Shawscope Volume One

For most people martial arts films begin and end with Bruce Lee.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that.  Lee’s filmography contains some of the most stunningly choreographed fight scenes ever put on celluloid and his charismatic execution rightfully made him an international star.  But the catalog of work released by Shaw Brothers, a Hong Kong studio which specialized in kung fu exports throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, puts its own particular brand of genius on display.  Sure, Bruce Lee might have taken on fifty guys at once…but did he ever do it with a hatchet buried three inches deep in his solar plexus?  I think not.

Starting off with King Boxer, the curated list of titles don’t follow any sort of release pattern but instead provide a loosely connected theme for newbies and experienced fans to follow.  From the satisfying training montages of Shaolin Templeto the bugnuts insanity of Mighty Peking Man, an Asian take on King Kong that’s even more entertaining than the Dino De Laurentis version it was designed to rip-off, the set includes 12 films…and there isn’t a weak link in the bunch.  Much of the appeal comes from the high production values and familiar cast who swap roles from film to film.  Shot in a widescreen process labeled as Shawscope, there’s an elegance and prestige to each title that elevates the often-ridiculous nature of the films.  

 

Full of blood, broken limbs and a helping of comic relief (Shaolin Temple star Sheng Fu has all the charms and chops of Jackie Chan), there’s a familiarity to the scripts despite the foreign settings.  Pulling inspiration from American westerns and gangster films (just check out the Scarface-style rise and fall of The Boxer from Shantung), these were films designed to entertain at any expense, masterfully shot and edited at a breakneck pace.

 

Shaw Brothers films have been popping up on home video for years in moderately satisfying versions.  But none of them can hold a candle to Arrow Films’ Shawscope Volume One limited edition.  Kicking off what is promised as a continuing series of releases, the box set includes twelve films (seven with new 2K restorations), and illustrated collector’s book, hours of never-before-seen special features and two CDs of music used throughout the films (yes, even that famous Quentin Tarantino music cue he lifted for Kill Bill).  Image quality is first rate all around with colors and details popping like never before.  Even the box itself is a treat to display.  Once you get this set in hand you’ll be getting in line for the next one too! 

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