard honing his jaw to a point,...

In 1986, a virtually unknown film with a tight budget became a blockbuster and broke box office records in Hong Kong and Asia. The film, “A Better Tomorrow” also made its star Chow Yun Fat an overnight success and launched him into the big league of the Asian film industry. Furthermore it also gave co-star, a Shaw Brothers veteran, Ti Lung‘s career a much welcoming boost.

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After the huge success of its predecessor, a sequel with the same cast returning soon hit the big screens. The filmmakers had to bring Chow back due to his popularity. The problem was, they killed off Mark, the character he played in the previous film, so he returns as Ken, Mark’s long lost twin brother. John Woo was also back as director but it was a troubled shoot since producer Tsui Hark was...

Mainland born Lo Wei was an actor whose film career flourished after migrating to Hong Kong. After directing “The Black Butterfly” for Shaw Brothers, he followed it up with “Death Valley” starring the same pair of male leads. He is best known as the director who launched the kung fu film careers of Bruce Lee in “The Big Boss” and “Fist of Fury” and also Jackie Chan in “New Fist of Fury”.

Master Chao Yun Yang (Lo Wei) of the Chao Manor in Death Valley is getting old and thinking of retiring. Since he has no children, he wants to give everything he owns to his nephew Chao Yu Lung (Yueh Hua), a righteous swordsman who wields a pair of deadly short swords. Before the opening credits roll, we see him easily dispatching a group of bandits and he even pays for their burial. Furthermore, he also picks up a cowardly lone traveler,...

Celebrated Taiwanese director Edward Yang‘s penultimate feature is a deceptively simple and straightforward affair. “Mahjong” poses as an over-the-top, soap opera-esque tale full of petty criminals, blackmail, sentimental manipulation and unrequited love. But it also offers a bittersweet chronicle of life, love, greed and economic opportunism in the booming, bustling Taipei of the late 1990s.

Mahjong is screening at San Diego Asian Film Festival

The film follows a group of rowdy young men who share the same apartment while ripping off other people for a living – and almost, it seems, for a hobby. Their leader is Red Fish (Tsung Sheng Tang), an enterprising young hustler who sees the world as one huge scamming opportunity with only the capitalist sky for a limit. His father is a fugitive businessman and con man who has made a fortune out of Taiwan’s roaring economy, and Red Fish has assimilated to his...

Though his acting career was cut short following his untimely death, Alexander Fu Sheng is still remembered for the memorable kung fu films he appeared in. As a teenager, Fu Sheng applied to the Shaw Brothers Drama School and signed a 3-5 year contract with the production studio, soon becoming one of the many reoccurring actors to appear in Shaw Brothers films. Frequent collaborators throughout Fu Sheng's career include director Chang Cheh, the Shaw Brothers, and martial arts choreographer Lau Kar-leung.

Each person helped Fu Sheng foster his skills as an actor and a martial artist. The best of Fu Sheng's kung fu films demonstrate the quality of his skill and the potential he had to build a career comparable to someone like Jackie Chan. Fu Sheng was never able to reach the career heights of movie martial artists like Bruce Lee. Still, film critics and directors have made comparisons...

The stories of Shaolin monks have long been a classic component of martial arts movies and have served as the basis for countless classic fighting films. As a discipline that combined Zen philosophy and martial arts with a rich 1500-year history based around the Shaolin Temple in Henan, China, the tales of Shaolin monks relate directly to legendary stories in Chinese folklore. With rich, incredible real-life inspirations to draw from, its no surprise Shaolin monks have consistently been a major tenet of martial arts cinema.

Many of the best Shaw Brothers productions were related to the intense training and unique skillset of Shaolin monks. With movies from legendary stars like Gordon Liu, Lo Lieh, and perhaps the greatest Kung Fu star of modern times Jackie Chan, Shaolin monks were seen in all-time classics like Shaolin Temple and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. For those looking for engaging martial arts movies that blend philosophy,...

Studios usually twist themselves into pretzels to avoid confusing movie titles. But this Christmas, unwary fans of the Cbbc show should beware

Great news, parents! In just a few short weeks, a new Horrible History DVD will be released. Imagine the look of absolute delight on the faces of your children as they giddily unwrap their present and realise that their favourite Cbbc show has created new material.

And then imagine the growing look of horror on their faces as they scan the cover of the DVD case and see that the main image is a clenched fist and some spiked knuckledusters. And then their violent disappointment as they slowly put two and two together and realise that instead of buying them Horrible Histories (a DVD of sophisticated yet child-friendly historical parody sketches from most of the people behind Ghosts), you have actually bought them Horrible History.

According to its Wikipedia-entry “The Boxer from Shantung” is a Hong Kong martial arts feature. This is an apt description if you just take into account the sheer amount of fight scenes naturally Shaw Brothers being a studio associated with this genre. However, directors Chang Cheh and Pao Hsueh-li created something truly unique with this work as it goes far beyond what you would expect from a martial arts movie and actually touches upon subjects normally linked to the great works of the gangster movie.

Ma, played by Chen Kuan-tai, is man trying to survive in the streets of Shanghai. He also has big dreams of being just like Boss Tan Si (played by David Chiang), whose control over half of the city has given him wealth and quiet a reputation. Throughout the movie we follow Ma trying his best to achieve that dream, even if that means to eliminate all of the competition.

“The Sword Stained with Royal Blood” is a Shaw Brothers production based on the wuxia novel of the same name written by Jin Yong (Louis Cha). The novel was first serialized in the Hong Kong Commercial Daily newspaper back in 1956. It became very popular upon its publication and led to numerous films and TV series adaptations. The novel itself has gone through several revisions and this production mostly touches on the encounter of Yuan Cheng Zhi, the main protagonist with the Wen family.

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Set during the end of the Ming dynasty, the story starts off with the execution of a betrayed but loyal Han general Yuan Chong Huan. His young son Yuan Cheng Zhi, with the help of a mute servant, finds shelter in the remote Mount Hua where the Master Mu of the Hua sect takes him in. Years later, Yuan grows up to be a...

Adapted from “Thirteen Cold-Blooded Eagles”, a wuxia novel written by Chin Hung and scripted by Ni Kuang, this is undoubtedly one of Sun Chung's best works and Shaw Brothers' all-time best sword fighting movie not directed by Chang Cheh or Chu Yuan. The story is a simple tale of revenge and awakening; however, its twists and turns are told mostly in flashbacks.

Yoh Yi Hung (Ku Feng) is the cruel leader of the Iron Boat Clan who takes in orphans and trains them to become highly skilled killers to do his dirty work of terrorizing and killing people. Since only the very strong can endure his strict training, he's left with only thirteen surviving disciples, the appropriately named “Thirteen Cold-Blooded Eagles”.

The movie only concentrates on one disciple, Chik Ming Sing (Ti Lung) or the Black Eagle whose weapon of choice is the three-sectioned staff. Thirsty and hungry when we first meet him,...

Actor who was considered the first female action hero, best known for her role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

The title of the first female action star is hotly contested, but the Hong Kong actor Cheng Pei-pei is often cited as one of the contenders, for her role in 1966 martial arts epic Come Drink With Me. Cheng, who has died aged 78 of a rare neurodegenerative condition, indisputably opened doors for women in martial arts cinema.

In practice, this meant opening windows, as on Golden Swallow, the 1968 sequel to Come Drink With Me. “[The director Chang Cheh] asked [the male actors] to jump out of a window, and me to walk through a door,” Cheng told the South China Morning Post. “I refused – I said I wanted to do the same thing. But he said: ‘You’re a lady, and ladies should be more refined.’ I insisted that I jump out of the window, or I would leave.

Cheng Pei-pei, the pioneering Chinese actress dubbed the “Queen of Swords” and considered among the first female action stars who made her name in the Shaw Brothers classic Come Drink With Me and later had a memorable turn as the villain Jade Fox in Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, has died. She was 78.

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce that the rumors are true. Our mother, Cheng Pei-pei, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones on July 17,” Cheng’s family said in a statement posted to Facebook. “In 2019, our mom was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative, atypical parkinsonism syndrome – unofficially, corticobasal degeneration (CBD). It is a rare disease with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, however, current treatments cannot slow the progression. She chose not to make this news public so that she could deal with her condition in private and spend her...

Fans of John Wick will love The One-Armed Swordsman for its classic wuxia storyline and well-choreographed fight scenes. The lead character, Fang Kang, shares traits with John Wick, including his driven nature, fierce loyalty, and desire to pursue revenge. Both films feature protagonists with high kill counts, with The One-Armed Swordsman showcasing incredible swordplay skills over traditional hand-to-hand combat.

Fans of the John Wick franchise need to check out The One-Armed Swordsman, a 57-year-old kung-fu movie that's still an amazing watch. Directed by Chang Cheh, The One-Armed Swordsman was the first wuxia film an emerging, and now defining, genre in Hong Kong cinema that centers on the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. In addition to making a significant gross at the box office, the classic wuxia film launched the lead actor Jimmy Wang Yu's career to new heights, transforming him into a superstar of Hong Kong cinema.

Shaolin Temple, like The Expendables, boasts a star-studded cast of kung fu movie legends from the 1970s and 1980s. The 1976 film brought together top actors like David Chiang, Ti Lung, and Alexander Fu Sheng, as well as the iconic Venom Mob. With Chang Cheh directing, Shaolin Temple successfully balanced multiple leading actors in a thrilling story of Shaolin monks preparing for battle.

Released 48 years ago, Shaolin Temple is the kung fu movie equivalent of The Expendables. Created by Sylvester Stallone, The Expendables franchise has a well-earned reputation for featuring the largest casts of action heroes ever assembled on the big screen. But while that's certainly true of Stallone's films, they're not the only movies to bring in impressive ensembles of actors for an action-packed adventure.

Though technically action films themselves, old school kung fu movies belong in sort of their own subgenre, with Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee obviously...

Invincible Shaolin features one of the best training sequences in kung fu movie history, thanks to Lo Mang's real-life martial arts background. Lo Mang's character learns Southern Praying Mantis, an art he practices in real life, adding authenticity to his training scenes. While some aspects may have been exaggerated for the film, Lo Mang's training routine in Invincible Shaolin is mostly true to life.

1978s kung fu movie classic Invincible Shaolin has one of the best training sequences in the entire martial arts genre and its so great because it was (partly) real. Alternatively known as The Unbeatable Dragon, Shaolin Bloodshed, and North Shaolin vs. South Shaolin, Invincible Shaolin revolves around Shaolins long-standing rivalries with the Qing Dynasty. The movie was directed by Chang Cheh and stars the Venom Mob (a Brat Pack-esque name for a company of actors who frequently worked with the Shaw Brothers).

Training montages...

Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook on Twitter and Instagram.NEWSAn Inconvenient Truth.Participant, the socially conscious production company, has closed, which filmmaker Julie Cohen called “devastating news to anyone who cares about documentaries.” Their twenty-year track record includes many nonfiction films, such as An Inconvenient Truth (2006), but also narrative features like Spotlight (2015) and Roma (2018).New data suggests that Hollywood production has gradually rebounded after last year’s WGA and SAG strikes, though not to the levels of the “peak TV” streaming bubble.The Archival Producers Alliance has drafted best practices for the use of generative AI in documentary, cautioning against the “danger of forever muddying the historical record.”In PRODUCTIONMartin Scorsese is reportedly developing a Frank Sinatra biopic, to star Leonardo DiCaprio as the crooner and Jennifer Lawrence as Ava Gardner.

Ma Hsin Yi was an eminent officer and a military general of the late Qing Dynasty who, together with other prominent officers, formed the Green Standard Army to fight against the rebels during the Taiping Rebellion. Chang Cheh's “The Blood Brothers” is an epic historical drama retelling his assassination by his officer and sworn brother Chang Wein Hsiang, played by David Chiang. Ti Lung's incredible portrayal of Ma won him the Special Award for Outstanding Performance at the 11th Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan and Best Actor Award at the Asia Pacific Film Festival.

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The detailed written confession of Chang in the courthouse after his capture also serves as the narrative of the film and it works well with the engrossing script thanks to Ni Kuang and Chang Cheh which keeps the audience invested in the characters'...

Shaw Brothers Studio left an indelible mark on the landscape of Kung Fu cinema. Founded in 1925 by the Shaw brothers, Runje, Runme, and Run Run, the studio became synonymous with high-quality martial arts films during the 1960s and 1970s. Their meticulous attention to choreography, intricate fight scenes, and dramatic storytelling revolutionized the genre, setting new standards for action-packed entertainment. Through iconic films like “The One-Armed Swordsman” and “Come Drink with Me,” Shaw Brothers Studio not only popularized Kung Fu cinema globally but also shaped the artistic direction of future martial arts films. Their legacy continues to inspire filmmakers and enthusiasts, underscoring their enduring impact on the world of cinema. In this list, we present 50 of the most iconic titles the company produced, in alphabetical order.

1. Bloody Parrot (1981) by Hua Shan

One of the better elements found here is the fact that the film manages to work in plenty of fun from its two main components.

Bruce Lee's impact in bringing Kung Fu to the West and influencing subsequent movies cannot be overstated. Snake in the Eagle's Shadow set the stage for Jackie Chan's signature comedy Kung Fu style. King Boxer and Crippled Avengers were international successes that showcased the best of Kung Fu cinema.

The 1970s was an incredible time for Kung Fu movies, as it was the heyday of the world’s biggest martial arts stars and there were so many great films to check out. From incredible historical epics to slapstick comedy movies, Kung Fu cinema during the 1970s was vast and varied as some truly unique films were being made, and the genre was being discovered by an international audience. With fast-paced fight sequences, expertly choreographed battles, and intense martial arts showdowns, Kung Fu movies were truly at their peak during this decade.

The success of Kung Fu movies during...

The Brave Archer trilogy packs the same epic adventure as The Lord of the Rings, with ensemble casts and intricate world-building. Based on Louis Cha's novels, the Wuxia films draw parallels to Lotr, leaving loose ends like the iconic trilogy to pave way for sequels. Despite seeming sequels, like The Brave Archer 4 and 5, the films adapt different novels with new characters while maintaining tie-ins and shared worlds.

A series of movies - The Brave Archer trilogy - is essentially the martial arts movie genre's very own The Lord of the Rings. Set in the fictional world of Middle-earth created by J.R.R. Tolkien, Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings movies exist amid a sea of fantasy films, yet stand apart from their contemporaries in a number of ways. Centering on an ensemble cast and met with critical acclaim, The Lord of the Rings films are known for the...

The trio of Chang Cheh, Ti Lung and David Chiang have given us a number of the most iconic Hk movies, with titles like “Have Sword, Will Travel” , “Dynasty of Blood” and the “One Armed-Swordsman” entries being among the most memorable. “The Heroic Ones” is another movie that feature the three, in a title that is entertaining, but does not reach the levels of the aforementioned titles.

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The story is set in ancient China and is based on historical events, although it moves quite far from historical truth. In the 880s, the Tang dynasty did not have full control of its empire, with Huang Chao and his vast rebel army posing a significant problem, even sizing the national capital Chang'an. Li Keyong, a Shatuo chieftain loyal to the Tang cause, decides to task his 13 generals, essentially all his adopted sons,...

By the early 1980s, the Shaw Brothers Studio had been eclipsed as Hong Kong’s most popular genre film studio by Golden Harvest and their more comedic take on martial arts cinema with stars like Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. Plagued by lower theatrical returns, which was exacerbated by the explosion of piracy in Southeast Asia with the advent of home video, the studio would—barring the occasional efforts in later years—cease film production in 1986 and pivot to making TV. As such, Shout! Factory’s fourth box set of Shaw Brothers films, all of which were released between 1980 and 1984, presents a cross-section of the studio’s last great burst of filmmaking.

In terms of directorial variety, this set has the least of any of these collections to date: Of the dozen films on offer, seven are helmed by Chang Cheh and feature all or some of his Venom Mob...

One of the great thrills of old school kung fu flicks is the juxtaposition between the dance-like choreography and bone-crunching violence. Bright splashes of blood are made more shocking by the balletic quality of the fights themselves. This is the contradiction at the core of almost all classic martial arts films; the spirituality inherent in Shaolin Kung Fu coexists with its potential to cause serious bodily harm. Many of the best releases of the 70s and 80s golden age understood how to blend Zen-like philosophy with animalistic anger, and revenge storylines allowed for especially potent drama. Here are five of the most down-and-dirty payback plots from the heyday of Hong Kong action.

5. The Duel

Chang Cheh's Ti Lung and David Chiang team-up from the year before, “Vengeance,” might be the obvious choice, but “The Duel” is an underrated slice of Triad grittiness. Lung and Chiang are two of the coolest...

Mubi has unveiled their December 2023 lineup, featuring notable new releases such as Rodrigo Moreno’s The Delinquents, Argentina’s Oscar this year; the Lily Gladstone-led drama The Unknown Country; Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s The Beasts; and the José González documentary A Tiger in Paradise. Additional highlights include films from Olivier Assayas, Takeshi Kitano, Jean-Luc Godard, Kelly Reichardt, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, the Shaw Browers, Lars von Trier, Arnaud Desplechin, and more.

Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.

December 1st

The House that Jack Built, directed by Lars von Trier | Chaos Reigns: The Films of Lars von Trier

Breaking the Waves, directed by Lars von Trier | Chaos Reigns: The Films of Lars von Trier

The Element of Crime, directed by Lars von Trier | Chaos Reigns: The Films of Lars von Trier

Europa, directed by Lars von Trier | Chaos Reigns: The Films of Lars von Trier

Epidemic, directed...

Martial arts movies combine action and storytelling, pushing the boundaries of cinema with their high-energy sequences and choreographed performances. Iconic filmmakers like Jackie Chan, Chang Cheh, and Yuen Woo Ping have made significant contributions to the martial arts genre. Martial arts movie franchises stand out due to their multifaceted nature, covering a wide range of genres and employing various techniques, from wirework to complex camera rigs, all supported by months of rigorous training.

Martial arts movies have a rich and enduring legacy in the world of cinema, with influential directors and actors paving the way for the genre's evolution. From the early classics to contemporary trends, martial arts films have not just captivated audiences with high-energy action; they have also pushed the boundaries of storytelling through the art of combat. Iconic filmmakers of the genre like Jackie Chan, Chang Cheh, and Yuen Woo Ping have made a huge impact on the genre,...

Before he became one of Shaw Brothers’ foremost fight choreographers, Lau Kar Leung used to work as an extra besides choreographing the old black and white Wong Fei Hung series. Together with fellow choreographer Tang Chia, he would spend many years working for director Chang Cheh until they had a fallout while doing “Marco Polo”. So it was only natural that he would eventually evolve into a director during the early 70s when the martial arts films were in full swing. Furthermore, after Shaw Brothers Studio stopped making films, he would continue to choreograph, direct and even act in films like “Drunken Master II” with Jackie Chan and Tsui Hark’s “Seven Swords” in 2005.

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Filmed during the time when Chang Cheh was in Taiwan making films under his own Long Bow studio, “The Spiritual Boxer”, a comedy with kung...

Martial arts films with ensemble casts feature an array of heroes and villains, resulting in epic fight scenes and diverse characters. Films like Shaolin Temple and Five Shaolin Masters showcase the talent of established martial arts actors in the genre. John Wick: Chapter 4 boasts an incredible ensemble cast, with Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Marko Zaror joining the franchise, promising a thrilling combination of gun-fu and martial arts.

The martial arts genre is chock full of exciting ensemble movies with large casts of both heroes and villains. In most martial arts films, it's easy to assume there will be one primary protagonist, one major villain, and a handful of supporting characters for each side. However, since martial arts films need as many great fighters on their roster as possible, they are uniquely positioned to expand into big ensembles.

Oftentimes, these can even turn out to be the best kinds of martial arts films,...

Hot on the heels of their first collection of Shaw Brothers movies, Shout! Factory’s Shaw Brothers Classics Vol. 2 continues the ongoing, multi-label effort to restore and release notable entries in the Hong Kong studio’s vast catalog. As it did with their previous collection, Shout! limits the selections for this second box set to a concentrated period of the studio’s productions. Whereas the 1967-69 range of the first box showed the studio frantically capitalizing on the breakout success of The One-Armed Swordsmen with a slew of like-minded wuxia films, the broader selection here among the first half of the ’70s finds Shaw Brothers both setting and chasing after trends.

Shout!’s first volume demonstrated how the Shaw Brothers studio made so many functionally identical movies, between the revenge-based plots, sword-based action, and reused sets, that within two years of The One-Armed Swordsmen’s paradigm shift, the house brand was already getting stale.

Back in 1974, Shaw Brothers director Chang Cheh together with a crew of around fifty people including his favorites David Chiang, Ti Lung and Fu Sheng, left Hong Kong and started producing films in Taiwan. His newfound team under the name of Long Bow Company would continue to produce films till 1976. Although Chang was making films independently, he was still related to Shaw Brothers which gave his full support.

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As it turns out, one of those Long Bow's early films “Five Shaolin Masters” was the one which eventually became their highest box office hit in Hong Kong, followed by “Heroes Two”, “Disciples of Shaolin”, “Shaolin Martial Arts”, “Marco Polo” and “Boxer Rebellion”. Among all of their Taiwanese productions, these six films made over one million dollars in Hong Kong but “The Fantastic Magic Boy” (1975) was their worst performer.

Set during the Great Qing,...

There are Kung Fu movies. Then there are Hong Kong Kung Fu movies. Starting in the ’70s, Hong Kong filmmakers dominated the martial arts genre with a unique brand of Hong Kong ballistic action, white-knuckle stunts, and exquisite fight choreography. Towering Hong Kong studios like Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest were the prolific grindhouses that brought us Bruce Lee and so many other action movie stars at an astonishingly bounteous rate.

If you’re already familiar with Bruce Lee’s work in Hong Kong cinema and aren’t sure where to go next on your martial arts movie journey, or which stars’ filmographies you should be checking out, here are five pivotal Hong Kong martial arts films worthy of your attention. Each of these movie either launched or are part of venerated Hong Kong franchises, so you’ll have plenty to watch once you dive in!

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin a.

Arrow’s recent box sets Shawscope Volume One and Volume Two highlighted the golden age of Hong Kong’s Shaw Brothers studio, spanning roughly from the mid-1970s to their pivot toward TV in 1986. Now, Shout! Factory’s Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 1 focuses on the studio’s rapid commercial ascendency at the end of the ’60s with their then-new, harder-edged take on martial arts cinema.

The earliest film in the set is, fittingly, Chang Cheh’s The Assassin, from 1967. Made hot on the heels of Chang’s (and the studio’s) breakout feature The One-Armed Swordsman from the same year, The Assassin furthers the filmmaker’s interest in moving the martial arts film away from its erstwhile emphasis on female heroes who are prone to musical outbursts and flowery romances as they are violence and toward the sort of male-centric revenge narratives that dominate the titles collected here.

One-Armed Swordsman...

A sign of a classic movie is that it still holds up well against subsequent remakes\reimagining. “The Boxer from Shantung” to the best of my knowledge has been reworked at least twice in “Hero” by Corey Yuen and more recently as “Once Upon a Time in Shanghai”. To it's credit the original holds its own and, in many respects, remains the superior entity despite the evolution of action cinematography and film technique.

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Ma Yung Chen (Chen Kuan-tai) arrives in Shanghai to escape poverty and seek his fortune. Initially, he is only able to find work as a labourer. A chance encounter with the crime lord Tan Si (David Chiang) sets him on his way. A defeat of a travelling Russian strongman only adds to his burgeoning reputation. Romance comes in the form of singer Chin Ling-tzu (Li Ching...

Digital effects have made a lot of advances in the last few decades, but not everyone prefers a computer-generated spectacle. Filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino prefer the grittier, traditional option — even when the practical effect is less practical than CGI. The "Kill Bill" director went to extreme lengths to avoid creating his gore in post. One effect, in particular, cost him hours on set, but his commitment to his creative vision paid off in the end.

"Kill Bill" might be the most violent movie in Tarantino's filmography, which is saying a lot. The film's most unforgettable moments were filled with blood and action, but what makes a fight scene really great is the sum of its parts. The director had a keen eye for details, and even the quick deaths of minor characters were shot to perfection. One such moment took the most takes that Tarantino had ever done on a single shot.

David Chiang was a child actor before he joined the Shaw Brothers Studio as a stuntman and fight instructor; after seeing potential in him, director Chang Chen started to groom him. After the sudden departure of their biggest star, Jimmy Wang Yu, Shaw was looking for a replacement which led to the pairing of Chiang and Ti Lung in films like “Dead End” and “Have Sword, Will Travel” in 1969. However, with “The Wandering Swordsman” Chiang had a chance to shine as a solo leading star without Ti Lung hanging around him.

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The film kicks off with a happy-go-lucky nameless young man (David Chiang) who prefers people to call him the “Wandering Swordsman”, quietly trailing two bandits who plan to rob a rich family. He shows up later and takes the loot from one of them during their getaway and...

Violence in cinema has always been a polarizing element, with film buffs frequently fighting about the dilemma of beauty versus violence, with the question essentially separating two of the larger groups of audiences, the art-house and the cult ones. The truth remains that violence has been used in different ways throughout the history of cinema, both to entertain in its simplest form (torture porn is one terms associated with this approach) and to present intricate comments by shocking. In this list, we have included movies that include both, while also highlighting that artfulness can also be found within violence, as much as mindless action. Considering that violence does not always equal action and with an effort to include as much diversity in its presentation as in the selection of the filmmakers included here (we failed miserably with Miike though), here are 40 of the most violent Asian movies ever to be shot.

When is a cult movie cult? It’s a question asked many a time with no real defining answer as everyone will have their own opinion. Does that also mean that a movie studio can be considered cult too? For all the box office success it had in its heyday, Shaw Brothers now is less known to the mainstream and is instead firmly in the hearts of those movie fanatics that quite probably read these pages. With their studio bound sets, buckets of fake blood and sheer theatricality, the movies had a distinctive look but by the time “The Kid with the Golden Arm” was released times were already moving on an. So how does it fare now over 40 years later?

“The Kid with the Golden Arm” is screening on Fantasia International Film Festival

Yang Hu Yun (Sun Chien) is asked to escort a valuable cargo. Aware that the Chi...

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Ni Kuang, the prolific Hong Kong writer behind the Wisely series of sci-fi novels as well as over 300 film screenplays including the classic martial arts films One-Armed Swordsman and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and the Bruce Lee hits Fist of Fury and The Big Boss, has died. He was 87.

The South China Morning Post reported that Ni died Sunday at his home in Hong Kong. Local media reported that the cause of death was skin cancer. In a double blow to Hong Kong’s cultural landscape, Ni died on the same day as legendary director and screenwriter Alex Law.

A giant of Chinese literature, Ni’s shadow looms large over the genres of science fiction, wuxia fiction and martial arts, but he also wrote extensive non-fiction pieces, newspaper columns, satirical pieces and dabbled in the romance and detective genres. It has been...

Chang Cheh is recognized as perhaps the greatest martial arts director of all time and 1977’s The Brave Archer provided him with one of his biggest box office successes.

Reinventing the kung-fu formula in the era of Bruce Lee knock-offs, this period-set bout of fist-to-fist fighting and swashbuckling action used the hit Cantonese novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes as its basis.

With a whimsical sense of ‘old China’, The Brave Archer undoubtedly paved the way for such later wuxia blockbusters as Once Upon A Time In China and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon by weaving a lavish costume-packed story of rival kung fu schools pitting their best fighters against a series of trials and tribulations.

Featuring an ensemble cast that includes Alexander Fu Sheng (Heroes Shed No Tears) and Ti Lung (A Better Tomorrow), the action comes furious and fast, the atmosphere is so strong you can almost taste...

Coming from 88 Films USA Label in partnership with Mvd on February 8th is another cult classic from the Shaw Brothers Studio. The Flag of Iron is a quintessential Hong Kong tale of rivals, betrayal and family feuds. When the master of the Iron Flag clan is killed by a mysterious assassin known only as Spearman, it sets off an explosive chain of events which pits two brothers against each other in an action-packed adventure of fist flying fury.

Directed by Chan Cheh, this kinetic and highly influential Kung Fu picture, mixes traditional storytelling with more modern presentation techniques, layering acrobatics, the use exotic weaponry and quick as lightening fight sequences to produce a sure fire entertaining hit, which no serious collector of martial arts movies can be without.Included in the package are a Limited Edition Slipcase with brand-new artwork from R.P. “Kung Fu Bob” O’Brien, Double-Sided A3 Foldout Poster,...

High-quality chopsocky mayhem! Guest reviewer Lee Broughton returns with an assessment of Jimmy Wang Yu’s action-packed martial arts flick. The combat comes thick and fast when a team of deadly mercenaries are employed to wipe out the honourable pupils of the Zhengde School. Writer-director Jimmy Wang Yu is placed front and centre in most of these fights. Excellent fight choreography, commendable cinematography and a well-realised vengeance narrative make this fast-paced show a winner.

One Armed Boxer

Region B Blu-ray

Eureka Entertainment

1972 / Color / 2.35 widescreen / 93 min. / The Chinese Professionals, Du bei chuan wang / Street Date, 24 May 2021 / £17.99

Starring: Jimmy Wang Yu, Ma Kei, Yeh Tien, Wong Feu-Lung, Hung Tsai, Wang Yung-Sheng, Tung Chiao Wu, Shan Mao, Yi-Kuei Chang, Jen-Ping Su, Chun Lin Pan, Hung Kuan, Blackie Shou-Liang Ko.

Cinematography: Mo Shen Ku

Art Director: Shu-Yu Hu

Film Editors: Chen Hung Min, Chang Yao Chung

Original Music: Wang Fu Ling

Produced by Raymond Chow...

Guest reviewer Lee Broughton returns with coverage of two well-regarded wuxia films (period martial arts movies set in ancient China). One is an intense action flick from the Shaw Brothers Studio that places a heavy emphasis on bloody and gory depictions of swordplay. The second is a wuxia film with a difference: rather than fancy sword moves or flamboyant punching techniques, the mystical fighters attack each other with incantations and magical musical instruments.

One-Armed Swordsman

Region B Blu-ray

88 Films

1967 / Color / 2.35 / 111 min. / Du bei dao / Street Date, 26 March 2018 / £12.99

Starring: Yu Wang, Chiao Chiao, Ti Tang, Chih-Ching Yang, Feng Tien, Yin-Tze Pan, Feng Ku.

Cinematography: Yuan Chen San

Film Editor: Chiang Hsing-Loong

Art Director: Ching-Shen Chen

Original Music: Foo-Ling Wang

Written by Cheh Chang, Kuang Ni

Produced by Runme Shaw

Directed by Cheh Chang

Reviewed by Lee Broughton

The bandit leaders Long-Armed Devil (Chi-Ching Yang) and Smiling Tiger (Ti Tang) are determined...

Craig Lines Sep 6, 2017

45 years on, we revisit King Boxer, and find a genuinely great martial arts movie...

Asian martial arts are now deeply embedded in western pop culture, but this wasn’t always the case. In fact, it wasn’t really until the early 1970s that they made the transition into the mainstream, thanks in no small part to the release of a film called King Boxer. Of course, nothing occurs in a vacuum. By the late 1960s, martial arts were already being taught more widely in the west. Bruce Lee was making waves with his role in The Green Hornet (although his martial arts films, while huge in Hong Kong, were yet to break the Us market). James Bond had a ninja encounter in 1967’s You Only Live Twice. Kung Fu, the seminal ABC series starring David Carradine, hit TVs across America in 1972. The west was primed and ready...

By the early ‘70s, Hammer films was wheezing and sputtering just to stay alive. Their attempts to stay current with the changing tides of horror were often misbegotten and misdirected (Dracula A.D. 1972, anyone?) as the plots continued to recycle shopworn ideas when audiences were ready for more modern concerns, such as hulking maniacs with chainsaws. In essence, time was passing Hammer by, and they were willing to try anything. Hence we arrive at The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974), a delightful elixir of Dracula and…Kung Fu. This was the last gasp for Hammer’s beloved franchise, and it’s a very worthy burial.

Aka 7 Brothers Versus Dracula, 7 Brothers and a Sister Meet Dracula, 7 Golden Vampires, and Enter The Dracula (no, but who screwed up that marketing?), Legend was a co-production between Hammer and Shaw Brothers, the immortal Chinese martial arts film studio that would crank out 10, sometimes 15 films a year of kinetic,...

Craig Lines Feb 9, 2017

Cynthia Rothrock, Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung and more feature, as we salute the female stars of martial arts movies...

It’s arguably a rare sight when female characters lead a major genre film, and last year’s online Ghostbusters drama proves it’s still, depressingly, a controversial choice if they do. Too often, female characters are reduced to sidekicks, damsels, sex objects and caricatures. It sometimes feels like every day there’s a new statistic about women being under-represented in Hollywood and while, to some extent, things are looking brighter and more diverse by the day, it’s an uphill struggle. Still, as we wait for Hollywood to get its act together, I thought I’d celebrate a genre where awesome, strong, multi-faceted female characters have led casts as a regular occurrence for decades - martial arts!

See related Netflix's Stranger Things: Shawn Levy interview Netflix's...

This was Chang Cheh’s first film not featuring the “Venom Mob,” but he substituted them with gusto, by presenting ninjas, the animosity between China and Japan, and Cheng Tien Chi.

Chief Hong, leader of a martial arts school, once more challenges his archrival, Yuan Zeng, to a tournament between the two schools, for the title of martial arts master. Hong’s school has been losing for quite some time, and this time is not an exception. However, when all his students are defeated, he calls in a samurai from Japan to fight for his school. The samurai wins against his opponent and forces him to commit suicide, only to face the same fate in his next duel. Before he dies though, he asks Chief Hong to contact an allied ninja clan. Furthermore, as he warns Yaun Zeng that his and his students’ end is near, he manages to poison him.

The “Venom Mob” was a group of actors that first appeared on Chang Chen’s internationally appraised “The Five Venom” and continued on shooting more than a dozen films. “House of Traps” is considered the last of them and one of the most sought after, of all the Shaw Brothers productions.

Hua Chong, a famous fighter known with the nickname “Butterfly,” manages to steal a valuable jade statue. He delivers it to the Prince of Xiangyang, who immediately appreciates his abilities in martial arts and hires him in his guard. Furthermore, he places the statue in the House of Traps, a self-explanatory building where his most valuable assets are being stored. The Prince is soon revealed as the head of a group of individuals that want to revolt against the emperor. As a new Inspector, Yan Chunmin is being assigned to the area, the conspirators feel that his presence may...

Craig Lines Dec 14, 2016

The legendary Venom Mob never became kung fu cinema stars as individuals. But as a group? Let us tell their story...

A film critic, an accountant, an orphan and three opera students take on the martial arts world. It sounds like a plot from a crazy kung fu film in itself but, incredibly, forms the basis for the real life story of the legendary Venom Mob...

In 1970s Hong Kong, the film industry was driven by star power. Most of the big names were at some point contracted to Shaw Brothers and actors like Alexander Fu Sheng, Jimmy Wang Yu, Gordon Liu or Ti Lung could always guarantee a crowd. As daring as certain elements of classic Hong Kong cinema still feel, the studios were rarely willing to take risks when it came to the stars, believing that audiences just wouldn't show up if they didn't recognise the name on the marquee.

After a three-decade hiatus, Shaw Brothers Holdings promises to conquer movie theaters once again.

Nikkei Asian Review reports that the Shaw Brothers Holdings recently appointed media mogul Li Ruigang as chairman. Under the leadership of Li, Shaw Brothers plans to spend 1 billion yuan ($147 million) and to produce eight films next year, all in the hopes of reclaiming the company’s former glory.

The world famous Shaw Brothers dominated Hong Kong’s golden age of cinema in the 60s and 70s. Back when the late Run Run Shaw led the company, the studio produced an impressive oeuvre of martial arts classics such as The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978), Five Fingers of Death (1972), Come Drink With Me (1966), Killer Clans (1976), One-Armed Swordsman (1967), Return of the One-Armed Swordsman (1969) and many others. Stars like Ti Lung, David Chiang and Fu Sheng, as well as filmmakers like Chang Cheh, Chu Yuan and Lau Kar-leun become household names and global icons.