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 FOUR: THE 14 AMAZONS
DISC FIVE: THE MAGIC BLADE
DISC FIVE: CLANS OF INTRIGUE
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 Dragon DI, Wales. 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 Dragon DI, Wales. 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+
MORE TO COME...
- Tim Salmons
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