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 overlooked classic, Shaolin Temple. While the former film looked...
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 guards David Chang kills in Vengeance!) to leading man. Chen Kuan-Tai soon became a favorite of directors Chang...
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 from Shaolin is easily one of the most popular. Directed...
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!). Today's film is Lo Lieh's Clan of the White Lotus, and for...
“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 make a sequel to a film that breaks barriers, connects with its audience, and...
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 films including "The Crimson Palm," "The Bells of Death," and "The...
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 anything else. In Chang's memoir he called the The One-Armed...
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 question; it was the first Hong Kong film to gross over HK$1 million, and it launched the career of the...
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 the Shaw Brothers catalog. The response to the...
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 three things to remember before one starts...