Shout! Studios
Just when fans thought they couldn’t get enough of the movies from The Shaw Brothers, one of two new collections is here! Volume Six is slated for, and I’ll have a separate article outlining what’s coming in that set. I really appreciate the fact Shout! Studios is keeping the love for wuxia alive.
Volume 5 is now available for purchase on their website (or on Amazon). While I have yet to process this volume myself (I’m still working through the last two volumes before committing to this year’s offerings), this release continues to offer titles from the 60s and 70s.
There’s a bit of a sword theme going on in this release and when I can pick up this set, I’m looking forward to seeing Mission Impossible over all others! You’ll have to visit this entry to see the reason why. Another work is Rape of the Sword, that’s based on the novel of the same name. This book supposedly inspired Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Also, when this studio rarely does sequels, A Taste of Cold Steel is one of those rare titles I have to check out. And when this collection includes all new content to go with each title, it’s a must have for any committed nostalgia enthusiast. Also included are some personal thoughts on a few films.
When this Chinese studio released a lot of films during the height of their popularity, it’s safe to say there’ll be more coming. Presented here is a list of the titles offered. In a separate article will dive into the details of Volume Six!
THE SILENT SWORDSMAN
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono / 99 min.)
During the Song Dynasty, a young martial arts student searches for his missing brother. When the student is recruited into a mysterious society, he finds himself taking on a nefarious warlord — and caught between two beautiful sisters in a battle for his affections.
In what I have to say on top is that this film has some musical elements too! That’s a super rarity, and while it’s mostly Peking Opera style additions, it’s worth checking out.
RAPE OF THE SWORD
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono / 82 min.)
When a mystical, green-bladed weapon is stolen, two women are tasked with tracking it down, and soon cross paths with a master swordsman also in search of the fabled weapon. This exciting adventure is believed to be an unofficial, loose adaptation of the 1941 novel.
THE FASTEST SWORD
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono / 89 min.)
A warrior known as “The Fastest Sword Of The South” is taught lessons in humility and honor when he loses a battle to an elderly monk and becomes the old man’s servant for three years. Learning a more peaceful way of life, the swordsman’s evolution is interrupted by echoes from his past actions.
TWIN BLADES OF DOOM
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono / 92 min.)
A man seeking revenge for the murder of his parents goes on a mission to investigate the gang responsible … only to be brutally ambushed. Taken in by a family of street performers, he renews his valiant quest to not only avenge his parents but also to protect his new friends when the gang descends upon their village.
One aspect that makes this film stand out, is that the bandits to which the hero has to face are colour coded! While I can’t say this film is a precursor to all the Japanese sentai works where the costuming is reversed, I suppose the innovativeness for the time did at least get noticed in Japan!
TWELVE DEADLY COINS
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono / 89 min.)
A treacherous ambush on a cargo team, the theft of a fortune’s worth of gold, and the quest to retrieve it have roots in a twenty-year-old feud between two brothers, and the seemingly unstoppable martial arts technique known as “Twelve Deadly Coins.”
VENGEANCE IS A GOLDEN BLADE
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono / 104 min.)
A man betrayed by his wife is attacked by the vicious Long Brothers, who steal his treasured Golden Dragon blade and leave him a broken man. Years later, the man’s daughter sets off to avenge her father and reclaim her family’s sword. This spectacular tale of vengeance was directed by Meng-Hua Ho (The Mighty Peking Man, The Flying Guillotine).
A TASTE OF COLD STEEL
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono / 84 min.)
A sequel to this box set’s Rape Of The Sword, A Taste Of Cold Steel finds three sisters and their swordsman cousin taking on all comers to defend and secure their family’s most treasured heirloom … a powerful and mystical blade.
According to other reports, this film stands out as being unique because there’s a lot more action than exposition! And when the sword glows purple every time it gets unsheathed, could it have influenced another movie that has yet to be made? This film was released in 1970, many years before George Lucas made Star Wars.
THE IRON BUDDHA
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono / 88 min.)
When a notorious and odious villain kills his master and entire clan, the stalwart warrior known as The Iron Buddha sets out on an unquenchable quest for revenge.
One reason this film stands out in this package is that this film features the work of fight chorographers Han Kuo and Sammo Hung. The latter got his start while working at this studio, and has contributed to many a film.
THE JADE FACED ASSASSIN
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono / 110 min.)
When a woman’s love is rejected by a master swordsman, it leads to an insidious and vengeful plot in which his two children are separated, raised by rival clans, and set up to kill each other in battle.
As for what’s notable for this 1971 film concerns the fact that Wuxia is becoming more recognised world-wide. Whether these Hong Kong filmmakers were aware of this or not, so they can make it accessible to this wider audience, is worth examining. Storytelling matters, and this is one film worth looking at!
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono / 101 min.)
Just how the Chinese title got translated to refer to the classic television series is more of a mystery than anything else. The Chinese words actually translate to Sword Girl Ghost, and had that been used instead, that’s an instant hook for me!
When the adversaries the hero has to face belong to a gang named The Five Monsters of May Hill, that’s even more of a draw! The protagonist in this tale is Miss Fog (Ching Li) and she has to locate the Golden Dragon Sword before these bad guys do! It’s a weapon of immense spiritual power, and to keep it away from them is important!
SIX ASSASSINS
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono / 83 min.)
A tyrannical feudal lord has ruled his domain with an iron fist and cold, hard steel. Determined to end his dark reign, a heroic swordsman enlists a band of warriors to join him in a last-ditch effort to take down the villain once and for all.
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