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Funded by Shaw Studio, director Chang Cheh formed his Longbow Film Company in 1973. He recruited a handful of Shaw stars, including Ti Lung and David Chiang, and traveled to Taiwan to shoot a series of Shaolin-themed kung fu titles. Starring Fu Sheng and Chi Kuan Chun in the lead roles, “Shaolin Martial Arts” is one such production that explores the ongoing feuds between Han rebels and the ruling Manchus.

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Set during the Qing Dynasty, the Imperial Court plots to destroy the Shaolin Temple, which harbors Han revolutionaries. This leads the Manchu-led Eight Banners School to declare war on the Shaolin disciples’ Lin School. To ensure their success, they enlist two deadly fighters, Yu Bi and Ba Gang. Though many Shaolin disciples fall in the ensuing battle, four manage to escape. Determined to fight back and avenge their fallen brothers, the...

“Shadow Girl”, filmed in Taiwan and starring Lily Li in the lead role, was filmmaker Hsin Chi‘s first Mandarin film for Shaw Brothers. Taipei born, Hsin directed numerous Hokkien language speaking films for Taiwan. He continued to work for the local television industry until he retired. Furthermore, Hsin Chi was certainly a key figure in promoting and the preservation of Taiwan’s local film industry.

Loosely translated as “The Invisible Swordswoman” from its Chinese title, this rather unique and intriguing story concerns a highly skilled wandering swordswoman Yin Chu (Lily Li). Because of her special ability of being invisible, she scares people who run into her almost to their death so they think that she is a wandering ghost. Interestingly, Yin is only invisible during the day but at night she becomes her normal self. However, her invisibility is actually the result of drinking a magic brew prepared by her kung fu grandmother.

After falling out with director Chang Cheh as his exclusive action choreographer for many years at Shaw Brothers Studio, Lau Kar Leung switched to directing films. In 1978, he directed three films for Shaw, “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin” and “Heroes of the East” , both starring Gordon Liu. “Shaolin Mantis” starring David Chiang in the lead was his third, with a welcoming cameo by Liu.

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Set during the Qing Dynasty, a gifted young scholar and martial arts expert, Wai Fung (David Chiang) works as a spy for the Emperor. The Court suspects that members of the Tien family are collaborating with the Ming rebels to overthrow the Qing. Therefore Wai has to infiltrate the Tien family to study their movements and report back within a year. Also, the Emperor will execute his whole family if he fails to return.

Upon arriving at the Tien mansion,...

The characters in Flora Lau’s Luz fabricate their reality in different ways: Wei (Xiao Dong Guo) maintains an illusion of connection to his daughter, Fa (En Xi Deng), by watching her live streams, while Sabine (Isabelle Huppert) grapples with her terminal health condition by living as if unaffected by it and the arrival of her worried stepdaughter, Ren (Sandrine Pinna), in Paris. The film’s characters are united by their search for familial intimacy, and the idea that intimacy and connection may not take shape in the way that you want it to.

The film runs on dual narrative tracks, augmented with the soft sci-fi aesthetics that one associates with virtual reality and its focus on how humans engage with technology. It jumps between a bustling, nocturnal Chongqing and a quieter, residential setting in Paris to craft parallel vignettes whose themes mirror each other thematically. But whereas Luz is visually and conceptually compelling,...

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...

Plot: A deep dive into the Bruce Lee exploitation film craze that dominated grindhouse cinema after the iconic martial artist’s death.

Review: Flashback to the year 1994. On my 13th birthday, while cruising the video store for a movie to watch with my friends at my birthday sleepover, on a whim, I decided to rent Enter the Dragon. I was never the same. After watching it, I enrolled in Karate classes and tried to learn as much about Bruce Lee as possible. While cruising those same video store aisles, I was very confused by how many kung-fu movies had his name and image on the cover, given that, even back then, I knew there were only four Bruce Lee movies, plus Game of Death. And why were they constantly misspelling his name? Who was Bruce Le? Or Bruce Li? Or Bruce Liang?

This, of course, was my introduction to the...

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...

Featuring: Bruce Li, Bruce Le, Bruce Liang, Dragon Lee, Angela Mao, David Chiang, Phillip Ko, Sammo Hung | Directed by David Gregory

It is an understatement to say that Bruce Lee left a massive impact through his short filmography. After being denied a lead role by the Shaw Brothers studio, Lee signed onto an upstart company called Golden Harvest whose subsequent films made him into an international star. As his tragic death came on the cusp of kung-fu movies being introduced to the global market, a question lingered about who would replace Lee.

Director David Gregory has crafted a comprehensive exploration of what followed Lee’s passing; a sub-genre named Bruceploitation which focused on casting Bruce Lee lookalikes to star in imitation martial arts films. The resulting cash-in features were made to exploit the deceased star’s international popularity during a time when intellectual property laws were less strict, with even...

To celebrate the release of Enter the Clones of Bruce on Digital and coming to Blu-Ray 27th May, we have a Blu-Ray to give away!

When the world’s most famous martial artist and screen icon Bruce Lee died in 1973 at just 32 years of age, he’d completed only four films. Within hours of his funeral, Hong Kong studios began producing hundreds of unauthorised biopics, sequels, prequels and spin-offs, finding a new legion of stars whose main skill was that they were Lee lookalikes. Over the next decade ‘Bruceploitation’ would become a staple of global cinema.

Now following its hugely successful premiere at FrightFest 2023, Enter the Clones of Bruce, a cinematic story like no other, gets its UK release on digital and on Blu-ray from 27 May 2024, complete with a slew of special features thanks to Severin Films.

Director David Gregory examines this fascinating phenomenon using interviews from those who experienced it first hand,...

'Shaolin Mantis' follows a young scholar who learns Kung Fu from a praying mantis, offering a unique and deep storyline. The movie's use of Praying Mantis style is based on real martial arts techniques designed to redirect and counter opponents' attacks. The film, produced by the Shaw Brothers, stands out for its unusual premise and realistic inspiration, making it an underrated martial arts movie.

The protagonists of Kung Fu movies often come from humble origins, but very few films had such an orthodox beginning as one movie from 1978 whose main character learned to fight by watching a bug. While it wasn't one of the best Kung Fu movies of the 1970s, this film certainly stood out due to its unusual premise. It's also not a comedy, despite the seemingly ridiculous nature of the film; instead, it's actually quite a good movie, and it could even be considered one of the most underrated martial arts movies.

Hong Kong’s biggest ever local hit A Guilty Conscience was named best film at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards (Hkfa), while Mad Fate’s Soi Cheang took best director and The Goldfinger swept six awards including best actor for Tony Leung.

A Guilty Conscience producer Bill Kong received the top award on stage from acclaimed Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda. That was the only win on the night for the courtroom drama, which went into the awards ceremony with 10 nominations.

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Murder mystery Mad Fate scooped three awards comprising best screenplay, best editing and best director for Cheang.

Crime drama “The Goldfinger” was the numerical winner at the Hong Kong Film Awards, where it won six prizes on Sunday. But it missed out on the best film prize, which went to box office record breaker “A Guilty Conscience.”

“The Goldfinger,” a retro financial thriller starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Andy Lau Tak-wah, earned a slew of technical award as well as the lead actor prize for Leung.

Two films took three prizes each: “In Broad Daylight,” an investigation into abuse at a care home, and “Mad Fate,” Soi Cheang’s grungy examination of superstition in the city. “In Broad Daylight,” which opened anonymously this weekend in mainland Chinese cinemas, picked up three performance awards — best actress award for Jennifer Yu, best supporting actor for David Chiang and best supporting actress for Rachel Leung. “Mad Fate,” which premiered in Berlin in February 2023, picked up the best director award, best...

Legal drama A Guilty Conscience took the top award for best film at this year’s Hong Kong Film Awards, while crime thriller The Goldfinger was the biggest winner overall with six prizes, including best actor for Tony Leung Chiu-wai.

A Guilty Conscience, produced by Edko Films, holds the record for the highest-grossing Hong Kong film ever with a gross of around $15M. It tells the story of a lawyer trying to free a client convicted due to his own negligence, who has to go up against one of Hong Kong’s most powerful business families.

Emperor Motion Pictures’ The Goldfinger, about one of Hong Kong’s biggest financial scandals, also picked up awards for best cinematography, best art direction, best costume and make-up design, best sound design and best visual effects.

In Broad Daylight, about a reporter exposing cases of abuse in a care home, scooped three acting awards for actress Jennifer Yu,...

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'...

Severin Films and Alamo Drafthouse today announced the 21-market theatrical engagement of the award-winning documentary Enter The Clones Of Bruce beginning April 12th at Alamo Drafthouse in Los Angeles. In addition – and direct from Hong Kong – legendary Bruce clone Bruce Le will make rare personal appearances at screenings in LA (4/12-14), San Francisco (4/16), Austin (4/18) and New York City (4/20-21), which will also feature screenings of Le/Bruceploitation classics that include The Dragon Lives Again, Enter The Game Of Death, Ninja Strikes Back and The Challenge Of The Tiger.

On May 21st, Bruceploitation is globally unleashed with the Blu-ray releases of Enter The Clones Of Bruce, along with Severin's unprecedented The Game Of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection Volume 1, a 7-disc collection presenting 12 of the very best – and frequently very bizarre – films starring Bruce Li, Bruce Le, Dragon Lee, Bruce Liang and more, all restored for the first time ever from original elements.

Emerging film director Kelvin Shum from Hong Kong started his career in theater and short films in Australia and the United States. In 2019, his experimental short “We Shall Overcome” won multiple awards including Best Thriller and Best Director during its run in many film festivals around the world. Praised for its striking visuals, “Deliverance” (2022), a psychological thriller starring Summer Chan and Simon Yam, is his first feature-length film.

In “It Remains”, Shum and Chan are back in bringing us a supernatural horror adventure set in a secluded village on a remote island far away from the busy city. While mourning the death of his girlfriend, Zi Jie, a grief-stricken young waiter keeps getting flashbacks of the car accident that killed her. In an attempt to console him, his three friends take him to a small village hopping nature and the remoteness would enable him to find solace.

Check the interview...

Lawrence Kan’s newsroom drama In Broad Daylight leads the pack going into the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards with 16 nominations.

The feature, which follows an undercover journalist who exposes the abuse of residents in a nursing home, secured nods in all but three of the 19 categories. It marks the second feature by Kan and proved the fourth highest grossing local film in 2023.

Scroll down for full list of nominations

Also gaining multiple nominations was Nick Cheuk’s emotive drama Time Still Turns The Pages and Felix Chong’s financial crime extravaganza The Goldfinger, which secured 12 nods apiece, while Jack Ng...

Some films start slow, but slowly grow on you. Thus, In Broad Daylight, a gut-wrenching drama about corruption – and worse - in Hong Kong’s care homes for the mentally impaired.

At its centre, the investigative team, led by Kay (Jennifer Yu), a tough-as-nails, cynical young journalist who nonetheless rejects the view of a jaded veteran colleague that their work doesn’t make any difference. She treads a fine line between the world-weariness of that colleague, and the optimism of trainee journalist Siu-ling (Rachel Leung).

Posing as the grand-daughter of Chau Kin-tong (David Chiang), Kay volunteers to help at the Rainbow Home, where Kin-tong is a resident. It is a depressing place: an institution that provides families who can no longer cope with relatives who are old or mentally impaired, or both, a place to forget them; and where abuse and exploitation of the residents is everyday occurrence.

Comparisons will inevitably be drawn with.

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,...

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...

Shout! Factory’s Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 3, covering the years 1976 to 1980, coincides with Shaw Brothers Studio’s creative zenith, when a decade’s worth of honed techniques and emergent competition at the Hong Kong box office propelled the studio to new artistic heights. That, though, means that this is the period that’s been most thoroughly mined by specialty home video labels looking to preserve the legacy of the studio’s work and Hong Kong genre movies in general. Most of the classics of these years, such as Lau Kar-leung’s The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Chang Cheh’s Shaolin Temple, have already been released on home video. Notably, Cheh’s work, the usual highlight of these Shout! collections, is somewhat underrepresented here due to a smaller selection pool of titles.

This collection, though, still represents a stellar opportunity to discover some of the less-heralded gems of the Shaw Brothers Studio’s golden era,...

Bruce Lee's influence on martial arts films made them a global phenomenon and led to the rise of other big-screen martial artists. There are numerous other martial arts stars from the '70s and '80s whose work would be highly cherished by Bruce Lee fans. From David Chiang to Angela Mao, these martial arts stars have had extensive careers and continue to be recognized as legends in the industry.

Bruce Lee might be the most well-known martial arts star, but there are also many other kung fu stars that his fans would love. Instrumental in popularizing martial arts films around the globe, Bruce Lee's greatest movies like Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon are staples in the kung fu genre that remain influential to actors, directors, and filmmakers in the action genre. Despite only making five kung fu movies before unexpectedly and heartbreakingly passing away in 1973, Bruce...

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,...

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,...

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...

’The Dream, The Bubble, And The Shadow’ is from ‘Ip Man’ director Wilson Yip.

Hong Kong-based One Cool Pictures is launching a string of new titles featuring Louis Koo, Jennifer Yu, Kay Tse and Lim Min Chen as it returns to Hong Kong Filmart, the company’s first physical market since 2019.

The Dream, The Bubble, And The Shadow, directed by Wilson Yip, produced by Soi Cheang and starring Koo, reunites the same team behind 2017’s Paradox from the Spl franchise, which won Koo the best actor award at the Hong Kong Film Awards and Asian Film Awards.

The upcoming suspense...

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...

Passionately acknowledged for his traditional kung fu flicks, this was Lau Kar Leung’s Hong Kong’s version of the popular Hollywood buddy-cop action comedy genre of the 80s which borrowed heavily from Peter Hyams’s “Running Scared” (1986) to Richard Donner’s “Lethal Weapon” from 1987. Due to its success, a sequel soon followed in 1990 starring Danny Lee but only Conan Lee reprised his role. It was nominated for the Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 1989 but “Police Story 2” was the winner.

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In a total contrast to his heroic character in “A Better Tomorrow” (1986), Chow Yun Fat portrays the womanizing and cowardly police Sergeant Francis Li mostly for laughs. Incidentally, this is the kind of clowning role his Asian audiences preferred and were fond of instead of the tough action hero type favored by the West.

Adapted from a novel by Gu Lung, this swordplay wuxia adventure features a nineteen year old Derek Yee, half-brother of David Chiang in his debut in which he shines as the lead protagonist and subsequently launches his film career with Shaw Brothers.

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Hungered to be Wulin’s (martial world) number one swordsman, ambitious Yen Shih San (Ling Yun) is forever challenging anyone with a sword. Dressed in black and surrendered by six swordsmen in a maple forest, that’s where we first meet him. Boasting that he can easily kill them within thirteen strokes of his sword, he quickly proves that he is again a master as he dispatches those unfortunately men in no time. Observing quietly behind the trees is Mu Yang Chiu Ti (Chen Ping) leader of the Mu Yang Clan and her entourage; she informs him that in order for him to be number one,...

On April 5th, 2022, the martial arts world lost one of its very first cinematic heroes. Jimmy Wang Yu passed away peacefully at the Taipei Zhenxing Hospital at the age of 80 after a six-year battle with declining health. Upon hearing the news, Jackie Chan posted on his blog, “The contributions you’ve made to kung fu movies, and the support and wisdom you’ve given to the younger generations will always be remembered in the industry.”

By younger generations, Jackie was referring to himself. Wang helped Jackie get a foothold in Kung Fu movies. In 1976, Wang faced Chan in one of Chan’s earliest Kung Fu films, Killer Meteors. Wang co-directed the film with Hong Kong movie mogul Lo Wei, and after Chan and Wei clashed, Wang helped young Jackie get things sorted out.

Wang starred in nearly 90 films most of which were Wuxia films, the genre of chivalrous martial arts masters.

“They call me Drunken Cat”

King Hu’s Come Drink With Me (1966) will be available on Blu-ray March 22nd from Arrow Video. It can be pre-ordered Here

Years before Shaw Brothers’ kung fu films made them the biggest film studio in Hong Kong, local audiences flocked to their wuxia pian films: mythic tales of swordfighting (and often gravity-defying) heroes fighting for honor. In his final film for the studio, Come Drink With Me, director King Hu (A Touch of Zen) broke fresh new ground in martial arts storytelling, and catapulted fresh-faced lead actress Cheng Pei-pei to stardom in the process.

When the Governor’s son is taken hostage by bandits, a mysterious swordsman named Golden Swallow (Cheng) is hot on their trail to ensure the son’s release. What the bandits don’t realize, however, is that Golden Swallow is actually a woman, and that the hostage is her brother.

Martial arts cinema and the Shaolin Temple have always been closely aligned, with numerous stories featuring both the Temple and those that passed through its walls. Any discussion of the best in this genre will inevitably feature Shaolin somewhere in the conversation. This version of “Shaolin Temple” gathers together the stalwarts of Chang Cheh’s features in Ti Lung and David Chiang alongside those that would take on the mantle in Alexander Fu Sheng and Chi Kwan-chun. Also, we get outings for those that would make up the future Venoms. So, like the central narrative on one story ending but others beginning, it becomes a cinematic passing of the torch from one generation to the other Indeed, it was part of a cycle of Shaolin movies that Chang Cheh would explore these characters more in “Heroes Two”, Five Shaolin Masters” etc. With there being countless retellings of the temples last days,...

During the 1970s the Shaw Brothers Studio in Hong Kong produced some of the most iconic action films ever made, revolutionising the genre through the backbreaking work of top-shelf talent. The new Limited Edition Blu-ray box set from Arrow Video presents twelve jewels from the Shaw crown, all released within the 1970s – here’s a look at all the titles included in the lavish release, featuring kickass kung fu killers, crazy kaiju knockoffs and culture clash comedies.

King Boxer (1973)

This is the legendary actioner that set the kung-fu film craze on fire in the UK. With a strong cast led by Shaw Brothers stalwart Lo Lieh, this iconographic martial arts movie has fantastic fight choreography, and beautiful sets which look absolutely stunning on Blu-ray.

Lo plays a kung-fu student eager to please his master and defend the honour of the martial arts school. There are a plethora of wonderful fight sequences,...

By the early 70s, England’s Hammer Film was going downhill with their horror film series which started back in 1958 with “Dracula” starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. On the other hand, Shaw Brothers Studio was riding high on their kung fu boom and for their last “Dracula” film series, Hammer decided to join forces with Shaw Brothers to film in Hong Kong and thereby introducing martial arts components into the horror genre.

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Nonetheless, the story starts off in Transylvania in 1908 with a Chinese High Priest Kah (Chan Shen) who’s seeking the help of Count Dracula to regenerate his golden vampires back in China to their former glory. He arrives at Dracula’s castle, casually strolls into the crypt and kneels in front of a lone coffin marked with the letter “D”. Awaken from his slumber, the Prince of Darkness who somehow understands Mandarin,...

Known as “Call Him Mr. Shatter” in the U.S., this was the second of a three-movie deal co-production between Shaw Brothers and the British Hammer Film Productions. “The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires” starring Peter Cushing, David Chiang and Shih Szu was the first. Since both movies were box office failures, their third collaboration never materialized.

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At the start of the movie, an assassin named Shatter (Stuart Whitman) is hired to kill an African dictator. His weapon of choice is a gun hidden inside a camera in which he kills his targets by taking their pictures. Maybe they should call him “Shutter” instead. Anyway, after the successful photo shoot, he heads to Hong Kong to meet Hans Leber (Anton Diffring) to collect his payment. But instead of getting his money, he soon discovers that he has become a target as the local hit-men...

Back in the late 80’s and 90’s, John Woo was on a roll. Starting with “A Better Tomorrow” through to “Hard Boiled”, he came to define the Heroic Bloodshed sub genre. In 1989, he co-directed “Just Heroes”, a tribute movie to the legendary mentor at Shaw Brothers Chang Cheh. Staring several actors from his productions and featuring cameos from others it should be more recognized than it is. Yet when John Woo’s Hong Kong canon is discussed it is almost an afterthought. With his Hollywood career seemingly done and his more recent vehicles lacking the magic of old, it’s a good time to go back and see if “Just Heroes” is worthy of rediscovery.

With the death of their leader, a criminal organization seeks to arrange a successor. Sou (Danny Lee) is chosen and along with Tai (Chen Kuan Tai), tries to find who is responsible for their bosses murder.

From time to time, I like to do features about my favorite top 10 movies for certain actors, and this time, it’s kung fu legend Jet Li. I hope you enjoy my top 10 list and remember, these are only my choices, everyone will have a different top 10.

10: Fong Sai Yuk (1993)

Director:Corey Yuen

Cast:Michelle Reis, Vincent Chiu, Josephine Siao, Peer Chan, Adam Cheng, Sibelle Hu

9: The Warlords (2007)

Director:Peter Chan

Cast:Andy Lau, Kaneshiro Takeshi

8: Kiss Of The Dragon (2001)

Director:Chris Nahon

Cast:Bridget Fonda, Sam Wong Shum

7: Once Upon A Time In China II (1993)

Director:Tsui Hark

Cast:Donnie Yen, Rosamund Kwan, David Chiang, Hung Yan Yan, Max Mok

6: Last Hero In China (1993)

Director:Wong Jing

Cast:Gordon Liu, Leung Kar Yan, Nat Chan, Chung Fat

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Misled into a secret meeting, the head chief of the Tien Yi Tong ends up with four darts in his chest. However, he manages to escape knowing that his number one chief, Hung Sing Tien (Chang Pei Shan) is responsible and returns to the Tien headquarters where hedies. Having played out during the movie’s opening credits sequence, this commotion spells out what’s to come for the rest of the story.

Now that the main chief is dead, it’s up to the remaining Tien Yi Tong’s eight chiefs to elect a new leader. Needless to say, the 1st Chief Hung is more than keen to take over and now he’s working his way to kill off the other chiefs. This is where our hero King Eagle Jin Fei (Ti Lung) gets involved since a gravely wounded 6th Chief tells him about the murder plot as he dies.

Hsiang Rong (David Chiang) is a young man whose life is put on hold after his father tragically dies in a truck accident. He has no choice but to look for work in order to keep his family alive. He seems angrier rather than sad, being caught in his current situation and starts to develop hatred and disrespect towards people around him. As it turns out, his best friend Gen Lai (Ti Lung) manages to secure him a job as a delivery boy in a small grocery shop but with less pay and long hours. On top of that, he has to put up with his mean boss who always scolds him and slaps him around, and this only builds up more frustrations and rage.

Moreover, Hsiang Rong is rather negligent himself; he sometimes skips work in-between deliveries to catch up with friends and he shoplifts. At times during his delivery runs,...

There is a certain irony in how modern day productions can date faster than those set in an earlier period. Fashions and styles change like the seasons so that which was once deemed the height of sophistication looks quaint in retrospect. “The Angry Guest” (A title that does sound like a reality TV show) is a classic example. With shirts so loud you practically need to wear sunglasses, it is very much a product of its time. Whilst time may have dated its style, the question is, does it still entertain?

The sequel to “Duel of Fists” opens with a prologue catching up with the events of the first film. After the villain of the original escapes, Wen Lieh (Ti Lung) and Fang Ko (David Chiang) find themselves involved in a conflict with a Japanese criminal outfit that seek to recruit their talents. After rescuing Wen Lieh...

In 1967, Shaw Brothers released “One-Armed Swordsman”, a new style of swordplay wuxia film, starring Jimmy Wang Yu and directed by Chang Cheh. It became the first film in Hong Kong to rag in Hk $1 million and Jimmy became a huge star overnight. Two years later, Jimmy picked up his broken sword and again under the direction of Chang Cheh, was back in “Return of the One-Armed Swordsman” (“One-Armed Swordsman King”in Chinese) with more bloodletting action.

This time around, our hero Fang Kang (Jimmy Wang Yu) is a happily settled down farmer and has little interest in the affairs of jianghu (the Martial arts world). In the meantime, the evil Eight Sword Kings clan has emerged; they set up a tournament to challenge all rival schools to decide who the best in swordsmanship is. However, this turns out to be a cover-up so they can kill off all the rival schools members.

Chang Cheh made so many movies for Shaw Brothers that even now, I am discovering ones I’ve never heard of. Eventually, the curtains were pulled, the iconic Shaw Brothers anthem played and away we went. Back to a time of studio sets, wanton carnage and chivalry.

Chen Deng (David Chiang) the local thief is caught again but the peaceful townsfolk cannot bring themselves to beat him and so instead tie him to a tree from which he easily escapes. Yau Guang (Wang Chung) is a travelling performer seeking somewhere to recuperate from his illness. When bandits arrive in town, they seek out the local blacksmith Wei Min-hui (Danny Lee) to break into the safe. As they take over the town and terrorise the residents, local marital artist Fang Yi-fei (Ti Lung) and farmer Ma Dao (Chen Kwan-tai) also become involved. When Wei Min-hui escapes to alert the authorities,...

Terracotta Distribution has got a sale going on this month for 10 of their kung fu titles, simply go to this link. You’ll be able to watch the Terracotta’s Classic Kung Fu Collection as well as the likes of The Masked Avengers, Five Element Ninjas and One-Armed Swordsman at over 40% off.

In addition to this, we’d like to draw attention to their wider catalogue that are available on Amazon Prime. Otherwise, you can always check out the VOD platform to be able to stream any of their back catalogue, click here.

Here’s a quick guide to the Top 5 Kung Fu films released so far in the Terracotta’s Classic Kung Fu Collection:

Hero Of Shaolin

Fearless Shaolin monks battle ninja assassins, vicious gangs, and even the Undead, in their quest to take the Golden Sutra to Tibet.

Stars Alexander Lo Rei, (Wu Tang Vs Ninja), Kim Fan,...

Out of all the movies director Chang Cheh made in the late 60s, this is easily his best. “The Invincible Fist” is a manhunt movie which takes place in less than a day, quick and well-focused. Another robbery has taken place, gold is stolen from a resident and the hunt is on for the local constable and his men. The whole movie is a wide journey which starts off on a hot summer day, to a rainy late afternoon, then a late night duel and by next dawn it’s all over.

Lo Lieh is our hero constable Tieh Wu Ching, also known as ‘The Invincible Fist’. However, he uses a sword rather than his bare fists. The Chinese title ‘Tieh Soa Wu Ching’ means ‘Iron Fist of No Compassion’, it makes more sense because it’s a word play referring to his name since Tieh means...

Luz

Hong Kong filmmaker Flora Lau finds her sophomore film Luz headlined by none other than Isabelle Huppert. Produced through Ama Productions, the Chinese-French co-pro also features the work of Chilean Dp Benjamin Echazaretta (who lensed Sebastian Lelio’s Gloria and A Fantastic Woman) with production design from Mila Preli. Few details have been released but Sandrine Pinna and Kung Fu star David Chiang are also in the cast. Lau’s 2013 debut Bends premiered in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival.…...

Shaw Brothers legend, Ti Lung had a productive year in 1969. He had a minor role in “Return of the One-Armed Swordsman”, in which he died in a horrible death. Nonetheless, director Chang Cheh must have seen the potential in him and made him the leading man in “Dead End”, a family drama set in modern day Hong Kong of the late 1960s.

“Dead End” is no doubt a Ti Lung movie and he fits right in. The mstory starts off in an office, the camera zooms in on a young, fine-looking clerk, Zhang Chun (Ti Lung), typing away in super high speed. After he finishes his work, he throws his arms up, sits back, and pushes his typewriter away, all in super slow motion. This is quite an introduction; Chang Cheh and his camera obviously love the young Ti Lung.

As an office clerk, Zhang Chun dreams of being rich,...

Love in a Fallen City. Photo courtesy of Celestial Pictures.Almost as long as there’s been a Chinese cinema, there have been Shaw Brothers. The three oldest brothers, Runje, Runde, and Runme, founded the Tianyi Film Company in Shanghai in 1925. Shortly thereafter, Runme and the youngest brother, Run Run, opened a branch of the company in Singapore, eventually expanding to Hong Kong. The Shaw empire crashed with the Japanese invasions, first in Shanghai in 1937 and then Singapore and Hong Kong in 1941. But after the war, thanks to the “more than $4 million in gold, jewelry and currency (they buried) in their backyard”1 they were able to re-open, first in Singapore and then, in the late 1950s, in Hong Kong. Shaw Brothers, with its massive Movietown production lot, became the dominant movie production house in the colony, vanquishing its rival MP & GI (later named Cathay) by the end of the 60s.

One of Scream Factory's most exciting Blu-ray announcements at last year's San Diego Comic-Con was the Hammer horror film Dracula: Prince of Darkness, and they're kicking off 2019 with another Hammer horror movie Blu-ray announcement: The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (starring Peter Cushing). Here's a look at the official cover art, and additional release details, including the list of bonus features:

Los Angeles, CA – Black belt vs black magic. Scream Factory presents The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires on Blu-ray™ for the first time on April 9, 2019. Presented here for the first time in high definition is Hammer’s original uncut version. It was released in the Us in an edited version called The 7 Brothers Meet Dracula which is also included here in high definition as a bonus feature.

The complete list of bonus features also includes new interviews with actor David Chiang and Hong Kong film expert Rick Baker,...

One of Scream Factory's most exciting Blu-ray announcements at last year's San Diego Comic-Con was the Hammer horror film Dracula: Prince of Darkness, and they're kicking off 2019 with another Hammer horror movie Blu-ray announcement: The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (starring Peter Cushing).

From Scream Factory: "Happy New Year everyone! Starting 2019 on a high note: The Legend Of The 7 Golden Vampires - a highly-requested title from the Hammer Films catalog - kicks its way onto Blu-ray April 9th!

Professor Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) and Count Dracula (John Forbes-Robinson) meet again in this spectacular kung fu horror thriller set in the village of Ping Kuei. After learning about the seven golden vampires of the village, Hsi Ching (David Chiang), Vanessa Buren (Julie Ege) and Mai Kwei (Szu Shih) offer to guide Van Helsing and his son to Ping Kuei to free it from the curse of Count Dracula.