Set in a remote Buddhist monastery in 16th Century China, Raining in the Mountain deals with a power struggle that ensues when the Abbot of the Three Treasures Temple announces his imminent retirement. The ageing Abbot invites three outsiders to advise him on the critical choice of appointing his successor: Esquire Wen, a wealthy patron of the monastery, General Wang, commander-in-chief of the local military, and Wu Wai, a respected lay Buddhist master. Within the monastery, several disciples aspiring to the position begin to collude individually with Esquire Wen and General Wang. But these two invited advisers have come with seditious intent, scheming to obtain the priceless scroll housed in the monastery: the scriptural text of The Mahayana Sutra, hand-copied by Tripitaka. Meanwhile, convicted criminal Chiu Ming has arrived at the monastery to atone as a monk. He is assigned to safeguard the scroll at the house of scriptures, and encounters thieving rivals White Fox who poses as Esquire Wen's concubine and General Wang's fearsome Lieutenant Chang, who originally framed Chiu Ming for the crime he did not commit. Selected as one of the Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures by the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2005, The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present King Hu's Raining in the Mountain on Blu-ray and DVD for the first time in the UK, from a new 2K restoration completed in 2018 by the Taiwan Film Institute. Special Features Limited Edition O-card Slipcase (First print run of 2000 copies only) 1080p transfer of the film on Blu-ray, from the Taiwan Film Institute's 2K restoration Progressive encode on DVD Optional English subtitles Original Mandarin audio, fully restored and uncompressed in its original monaural presentation Brand new and exclusive feature-length audio commentary by critic and Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns Beyond Description A brand new video essay by David Cairns Trailer PLUS: a collector's booklet featuring new essays by Chinese-language film expert and author Stephen Teo; and Asian cinema expert David West, news editor at NEO magazine
After an undisputed reign at the peak of Hong Kong's film industry in the 1960s, Shaw Brothers (the studio founded by real-life brothers Run Run and Runme Shaw) found their dominance challenged by up-and-coming rivals in the early 1970s. They swiftly responded by producing hundreds of the most iconic action films ever made, revolutionising the genre through the backbreaking work of top-shelf talent on both sides of the camera as well as unbeatable widescreen production value, much of it shot at Movietown', their huge, privately-owned studio on the outskirts of Hong Kong. This inaugural collection by Arrow Video presents twelve jewels from the Shaw crown, all released within the 1970s, kicking off in 1972 with Korean director Jeong Chang-hwa's King Boxer, the film that established kung fu cinema as an international box office powerhouse when it hit Stateside cinemas under the title Five Fingers of Death. From there we see Chang Cheh (arguably Shaw's most prolific director) helm the blood-soaked brutality of The Boxer from Shantung and two self-produced films in his Shaolin Cycle' series, Five Shaolin Masters and its prequel Shaolin Temple, before taking a detour into Ho Meng Hua's King Kong-inspired Mighty Peking Man, one of the most unmissably insane giant monster films ever made. Chang's action choreographer Lau Kar-leung then becomes a director in his own right, propelling his adoptive brother Gordon Liu to stardom in Challenge of the Masters and Executioners from Shaolin. Not to be outdone, Chang introduces some of Shaw's most famous faces to the screen, including Alexander Fu Sheng fighting on the streets of San Francisco in Chinatown Kid and, of course, the mighty Venom Mob in The Five Venoms and Crippled Avengers. Finally, Lau and Liu successfully meld high kicks with humor in two of their masterworks, Heroes of the East and Dirty Ho, both co-starring fan favorite Hsiao Hou. From kickass kung fu killers to crazy kaiju knockoffs to culture clash comedies, this carefully curated and gorgeously presented selection of all-time Shaw Brothers classics merely represents the tip of the iceberg of the studio's rich output, making it both an ideal starting point for newcomers and a treat for hardcore fans alike. Limited Edition Contents: High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentations of King Boxer, The Boxer from Shantung, Five Shaolin Masters, Shaolin Temple, Mighty Peking Man, Challenge of the Masters, Executioners from Shaolin, Chinatown Kid, The Five Venoms, Crippled Avengers, Heroes of the East and Dirty Ho Brand new 2K restorations by Arrow Films from the original camera negatives of King Boxer, The Boxer from Shantung, Challenge of the Masters, The Five Venoms, Crippled Avengers and Dirty Ho Brand new 2K master of the longer international cut of Chinatown Kid from original film elements Original uncompressed Mandarin, Cantonese (where applicable) and English mono audio Newly translated English subtitles for each film Hours of bonus features including brand new commentaries and critic appreciations on selected films, new and archive interviews with cast and crew, alternate credit sequences, trailer and image galleries for each film and more to be announced! 60 page book featuring new writing by David Desser, Simon Abrams and Terrence J. Brady, with cast and crew info for each film plus trivia and soundtrack info New artwork for each film by artists including Matthew Griffin, Chris Malbon, Jacob Phillips, Ilan Sheady, Tony Stella, Darren Wheeling and Jolyon Yates Coming in 2022... Shawscope Volume Two, and More!
The John Woo gangster classic that started it all, a romantic, violent, swirlingly stylish melodrama about duelling brothers--with a mesmerizing lead performance by Hong Kong's favourite actor, Chow Yun-Fat. In repose, Chow's sleepy magnetism recalls the glory days of Robert Mitchum, Steve McQueen, and Takakura Ken; when he's stepping high, Chow has a unique, ebullient star presence, a man who embraces life so unselfconsciously that he becomes vulnerable to all kinds of suffering and heartache (he endures masochistic megadoses of violence here). The sequence in which Chow's Mark avenges his betrayed best friend---by blasting his way into, and then out of, a Chinese restaurant, twin .45s blazing---is a swashbuckling standout. Woo's film technique may have been more polished in later efforts, but A Better Tomorrow has a direct emotional power that is still unique. Kung fu star of the 1970s, Ti Lung is also terrific here as the 40ish established mobster, relied upon by all, who allows conflicting loyalties toward Mark and toward his younger brother, now a cop, to undermine the stability of his position. --David Chute, Amazon.com
Classic martial arts action. Chen Chen (Bruce Lee) returns to Shanghai for the funeral of his martial arts mentor, who died in suspicious circumstances. Whilst he is mourning his old friend, members of a rival school arrive and taunt Chen and his friends, who do not react at first. Chen later visits the rival school and humiliates them by beating every single one of them, but this causes bloody repercussions and begins to uncover the real reasons behind the mentor's death.
LIMITED EDITION TWO-DISC BLU-RAY SET FEATURES*: Strictly limited to 2000 copies ONLY | O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju) | A set of facsimile lobby cards | Double-sided poster featuring original release posters | Bonus Disc featuring The Mystery of Chess Boxing | PLUS: A collector's booklet featuring new writing on both films by James Oliver DISC ONE - THE SWORDSMAN OF SWORDSMEN - FEATURES 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray from a 2K digital restoration completed by the Taiwan Film Institute | Original Mandarin audio | Optional English Subtitles | Brand new feature-length audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng and film writer John Charles (The Hong Kong Filmography, 1977 - 1997) | Archival interview with director Joseph Kuo DISC TWO (BONUS DISC) - THE MYSTERY OF CHESS BOXING** - FEATURES Strictly limited to 2000 copies ONLY | 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray, scanned from the only known surviving print of the film supplied by collector Dan Halsted (Head Programmer at the Hollywood Theatre, Oregon) | Original Mandarin, Cantonese and 'Classic' English dubbed audio options | Brand new feature-length audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng and martial artist / filmmaker Michael Worth | Brand new feature-length audio commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema | Sleeve artwork by Darren Wheeling * All extras subject to change ** The subtitles for The Mystery of Chess Boxing are burnt-in due to the only surviving materials available being a release print
Eureka Entertainment to release THE FATE OF LEE KHAN, the action-packed wuxia classic from master craftsman King Hu, as part of The Masters of Cinema Series in a definitive Dual Format (Blu-ray & DVD) edition on 21 October 2019. Available on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time in the UK, and presented from a new 2K restoration. The first print-run of 2000 copies will feature a Limited Edition O-card Slipcase. The final film in King Hu's Inn Trilogy , and the follow-up to his highly-acclaimed A Touch of Zen, The Fate of Lee Khan once again shows the master filmmaker's impeccable talent in creating drama out of a single setting. An espionage thriller with a unique wuxia twist and shades of Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, the film chronicles a tense showdown between warriors on opposing sides of a civil war in a rural inn. When Lee Khan (Tien Feng; A Better Tomorrow, Fist of Fury) a dangerous and cunning Mongol official, and his equally deadly sister Lee Wan-erh (Hsu Feng; A Touch of Zen), arrive at the Spring Inn to obtain a battle map that reveals the location of the Chinese rebel army, a group of resistance fighters, including an all-female group of ex-convicts plan to recapture the map, whatever the cost. As much a pre-cursor to the hangout' movie as it is an action packed wuxia adventure, The Fate of Lee Khan features action choreography by Sammo Hung (Eastern Condors) and also stars the incredible Angela Lady Whirlwind Mao, The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present King Hu's The Fate of Lee Khan on Blu-ray and DVD for the first time in the UK, from a new 2K restoration.
In what many enthusiasts consider to be 'the ultimate martial arts movie' Bruce plays the fictional character of Chen Jun a student of legendary real-life martial artist Fok Yun Gap. In an epic tale of national rivalries Lee is a true force of nature as he battles against Japanese Imperialist forces determined to subjugate his people. In the most electrifying performance of his career Bruce Lee demonstrates complete mastery of his art in scene after scene of the most realistic and
One of the most sought after Shaw Brothers films finally makes a return, courtesy of 88 Films! The beloved Chang Cheh classic House of Traps is a feast for classic Hong Kong Cinema fans, especially those who dig the famous Venom Mob , the group of actors made famous by their appearance in the Shaw Brothers classic The Five Deadly Venoms, also directed by Chang Cheh. Many of the actors return for Chang's House of Traps, a rousing 1982 actioner about the quest to recover a valuable jade antique. The stolen antique has been hidden in the eponymous House of Traps , a booby trap-laden pagoda from which no one has ever escaped alive. Expect plenty of exotic weaponry, powerful fisticuffs, and above all copious bloodletting as Chang Cheh guides the Venoms through undeniably one of their most popular Shaw Brothers outings!
It's trouble all the way when Dragon (Jackie Chan) tries to save his brother from a life of crime and through a case of mistaken identity finds himself on the wrong side of the law!
The ultimate DVD presentation of the ultimate Hong Kong gangster action movie! A simple but compelling tale of two brothers - Ho Tse Sung (Ti Lung) a successful counterfeiter and Kit Sung (Leslie Cheung) a rookie graduate of the Hong Kong Police Academy - the plot focuses on Woo's favourite themes of honour brotherhood and loyalty. Incarcerated after a deal goes wrong on his release from prison Ho decides it is time to go straight. However he is coerced back into a lif
Evil vs. Good as the outlaw bandits try to destroy the only people able to protect a small village. However the young challengers use their abilities to fight bravely and keep their town from these brutal thieves.
An artist Ku lives with his mother near an abandoned fort. One night investigating strange noises he meets the beautiful Yang who is living there. She is being pursued by agents of an Imperial noble who have murdered her family and Ku finds himself caught up in her struggle to survive... A lyrically spiritual Kung Fu film 'A Touch Of Zen' provided the inspiration for Ang Lee's seminal 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon'.
Martial arts expert Jackie Chan sets out with his deadly weapons namely his hands and feet to seek revenge against the murderer of his father.
When a Manchu conspiracy to overthrow the Ming dynasty is thwarted by a group of Shaolin disciples and patriots a fierce battle to defend the life of the King ensues with deadly results.
One of a collection of films recently discovered in the Hong Kong film archives and now available for the first time in the UK. One of the most popular stars in the martial arts world Dragon Lee performs in this epic account of an attempt to overthrow the Ching government. The fighting is fast furious and brutal as you would expect from this master of Kung Fu. Dragon Lee was considered by many to have taken over the crown worn by the true master Bruce Lee and in 'The Angry Dragon'
Young Jackie Chan cannot afford to take proper Kung Fu lessons and so he accepts an offer from a 'beggar' to teach him. The beggar is really an Old Master and he teaches Jackie through to adulthood. Jackie is eventually sought by the man who killed his father for a blindfolded deathmatch.One of Jackie's earliest films dating from 1974.
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