Shawscope: Volume Three (Blu-ray Review – Part 1)
Director
VariousRelease Date(s)
Various (December 3, 2024)Studio(s)
Shaw Brothers Studio/Celestial Pictures (Arrow Video)- Film/Program Grade: See Below
- Video Grade: See Below
- Audio Grade: See Below
- Extras Grade: A+
- Overall Grade: A+
Review
From the mid-1960s and through to the early 1980s and beyond, the Hong Kong-based Shaw Brothers Studio ruled the roost when it came to martial arts cinema. Producing a number of successful films that traveled all over the world, particularly to the US, Britain, and Europe, their brand of extreme hand-to-hand combat films entertained audiences under a myriad of different titles and in various languages. Today, they’re still beloved to genre fans, particularly to those who grew up seeing these films in grindhouse cinemas or repeatedly on television.
Arrow Video presents twelve of these films, encapsulating the Shawscope: Volume Three Blu-ray boxed set, a massive and beautifully-rendered release. It’s loaded with an amazing amount of extras per film in gorgeous packaging with an accompanying booklet, making it a massive undertaking for a single review. Because of its size, I’ll be covering this release one disc at a time, updating this review of the entire set over time to go over it in better detail.
Below, you’ll find quick links that will take you to reviews of Discs 1 through 5:
(Click Below to Jump to Individual Disc/Film Reviews):
DISC TWO: RETURN OF THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN
DISC TWO: THE NEW ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN
DISC THREE: INTIMATE CONFESSIONS OF A CHINESE COURTESAN
DISC ONE: ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN
One-Armed Swordsman (aka Du bei dao and The One-Armed Swordsman) was released in Hong Kong in 1967, and although it was never officially released in the US, it did play in San Francisco (as well as Honolulu). Fang Gang (Jimmy Wang Yu) is the young son of Fang Cheng (Ku Feng), who’s killed by a group of assassins, led by the “Long-Armed Devil” (Yang Chi-Ching), in defense of his Master, Qi Refung (Tien Feng). Qi Refung takes Fang Gang under his wing and trains him in the Golden Sword technique, but his favoritism sows jealousy among the other disciples, including Qi Pei (Violet Pan Ying-Zi), Qi Refung’s daughter. After an unpleasant confrontation, Qi Pei cuts Fang Gang’s left arm off, whereupon he disappears into the wilderness. He’s found and healed by Xiao-man (Lisa Chiao Chiao), a lonely villager whom Fang Gang falls in love with, intending to leave behind his martial arts skills now that he’s crippled and live a quiet farm life. But when Qi Refung and the other disciples come back under the threat of the Long-Armed Devil’s new anti-blade weapon, Fang Gang must decide whether to break his vow to Xiao-man or come to his Master’s aid by re-learning how to fight with one arm.
Purportedly the first film to earn $1 million Hong Kong dollars, at least by the studio that proudly pronounced it in their trailer for the sequel, One-Armed Swordsman also ushered in a new style of wuxia in Asian cinema. It’s considered one of China’s greatest films, though some its detractors insist that its later sequel, The New One-Armed Swordsman, is a better film overall. Director Chang Cheh himself never seemed happy with it, seeing it only for its flaws, but it didn’t matter since critics, audiences, and fans have heralded it as a game changer and a crowd pleaser. I personally find it a little clunky in places, but the ending is so satisfying that any and all character and tonal issues are easily forgiven. It’s also one of those films that doesn’t give you exactly what you’re expecting, making it seem fresh for new audiences. Its massive success and lasting popularity led to a pair of in-house sequels, as well as the unofficial spin-off Zatoichi and the One-Armed Swordsman from 1971, and Tsui Hark’s 1995 one-armed tribute film The Blade.
One-Armed Swordsman was shot by directors of photography Yuen Chang-Sam and Kuang Han-Lu on 35mm film with anamorphic lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Arrow Video presents the film from a 4K restoration carried out by Celestial Pictures in 2020, with additional grading completed at R3store Studios, London in 2024. It’s worth noting that the opening and closing titles have been re-created digitally. It’s a very pleasant presentation some minor drawbacks. Detail is much more abundant, but some grain management has been applied, as have occasional digital fades, which always stand out. However, the bitrate sits between a comfortable 20 to 30Mbps, and the overall image is bursting with lush color, deep blacks, and perfect contrast. The image is clean and stable throughout, but if those behind the restoration had opted for more natural grain and optical fades, it would have fared much better.
Audio is included in Mandarin or English 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional English subtitles for the Mandarin audio and English SDH for the English audio. The Mandarin audio is atypically restrained, but clean with good support for the score. The English dub is a bit more dynamic when it comes to the dialogue, but the score isn’t quite as high up in the mix. Both tracks are solid, but the Mandarin audio is preferred for the performances.
The following extras are included:
- Audio Commentary by David West
- Tony Rayns on One Armed Swordsman (HD – 38:09)
- One Armed Superstar: An Interview With Jimmy Wang Yu (HD and Upscaled SD – 41:15)
- Chiao Chiao: A Shaw Career (HD and Upscaled SD – 16:32)
- Ku Feng on Chang Cheh (HD and Upscaled SD – 18:47)
- Sam Ho on Chang Cheh (HD and Upscaled SD – 22:21)
- Daniel Lee on One Armed Swordsman (HD and Upscaled SD – 10:46)
- One Armed Side Hustles (HD – 10:06)
- Trailer Gallery:
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (Mandarin) (HD – 4:02)
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (English) (HD – 4:02)
- Chang Cheh Trailer Reel (HD and Upscaled SD – 6 in all – 23:00)
The audio commentary features David West, author of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction to the Martial Arts Film. It’s a very much a reactive commentary, spring-boarding to topics about the film and its cast and crew, but also delving into the history of Shaw Brothers Studio and wuxia cinema in general. Film critic and historian Tony Rayns then details the One-Armed Swordsman series, the politics surrounding it, and the state of Shaw Brothers during the era in which the films were released. One Armed Superstar contains an interview with Jimmy Wang Yu from 2001 who details his career, though Arrow has emphasized that the interview occasionally features dropouts, which they’ve attempted to repair as much as possible. Chiao Chiao: A Shaw Career features a 2005 interview with Lisa Chiao Chiao who discusses becoming a part of the Shaw Brothers production family. Ku Feng on Chang Cheh features a 2004 interview with the titular actor about his work with the titular director. Sam Ho on Chang Cheh is a 2003 interview with film historian Sam Ho, who offers an appreciation of the work of director Chang Cheh. Daniel Lee on One Armed Swordsman is a 2004 interview with the director of the remake, What Price Survival, Daniel Lee, who discusses the original film. One-Armed Side Hustles is a new video essay by film historian Brandon Bentley about Jimmy Wang Yu and his repeated portrayal of disabled characters. Last is the film’s trailer in Mandarin or English, as well as a Chang Cheh Trailer Reel, featuring trailers for Golden Swallow (aka Jin yan zi, Mistress of the Thunderbolt, The Shaolin Swallow, and The Girl with the Thunderbolt Kick); The Invincible Fist (aka Tie shou wu qing and Ruthless Iron Hand); Vengeance (aka Bao chou, Bo sau, Vengeance!, and Kung-Fu Vengeance); Deadly Duo (aka Shuang xia and The Deadly Duo); Heroes Two (aka Fang Shi Yu yu Hong Xiguan, Bloody Fists, Temple of the Dragon, Heroes 2, Arashi o yobu doragon, Blood Brothers, and Kung Fu Invaders); and Five Element Ninjas (aka Ren zhe wu di, Yan je mo dik, Five Element Ninja, Super Ninjas, and Chinese Super Ninjas).
Quite a few of the extras from previous releases have not carried over. The 2007 Dragon Dynasty DVD release contains an audio commentary with film critics and scholars David Chute and Andy Klein, The Master: Chang Cheh featurette, an additional Jimmy Wang Yu interview, an interview with David Chute and Andy Klein, a home video trailer, and a stills gallery. The 2011 Deltamac Blu-ray contains the Contemporary Styles of Kung Fu: Wing Chun Kuen featurette and The Vengeance Pack Blu-ray release features a set of VHS credits and an advertising gallery. The 88 Films Blu-ray contains an additional audio commentary with Asian cinema expert Bey Logan, as well as a booklet essay by Calum Waddell.
ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO/EXTRAS): B-/B+/B/B
DISC TWO: RETURN OF THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN
Return of the One-Armed Swordsman (aka Du bei dao wang, Duk bei do wong, and King of One Armed Swordsmen) was released in Hong Kong in 1969, and although it was never officially released in the US, it did play in Honolulu. After the events of the first film, Fang Gang (Jimmy Wang Yu) leads a quiet farming life in the country with his wife Xiao-man (Lisa Chiao Chiao), having given up meddling in the affairs of the world and martial arts. One day, the Black and White Blade Envoys, Guan Heng (Fong Yau) and Guan Shun (Wu Ma), arrive and attempt to force him and other swordsman to face off against the Eight Sword Kings at the Overlord Fort Thousand Blade Conference. Initially reluctant to get involved, he does so when some of the elder villagers are captured by the tyrannical Kings, and their young sons turn to Fang Gang for help. Among their adversaries are the Unseen King, Ling Xu (Tien Feng); Mighty King, Jiao Feng (Ku Feng); Poisonous Dragon King, Duan Shuo (Tung Li); Whirling King, Song Wen (Tong Kai); Heavenly Escape King, Deng Fei (Yuen Cheung-Yan); Burrowing King, Shi Hu (Lau Kar-Wing); Long-Armed King, Yuan Qian (Lau Kar-Leung); and Thousand-Handed Queen, Hua Niang-zi (Essie Lin Chia). And whomever is left standing will be forever known as the King of Blades.
To no-one’s surprise, the runaway success of the first film meant that there were more adventures in store for the titular disabled sword master. The sequel actually surpasses the first in that it overcomes some of its clunkier aspects, and opts for a story that’s solely about Fang Gang leading a group of young martial artists into the lion’s den and saving their fathers. It takes some time getting there, but in a natural sort of way that allows Fang Gang to give his wife the respect she deserves since she’s expressly against his participating in any kind of martial arts. Only after they’re exposed to the horrors of the real world do they both agree that it’s the right thing to do. In terms of the fight scenes themselves, there’s many more of them with a much larger cast and a seemingly endless supply of sword-wielding extras, eager to clash metal with each other. It’s a far more ambitious effort as Fang Gang faces off against all eight opponents and their servants one at a time, leading to one bloody showdown after another. Unfortunately, it would be the last time Jimmy Wang Yu would inhabit the main role. After appearing in the follow-up The Chinese Boxer, he broke his contract with Shaw Brothers, which they were none too pleased with. However, it wouldn’t be the final time that the one-armed swordsman would appear.
Return of the One-Armed Swordsman was shot by directors of photography Kung Mu-To (aka Yukio Miyagi) on 35mm film with anamorphic lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Arrow Video presents the film from a 2024 2K restoration by Arrow Films in collaboration with L’Immagine Ritrovata, the Hong Kong Film Archive, and Celestial Pictures, with grading by R3store Studios. Like its predecessor, it maintains a bitrate mostly between 20 and 30Mbps, sometimes even reaching above that. It also offer a very tight layer of natural film grain and high levels of fine detail. The color palette features an attractive range of hues in the varying costumes and environments, as well as natural flesh tones, deep blacks, and excellent contrast. The image is also stable and clean, appearing quite organic. Truly, it’s one of the best presentations included with this release.
Audio is included in Mandarin or English 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional English subtitles for the Mandarin audio and English SDH for the English audio. The Mandarin track has a mild natural hiss and is much more full bodied than most tracks of the same vintage, with good balance for the various elements. The English track is a much narrower, distortion-laden experience, and overtly cleaner in contrast. The dubbing for the English track is actually not too bad, but the Mandarin track is by far the best choice, for performances, as well as the quality of the audio.
The following extras are included:
- Audio Commentary by Samm Deighan
- Theatrical Trailers:
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (Mandarin) (HD – 3:58)
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (English) (HD – 3:58)
Author and film historian Samm Deighan provides an audio commentary for the film with an examination of the wuxia style of the era, making comparisons to other films in the series, delving into the careers of key cast and crew, analyzing the various layers of martial arts content, highlighting some of the stunt performers (fully admitting that trying to talk about all of them in one track would be nigh impossible), and discussing the legends that served as inspirations for many Shaw Brothers productions. Last is the film’s trailer in Mandarin and English.
A few extras from previous releases haven’t carried over. The Deltamac Blu-ray contains the Contemporary Styles of Kung Fu: White Crane Fist featurette and a video trailer. The Vengeance Pack Blu-ray release features an interview with Jimmy Wang Yu, “The Vengeance Pack” trailer, an interview with Troy Sandford, the Anatomy of a Swordfight featurette, the German Dubbing Session, and a Trailer Reel.
RETURN OF THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO/EXTRAS): B/A/B+/C+
DISC TWO: THE NEW ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN
The New One-Armed Swordsman (aka Xin du bi dao, Sun duk bei do, New One-Armed Swordsman, The Sword of the Yellow Tiger, and Triple Irons) was released in 1971 in Hong Kong and in 1973 in the US by World Northal. Lei Li (David Chiang), a skilled swordsman, is accused of robbery and murder, subsequently dueling with Long Yizhi (Ku Feng) and losing his left arm in the process. Swearing upon honor, he vows never to participate in martial arts again, disappearing and becoming a waiter in a restaurant. There he’s befriended by Ba Jaio (Li Ching), who takes pity on him when she sees locals bullying him and his refusing to fight back. She attempts to give him her father’s sword for defense, but he declines. All of this is witnessed by Feng Junjie (Ti Lung), a capable swordsman who takes an interest in Lei Li, discovering who he is and why he chooses to live a solitary life. All three become fast friends, but Long Yizhi soon summons Feng Junjie to his heavily guarded Tiger Mansion for a meeting, whereupon Lei Li regains his strength and his willingness to fight back against the evil overlord.
As noted in my review of the original One-Armed Swordsman, some consider The New One-Armed Swordsman to be superior to its progenitor, and in many ways it is. However, it’s a case where both films, as well as the sequel, all have their pros and cons. Some prefer David Chiang’s portrayal over Jimmy Wang Yu’s, though Chiang’s Lei Li’s reluctance to defend himself can be maddening. It isn’t until he’s pushed to the very brink that he eventually takes his vengeance against Long Yizhi in one of the series’ most protracted and entertaining blood baths in which he basically kills an entire clan of villains. It’s worth the price of admission alone. The most interesting aspect of the story is the gay subtext between Lei Le and Feng Junjie. Their relationship is portrayed as nothing more than platonic, but the execution of it, especially when Ba Jaio is sidelined and Feng Junjie professes that he’s thinking about leaving martial arts behind and that he and Lei Le should live on a farm together, only heightens that subtext. It would have been fascinating to see a Shaw Brothers film take such a progressive left turn, but it’s a beguiling possibility nonetheless. Subtext or not, the film would unfortunately be the last official Shaw-produced one-armed swordsman venture. Jimmy Wang Yu would portray a version of the character in One-Armed Swordsman vs. Nine Killers, and both he and David Chiang would team up for The One Armed Swordsmen, both films produced for a different studio. Wang Yu would also travel to Japan later that same year for Zatoichi and the One-Armed Swordsman.
The New One-Armed Swordsmen was shot by director of photography Kung Mu-To (aka Yukio Miyagi) on 35mm film with anamorphic lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Arrow Video presents the film from a 2024 2K restoration by Arrow Films in collaboration with L’Immagine Ritrovata, the Hong Kong Film Archive, and Celestial Pictures, with grading by R3store Studios. It’s another stellar presentation with a bitrate that mostly sits between 20 and 30Mbps with a tight layer of well-resolved grain, though some faint scratches are present here and there. Depth and detail are staggering, with another bold color palette offering a range of hues on costumes, objects, and environments. Blacks are deep with perfect contrast, and the image is highly stable and clean, appearing organic from beginning to end.
Audio is included in Mandarin or English 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional English subtitles for the Mandarin audio and English SDH for the English audio. The Mandarin track is very clean but not overly processed-sounding with decent balance, but requires a minor volume adjustment, depending on your setup. The English track is a little more natural, but more narrow with some mild distortion. However, the Mandarin track is the clear winner when it comes to both quality and performances as the English dub isn’t very good.
The following extras are included:
- Audio Commentary by Brian Bankston
- Theatrical Trailers:
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (Mandarin) (HD – 3:21)
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (English) (HD – 3:21)
- German Das Schwert des gelben Tigers Theatrical Trailer (HD – 3:02)
- US Triple Irons Theatrical Trailer (HD – 2:02)
- US Triple Irons TV Spots (HD – 2 in all – 1:27)
The audio commentary features Brian Bankston of CoolAssCinema.com, who provides a very detailed account of the film, its place within the Shaw Brothers filmography, and its release and impact. He also discusses lawsuits between Shaw Brothers and different parties (including Jimmy Wang Yu), aspects of the careers of those involved, and the conflicts between Shaw and Golden Harvest which were becoming more frequent. Last is the film’s trailer in Mandarin and English, the German trailer, the US trailer, and a pair of US TV spots.
Several substantial extras from previous releases have not carried over. The 2011 Deltmac Blu-ray release contains the Contemporary Styles of Kung Fu: Tai Chi Chuan featurette. The 2012 Vengeance Pack Blu-ray releases contain the shorter Celestial Pictures cut of the film; three German Super 8 versions of the film; two audio commentaries, one with Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, and the other with “The Vengeance Pack;” Elegant Trails: David Chiang; Elegant Trails: Ti Lung; The Master: Chang Cheh; an additional interview with David Chiang; What Makes Shaw Run Run?; Heisse Ware aus Hongkong; a video trailer; “The Vengeance Pack” trailer; various image galleries; and a set of German VHS credits.
THE NEW ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO/EXTRAS): B/A/B/C
DISC THREE: THE LADY HERMIT
The Lady Hermit (aka Zhong kui niang zi and Female Zhong Kui) was released in Hong Kong in 1971. It was never officially released in the US but it did play with subtitles in Honolulu that same year, and in San Francisco the following year. Hiding out in a village as nothing more than a cook, Leng Tushuang (Cheng Pei-Pei) becomes the focal point for Jin Cuiping (Shih Szu), a young female martial artist seeking out the legendary “Lady Hermit” for training. Leng has reserved her feelings for Wu Changchun (Lo Lieh), a knight in the Wan An protection order, but kept them at bay. Jin has meanwhile fallen in love with Wu, but when the minions of the evil Black Demon (Wang Hseih) seek Leng out, she dons her Lady Hermit persona once again. Soon, Jin comes under her tutelage and her feelings for Wu become more apparent, much to Jin’s dismay, but all must put aside their differences if they are to defeat Black Demon and his fighters.
Having already established herself as a force of nature in Come Drink With Me, The Monkey Goes West, and The Golden Swallow, Cheng Pei-Pei is the powerhouse nucleus of The Lady Hermit, fully capable of dispensing with the villains, despite the pain her character is feeling from a previous encounter with Black Demon. Shih Szu portrays an ambitious but naive young woman who often does things for the wrong reasons, including her jealous fit to defeat Black Demon once she discovers Wu’s feelings for Leng. Solid as always, Lo Lieh brings a supportive energy to our two female leads, never giving into the temptation of sexist disregard. Director Ho Meng-Hua, mostly known for Shaw Brothers horror extravaganzas like the Black Magic films and The Oily Maniac, as well as The Flying Guillotine and The Might Peking Man, keeps things fairly grounded here, focusing on the relationships between the characters before allowing them to explode in the action scenes. The love triangle melodrama is thankfully limited, giving us more of what we’ve come to expect from a Shaw Brothers film. There’s also a blink-and-you’ll-miss-him appearance by future superstar Sammo Hung as one of Black Demon’s henchman.
The Lady Hermit was shot by directors of photography Lam Kwok-Cheung, Danny Lee Yau-Tong, and Cho Wai-Kei on 35mm film with anamorphic lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Arrow Video presents the film from a 2024 2K restoration by Arrow Films in collaboration with L’Immagine Ritrovata, the Hong Kong Film Archive, and Celestial Pictures, with grading by Dragon DI, Wales. Arrow delivers another winner with a fantastic presentation featuring well-resolved grain and high levels of detail. Bitrates sit between 20 and 30Mbps and the picture is stable and clean, aside from some occasional mild streaking. The color palette has a nice range of hues, with deep blacks and excellent contrast. It’s a thoroughly organic presentation.
Audio is included in Mandarin or English 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional English subtitles for the Mandarin audio and English SDH for the English audio. While the Mandarin track has a more natural quality with minor hiss and the English track has a canned quality when it comes to the dubbing, there’s also a difference in musical scores. The English track features different and re-adjusted cues, the latter sometimes coming in earlier or later in scenes. It’s all the more reason to stick with the original language track as it’s a more effective experience. It’s worth noting that there’s also some “borrowing” from John Barry’s score for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
The following extras are included:
- Audio Commentary by James Mudge
- Theatrical Trailers:
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (Mandarin) (HD – 4:27)
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (English) (HD – 4:27)
The audio commentary features James Mudge, producer and writer for the web site easternKicks.com. It’s a more reactionary track, but nonetheless informative as he details aspects of the production and those who made it dutifully. He also defends the film’s love triangle as being integral to its thematics and story, while also offering some critique of other facets of the film. Last is the theatrical trailer in Mandarin and English.
There a few notable items from previous releases that haven’t carried over. The Imprint Asia Blu-ray release contains an audio commentary with film historian Samm Deighan and an interview with film scholar Wayne Wong, while the Region 2 DVD from HK Video features a documentary about Ho Meng-Hua and a still gallery.
THE LADY HERMIT (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO/EXTRAS): B-/A/B/C+
DISC THREE: INTIMATE CONFESSIONS OF A CHINESE COURTESAN
Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (aka Ainu and Body and Sword) was released in Hong Kong in 1972. It was never officially released in the US but it did play in Honolulu the following year, as well as the UK. In the film, Lady Chun (Betty Pe Ti) is the ruthless madam of the Four Seasons brothel and receives a new parcel of kidnapped young virgins to be used as prostitutes. Among them is Ainu (Lily Ho Li-Li), a beautiful but resilient girl who refuses to give in to Lady Chun’s demands, not precluding her own sexual desires. Realizing that there’s no way to escape the brothel alive, Ainu sets about developing a relationship with Lady Chun, sharing her bed and learning martial arts in the process, to exact her revenge on the brothel’s customers, as well as Lady Chun. However, once the bodies start piling up, Ainu comes under the immediate suspicion of chief constable Ji De (Yueh Hua), later leading to a sword-wielding showdown.
A highly unusual film in the Shaw Brothers catalog, Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan made quite a splash upon its release in Hong Kong due to the amount of sexually-charged nudity on display. The Shaw marketing team wasted no effort in exploiting as much of the titillation as possible in the marketing campaign, though many tended to overlook the film’s feministic bent, due to the portrayals of Ainu and Lady Chun. It was unprecedented to not only have such an explicit lesbian relationship in a film at that time, with a brief but relatively chaste moment of oral sex thrown in for good measure, but also in showing how women dominated the men in their world. The sexploitation elements did the film no favors in the UK where it was cut to pieces, but Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan was a large success in its original form. It did manage garner some controversy, but it mattered little as the money kept pouring in from eager audiences. Not unlike director Chang Cheh, Chor Yuen would have a fruitful career at Shaw Brothers as one of their finest filmmakers, even re-creating Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan in 1984 as Lust for Love of a Chinese Courtesan (Ai nu xin zhuan).
Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan was shot by director of photography John Chu Ka-Yan on 35mm film with anamorphic lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Arrow Video presents the film from a 2024 2K restoration by Arrow Films in collaboration with L’Immagine Ritrovata, the Hong Kong Film Archive, and Celestial Pictures, with grading by R3store Studios. This is another gorgeous presentation with a very well-resolved grain structure and bitrates that sit in the 20 to 30Mbps range. The roughest section of the film is the green-tinted flash forward (you’ll have to see the film to understand this), which appears to be from a different source with a little more obvious damage. Other than that, all that mars the rest of the presentation are occasional mild scratches. Detail is high and sharp with perfect clarity and contrast while the color palette offers a vast array of hues with deep blacks. The image is also stable throughout, leaving little to no room for complaint.
Audio is included in Mandarin or English 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional English subtitles for the Mandarin audio and English SDH for the English audio. There isn’t a whole lot difference between the two tracks outside of their spoken languages, although the English track is a tad hotter with some very mild distortion. Otherwise, they’re clean and problem-free tracks, but the original language option is the still better of the two in terms of performances.
The following extras are included:
- Commentaries:
- Audio Commentary by Tony Rayns
- Audio Commentary by Samm Deighan
- Alternate English Credits (HD – 2:00)
- Theatrical Trailers:
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (Mandarin) (HD – 3:21)
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (English) (HD – 3:21)
Film critic and historian Tony Rayns returns to guide us through the film, exploring the context in which it was made, delving into its main cast and crew, covering the history of the project, studying Chor Yuen’s visual style, and detailing the state of Shaw Brothers Studio and how the film fit in with their dominate run of wuxia-based stories. The next commentary features author and film historian Samm Deighan, who definitely appreciates the film more fully, going over the stylistic choices, making comparisons to others cut from the same cloth in other parts of the world, examining aspects of the story, and highlighting the careers of some of the key players. Next is a set of Alternate English Credits, which are slightly different in style more so than content, as well as the theatrical trailer in Mandarin and English.
Not carried over from the Region 2 DVD release from TF1 Video is the documentary Intimate Confessions of 3 Shaw Girls.
INTIMATE CONFESSIONS OF A CHINESE COURTESAN (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO/EXTRAS): B-/A-/B/A-
DISC FOUR: THE 14 AMAZONS
The 14 Amazons (aka Shi si nu ying hao) was released in 1972 in Hong Kong. It was never officially released in the US but it did play with subtitles in Honolulu that same year, and in San Francisco the following year. During an intense and bloody battle for control of the border of their homeland, General Yang Tsung Pao (Tsung Hua) and his men are ambushed, all but two killed by invading forces from Western Xia, including Pao himself. Back home, his birthday is being celebrated by the female leaders of the Yang clan, including Pao’s wife Mu Guiying (Ivy Ling-Po), his son Yang Wenguang (Lily Ho Li-Li), and Grandmother She Saihua (Lisa Lu Yan). Appalled by the corrupt prime minister Wang Qin’s (Ching Miao) lack of retaliation, the entire clan forms an army and sets out for revenge against them, including the leader, the King of Western Xia (Tien Feng) and his sons (Wang Hsie, James Nam Seok-Hoon, Tien Ching, Paul Chun Pui, and Lo Lieh). Other cast members include Yueh Hua, Shu Pei-Pei, Wang Ping, Liu Wu-Chi, Karen Yip Leng-Chi, and Li Ching.
A lavish production based upon Chinese folklore surrounding the Yang family’s defense against opposing forces during the reign of the Song dynasty, The 14 Amazons is one of Shaw Brothers’ most impressive pictures when it comes to scale. To viewers, a mighty cast with a sprawling story of war and revenge can seem daunting at a little over two hours, but the film is so entertaining that the minutes just fly by once the story is underway. There are some amazing and memorable set pieces, including Western Xia soldiers attempting to set fire to the marching Yang soldiers in a narrow canyon, a nonsensical but no less fun moment when the Yangs must create a human bridge across a chasm in order to proceed, and a blood-soaked finale in which the Yangs slowly but surely press the Western Xia fighters back and defeat them. Ivy Ling-Po steals the show as the newly-widowed Mu Guiying hellbent on ridding the land of the Western Xia warriors, and in a memorable sequence, swinging from a spinning rope in order to take out encircling foes. The 14 Amazons was a hit with audiences upon release, subsequently receiving much acclaim and winning many awards, but it unfortunately gets lost in the shuffle of Hong Kong cinema for Western audiences, especially since it was never released theatrically for US consumption.
The 14 Amazons was shot by director of photography Charles Tung Shao-Yung on 35mm film with anamorphic lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Arrow Video presents the film from a 2024 2K restoration by Arrow Films in collaboration with L’Immagine Ritrovata, the Hong Kong Film Archive, and Celestial Pictures, with grading by R3store Studios. Atypical of the transfers presented in this set so far, this is another winner that’s crisp and organic with high levels of detail and a bitrate that sits mostly between 30 and 40Mbps. A wonderful color palette is on display with quite a variety of hues, as well as deep blacks and perfect contrast. This image is stable and clean aside from some mild scratches, and a single repeated shot at the 37:39 mark. Otherwise, it’s a beautiful presentation.
Audio is included in Mandarin or English 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional English subtitles for the Mandarin audio and English SDH for the English audio. The Mandarin track is clean with a mild natural hiss and good support for the various elements. The English dub is a little more canned but less narrow when it comes to non-dialogue material. It’s just as clean as the other track, and not too shabby when it comes to performances. However, the original language track still reigns supreme.
The following extras are included:
- Audio Commentary by Jonathan Clements
- Sharon Yeung on Her Career and The 14 Amazons (HD and Upscaled SD – 12:40)
- Bede Cheng on The 14 Amazons (HD and Upscaled SD – 10:34)
- Law Kar on The 14 Amazons (HD and Upscaled SD – 16:04)
- Theatrical Trailers:
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (Mandarin #1) (HD – 3:30)
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (Mandarin #2) (Upscaled SD – 4:03)
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (English) (HD – 3:30)
Jonathan Clements, author of A Brief History of China, provides an audio commentary and does his level best to explain the complex histories of the film’s historical figures and events, delving into the varying ways in which these stories has been told in China over the years, and covering the backgrounds on many of the film’s key cast and crew. It’s very much a packed track. Three interviews are also provided, one with actress Sharon Yeung who discusses her background and working for Shaw Brothers, and the other two with film critics Bede Cheng and Law Kar, who explore the film’s qualities and talk about their exposure to it. Last are three theatrical Hong Kong trailers for the film, two in Mandarin and one in English.
Not carried over from the French DVD release by Wild Side Video is the featurette Shaw’s Martial Waistcoat, the documentary Hong Kong Cinema: The Stars of the Shaw Brothers, a photo gallery, a video trailer, and a Kung Fu Instructor video trailer. This release also featured interviews with Bede Cheng and Sharon Yeung, which one would assume were sourced from the same materials included with Arrow’s release.
THE 14 AMAZONS (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO/EXTRAS): B+/A/B+/B
DISC FIVE: THE MAGIC BLADE
The Magic Blade (aka Tianya mingyue dao, Tien ya ming yue dao, Tin ngai ming yuet do, and The Moonlight Blade) was released in 1976 in Hong Kong. It was never officially released in the US but it did play with subtitles in Honolulu and San Francisco, and in Los Angeles the following year. Fu Hongxue (Ti Lung) is a legendary swordsman, purported to be the greatest swordsman in the world. Upon defeating another capable swordsman, Yan Nanfei (Lo Lieh), the pair are marked for elimination by a series of rivals, particularly Master Yu (Tang Ching), who wishes to posses the deadly “Peacock Dart,” a weapon that will obliterate all of his enemies. Knowing that if Master Yu (renamed Gong Ziyu in the English language version) obtains this weapon that there will be no stopping him, Fu Hongxue and Yan Nanfei make their way to the Peacock Mansion, where another of Master Yu’s rivals, Qui Shuiqing (Ching Mao), guards the weapon, with his loyal daughter Qiu Yuzhen (Ching Li) by his side. Master Yu lays an assault upon the mansion, leaving Fu Hongxue and Yan Nanfei to keep the Peacock Dart out of Master Yu’s clutches, even as rival swordsman continue to hound their every move. Also among the cast are Teresa Ha Ping, Tanny Tien Ni, Lily Li-Li, Ku Feng, and Szu-Chia Chen.
One of the more unusual but entertaining wuxia films of this period, The Magic Blade is dominated by the performance of Ti Lung, who is absolutely striking as the character of Fu Hongxue, whom he would portray in three other films: Death Duel aka San shao ye de jian (1977), Pursuit of Vengeance aka Ming yue dao xue ye jian chou (1977), and A Warrior’s Tragedy aka Bian cheng lang zi (1993). Besides throwing in traditional elements such as a damsel in distress, the story also features some unorthodox ideas, including the character of Devil’s Granny, as played by Teresa Ha Ping, a mysterious witch with a thirst for human blood who attempts to poison Fu Hongxue in an effort to help his rivals recover the Peacock Dart, but more importantly, so she can get her teeth in his throat. The excellent fight sequences, choreographed by Tong Kai and Huang Pei-Chih, feature some amazing moments of swordplay and hand-to-hand combat. Besides the occasional carnage, there’s also a couple of moments of nudity in the latter half as Fu Hongxue is being tempted by beautiful women, which he heroically refuses. Things get a little convoluted once the story’s cavalcade of characters show up and you’re not quite sure who’s on who’s side, not to mention that there’s a seemingly endless string of twists during the final minutes, but The Magic Blade gets by on its lead’s charisma, highly idiosyncratic set pieces and abstractions, and fantastic action scenes.
The Magic Blade was shot by director of photography Wong Chit on 35mm film with anamorphic lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Arrow Video presents the film from a 2024 2K restoration by Arrow Films in collaboration with L’Immagine Ritrovata, the Hong Kong Film Archive, and Celestial Pictures, with grading by Dragon DI, Wales. It’s an attractive presentation that’s very organic with high levels of detail and a bitrate that sits mostly between 20 and 30Mbps. Grain is also mostly refined with some film damage present along the way. There’s some minor fading along the edges of the frame, mild color breathing that’s more noticeable in the second reel, and a cracked edge of the frame at around 58:40 and 58:56 in the bottom right hand corner, and some very obvious damage, which is most prevalent at 64:35 in an establishing shot. Otherwise, the presentation is stable and clean, offering gorgeous hues with natural flesh tones, bold swaths of color, deep blacks, and excellent contrast.
Audio is included in Mandarin or English 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional English subtitles for the Mandarin audio and English SDH for the English audio. The Mandarin audio offers fine support for the various elements and balances them a little better than the English dub. The latter’s dialogue has a more canned quality, and seems more boosted in the mix than necessary. Both tracks are clean and free of any issues, but the Mandarin track is definitely preferred for performances.
The following extras are included:
- Audio Commentary by Samm Deighan
- Theatrical Trailers:
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (Mandarin) (HD – 3:57)
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (English) (HD – 3:57)
Author and film historian Samm Deighan returns to provide another audio commentary, discussing the status of Shaw Brothers at this point in time and providing context for director Chor Yuen’s role in pushing the studio in a different direction while other companies were becoming prominent rivals for them. She also examines the characters in relation to other films, as well as the more surreal and off the wall elements utilized throughout the story. Besides delving into the work of Chor Yuen, she also highlights the performances and the careers of the actors. It’s a packed track, to be sure. Last is the theatrical trailer in Mandarin and English.
There’s quite a bit of material missing from several DVD releases of the film from all over the world. The German releases from 2006 and 2013 contain various photo galleries and a video trailer; the French release from 2006 features an interview with screenwriter Sze-To On by Frédéric Ambroisine; the Australian release by Unset features a documentary about wuxia films; and the Hong Kong release from IVL contains an audio commentary by Bey Logan, a behind-the-scenes featurette, a music video, and separate interviews with Chor Yuen, Ching Li, Wah Yuen, Jade Leung, and Bey Logan.
THE MAGIC BLADE (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO/EXTRAS): A-/A-/B+/C
DISC FIVE: CLANS OF INTRIGUE
Clans of Intrigue (aka Chu Liuxiang and Wuxia Swordsman: The Legend of Chu Liuxiang) was released in 1977 in Hong Kong, and in Honolulu, Los Angeles, and San Francisco with subtitles. Chief Chu Liuxiang (Ti Lung) is a thief and master swordsman who has been accused of murdering the heads of three Clans with the poisoned spiritual water overseen by Yin Ji (Betty Pei Ti). Given a month to prove his innocence, he goes undercover and attempts to investigate who’s behind the murders, constantly pursued by Gong Nanyan (Nora Miao), maid to Yin Ji. Soon he learns of two orphaned Japanese children, one of whom joined one of the clans and another whom went under the care of a Shaolin monastery and became a monk, and that possibly one of them may be behind it all. Meanwhile, Liuxiang is also pursued by Red Spot aka Mark-of-Blood (Ling Yun) and the mysterious masked killer dressed in red. The cast also includes Yueh Hua, Ku Feng, Li Ching, and Ku Wen-Chung.
The story for Clans of Intrigue is based upon a series wuxia novels by Gu Long, primarily about the character of Chu Liuxiang, and it becomes extremely convoluted along the way with a number of characters coming out of the woodwork to get involved in the plot. It all leads to a showdown in which twist after twist after twist is revealed, and one would be forgiven for not fully understanding it on an initial watch (I certainly didn’t). Thankfully, the beautiful sets, fight choreography, accelerated pace, and charm of Ti Lung as the lead character keep things from becoming monotonous or headache-inducing. Interestingly, Nora Miao appears as one of the main characters, a rarity in a Shaw Brothers. film since she’s known primarily for her work with Bruce Lee in The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, The Way of the Dragon, and Game of Death. As for Clans of Intrigue, it’s more spectacle-driven than plot since most of it becomes impenetrable, but it’s still worth seeing as another one of director Chor Yuen’s and Ti Lung’s collaborative efforts.
Clans of Intrigue was shot by director of photography Wong Chit on 35mm film with anamorphic lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Arrow Video presents the film in its original theatrical version and slightly extended version from a 2024 2K restoration by Arrow Films in collaboration with L’Immagine Ritrovata, the Hong Kong Film Archive, and Celestial Pictures, with grading by Dragon DI, Wales. It’s another good-looking picture that’s natural to its source, with bitrates sitting in the 20 to 30Mbps range. It exhibits high levels of fine detail, though the edges of the frame can sometimes appear a little thin. There’s minor negative damage and some light scratches along the way, as well as some streaking and discoloration in the final reel. Otherwise, it’s clean and stable, with beautiful color, perfect contrast, and deep blacks—with everything appearing organic. The extended version of the film, which features some extra moments that was found during the restoration, is only a couple of minutes longer and mostly comprised of extended gore, nudity, and in one case, a lesbian kiss.
Audio is included in Mandarin or Cantonese 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional English subtitles for both tracks. The Mandarin audio is very well-balanced with good support for dialogue and score. The Cantonese audio is similar, though sound effects have less impact and the dialogue is a little hotter by comparison, nearly pushing it into distortion territory. Otherwise, both tracks are clean without any other obvious issues. As far as performances, it’s a toss-up.
The following extras are included:
- Audio Commentary with James Mudge
- Theatrical Trailers:
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (Mandarin #1) (HD – 3:05)
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (Mandarin #2) (HD – 4:04)
- Hong Kong Theatrical Trailer (Cantonese) (HD – 3:05)
James Mudge, film critic, producer, and writer for the web site easternKicks.com, returns to provide another audio commentary, delving into the literary origins of the film and how director Chor Yuen used them for the complex story. He also discusses the cast, aspects of the story and how they reflected the real world, and how the film relates to other films made at Shaw Brothers at that time. Last are two theatrical trailers in Mandarin and one in Cantonese.
CLANS OF INTRIGUE (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO/EXTRAS): B-/A-/B+/B-
THIS REVIEW CONTINUES IN PART 2 [CLICK HERE]
- Tim Salmons
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