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!
Drunken Master is a film that, following Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978) (made with the same ensemble cast and director Yuen Woo Ping), consolidated Jackie Chan's position as the new Hong Kong kung fu action star of the late 1970s. Set in the late 19th century, Chan plays the great Chinese hero Wong Fei Hung as a loveable young rogue who is always getting into fights or embarrassing his family. Eventually his father decides the only way to make a man of Chan is to send him for training with an old drunken drifter played by Yuen Siu Tien. Just as they did in Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, the pair make a fine double-act, though this time there is much surreal entertainment to be had from the older man teaching the younger the fine art of drunken kung fu. Learning to fight like the Eight Drunken Gods before the final confrontation with Hwang Jang Lee causes Chan considerable problems, though Yuen Siu Tien simply fights better the more he drinks. Yuen Siu Tien would reprise the role in his final film, Magnificent Butcher (1979) yet with Chan he finds a perfect blend of slapstick comedy and creatively staged action which makes Drunken Master a genuine kung fu classic. On the DVD: The picture is generally strong though inevitably there is a fair amount of grain. Unfortunately the original 2.35-1 film has been reformatted to 1.77-1 widescreen TV ratio. This has been done more skilfully than usual but is still a misrepresentation of the original cinema release and does mar both the landscape photography and the fast moving action scenes. The sound is perfectly acceptable mono. Soundtrack options are the original Mandarin with English subtitles, or an English dub. Extras include the original English language theatrical trailer, Hong Kong Legends' own trailer, plus promos for further releases and a photo gallery. There is a detailed text biography and filmography of Jackie Chan, a biography of Yuen Woo Ping and a text interview with producer Ng See Yuen. Also included is a text biography of Hwang Jang Lee linked to a kicking showcase which is another short fight scene. Most of these features are identical to those on the Snake in the Eagle's Shadow DVD. --Gary S Dalkin
The legendary computer game comes to life in this all-action sci-fi adventure.
The dramatic retelling of the life and loves of one of history's most feared and admired leaders, William The Conquerer.
Inspired by her dream to be a missionary an English parlour maid journeys to China and opens an inn for tired hungry mule drivers crossing desolate mountain trails. Gradually overcoming the natives hostility she wins the heart of an Eurasian colonel and converts a powerful Mandarin to Christianity. But her greatest feat is achieved during the Japanese invasion of China when she leads one hundred homeless children to safety across enemy-held terrain. Based on the life story of G
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
Five small-time crooks arrive in prison on the same day and sharing the same cell form a close-knit circle of friends. Upon their release (also all on the same day) the five buddies move in together and start the ""Five Stars Cleaning Service."" Of course the five of them as a group will get into more trouble combined than they ever could individually! It is an indomitable Hong Kong cop (Jackie) on the trail of a ruthless gang of counterfeiters who finds himself teamed with this od
Many heads have rolled at the hands of Fung and his terrifying weapon - the Flying Guillotine. Only one man a one-armed man is capable of devising a technique that can combat it...
A young gambler going by the nickname of Iron Monkey seeks vengeance for the massacre of his family...
Dragon Lord (1982): Dragon (Jackie) and his buddy Cowboy get mixed up in a plot to swipe some valuable Chinese antiques and are forced to kick butt. However the real attraction here is a number of showstopping set pieces that involve Jackie and Cowboy playing some pretty demented versions of Badminton and Football all while trying to win the heart of a local beauty. Also known as Young Master In Love and Dragon Strike! Crime Story (1993): Jackie Chan plays a police man assigned to track down kidnappers unaware that his partner is also a villian. Blazing through incredible stunts car chases and brutal rooftop brawls (not forgetting the heart attack victim brought back to life with jump leads and a revving engine!) we see Jackie the maverick cop in full throttle to bring this case to its final and bloody conclusion. Heart Of The Dragon (1985): Respected cop Fung (Jackie Chan) gives up his dreams of sailing around the world in order to care for his mentally disabled brother (Sammo Hung). However having been innocently caught up in a gangland dispute the brother is kidnapped to force Fung to divulge the identity of a police informant... A DVD premiere for this Jackie Chan thriller offering a decidedly different change of pace with heart-wrenching drama and action choreography by Yuen Biao. Heromakers: Experience an action-packed stunt filled journey behind the scenes of the world famous Hong Kong action cinema industry. Join Jackie Chan Sammo Hung and the leading members of the Hong Kong Stuntman Association as they reveal the secrets of their trade and disclose fascinating anecdotes relating to their groundbreaking work in some of the most daring and innovative action movies ever made. Featuring a series of exclusive interviews recorded for the first time with the official approval of the HHSA Heromakers will illuminate the raw courage ingenuity and selfless dedication of the men and women who have elevated movies like Project A Police StoryThe Killer into cinematic legend!
A showcase for the most rare and popular form of Kung Fu the Monkey style. The evil Snake Fist Master is searching for Ming Loyalists and only the amazing Monkey Fighters can stop him!
In the sub-label 'Films of Fury' the newest entry is The Way of the Dragon, directed by and starring Bruce Lee. This volume includes exclusive extra features, O-ring packaging, and a collector's postcard (limited to 3000), based on the original theatrical poster.A young martial arts stunt man, is invited to Rome to help his relatives with a restaurant they own. However, a powerful local business corporation foresees the profit potential of the restaurant site and tries everything to force the family to sell the place to them.Feature documentary: Iron Fists and Kung Fu KicksCelebrities interviews including Sammo Hung, Simon Yam, Paul Pui, Wong Jing, Flora Cheong, Clarence Fok, Rocky LaiAlternate OpeningStills GalleryRe-edited 4K TrailerEnglish TrailerMandarin TrailerTrailers from HellAustralian director Brian Trenchard-Smith on The Way of the Dragon
Like its predecessor, Once Upon a Time in China 2 stars Jet Li as Wong Fei Hung, this time pitched against the xenophobic White Lotus cult, which is violently trying to rid China of foreigners (the period is the early 20th century). To complicate matters, he also finds himself fighting against the reactionary Chinese government. The martial arts battles, in particular one against co-star Donnie Yen as the government's strongman, are everything connoisseurs could wish for. Jet Li is not only acrobatic; he has a powerful screen presence that makes him a convincing hero. Production values, including sets and costumes, are excellent. The only flaw, at least to Western eyes, is the comedy, which has corny jokes about eating dog meat and so forth. On the DVD: the DVD is in widescreen format, with high-quality picture and sound and well-produced subtitles. The extras are well worth having, and include a lengthy scroll-down text biography of Jet Li, interviews with the star and with Donnie Yen, and a very informative audio commentary by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan. --Ed Buscombe
Grisly strangulations in London alert Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard to the possibility that fiendish Fu Manchu may not after all be dead even though Smith witnessed his execution. A killer spray made from Tibetan berries seems to be involved and clues keep leading back to the Thames.
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.
Wesley Snipes stars as an international security expert framed by terrorists determined to bring down the UN.
No screen team was more triumphant than in the 'golden age' of kung-fu cinema than the 'iron triangle' of director Chang Cheh and his protgs David Chiang and Ti Lung. This is their quintessential historical epic set during the waning Tang Dynasty it's literally brother against brother as Chiang and Lung display their remarkable martial arts prowess!
Old school martial arts from the Far East. The lovely but deadly Judy Lee stars as the Crane fighter who teams up with the debonair Kung fu kid Raymond Liu to overthrow the evil Manchu warlords who have taken over Canton. Superb action direction and direction from Raymond Liu a firm favourite with kung fu fans world wide.
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.
Respect... In hip-hop it's the name of the game. Some rappers will do anything to get it even starting a beef with another rapper or crew... and that can lead to raw brutal conflict in the streets. In fact beef has become so common that it is quickly becoming the fifth element of Hip-hop right beside MCs DJs graffiti and breakdancing. Beef 3 is about the high-profile Beefs in the hip-hop culture. Beefs are started when one rapper disses another for whatever reason usually to get the upper hand with the fans or to show their machismo. This program features Beefs between 50 Cent and Game Lil Flip and TI Nelly and Chingy Twista and Bone Thugz Lil Scrappy and the Orlando Police and many more.
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