Happy Birthday, David Chiang! 生日 快乐 姜大衛
By Kim August === David* “Da Wei” Chiang remains one of Shaw Brothers most beloved performers for his superb acting skills and whimsical, acrobatic martial arts. David Chiang’s ease on ca...
THE SAVAGE FIVE (1974) REVIEW
By Will Kouf of Silver Emulsion Films ===== Contrary to many Chang Cheh films from this mid-’70s period, The Savage Five is not focused on kung fu. Martial arts are present and integral to the...
From Wuxia to Bashers, Epics to Gimmicks: Top 15 Chang Cheh Films
By Matt L. Reifschneider of Blood Brother Film Reviews === Every year, I attempt to craft a new list dedicated to my Shaw Brothers addiction, and every year I seem to give myself an aneurysm trying t...
THE FLYING DAGGER (1969) REVIEW
By Peter Altman (@misterlychee) === THE FLYING DAGGER, directed by Cheh Chang, is a Kung fu film with a deep emotional center. In the opening of the movie, Yu Ying (Pei-Pei Cheng) happens upon the sce...
THE FLYING GUILLOTINE (1975)
By Brendan Davis of The Bedrock Blog === Inventive weapons are one of the things I love in wuxia and kung fu movies. From the locking swords of One-Armed Swordsman to the Five Venom Spider of Web of D...
Ramblings on Chang Cheh’s ‘THE DUEL’
By Kim August === Where else but in a Chang Cheh movie would frenemies comment on each other’s knife skills as they slice through their targets like butter? The fight in question happens early in T...
REVIEW OF THE NEW GAME OF DEATH (1975)
By Will Kouf of Silver Emulsion Films === Technically speaking, The New Game of Death isn’t a Shaw Brothers movie. It’s an independent Taiwanese production (the only film from the Yu-Yun...
SHAW BROTHERS FILMS NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW COUNTRIES ON AMAZON PRIME!
❗ATTENTION SHAW BROTHERS UNIVERSE ❗ The Shaw Brothers Catalog is now available on Amazon Prime in the following countries: Canada 🇨🇦 Australia 🇦🇺 Denmark 🇩🇰 Finland 🇫🇮...
SHAW BROTHERS FILMS COMING TO A THEATRE NEAR YOU!
Hey there Shaw Brothers Superfans! We are extremely excited to be partnering with American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) to bring your favorite Shaw Brothers flicks to your city! Check out the list of up...
THE DRAGON MISSILE, OR THERE AND BACK AGAIN: A VILLAIN’S TALE
By Matt L. Reifschneider of Blood Brothers Film Reviews === In terms of Shaw Brothers films, The Dragon Missile is about as straightforward as it gets and, for better or worse, it doesn’t necessa...
THE MIGHTY PEKING MAN REVIEW BY WILL KOUF OF SILVER EMULSION FILMS
When discussing the greatest films to come out of the Shaw Brothers Studio, The Mighty Peking Man isn’t likely to be in the running. That being said, it is one of the better known Shaw films and...
ALL MEN ARE BROTHERS (1975) REVIEW
By Will Kouf of Silver Emulsion Film Reviews === All of the Shaw Brothers films based on the classic Chinese novel Outlaws of the Marsh (AKA The Water Margin) are among my all-time favorites. The b...
IN THE COMPANY OF WOLVES AND AN 8 DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER (37TH CHAMBER WITH ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE)
By Matt L. Reifschneider of Blood Brothers Film Reviews ==== My night at the local Alamo Drafthouse started with something quite surprising. As our generous host kicked off the evening by setting ...
7 MAN ARMY REVIEW BY WILL KOUF OF SILVER EMULSION FILMS
By 1976, Chang Cheh had become tired of making almost nothing but back-to-back Shaolin movies since 1974’s Heroes Two. Looking for something fresh to sink his teeth into, he decided on a genre y...
REVIEW OF BUDDHA’S PALM (1982) BY BRENDAN DAVIS OF THE BEDROCK BLOG
Buddha’s Palm stars Derek Yee as Long Jianfei, a man who loses it all and finds himself the disciple of one of the most feared masters of the martial world: Flaming Cloud Devil, played by Alex Man C...
KEMBUCHI AND THE ART OF CONQUEST: A TRIBUTE TO FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS’ BIG BAD
By Kim August In 1982, director Chang Cheh unleashed one of his greatest examples of super-heroic mayhem with Five Elements Ninjas. Calling back to a favorite theme of China vs. Japan, this no-holds-b...
Review of RZA: LIVE FROM THE 36TH CHAMBER
By Matt L. Reifschneider Blood Brothers Film Reviews === The scene was much more electric than I could have imagined. People were spilling out of the front of the Paramount Theater, just off of one o...
Your Guide To RZA: LIVE FROM THE 36TH CHAMBER
Hey there loyal Shaw Brothers Fans! RZA has officially kicked off his LIVE FROM THE 36TH CHAMBER Tour! The Denver show was a smash, and we can’t wait to see more of you in April! Tickets are st...
HEAR NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL, KNOW NO EVIL, KICK EVIL IN THE FACE: THE BONDS OF TRANSFORMATION IN CRIPPLED AVENGERS (37TH CHAMBER WITH ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE)
By Matt L. Reifschneider of Blood Brothers Film Reviews When the Alamo Drafthouse chain of theaters announced a partnership with Celestial Pictures to bring the iconic Shaw Brothers catalog ...
THE PROUD YOUTH: REVIEW BY BRENDAN DAVIS
“Living isn’t that important, but drinking is.” The Proud Youth is director Sun Chung’s take on Jin Yong’s The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. This is a movie I was half expecting not to lik...
An Oil Slick Between Villainy and Heroism: The Oddity of Oily Maniac
As a fan of both Shaw Brothers and horror films, digging into the combined forces of style is always a treat. Whether its black magic, ghosts, or other horrific sights, the Shaw Brothers provides a lo...
THREE DAY KUNG FU MARATHON AT THE CALGARY UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL
Shaw Brothers fans! The Shaw Brothers are taking over Calgary’s Underground Film Festival this May 24-26! This Three Day Kung Fu Marathon features eight of the coolest, craziest and most excitin...
Love in a Fallen City Article By Silver Emulsion Film Reviews
Hong Kong cinema and the Shaw Brothers studio are primarily known for their action films, but like any country’s cinema there is a range of offerings well worth exploring. The work of Ann Hui...
What Price Honesty? Review By Brendan Davis
In many movies, heroes may suffer, but joining them on their journey is easy. In What Price Honesty?, the director, Patrick Yuen Ho-Chuen, paints a bleak moral world that forces the viewer to ask them...
The MVP of Ode to Gallantry: Wong Lik as Xie Yanke By Gary Williams
Chang Cheh’s movie adaptation of Jin Yong’s novel of the same name, Ode to Gallantry, is a rare classic for many reasons. It is one of the last Venom Mob films (although Lo Meng and Lu Feng...
LOVING YOU Article By Silver Emulsion Film Reviews
Johnnie To’s Loving You was released after his early successes — films like The Eighth Happiness, Justice, My Foot, The Heroic Trio — but before he established Milkyway Image a...
A SHORT ROAD TO ENTERTAINMENT WITH LONG ROAD TO GALLANTRY BY Blood Brothers Film Reviews
Truthfully, I went into Long Road to Gallantry with relatively open expectations. Various fellow Shaw Brothers fans online seemed mixed on the movie, either loving it immensely or writing it off as a ...
The Shaolin Mantis, a Kung Fu Period Thriller By Shannon Roxborough
Directed by the legendary Lau Kar-leung, the 1978 film “The Shaolin Mantis” (a.k.a. The Deadly Mantis) blends elements of an espionage thriller, domestic drama and period martial-arts actio...
David Chiang steals money and your heart in The Wandering Swordsman
“I don’t feel like messing around with you. Please excuse me!” In this Robin Hood style early Chang Cheh wuxia, none of our heroes are who they seem to be. Lily Li’s Miss Jiang is not quite th...
Remembering Shaw Brothers’ Baby Movie Queen, Li Cheng (1948-2018)
When the news first broke that Li Ching, a beloved actress from the classic era of Shaw Brothers history, had passed away, a lot of emotions passed through us. As dedicated fans, Li Ching was an actre...
Celestial Pictures Celebrates Lunar New Year with the launch of a first-of-its-kind recommendations bot
February 16, 2018 – – LOS ANGELES – – On Lunar New Year, Celestial Pictures will launch the first ever movie recommendations bot on Facebook, developed by Stashimi. Anyone who clic...
Romance Shaw Brothers style…
Love abounds in Shaw Brothers movies. Below are a few favorites featuring sword-crossed fighters, and modern-day innocents who may or may not find their heart’s desire. Have Sword Will Tr...
WATCH YOUR FAVORITE SHAW BROTHERS FILMS ON THE BIG SCREEN – ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE EVENTS
ATTENTION Celestial Pictures’ Shaw Brothers fans, we have great news! Starting NEXT WEEK Alamo Drafthouse will be screening your favorite Shaw Brothers films on a BIG SCREEN in a CITY NEAR YOU! ...
Two Champions of Shaolin Review By Gary Williams
Two Champions of Shaolin Starring Lu Feng, Lo Meng, Chiang Sheng, Candy Wen Hsueh Erh, Yueng Jing Jing, Sun Chien, Chin Siu Ho, Wang Li, Yu Tai Ping Directed by Chang Cheh “You’re the Shaolin Herc...
A CHESS MATCH OF WITS AND FISTS: HISTORY INTERPRETED WITH IRON BODYGUARD BY BLOOD BROTHERS FILM REVIEWS
There are plenty of Shaw Brothers films that are based on famous texts, legends, and historical moments from Chinese history and often they are interpreted into an entertaining and cinematic manner fo...
INTRODUCING THE NEW SPECTER SKELETON VINART VINYL FIGURINE!
Due to the high demand for our Super Inframan products, we decided to add ANOTHER INFRAMAN figurine to our EXCLUSIVE SUPER INFRAMAN CAPSULE COLLECTION. Joining the club is the Playtoy x Unbox x Shaw B...
Remembering Ching Li
We are very sad to announce the passing of Shaw Brothers star Ching Li. Ms. Li started acting at the age of 6 in her native Taiwan, and joined the Shaw Brothers Studio in 1967. She gained a rabid foll...
LADY IS THE BOSS REVIEW BY BRENDAN DAVIS
Following the blueprint established by My Young Auntie, Director Lau Kar-Leung takes Kara Hui into similar territory with some twists along the way, in Lady is the Boss. This time out, instead of play...
THE SUPER INFRAMAN CAPSULE COLLECTION IS AVAILABLE NOW
“THE SUPER INFRAMAN” CAPSULE COLLECTION IS AVAILABLE NOW! Shaw Brothers Projects has created this special collection to celebrate the Shaw Brothers science fiction superhero, The Super Inframan! T...
CELESTIAL PICTURES EXPRESSES DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF LADY MONA FONG-SHAW
[23 November 2017 – Hong Kong] Celestial Pictures expresses our deepest condolences on the passing of Lady Mona Fong-Shaw on 22 November 2017, a leading Hong Kong film and television producer....
Remembering the legend, Ms. Mona Fong (1934-2017)
We are very sad to announce the passing of Ms. Mona Fong, a Shaw Brothers legend and the wife of the late Sir Run Run Shaw. Ms. Fong produced many favorite classic Shaw Brothers films including The 36...
OF REEDS, RAMPAGES, RESCUES, AND ROMANCE: JUSTICE FOR THE INVINCIBLE FIST
Even by 1969, Chang Cheh has established himself as the cornerstone of creative foundations for the Shaw Brothers. He had delivered a handful of dynamic and effective films like The Assassin or Golden...
RIVALS OF KUNG FU Article By SILVER EMULSION REVIEWS
Rivals of Kung Fu was released in 1974, but because of the way it focuses on story over action, it feels like it could have been made a few years earlier. It is a cause-and-effect story that slowly mo...
ON THE WRONG TRACK REVIEW By Silver Emulsion Film Reviews
As I mentioned in my post about Teenage Dreamers, I’m a huge fan of Hong Kong delinquent youth films. When On the Wrong Track began with Andy Lau’s face superimposed over slow-motion fire ...
WATCH CELESTIAL PICTURES’ EXCLUSIVE LO MENG INTERVIEW
The Celestial Pictures’ EXCLUSIVE interview with Shaw Brothers Superstar, Lo Meng, is now LIVE on our YouTube. Watch and Subscribe now! ...
Teenage Dreamers Review By Silver Emulsion Film Reviews
Teenage Dreamers is a charming example of the Hong Kong youth film, a genre that has endeared itself to me over the years. Films about youth are common around the globe (we are all human, after all), ...
HONG KONG DIABOLIQUE: THE ATMOSPHERIC TONES OF HEX BY BLOOD BROTHERS FILM REVIEWS
Hong Kong horror might be known, mostly, for its insane and scattered uses of homages and styles of popular horror films from other countries. Those splatter films like Seeding of a Ghost or even the ...
SCIENCE VS THE BLACK ARTS: LESSONS LEARNED THE HARD WAY IN BLACK MAGIC 2
For the most part, Shaw Brothers horror films are usually enjoyed for the sheer outrageousness that they encompass. The focus of the Shaw Brothers studio when it came to films was their ability to mak...
TI LUNG DOUBLE FEATURE: DUEL OF FISTS AND DESTINY’S CHAMPION
Ti Lung and kickboxing are the common threads in Duel of Fists and Destiny’s Champion. The protagonists in each could not be more different but both movies deal with the role of fighting in shaping ...
Black Magic Article By Silver Emulsion Film Reviews
Any self-respecting fan of black magic films owes it to themselves to check out the film that spawned countless imitators and an entire sub-genre of Hong Kong horror films: Ho Meng-Hua’s Bla...
CELEBRATE ALEXANDER FU SHENG’S BIRTHDAY WITH DISCIPLES OF SHAOLIN
Today is Alexander Fu Sheng’s birthday. Star of films like the Brave Archer Series and My Rebellious Son, he tragically died in a car accident in 1983 while filming Eight Diagram Pole Fighter. Today...
10 MORE SHAW BROTHERS FILMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE
10 new Celestial Pictures’ Shaw Brothers films have been added to Amazon Prime, Google Play, Microsoft , and iTunes! With films from Sun Chung’s “Destiny’s Champion” to t...
LAUGH WHILE YOU FIGHT: A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION OF THE MIRTHFUL SIDE OF DIRECTOR & WRITER SUN CHUNG
生日快樂 Sir! With so many grim elements in Sun Chung’s Shaw Brothers wu xia & period filmography, this Shaw Brothers director took every opportunity to slip in some comedy. Here are a few c...
Master of None, Master of All: Understanding the Instructors in Sun Chung’s The Master Strikes Back and The Kung Fu Instructor By Kim August
If you’ve watched Ti Lung’s wuxia performances for director Sun Chung, you’ll note a fascinating common thread in how each of these men thrives or dies in their environment. For this piece, the ...
FIVE BONE-CHILLING MONSTERS AND VILLAINS FOR OCTOBER
Here are five Shaw Brothers villains to repulse and frighten for the autumn holidays. If you are looking for something on the spooky side, this is a great selection of madmen and vengeful spirits to w...
THE VENOM INSIDE: NIHILISM AND HOPE IN THE FIVE VENOMS
“You ask me when we can stop. [Laughs.] I might as well tell you now. You will keep doing bad things. Once you start, there’s no end…forever and ever.” The Five Venoms, also known as Th...
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin Article by Silver Emulsion Film Reviews
Lau Kar-Leung’s The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is one of the greatest films to come out of the Shaw Brothers studio, if not the entire genre. It also has the distinction of being the first Shaw f...
A SENSE OF PURPOSE: LESSONS BEYOND KUNG FU WITH SHAOLIN TEMPLE
My last article for this site was dedicated to Executioners from Shaolin, so I felt it was fitting that I follow it up with a brief look and discussion about the themes of Chang Cheh’s 1976 overlook...
Happy Birthday Chen Kuan-Tai!
生日快樂, 陳觀泰! Happy Birthday Chen Kuan-Tai! Discovered by Shaw Brothers in 1969, this champion martial artist quickly ascended the studio’s productions, from extra (he’s one of the guar...
ALL IN THE FAMILY: LEARNING REVENGE AND JUSTICE IN EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN
The historical setting of the Shaolin temple burnings and the aftermath of such is one of the more common backing stories used in Shaw Brothers films. Yet, of all of them, it seems that Executioners f...
Clan of the White Lotus Review by Silver Emulsion Film Reviews
It’s back to school time, so it’s a great time to Get Schooled with some Shaw Brothers training films during Shawtember (as if you needed an excuse to watch your favorite Shaw films!). Tod...
A TALE WITHIN A TALE: THE LAYERS OF LAYERS WITHIN THE BRAVE ARCHER 3
The Brave Archer series is one of the more perplexing and often talked about Shaw Brothers releases. Based on the novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes, the series feels more complete when consumed as...
REARMING THE ICONIC: VIOLENCE COMES FULL CIRCLE WITH A RELUCTANT HERO IN CHANG CHEH’S RETURN OF THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN
“One person getting fame over thousands of dead bodies. For this vain title, how many lives have been sacrificed?” There is an ultimate question the plagues the film industry. How do you ma...
Rest in peace, Chin Ping!
Rest in peace, Chin Ping! Shaw Brothers actress Chin Ping passed away earlier this week. She began her career with the Shaw Brothers actor training class at 14 years old, and appeared in many beloved ...
Golden Swallow Review by Silver Emulsion Film Reviews
Chang Cheh’s Golden Swallow is a sequel to King Hu’s Come Drink With Me, but it is most certainly not more of the same. It is a film defined by Chang’s artistic drive more than anyth...
One Armed Swordsman Review By Silver Emulsion Film Reviews
This year marks the 50th anniversary of The One–Armed Swordsman, so it’s a great time to re-examine Chang Cheh’s early masterpiece. The film’s legacy has never been in quest...
THE WATER MARGIN: NAVIGATING THE DOUBLE-BLADED ASPECTS OF AN EPIC TALE
Whether it was under the title The Water Margin, Seven Blows of the Dragon, or Outlaws of the Marsh this film has certainly generated a strong reputation as one of the most ambitious pieces of cinema ...
IN CHANG CHEH WE TRUST: SUMMER OF THE SWORD STAINED WITH ROYAL BLOOD
There are a couple moments in Sword Stained with Royal Blood where it’s hard to accept where the film is going, including most of the first act. However, in the case of a film like this, there are t...
Celebrating Ti Lung on his Birthday with Kim August
生日快樂, 狄龍! Many happy blessings to Ti Lung on his birthday! Building upon last year’s celebratory article; this piece explores a few of the many martial arts forms and moves Ti Lun...
Amazon Prime and Shanghai Tan CONTEST ALERT!
Calling all Celestial Pictures Shaw Brothers fans! We have a contest featuring Amazon Prime and Shanghai Tang that’s just for you! Do you want to watch over 120 Shaw Brothers films at the click of a...
A brief look at the fight choreography in Have Sword, Will Travel By Kim August
Shaw Brothers’ master choreographer Tang Chia (Tong Gai) teamed up with Yuen Cheung-Yan to create the various fight styles on display in this early Chang Cheh wuxia. The aerial leaps and jump...
THE DEADLY BREAKING SWORD, STATUS IS THE BIGGEST PRIZE BY KIM AUGUST
In The Deadly Breaking Sword, director Sun Chung places reputation above all else. This desire for rank and status ripples off the quartet of men who dominate this tale. For Tuan Chang-Qing the...
Top 5 Wuxia Villains of Shaw Brothers by Far East Films
Nothing in world cinema is as wonderful, as maddening, as electrifying, as absurd, as oblique or as intoxicating as the Wuxia film. Bathed in colour, populated by galactic-sized super characters who a...
14 Amazons Review by Silver Emulsion Film Reviews
The great success of Wonder Woman this summer has been a rallying cry for big-budget, female-led films and strong, female action heroes. Hollywood has definitely slacked in these areas for many years,...
Come Drink With Me Review by Silver Emulsion Film Reviews
Come Drink With Me is widely regarded as the kung fu movie that kick-started the martial arts genre as we know it. At the time of its release, the Shaw Brothers studio was only a few months into their...
PERILS OF THE SENTIMENTAL SWORDSMAN: OR, HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND NOT JUDGE A FILM BY ITS TITLE
Fifteen minutes. It took me about fifteen minutes into watching Perils of the Sentimental Swordsman before I realized I had no idea what world I walked into. Now, at this point I could be referencing ...
Bring out Devil Grandma: The Absurdity of Style in The Magic Blade
There is a large part of me that simply wanted to take this article, write a brief introduction, and then proceed to list everything in The Magic Blade that is absurd. However, that’s a lot of work....
Bastard Swordsman Review by Silver Emulsion Reviews
I first saw Bastard Swordsman a few years back when a new theater in town attempted to jump-start a revival film community. They presented the film via the only surviving 35mm film print, and it was g...
Celestial Pictures’ Shaw Brothers Top Ten Wuxia Films
Perhaps the most daunting aspect about the Shaw Brothers catalog is how ridiculously massive and impressively diverse it is. Martial arts films and their ilk were not the only genre that the studio da...
HEROISM TO THE SECOND POWER: The Duality of The Deadly Duo
Chang Cheh is an icon for a reason. While so many film makers in their careers try desperately to make entertainment out of the art of cinema, Chang Cheh set a standard to make art out of cinematic en...
THICKER THAN WATER, BRIGHTER THAN GOLD: Wuxia Families and Vengeance Is a Golden Blade
There was always a line that Shaw Brothers productions liked to ride. A line between the gimmicks of their entertaining aspects and the dramatic tales they wanted to tell of heroes, loyalty, and blood...
Shaw Brothers’ Costume Exhibition Facebook Live Stream is Today!
The Shaw Brothers Costume Exhibition Facebook live stream is TODAY, May 31! Join us on Facebook today we showcase the history of Shaw Brothers’ illustrious films through their exceptional costum...
Li Han-Hsaing’s The Kingdom and the Beauty Movie Review by Will Kouf
Li Han-Hsiang’s The Kingdom and the Beauty is one of the best and most endearing films of the Huangmei opera genre. In 2005, the Hong Kong Film Awards compiled a “Best 100 Chinese Motion...
May’s Master of the Month – Ken Hashibe #SBMaster
And the winner for May’s Master of the Month goes to…… Ken Hashibe! Congratulations Master Ken! Still confused on some of the answers to this month’s questions? Don’t worry, we got you cover...
Killers Are Like Shooting Stars: Unraveling Chor Yuen’s Killer Clans
“Killers are like shooting stars. They appear in brilliance and vanish in no time. And besides that, they’ve no name.” The opening of Killer Clans takes two mysterious killers and pits them in a...
Justice, My Foot! Movie Review by Will Kouf
Stephen Chow was at the top of his game in 1992. He starred in eight films that year and seven of them made the Top 15 of that year’s Hong Kong box office. That’s an amazing feat, without ...
Celebrating the Birthday of the Deadliest Venom, Weapons Master Lu Feng By Kim August
Happy Birthday to the one and only Lu Feng! A member of the Taiwanese National Opera School as of eight years old, Lu found his specialty in pole and blade weapons when his singing voice outgre...
Shaw Brothers Master of the Month
Calling only the fiercest warriors to tryout for the Shaw Brothers “Master of the Month” series! Enter to win for a chance to receive an iTunes code for your favorite Shaw Brothers film + the brag...
Of Butchers, Bandits, Blindness, and Blood: Justice for Killer Constable By Blood Brothers Film Reviews
Out of the first batch of Shaw Brothers films announced by 88 Films for their newly christened 88 Asia line up, it was Killer Constable that stuck out the most. The film still made sense for their dem...
The Tigress of Shaw Brothers: Top Three Kara Hui Roles
Kara Hui is an icon of Hong Kong cinema. Starting her career in the late 70s as a young actress for the Shaw Brothers studio and continuing to work at an impressive rate even today (with her latest fi...
Masked Avengers Review by Kim August
As the Venoms Mob filmography grew, Lu Feng employed a new weapon during the end fight which would reappear as the dominant weapon in future movies. Examples include the Sword (Life Gamble > Legend...
Men From The Monastery & Chang Cheh’s Dominance By Will Kouf
Of all the wonderful directors in the Shaw Brothers stable, Chang Cheh is my favorite. His sense of storytelling and his eye for action are impeccable, but what continually impresses me the most is Ch...
Teaming Up with Nerdist and Project Alpha to Kick Your Fridays Into High Gear!
We are creating the ULTIMATE team and partnering with Nerdist and Project Alpha to provide you the BEST way to enjoy your Friday evenings… with kickass Kung Fu! Until May 19th you can catch the very...
Shaw Brothers at The Hong Kong Film Archive’s Costume Exhibition: The Stars, the Silver Screen and the Period Wardrobe Exhibition!
Have you always wanted to see some of your favorite costumes from the Shaw Brothers Universe up close and personal? Well here’s your chance to do exactly that! The Hong Kong Film Archive is hosting ...
Laughing with the Shaolin Prince By Kim August
By the early 1980s, Ti Lung ruled the Hong Kong cinematic roost as its premiere swordsman. The actor’s turn as Shaolin Prince‘s Dao Xing, a cloistered, Shaolin adept with a secret past, ma...
The Heroic Ones (1970), A Brief Look into Ku Feng’s Heroic Performance By Kim August
When one thinks of The Heroic Ones (1970) Chang Cheh’s barbaric take on sibling rivalry gone awry, you might not consider the performance of Ku Feng as the ruler of Shantou, Li Ke Yong. As Ku would ...
The Assassin: A Near Perfect Wuxia Classic of Romance and Bloodshed
In 1967, the combination of Chang Cheh and Jimmy Wang Yu changed how the game was going to be won for the Shaw Brothers studio. Together they forged a dynamic relationship for the wuxia classic The On...
Kara Hui Interview Video #5 – Her Dream Role
In this week’s exclusive Kara Hui Interview Series, Kara answers this question: If you could play any role, regardless of gender, which role would it be? Her answer? Li Ching’s role in the Shaw Br...
Remembering Philip Ko Fei
We are very sad to announce the passing of Philip Ko Fei who passed away at the age of 67 from a terminal illness. Philip was was a multi-award winning screenwriter, director, and actor. Philip Ko Fei...
Kara Hui Interview Video #4 – Working With Liu Chia-Liang
In this week’s exclusive Kara Hui Interview Series, Kara talks about working with Liu Chia-Liang! Dirty Ho was the first of many films that Kara worked on with Liu Chia-Liang. Starting out as an ext...
The Delightful Fighter, a brief look at the Choreography in The Delightful Forest (1972) by Kim August
Portraying a character as legendary as The Water Margin’s Wu Sung meant Chang Cheh and Pao Hsuen-Li cast an agile young actor whose martial arts skills, stamina, and presence would prove as epic as ...
Remembering Li Li Hua & Kara Hui Interview Video #3
We are very sad to announce the passing of Li Li Hua, famed actress and Shaw Brothers star at the age of 92.. Li Li Hua, has starred in many Shaw Brothers films including The Grand Substitution...
Kara Hui Interview Video #2 – Favorite Role
Have you ever wondered which role Kung Fu star Kara Hui loved the most? Well you’re in luck! In this week’s exclusive Kara Hui Interview Series, Kara talks about her favorite Shaw Brothers rol...
International Women’s Day & Exclusive Kara Hui Interview
Happy International Women’s Day from the Shaw Brothers Universe! Today we celebrate all the strong, phenomenal, kickass women in the world. We’d like to party today off with the start of o...
Movie Pick Of The Week: Challenge of The Masters
Students! Class is officially in Session! My movie pick of the week is The Challenges of The Masters. I chose this movie because it tells the origin story of Chinese martial artist and folk legend Won...
Meet the Women Behind The Shaolin Wushu Club & Kara Hui Exclusive Interview
With hopes to represent their country at an international level, 10 women from Afghanistan are practicing Wushu kung fu on a snowy hilltop in Kabul. Led by 20 year-old Sima Azimi, the Shaolin Wushu Cl...
The Message From Chinatown Kid: Don’t Mess With Fu Sheng’s Friends
Alexander Fu Sheng is one of the most beloved treasures that Shaw Brothers Studios shared with us. Fu Sheng’s enduring qualities transcend the twenty plus years that he last graced the Shaw screen. ...
The Shaw Brothers Universe Digital Pop-Up Store Is Now Live!
Scarcity. Exclusivity. Desire. All of these urges have been driving demand for a Shaw Brothers Universe online store, and NOW, for a limited time only, it is here! Throughout the month of December, c...
Death Duel Now Available On Blu-Ray and DVD in Hong Kong
Buy your copy here! The classic stories of Chinese author Gu Long come alive in Death Duel, a powerful Shaw Brother’s swordplay epic starring some of the period’s biggest stars! Derek Yee ...
The New York Times Interviews RZA About Shaw Brothers Films
Read the original at the New York Times. RZA watched the Shaw Brothers’ martial arts classic “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin” for the first time on television when he was 12 years old. Two y...
Naval Commandos’ Song San as played by David Chiang
“No. I am Chinese.” Local Triad boss Song San works independently to thwart the invading Japanese in his beloved Shanghai. Song ultimately joins the titular group of Chinese military bent on drivi...
Magnificent Wanderers’ Chu Tie Xia as played by David Chiang
“So he’s after my money!”” A revolutionary hero pitted against the overlord Mongols; Chu does whatever he can to help his people. He may come across as a cultured member of high society, but i...
Marco Polo: Khan’s number one warrior Cai-Dalu as played by Leung Kar Yan
“Stop! It may be a trick. They are trying to ‘lure the tiger out of the mountain’.” As Mongolia’s fiercest and most powerful martial artist, Cai-Dalu is not someone you want to e...
Shaolin Temple’s “Little Master” Man Yue as played by Chiang Sheng
“Entering the Alley doesn’t deserve death. There’s “U-Turn Road” in the alley. It’s to give people a chance to go back.” Age: Early Twenties Affectionately called Little Master by new an...
Movie Review: MARCO POLO (1975)
Director: Chang Cheh Starring: Alexander Fu, Chi Kuan-Chun, Philip Kwok,Bruce Tong Yim-Chaang, Shih Szu, Lu Ti, Richard Harrison, Gordon Liu, Leung Kar-Yan and Johnny Wang. OVERVIEW Marco Polo opens ...
Marco Polo’s Brother Zhou and Chief Wang of Tiandiao Mansion as played by Chi Kuan Chun and Lo Dik
“For “Bell Cover,” the training gets worse. In the end, there will be one or two inches of area which isn’t covered. If you can keep that area as small as possible, you’ve achieved a lot.”...
RZA live-scoring Shaw Brothers kung fu classic ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’ at Town Hall (tix on sale)
Wu-Tang Clan, who just played The Roots Picnic, have kung fu films in their blood, particularly those of famed producers The Shaw Brothers. So it will be a special treat to see Shaw Brothers classic T...
The Five Best Derek Yee Roles for Shaw Brothers
For my latest obsessive cinema binge, I decided to spend a good portion of September (aka #Shawtember) revisiting and acquiring new Shaw Brothers movies that feature Derek Yee in them. While Derek Yee...
A Birthday Appreciation of Venom #4, Kuo Chue
A lone hero in a corrupt world…this is the type of man Taiwanese actor, martial acrobat and action director, Kuo Chue (Kwok Chung-Fung) would play in Chang Cheh’s dangerously playful Venom Mob fil...
Two Champions of Shaolin’s Jin Tailai and Jin Bier as played by Sun Chien and Yueng Jing-Jing
Age of the siblings: Late 20s Martial / Weapons Skills: Big brother Jin Tailin can evade the Blood Knife style of kung fu with his high kicks and quick reflexes. His legwork can match and slay armed o...
Two Champions of Shaolin’s Wu Dang official Gao Xiuwen aka Gao Jinzhong, as played by Lu Feng
“You’ve been hurt by my needles. You trying to get yourself killed?” Age: Late 20s Martial / Weapons Skills: Highly intelligent, he is a keen observer. Gao infiltrates in the most insidious ...
Brave Archer 3’s Qiu Qian Ren, Lord of the Iron Palm Clan as played by Lo Meng
“Qui’s Iron Palm is really ruthless.” Martial / Weapons Skills: Qiu Qian Ren is the Master of the hot technique known as the Iron Palms. To prepare for unleashing this devastating energy, Lo...
Brave Archer 3’s Scholar Zhu Ziliu as played by Sun Chien
“What are the profound details?” Age: Probably in his 30s. Martial / Weapons Skills: Great Intellect. Zhu is a devoted pupil who dutifully studies the classics, particularly the Analects of Confuc...
An Appreciation of Writer and Director Sun Chung
Taiwanese Director Sun Chung made some of the most original and vibrant movies for Shaw Brothers. From comedies to topical dramas, Women’s Lib styled revenge flicks, exploitation, and popular wuxia ...
BRAVE ARCHER 3: THE EPIC CONCLUSION (OF SORTS) OF A WUXIA CLASSIC
Director: Chang Cheh Starring: Alexander Fu Sheng, Niu-niu, Lo Meng, Philip Kwok, Ching Li, and Ti Lung. In Brave Archer 3, context is incredibly important. A common criticism of movies like Cheh’s ...
Brave Archer 3’s Kuo Tsing and Huang Rong-Er as played by Fu Sheng and Niu Niu
“Taoist magic is the foundation of this formation. Of course I learned that in my childhood.” Both are in their late teens. Martial / Weapons Skills: Kuo Tsing studied the Eighteen Dragon Subduing...
RZA’s Live Score Of ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’ Reveals An Artist In His Element
By: Christian Long Since their inception, Kung Fu movies have played an integral part in the sound and culture of The Wu-Tang Clan. While the film genre has had an impact on hip hop since the 1970s, T...
Ten Tigers of Kwangtung’s Wu Dang Seventh Master Dong Qi as played by Wang Lik
“Master Liang is everywhere.” Ten Tigers Of Kwantung’s Wu Dang Seventh Master Dong Qi, as played by Wang Lik. Age: Probably late 30s. Martial / Weapons Skills: Seventh Masters’ great ...
BEFORE THE CAMERA: LIFE GAMBLE
Alexander Fu Sheng was a remarkable actor, having, at different times, been referred to as the Bob Hope, or Jimmy Cagney, or even the James Dean of Hong Kong. He was equally adept as a lecherous comic...
BEHIND THE CAMERA: THE 14 AMAZONS
The year 1972 was an unsettling transition for the studio. Having let Bruce Lee slip through their fingers, the Shaws, like the rest of the industry, were reeling from his power and impact. Fist of Fu...
BEFORE THE CAMERA: THE 14 AMAZONS
To truly put The 14 Amazons in perspective, the Shaw Studio announcing that Lily Ho was to play the child of Ivy Ling Po in this film was tantamount to an American studio announcing that Elvis Presley...
#Shawtember is the best time to share some Shaw Brothers Love
#SHAWTEMBER is here, bringing with it the best of Shaw Brothers kung fu. From live events, to new movies online, and opportunities to win some sweet Shaw Brother swag… this is the month to show ...
RZA to live-score The 36th Chamber of Shaolin at LA’s Beyond Fest
A dream event for hardcore Wu-Tang fans. Los Angeles genre film festival Beyond Fest announced their 2016 lineup today, including a huge event for Wu-Tang Clan fans: RZA will live rescore The 36th Cha...
The Shaw Super-Hero Showdown: Yang’s Escort vs The Chi Sha Gang
When you have a shipment of gold there’s bound to be some conflict. When viewing Chang Cheh’s superhero-like masterpiece The Kid with the Golden Arm we are treated to the ultimate showdown between...
HOUSE OF TRAPS’ Five Rats (aka The Righteous Five)
HOUSE OF TRAPS’ Five Rats (aka The Righteous Five) as played by Chu Ko, Yu Tai-Ping, Cheng Tien-Chi, Chiang Sheng, and Chin Siu-Ho. “…Heroes are involved and many want fame. Unlike us…” The ...
Crippled Avengers: Graceful And Acrobatic Action With A Twist
Director: Chang Cheh Starring: Chen Kuan-tai, Philip Kwok, Chiang Sheng, Lo Meng, Lu Feng, Sun Chien Chang Cheh made so many excellent movies it is almost ridiculous. From the One-Armed Swordsman to t...
Crippled Avengers’ Black Tiger Dao Tian-Du as played by Chen Kuan Tai
“…Dao Tian-Du. Although his body is intact, his intellect is fragmentary and beyond any remedy.” The Lord of the Dao clan (from The Crippled Avengers) is 45 years old and the father of Dao Chang...
The Venom Mob Superstars: Chiang Sheng
江生 / Chiang Sheng BIOGRAPHY A Taiwanese originally named Chiu Kang-sang, he was born in 1951. His family was too large and his parents could not take care of all the children, therefore he was ...
The Venom Mob Superstars: Sun Chien
孙建 / Sun Chien BIOGRAPHY Originally named Sun Jian-yuan, Sun Chien was born in 1955 in Taiwan. He lost both parents while young, and was brought up by his two sisters. He practiced Tae Kwan-Do ...
The Venom Mob Superstars: Lu Feng
儲陸峯 / Luther Chu / Lu Feng BIOGRAPHY Originally named Chu Qi-xue with the Anhui lineage, Lu was born in 1956 in Taiwan. At the age of 8, he learned martial arts at the army-affiliated Junior Lu...
The Venom Mob Superstars: Lo Meng
罗莽 / Lo Mang / Lo Meng BIOGRAPHY Born in Hong Kong on July 23, 1956, Lo Meng is a fan favorite who starred in Shaw Brothers kung fu movies during the latter part of the 70s and into the 80s. ...
The Venom Mob Superstars: Kuo Chue
郭追 / Philip Kwok / Kuo Chue BIOGRAPHY Born in Taiwan on October 21, 1945, Kuo is also known as Philip Kwok. Originally an agile circus acrobat, he entered the film business by chance. His performa...
Ti Lung, an Appreciation by Kim August
Appearing in over 70 Shaw Brothers movies, Ti Lung’s regal presence defined the Hong Kong movie studio’s output for over 15 years. Trained in Wing Chun and Goju-Ryu Karate, the thespian born as Ta...
Hip Hop & Kung Fu Come Together In “The Get Down”
The rise of hip-hop in the United States coincided with the introduction of kung fu cinema from the East, giving birth to one of the most fascinating intersections of art of our time. The Shaw Brothe...
Yuan Ying Fei a.k.a. Golden Sword as played by Lu Feng
All work and no play makes Golden Sword a dull boy. Yuan Ying Fei, the Golden Sword, is cultured yet frustrated. Age: 20s. Martial Arts / Weapons Skills: Master of the Kwon Do, in particular, the 49 m...
Shaw Brothers Top 10 Blu Ray Box Sets – A WISHLIST
Celestial Pictures has been very effective and efficient recently releasing the Shaw Brothers collection as digital releases for rent and to own in the US, giving fans in this area of the world some f...
Rambling about Chang Cheh’s Ramblers
The assassin character was a staple of Chang Cheh’s wuxia pian since the 1967 film starring Jimmy Wang Yu. Among the most intriguing assassins in Chang’s filmography are the morally just killers k...
Meeting A Kung Fu Legend
To know that someone has spent a lifetime perfecting their craft is awe-inspiring. To meet them in person is emboldening. Last week, I had the opportunity to meet Lo Meng, aka The Toad from the Veno...
THE SHAW BROTHERS STUDIO STORY
The Shaw Brothers Studio is considered the most venerable in South China, if for no other reason than being in continuous operation for more than eighty years. Starting out as Unique Film Productions ...
POISON CLAN ROCKS THE WORLD: THE ART OF GETTING OVER
In the beginning, there were five. Each with a deadly style. They schemed for a treasure. Word on the street, the Venoms are alive. They pulled a Keyser Soze on you muthasuckas; just like the devil, t...
Birth. Movies. Death. Is Very Excited About ShawBrothersUniverse.com
Read the original article by Evan Saathoff here. Have you ever sat around and thought “Boy, I sure would like to watch the almost 800 Shaw Brothers movies out there, but I can’t because they’re ...
Celestial Pictures and RZA Bring A Double Feature To The Metrograph, NYC
Star director Chang Cheh was on the way out at Shaw Bros. when he put together this epic mic drop, a feast of fight choreography and a stone-cold legendary production, spoken of in hushed tones by eve...
The Venom Mob is Back
THE VENOM MOB IS BACK GROUP OF HIGHLY TRAINED MARTIAL ARTS ASSASSINS ESTABLISH CELLS ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS WITNESSES WONDER: WHOSE SIDE ARE THEY ON? June 27, 2016 – Los Angeles – Hong Kong-based Ce...
SCHLOCK & AWE: THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN
In the 1970s, cinema was rapidly diversifying, with movies of vastly different budgets and tones – not to mention other cultures – making their way to the United States. It was no longer just the ...
Contribute to the temple!
Do you have an opinion on the Shaw Brothers catalog? Do you want to create blog posts, listicles, commentary, reviews, or other content to contribute to the community on the site? Email us at celestia...
Greetings, sifus!
Greetings, Sifus. Welcome to the new home of the Celestial Pictures’ Shaw Brothers film collection on the internet. Consider this iteration the 1st Chamber. As we are still under construction, the c...
Blood Brothers celebrates Lunar New Year with a list of their favorite Shaw Brothers titles
For Lunar New Year, we wanted to do another Shaw Brothers-focused article like the one we did last year and the biggest request was a sort of definitive “best Shaw Brothers films” list. Wh...
CELESTIAL PICTURES AND TENCENT IN PARTNERSHIP TO REMAKE THE MAGIC BLADE
September 17, 2015 – Celestial Pictures congratulates its partner, Tencent, for establishing Tencent Pictures and the successful manifestation of a transmedia entertainment content strategy to ...
PROHBTD and CELESTIAL PICTURES Pairs the Shaw Brothers Catalog with the American Music and Culture
Lifestyle media brand PROHBTD and Hong Kong-based Celestial Pictures, in association with The Spellbound Group, have partnered to produce a video remix of “Kung Fu Cannabis”, involving the hottest...