The Random Shaw Brothers Viewing Thread

[BW Haggar Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BW Haggar]

Hey, Shaw Bros fans, a quick question as I contemplate an 88 Films sale;

Which of the following - based on pure entertainment value - would you most recommend?

Martial Club
The Chinese Boxer
Shaolin Mantis
Clan of the White Lotus

Currently leaning toward '..White Lotus', as it's a sort-of sequel to the very weird and entertaining 'Shaolin Executioners', but...

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

You can't go wrong with any of those choices but yeah, White Lotus of Chinese Boxer would get my money.

[agent999 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close agent999]

The Chinese Boxer isn't going to win any prizes for originality, but it's a damn good time.

[BW Haggar Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BW Haggar]

Thanks both - duly noted.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

The Ti Lung / David Chiang Collection coming from Shout! Factory 9/26/23.

https://shoutfactory.com/products/th...ang-collection

Includes:

HAVE SWORD, WILL TRAVEL
THE HEROIC ONES
VENGEANCE!
THE ANONYMOUS HEROES
THE DEADLY DUO
DUEL OF FISTS
THE DUEL
THE ANGRY GUEST
ALL MEN ARE BROTHERS
THE BLOOD BROTHERS
THE SAVAGE 5
7 MAN ARMY

[Derrick King Waterfall Puncher Find all posts View Profile Close Derrick King]

Per an MVD leak, Arrow is going to be breaking up the first set into three smaller releases:

Shaw Brothers Presents Four Films by Chang Cheh
Five Shaolin Masters / Shaolin Temple
The Five Venoms / Crippled Avengers

Shaw Brothers Presents The Basher Box
King Boxer
The Boxer from Shantung
Chinatown Kid

Shaw Brothers Presents Four Films by Lau Kar-Leung
Challenge of the Masters / Executioners of Shaolin
Heroes of the East / Dirty Ho

These are every film in the first set except Mighty Peking Man.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

The Shout! Factory release of The Ti Lung / David Chiang Collection has been pushed back to 11/28/23.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Per an MVD leak, Arrow is going to be breaking up the first set into three smaller releases:

Shaw Brothers Presents Four Films by Chang Cheh
Five Shaolin Masters / Shaolin Temple
The Five Venoms / Crippled Avengers

Shaw Brothers Presents The Basher Box
King Boxer
The Boxer from Shantung
Chinatown Kid

Shaw Brothers Presents Four Films by Lau Kar-Leung
Challenge of the Masters / Executioners of Shaolin
Heroes of the East / Dirty Ho

These are every film in the first set except Mighty Peking Man.

Cover art.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Extras for Vol. 3 of the Shout! Factory Shaw Brothers collection announced this afternoon.

Shaw Brothers Classics Vol. 3

New Collection of Kung-Fu Favorites Available October 24, 2023 from Shout! Studios

Get ready for more larger than life kung-fu tales from the legendary Hong Kong studio! Featuring eleven films from the storied studio never before on Blu-ray in North America, Shaw Brothers Classics Volume Three will be available October 24, 2023 from Shout! Studios.

This eleven-disc set includes eleven films originally released from 1976-1979 including Killer Clans, Shaolin Avengers, Web of Death, Vengeful Beauty, Death Duel, Life Gamble, Soul of the Sword, Deadly Breaking Sword, Clan of the White Lotus, Shaolin Abbott and Shaolin Rescuers. The collection is also loaded with brand new bonus features, including new audio commentaries with critics and historians including David West, Brian Bankston, James Mudge and more; new interviews with actors including Ku Feng, Susan Shaw, Candice Yu and Yang Hsiung; original theatrical trailers, Celestial trailers, and more! Fans can pre-order their copies now at ShoutFactory.com

Shaw Brother Classics Vol. 3 Bonus Features
KILLER CLANS
• NEW audio commentary with David West, critic and author of Chasing Dragons: A Introduction to the Martial Arts Film
• NEW A Killer Creativity – James Mudge, veteran Hong Kong critic at easternKicks on director Chor Yuen
• NEW Gu Long: Wuxia Writer – an interview with film critic Shum Long-Tin
• NEW Shaw’s Godfather - an interview with actor Ku Feng
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Celestial Trailer
AUDIO:
• Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio with new subtitle translation
• English Dubbed DTS-HD Master Audio

THE SHAOLIN AVENGERS
• NEW Audio Commentary with film historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema blog)
• NEW Sharp Soundbites – critic Frank Djeng provides some memories of his first Shaw Brothers encounters
• Celestial Trailer
AUDIO:
• Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio with new subtitle translation
• English Dubbed DTS-HD Master Audio

THE WEB OF DEATH
• NEW audio commentary by film critic Ian Jane (Rock! Shock! Pop! website)
• NEW Audio Commentary with film historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema blog)
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Celestial Trailer
AUDIO:
• Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio with new subtitle translation
• English Dubbed DTS-HD Master Audio

THE VENGEFUL BEAUTY
• NEW Audio Commentary with David West, Critic and Author of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction To The Martial Arts Film
• NEW Dark Times – an interview with actress Susan Shaw
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Celestial Trailer
AUDIO:
• Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio with new subtitle translation

DEATH DUEL
• NEW Audio Commentary with James Mudge, veteran Hong Kong film critic at easternKicks
• NEW Acting Before Directing – an interview with actor/director Derek Yee
• NEW A Touch of Romance – an interview with actress Candice Yu
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Celestial Trailer
AUDIO:
• Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio with new subtitle translation

LIFE GAMBLE
• NEW Audio Commentary with James Mudge, veteran Hong Kong Film critic at easternKicks
• Celestial Trailer
AUDIO:
• Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio with new subtitle translation
• English Dubbed DTS-HD Master Audio

SOUL OF THE SWORD
• NEW Audio Commentary with James Mudge, veteran Hong Kong film critic at easternKicks
• NEW The “Soul” of the Grindhouse – author and critic Rick Meyers details how Hong Kong action cinema came to become a Western phenomenon
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Celestial Trailer
AUDIO:
• Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio with new subtitle translation

THE DEADLY BREAKING SWORD
• NEW Audio Commentary with film historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema blog)
• NEW An Unbreakable Legacy – author and academic Victor Fan looks back at the venomous violence and success of the Shaw Brothers action formula
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Celestial Trailer
AUDIO:
• Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio with new subtitle translation
• English Dubbed DTS-HD Master Audio

CLAN OF THE WHITE LOTUS
• NEW Audio Commentary by James Mudge, Hong Kong Film Critic at easternKicks
• NEW Audio Commentary with film historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema blog)
• NEW White Terror – film critic and author David West looks back at the chaotic career of action-director Lo Lieh
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Celestial Trailer
AUDIO:
• Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio with new subtitle translation
• English Dubbed DTS-HD Master Audio

SHAOLIN ABBOTT
• NEW Audio Commentary by James Mudge, veteran Hong Kong film critic at easternKicks
• Celestial Trailer
AUDIO:
• Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio with new subtitle translation
• English Dub Mono DTS-HD Master Audio

SHAOLIN RESCUERS
• NEW Audio Commentary with film historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema blog)
• NEW To the Rescue! – Shaw Brothers actor Yang Hsiung talks about his career in film
• Celestial Trailer
AUDIO:
• Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio with new subtitle translation
• English Dub Mono DTS-HD Master Audio

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Arrow's Shawscope Vol. 2 boxed set is on sale at Amazon for just under $90.

https://amzn.to/46tzKnc

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

For SB fans in California, BAMPFA is going to be showing some of the SB Chinese opera movies soon.

https://bampfa.org/program/chinese-musicals-1957-1963

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

So Vinegar Syndrome announced Corpse Mania is getting a UHD release in the coming months.

There's also a post at the bottom of this page that says Kani, a VS partner label, also has a Shaw Brothers deal.

Between Arrow and Shout! these last two years, we've seen a LOT of Shaw titles hit Blu-ray in North America but very little of their horror output and I do wonder if that's what VS will be focusing on.

[Vincent Dawn Jr Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Vincent Dawn Jr]

So Vinegar Syndrome announced Corpse Mania is getting a UHD release in the coming months.

There's also a post at the bottom of this page that says Kani, a VS partner label, also has a Shaw Brothers deal.

Between Arrow and Shout! these last two years, we've seen a LOT of Shaw titles hit Blu-ray in North America but very little of their horror output and I do wonder if that's what VS will be focusing on.

Nice! Love the Shaw horror stuff. I've only seen a low quality version of Corpse Mania. Maybe Seeding of a Ghost is in the works? Or a Black Magic part 1 & 2 double bill?

I'm also hoping someone puts out Devil Fetus and Possessed (not Shaw Bros, but great HK horror).

[agent999 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close agent999]

88 already put out a lot of Shaw Bros horror in the UK (one has a commentary by some real weird guy!), so I'm selfishly hoping for some more obscure non martial arts flicks (a bit burnt out on these at the moment). Some of TF Mou's titles would be good. Also Bat Without Wings so Gene Simmons can sue.

I also second the Possessed flicks and Devil Fetus on the non Shaw front. I've been going back and rewatching some of my old HK DVDs recently, and most of them look absolutely horrible.

[Vincent Dawn Jr Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Vincent Dawn Jr]

88 already put out a lot of Shaw Bros horror in the UK (one has a commentary by some real weird guy!), so I'm selfishly hoping for some more obscure non martial arts flicks (a bit burnt out on these at the moment). Some of TF Mou's titles would be good. Also Bat Without Wings so Gene Simmons can sue.

I also second the Possessed flicks and Devil Fetus on the non Shaw front. I've been going back and rewatching some of my old HK DVDs recently, and most of them look absolutely horrible.

I just looked up Bat Without Wings, never heard of it before you mentioned it. Now I get the Gene reference. Did he ever actually threaten legal action? I wouldn't put it past him, haha.

Goes to show how big of a cultural influence Kiss had back then. I was born just a bit after their initial breakout success, but I do remember being a young kid in that era and seeing images of them that frightened me. I don't think I was even conscious of their music until later.