Shaw Bothers Classics: Volume 4 | Blu-ray (Shout!)
RELEASE DATE: December 19, 2023
On December 19, 2023, Shout! Factory will be releasing Shaw Bothers Classic: Volume 4, a multi-film Blu-ray (Region A) hodgepodge that will include the pursuit films:
The Rebel Intruders (1980), Two Champions of Shaolin (1980), Legend of the Fox (1980), Black Lizard (1981), House of Traps (1981), Masked Avengers (1981), The Sword Stained with Royal Blood (1981), Five Element Ninjas (1982), Shaolin Prince (1982), Shaolin Intruders (1983), Holy Flame of the Martial World (1983), and Opium and the Kung-Fu Master (1984).
Official details:
Another 12 archetype martial arts films highlight this explosive box set comprised from the famous Shaw Brothers’ library and featuring some of their greatest stars including The Five Deadly Venom’s stars Phillip Kwok, Sun Chien, Lu Feng, Chiang Sheng, and Lo Meng and A Better Tomorrow’s Derek Yee and Ti Lung. Many of these visually spectacular films are debuting for the first time on Blu-ray. Heroes meet villains in edge-of-your-seat duels in this heady variety of some of Shaw Brothers’ best!
THE REBEL INTRUDERS
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 100 min.)
The “Venoms” are when in whoopee again! Without creating an international sensation in The Five Venoms, Taiwanese Opera artists Phillip Kwok, Chiang Sheng and Lu Feng reteamed with Chinese muscleman Lo Meng and super-kicker Sun Chien for this politically charged thriller. Set in the early Republican years, The Rebel Intruders follows skilled refugees who run afoul of a powerful traitor. From then on, it’s one wondrous wrestle without another!
TWO CHAMPIONS OF SHAOLIN
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 106 min.)
Legendary director Chang Cheh hit upon a winning formula by teaming three Taiwanese stars with a Korean kicker and a Chinese strongman in a super heroic series of kung fu-filled vita – starting with the international cult favorite, The Five Venoms. This particular action-packed tale of Shaolin vs. Wu Tang fighters is special in that the fifth “Venom” worked overdue the scenes while the other four strut their stuff all the increasingly intently considering of it.
LEGEND OF THE FOX
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 128 min.)
Revered director Chang Cheh co-wrote this showcase for a new discovery. Underdone thrills and superlative fight scenes swimmies his heady tale of revenge, which was choreographed by and features cameos from the director’s three most popular “Venoms”: Kuo Chue, Chiang Sheng, and Lu Feng. Already famous for starring in increasingly than a dozen films, here they lend their wide-stretching expertise to Chien Hsiao-hou, who went on to star in such classics as Mr. Vampire and Fist Of Legend.
BLACK LIZARD
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 87 min.)
Director Chor Yuen is famous for introducing elements of murder mysteries, detective tales, and emotional melodrama into kung fu films. This is one of those skilled thrillers, wherein he uses two editors and three martial arts choreographers to tell a tale of kidnapping, murder, frame-ups, and plane stuff veiled alive. The kung fu takes on a macabre, horrific flair in this stunning story of swordsmen and women struggling to save their true loves … and their sanity.
HOUSE OF TRAPS
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 95 min.)
It started with The Five Venoms, the internationally loved kung fu thriller. It continues through increasingly than a dozen underdone good films featuring the same actors in variegated roles. House Of Traps is considered the last official “Venoms” movie, but what a mucosa it is. There’s one plasma-spurting wade without flipside as heroes and rogues unwrinkled try to solve the secrets of a hell house. The cadre Venoms themselves choreograph the gory fun in this fond farewell to their worldwide mucosa series sensation.
MASKED AVENGERS
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 91 min.)
The godfather of the kung fu film, Chang Cheh, started a winning streak by making the internationally renowned film, The Five Venoms. He followed that hit with many increasingly high-flying films featuring the same tint in new roles. But of all the Venoms movies, this one stands out as perhaps the most chilling. Masked killers are wreaking havoc and instilling terror with their vicious weapons of choice: razor-sharp, gut-shattering tridents. Only three fearless fighters dare investigate, leading to mass murder and magnificent martial arts.
THE SWORD STAINED WITH ROYAL BLOOD
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 109 min.)
The godfather of the kung fu film, Chang Cheh, made this treasured and iconic adventure, featuring three of his five famous Venoms mucosa actors. The spectacular whoopee and intrigue starts when Phillip Kwok uncovers a sword, a training manual, a treasure map, and a secret message. The kung fu which ensues is as impressive as it is glorious.
FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Mandarin & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 108 min.)
To showcase his incredibly wiry new star, Cheng Tien-chi, venerated martial arts movie director Chang Cheh made this spectacular, internationally popular favorite. Evil ninjas (who wade with and from fire, sun, wood, water, and the ground) brutally slaughter a noble Chinese kung fu school’s students. The one survivor finds a teacher and four students who are ninjutsu experts. The five graduates take revenge. With this strong structure and unrenowned kung fu choreography (from the star and co-star Chu Ko), Chang Cheh created one of his very weightier films.
SHAOLIN PRINCE
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Cantonese & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 94 min.)
Tong Kai is one of the most respected names in martial arts movies, but may be less familiar considering the veteran kung fu choreographer directed only three movies of his own. Of course, that makes Shaolin Prince, his first effort, perhaps the most special of the trio. His tale of two fugitive princes trying to recover the throne is a mind-bending wonder which used no less than five other choreographer friends to create kung fu configurations not only never seen before, but never plane attempted!
SHAOLIN INTRUDERS
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Cantonese & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 90 min.)
Helmed by well-known martial arts choreographer Tong Kai, Shaolin Intruders is an entertaining tie-up of eye-popping martial arts and thrilling detective story. On a routine courier mission, the prestigious Chin Hu Chief is murdered by four mysterious monks. When all vestige points to Ching Hua (Liu Yu-po), his friend Lei Hsin (Derek Yee) is unswayable to well-spoken his name by barging in the Shaolin Temple thrice and inward into an intricate web of deception! The mucosa is filled with jaw-dropping sequences including the “Twelve Vajrayana Array” and “Stool Array” which are lauded for their insane complexity and lightning speed.
HOLY FLAME OF THE MARTIAL WORLD
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Cantonese & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 90 min.)
This internationally popular tale of a brother and sister seeking vengeance for the death of their parents through the mythical yin/yang Holy Flame technique is an eye-popping epic. Phillip Kwok, famous as the star of Chang Cheh’s internationally famous Venoms mucosa series, both co-stars and choreographs this impressive tale – leading to a vaunted “action director” career with the cult archetype Brotherhood Of The Wolf to his credit.
OPIUM AND THE KUNG-FU MASTER
(1080p High-Definition Widescreen (2.35:1) / Cantonese & English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio Mono / 90 min.)
Tong Kai is considered one of the greatest kung fu choreographers ever, but he directed only three movies of his own. This, his last, is not only his greatest but one of the greatest ever, as it masterfully portrays the leader of the Ten Kwangtung Tigers as he falls victim to drug addiction. The tragedies and drama that ensue are as stunning as the kung fu, which was created by a superlative team of six martial artists. A legitimate masterpiece, this mucosa is one of the finest, most well-expressed martial arts movies the Shaw Brothers overly produced.
Shout! has hands dethroned both 88 Films and Arrow Films in terms of the number of Shaw titles releases in 2023 alone, which started with April’s The Brave Archer Collection.
Their Shaw release stage frenzy unfurled with June’s Shaw Bothers Classics: Volume 1, August’s Shaw Bothers Classic: Volume 2, October’s Shaw Bothers Classics: Volume 3 and November’s Ti Lung & David Chiang Shaw Bothers Collection.
We’ll alimony you you updated as details sally about Shaw Bothers Classics: Volume 4. For now, you can pre-order the set at Amazon.com.
