Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 3 Blu-Ray Review – Eleven Hard-Hitting Martial Arts Tales

This spectacular box set comprises 11 classic martial arts films from the famous Shaw Brothers’ library, featuring some of their greatest stars – Alexander Fu Sheng (The Brave Archer), Lo Lieh (King Boxer), Ti Lung (A Better Tomorrow), David Chiang (The Boxer Of Shantung) and the Deadly Venoms! Many of these films are debuting for the first time on Blu-ray. Get ready for some exciting thrills and chills as heroes meet villains in a duel to the death!

DISC ONE – KILLER CLANS (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 101 min.) – Ask any martial arts movie aficionado for his or her list of all-time action greats, and there’s a good chance that Killer Clans ranks somewhere near the top. Based on a popular swordplay novel, Killer Clans (whose Chinese title literally translates into the poetic Meteor, Butterfly, Sword) has enough conspiracies, stratagems, and sword fights to make any fan happy. They are masterfully staged by Yuen Cheung-yan, brother of martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping. The cast includes some of Shaw Brothers’ leading swordsmen and swordswomen, and they bring to life the novel’s epic battles between underground clans, where the line between good and evil is not always so clear-cut or obvious.

DISC TWO – THE SHAOLIN AVENGERS (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 97 min.) – The famous story of the Shaolin Temple’s betrayal by the White-Browed Hermit, and the subsequent revenge by Shaolin firebrand Fang Shih-yu, is the stuff of legend. It has been filmed many times by many directors, but few depictions are as fiery or remembered as fondly as this production. The potent combination of director Chang Cheh and international idol Alexander Fu Sheng caught lightning in a lens (thanks to action instructors Hsieh Hsing and Chen Hsin-yi … not to mention talented co-director Wu Ma).

DISC THREE – THE WEB OF DEATH (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 91 min.) – The leader of the Snake Sect has an affair with the sexy ringleader of the Scorpion Sect to revive the “Five Poison Web” (which is also this film’s Chinese title). But they must also contend with the Centipede Sect. Under the fluid direction of Chu Yuan and action choreographers Tang Chia and Yuen Cheung-yan (member of the martial arts world’s esteemed Yuen Family and brother of master Yuen Woo-ping), the result is a first-class action film!

DISC FOUR – THE VENGEFUL BEAUTY (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 83 min.) – Of all the many kinds of films Ho Meng-hua directed for the Shaw Brothers, his most popular worldwide was quite possibly The Flying Guillotine. While he did not direct its like-titled sequel, he did helm this great spinning beheader follow-up, which critics considered among his very best. It stars the striking Chen Ping (The Miniskirt Gang, Lady Exterminator) as the fearless title character who takes on an entire flying guillotine gang.

DISC FIVE – DEATH DUEL (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 88 min.) – This martial arts spectacular showcases 20-year-old Derek Yee. Variety noted, “Yee’s charismatic screen presence should take him to superstardom like his older brother, David Chiang.” The prediction proved correct, and his performance as ace swordsman Third Master is just what any producer would want. He fights evil, saves damsels in distress (including a kindhearted prostitute portrayed by Yu An-an), and duels rival swordsman Ling Yun.

DISC SIX – LIFE GAMBLE (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 100 min.) – Legendary director Chang Cheh teamed his latest big star, Alexander Fu Sheng, with future Venoms Lo Meng and Kuo Chue to create another winner in his vaunted filmography. Joining them were top supporting actors Ku Feng and Wang Lung-wei and actresses Lin Chen-chi, Shirley Yu, and Hui Ying-hung. Together, they weave an entertaining, exciting tale of a kung fu blacksmith taking on four famous robbers while a villainous gambling boss plots to destroy them.

DISC SEVEN – SOUL OF THE SWORD (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 89 min.) – “Be careful what you wish for” sums up Soul Of The Sword, which stars acclaimed actor Ti Lung as a swordsman whose sole purpose is to defeat the “Number One Swordsman” no matter what. The warrior’s code dictates to be number one there must be no other pursuit in life, so he gives up his lover only to learn that wanting is better than having … and that the terrorism of tradition in the end can bring about your own downfall.

DISC EIGHT – THE DEADLY BREAKING SWORD (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 106 min.) – This explosive film elevated director Sun Chung to the highest ranks of martial arts helmsmanship alongside such esteemed company as Chang Cheh. Starring the incomparable Ti Lung and Alexander Fu Sheng, and utilizing the acclaimed fight choreographer Tang Chia, The Deadly Breaking Sword is propelled by the stars’ venomous fighting appeal. Armed with the “Deadly Breaking Sword” technique, Tuen Cheng-tsin (Ti Lung) unites with thief Ko Mun (Alexander Fu Sheng) to defeat an assassin who is “acupuncturingly” controlled by the evil Dr. Kuo.

DISC NINE – CLAN OF THE WHITE LOTUS (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 94 min.) – Lo Lieh was famous as Shaw Studio’s first international kung fu film star, but it was rare that he also directed, so this film is one of those special events. Following the huge success of Executioners From Shaolin, he returned to the villain’s role in this combination sequel and remake. The result is a lighter hearted entertainment, as heroic Gordon Liu Chia-hui must learn “Embroidery Fist” and acupuncture to counter the evil White Lotus leader’s deadly “Weightless Boxing” and “Nerve Centre Shutdown” techniques.

DISC TEN – SHAOLIN ABBOT (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 83 min.) – While international favorite David Chiang was best known for his roles as a grinning streetwise fighter in many Chang Cheh-directed classics, he rarely played a noble warrior monk. But here he portrays the great Chih Shim, the monk who saved the Southern Shaolin Temple. Making this production all the more notable is Lo Lieh, the Shaw Brothers’ first international star, who returns to a role he also made famous – that of Shaolin renegade Pai Mei. This, and even more, makes for a true martial arts epic of the first order.

DISC ELEVEN – SHAOLIN RESCUERS (1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 107 min.) – It’s Shaolin versus corrupt Ching soldiers — with the help of the Lama, Black Tiger, and Mantis clans — headquartered at a pugilism school, a dyeing mill, and a bean curd shop. Often under-used Korean master kicker Sun Chien is specially spotlighted in this production as he and his fellow Venoms — the stars of director Chang Cheh’s many other high-flying, blood-splattered adventures (starting with The Five Venoms) — create another wonderfully fun kung fu showcase, filled with show-stopping sequences of martial arts expertise.

For thoughts on Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 3, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic: 

[youtube https://youtu.be/DfA60BshMLU?si=Zm_vN_Su4ciATjEM&t=4442]

Video Quality

Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 3 comes to Blu-Ray with 11 films spread over 11 discs. These films share a lot of the same qualities, so I will mostly be judging them in groups while pointing out noticeable differences when necessary. All of the films have been presented in their original aspect ratios in their original and complete forms, and there are no films with alternate cuts included in this set. These transfers are derived from restorations conducted by Celestial Pictures with no additional work noted as coming from Shout! Factory. While there are some shortcomings within these masters, the consistency these transfers provide is pretty impressive. With each film afforded its own disc along with some supplemental features, compression artifacts are never really an issue with this set. The quality hovers around the “very good” range throughout with each film being treated as well as you would hope. 

There is not much in the way of wear and tear throughout this set of films. With so many features in the Shaw Brothers archive, we know not every film has been treated with the utmost respect, so the restoration efforts from Celestial are appreciated even if they introduced some small issues to the transfer. While these transfers provide some level of natural film grain, some areas appear to have been managed. The majority of them remain in good shape without appearing frozen or swarming in large amounts. These encodes avoid instances of gaudy compression artifacts and other major digital anomalies. Black levels could perhaps be improved to offer deeper shadow detail, but you can still make out quite a bit without crush becoming a nuisance. Highlights do not appear to struggle much with blooming. 

The least impressive source appears to be Clan of the White Lotus, which struggles quite a bit with clarity in spots. Throughout this set, you can appreciate the uptick in clarity when it comes to outfits, the special effects, and the production design. There are sporadic moments throughout where the level of clarity stumbles, but this appears to be a larger issue with the source elements rather than anything wrong with the transfers. Color saturation is impressive with the palette suffused with bold, natural colors that bolster the costumes and landscapes. The temperature can occasionally appear to be slightly inconsistent, but there are never moments that ruin the viewing experience. The refinement in fine detail within the background elements is a notable treat for longtime fans of these films. 

While the Shaw Brothers transfers never quite hit 5-star quality across any of the labels doing business with them, they usually deliver something pleasing which leaves most fans happy with their investment. Deficiencies are expected when dealing with such an expansive catalog of films churned out quickly and cheaply. This particular set of films is presented in the highest quality possible thanks to Shout! Studios. 

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray set presents all the films with DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio Mono tracks in their original Mandarin. There are also English dubs included for every film except The Vengeful Beauty, Death Duel, and Soul of The Sword presented in lossless DTS dual mono. For our purposes, the original language track was viewed in full with some spot-checking of some of the other tracks. None of the films were recorded with on-set sound, so all dialogue is dubbed in some form, only the Mandarin more closely aligns with what the actors were speaking. These films mostly succeed in getting the information out well, but the quality of the source can be somewhat erratic. The audio quality does not sink this set but every track has some minor deficiencies baked into them. 

The score is often the most inconsistent element with it occasionally showcasing welcome fidelity, and other instances exposing some harsher age-related wear and tear at the highest amplitudes. The Shawscope fanfare itself can be quite abrasive at times. These films have a limit to how good they can sound, but at least audiences usually get as good as they possibly can. Dialogue is the strongest aspect of each outing with a presentation that is clear and easily distinguishable with only occasional crackling or muffled exchanges. These films are usually accompanied by some robust sound effects in the mix that are an essential part of the enjoyment. Shout! Studios has handled these with as much care as the source will allow. All the films included in this set have optional English subtitles provided.

Special Features

• Audio Commentaries: Every film is given an audio commentary track (sometimes two), and many of them feature similar insights specific to the talent involved in the individual feature. Breaking down the contents of each track could become very repetitious, so we are simply going to list the participants of each track. The films featured in the set make up a four-year period in the company’s history, so you get an accumulation of information on the state of martial arts films at the time, the backgrounds of the performers and directors, analysis of the plot, the film’s release history and more that makes each track well worth a listen.

• • Killer Clans: David West, Critic And Author Of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction To The Martial Arts Film

• • The Shaolin Avengers: Film Historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema Blog)

• • The Web of Death #1: Cult Film Critic Ian Jane

• • The Web of Death #2: Film Historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema Blog)

• • The Vengeful Beauty: David West, Critic And Author Of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction To The Martial Arts Film

• • Death Duel: James Mudge, Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks

• • Life Gamble: James Mudge, Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks

• • Soul of the Sword: James Mudge, Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks

• • The Deadly Breaking Sword: Film Historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema Blog)

• • Clan of the White Lotus #1: James Mudge, Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks

• • Clan of the White Lotus #2: Film Historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema Blog)

• • Shaolin Abbot: James Mudge, Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks

• • Shaolin Rescuers: Film Historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema Blog)

DISC ONE: Killer Clans

• Audio Commentary: David West, Critic And Author Of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction To The Martial Arts Film

• A Killer Creativity – Interview with Film Critic James Mudge: A nearly 22-minute piece with Mudge in which he reflects on the career of director Chor Yuen, his importance to Hong Kong cinema, the evolution of his style, his focus on characters, and more. 

• Gu Long’s Story – Interview with Film Critic Shum Long-Tin: A 22-minute archival piece in which the film critic discusses the author, his background, his friendship with Kuang Ni, the development of his style, and more. 

• Interview with Actor Ku Feng: A 22-minute interview with the performer in which he discusses his entry into the industry, learning to fight to act in the wuxia genre, working at the Shaw Brothers studios, his memories of the filmmakers, and more. 

• Trailers: This disc provides the Original Theatrical Trailer (3:16) and the Celestial Trailer (1:11).

DISC TWO: The Shaolin Avengers

• Audio Commentary: Film Historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema Blog)

• Sharp Soundbites – Interview with Film Critic Frank Djeng: A nearly 18-minute interview with the critic in which he discusses his first experiences with Shaw Brothers cinema, the differences between Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest, how the international market led to more genre films, and much more. 

• Celestial Trailer: The minute-long Celestial trailer is provided here.

DISC THREE: The Web of Death

• Audio Commentary #1: Cult Film Critic Ian Jane

• Audio Commentary #2: Film Historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema Blog)

• Trailers: This disc provides the Original Theatrical Trailer (3:19) and the Celestial Trailer (1:14). 

DISC FOUR: The Vengeful Beauty

• Audio Commentary: David West, Critic And Author Of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction To The Martial Arts Film

• Interview with Actor Susan Shaw: A four-minute interview with the actress in which she discusses her work on the film, going to the Cannes Film Festival, the dark turn her career took because of a thoughtless comment, and more. 

• Trailers: This disc provides the Original Theatrical Trailer (3:36) and the Celestial Trailer (1:07). 

DISC FIVE: Death Duel

• Audio Commentary: James Mudge, Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks

• Acting Before Directing – Interview with Actor Derek Yee: A 13-minute interview with actor-turned-director in which he discusses his early career as a performer, the state of the Hong Kong film industry of the time, working with Shaw Brothers studios, his famous brother, and more. 

• Interview with Actor Candice Yu: An 11-minute interview with the actress in which she discusses working with director Chor Yuen, breaking into the acting industry, her relationship with Derek Yee, and more. 

• Trailers: This disc provides the Original Theatrical Trailer (3:58) and the Celestial Trailer (0:57). 

DISC SIX: Life Gamble

• Audio Commentary: James Mudge, Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks

• Celestial Trailer: The minute-and-a-half-long Celestial trailer is provided here.

DISC SEVEN: Soul of the Sword

• Audio Commentary: James Mudge, Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks

• The “Soul” of the Grindhouse – Interview with Author and Critic Ric Meyers: A massive 75-minute interview with Meyers who delves deep into the rise of popularity of Hong Kong action cinema in Western culture. In this piece, Meyers discusses the different types of martial arts films, his experiences within the genre, the effect dubbing had on the reputation of the films, the key directors in the gene, how these films have influenced Hollywood, and much more that is very much worth a watch. 

• Trailers: This disc provides the Original Theatrical Trailer (3:12) and the Celestial Trailer (1:14).  

DISC EIGHT: The Deadly Breaking Sword

• Audio Commentary: Film Historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema Blog)

• An Unbreakable Legacy – Interview with Author and Academic Victor Fan: A nearly 34-minute interview with Fan in which he discusses the background of the Shaw Brothers, the evolution of their action formula, the place of women in these narratives, recurring motifs, the exploration of trauma, and more. 

• Trailers: This disc provides the Original Theatrical Trailer (3:35) and the Celestial Trailer (1:11). 

DISC NINE: Clan of the White Lotus

• Audio Commentary #1: James Mudge, Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks

• Audio Commentary #2: Film Historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema Blog)

• White Terror – Interview with Critic and Author David West: A 26-minute interview with West in which he begins by discussing this period in Shaw Brothers Studios and its relation to society at the time. The historian then dives deep into The Clan of the White Lotus, the place of folk stories in Hong Kong narratives, the performers, the career of Lieh Lo, and more. 

• Trailers: This disc provides the Original Theatrical Trailer (3:45) and the Celestial Trailer (1:10). 

DISC TEN: Shaolin Abbot

• Audio Commentary: James Mudge, Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks

• Celestial Trailer: The minute-and-a-half-long Celestial trailer is provided here.

DISC ELEVEN: Shaolin Rescuers 

• Audio Commentary: Film Historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema Blog)

• To The Rescue! – Interview with Shaw Brothers Actor Yang Hsiung: A 36-minute interview with the martial arts actor in which he shares his background, his work at Shaw Brothers Studios, his history with martial arts, the styles of various directors, and more. 

• Celestial Trailer: The minute-and-a-half-long Celestial trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 3 builds upon the strong work of the previous installments as you get 11 more features settled in the period martial arts subgenre in which they flourished creatively. This collection of movies brings together some of their most prominent stars to deliver brutal blows, thrilling exchanges, zany comedy, and more that exemplify why many come to this corner of filmmaking. It can be a lot to binge all of these at once, but fans of the genre will have an absolute blast working their way through this set. Shout! Studios has bundled these 11 films together into a Blu-Ray collection featuring a generally solid A/V presentation and an excellent array of special features. We are thrilled to be getting these volumes so consistently and in good quality. Highly Recommended

Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 3 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: Shout! Studios has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.