A gloriously typical entry from Shaw Brothers, Martial Club starring Kara Wei (THE BRAVE ARCHER 2 and MAD MONKEY KUNG FU) and Gordon Liu (THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN) and directed by Lau Kar-Leung (LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF CHINA), affords us a fast-paced, cleverly choreographed piece of martial arts fun combining many elements that lovers of this kind of cinema will be more than appreciative of. Rival fight schools, an old master and beautifully designed set pieces tumble together in a colourfully kinaesthetic unceasing parade of flying fists and action set pieces.
For thoughts on Martial Club, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Martial Club comes to Blu-Ray via 88 Films with a 1080p master in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio derived from the original 35mm camera negatives. This new release offers a fetching presentation that ranks closer to the top of the Shaw Brothers titles that I have seen from the label. You won’t find much in the way of wear and tear, and the disc never really exhibits any signs of nasty compression artifacts. The transfer maintains its organic appearance thanks to the lack of DNR which often robs older films of their character. As we have come to expect with some of these Shaw Brothers titles, the anamorphic framing does occasionally look a bit squeezed.
This release rarely lacks for fine detail as subtle facets of the production design and costumes come through without issue. There does appear to be some limitations to the original source elements which make a handful of shots present as a bit soft. The transfer features consistent color saturation throughout with vibrant colors popping off the screen, especially in the design of some of the dancing dragons. 88 Films has delivered a nice release here.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray presents the film with a DTS-HS 1.0 Master Audio mono track in the original Cantonese along with an English dub for English-speakers with an aversion to subtitles. The film employs your typical weighty hand-to-hand combat sound effects in the mix that are given the appropriate prominence. Dialogue remains clear and easily distinguishable throughout the film with the dubbed performances in both languages. The track can sound a bit boxy overall which is a common complaint of films from this studio of this vintage. The score reveals some instances of age related wear and tear at the highest amplitudes, but for the most part things maintain proper fidelity. This release does have optional English subtitles provided. 88 Films has done a great job of presenting this film in the best quality possible.
Special Features
The first-pressing of the 88 Films Blu-Ray of Martial Club includes a booklet featuring the essay “From Martial Club To Instructors Of Death ” by author Barry Forshaw. This provides a great context for and analysis of the film, how it shakes up the kung fu genre, its themes and more. The package also contains a double-sided folded poster. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Audio Commentary #1: Asian Cinema Expert Frank Djeng and Actor / Martial Artist Michael Worth deliver a very amiable commentary track in which they focus on the dynamics of the story, the background of the creatives, the state of the genre at the time of the release, historical touches and the kung fu performed in the film. These two have an easy rapport in which they casually drop a ton of fun tidbits.
- Audio Commentary #2: Asian Cinema Expert Frank Djeng provides a supplementary commentary track on his own to cover the research he could not fit into the other track which manages to cover a wide array of topics. Both are well worth a listen.
- Instructors Of Death – Grindhouse Presentation: An option to watch the film in a classic throwback way in a way that captures the gritty grindhouse aesthetic complete with the blatant damage and English dub.
- Kung Fu and Dancing- Interview with Actor Robert Mak: A 13-minute archival interview with Robert Mak in which he discusses his entry into the business, his interest in blending dance and martial arts, his experiences making Martial Club, shooting fight scenes in continuous takes, his feelings about the film and more.
- Born To Be Bad – Interview with Actor Johnny Wang: A 21-minute archival piece in which Johnny Wang discusses his background and entry into the film industry, the shift in audience expectations from Shaw Brothers films, the choreography of Martial Club, performing different styles of kung fu and more.
- Disciples of Shaolin – Interview with Stuntmen Hung Sun-Nam and Tony Tam: A 25-minute series of interviews with these stuntmen in which they discuss their entry into the film industry, the experience of working for the Shaw Brothers, the pay structure for stuntmen, the dynamics between different stunt teams, memories of shooting Martial Club and more.
- The Right Hand Man – Interview with Lawrence Wong: A great 41-minute interview with Lawrence Wong in which he discusses his career working with the Shaw Brothers, the importance of Mona Fong, the themes exhibited in the film, how the studio interacted with Lau Kar-leung and more.
- Trailers: This disc provides the Instructors Of Death Trailer (1:03) and the Original Theatrical Trailer (3:27).
Final Thoughts
Martial Club is a really fun martial arts film which invites audiences into the traditions of this culture before playfully exploring different conflicts that might arise from it. The value placed on honor is pushed to the forefront while the film simultaneously mocks the bravado that comes with youth. The performances are really strong and often very funny, but those who come for the actual fighting should not fear as you are well taken care of throughout. 88 Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and some terrific special features. If you want a more lighthearted take on the kung fu genre, be sure to carve out some time for this one. Recommended
Martial Club is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: 88 Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.