Shaw Bros. recommendations

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 27 Jan 2007, 11:31

Celestial dvds with original mono. Everything else is excluded.

I never knew much about Shaw films, but I did watch some well known classics a few years ago. Then I realized what Celestial/IVL was doing with the soundtracks, sold almost all my HK Shaw dvds, got a few french dvds and finally moved to other "genres" and forgot about the Shaws. Celestial later started including the original mono tracks, but by then I had completely fell off the radar. I don't know the films they are releasing now, I don't know what is good and what is not. I don't know what to watch. Like I said, I know very little about the genre.

So, maybe you guys could point me out the important releases. I'm really not planning to turn myself into a genre expert, but maybe I could order a disc or two every one in a while. If there's something worth watching from a newbie's point of view...

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 27 Jan 2007, 12:20

hey,

sound aside for just a moment, anything by Chang Cheh (partiuclar 60s and early 70s period) and Lau Kar-leung is golden in their own respective ways. Chang at that time being more concerned with character, lots of blood while Lau ("Pops") gave us both valid cinema and the best kung fu action ever.

Highlights to start with therefore: One-Armed Swordsman Trilogy, The Assassin, Blood Brothers, Challenge Of The Masters, Heroes Of The East, The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter.

On a personal note as you're bound to run into the works of Chor Yuen as well, his widely neglected The Bastard is one of my absolute favourite from any Shaw's genre.

Out of the ones listed, they're either available in mono or not tampered with as much as others.

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 27 Jan 2007, 14:05

Here's my top 10

Sons Of Good Earth - IVL DVD is mono
Come Drink With Me - wait for Dragon Dynasty
The Magniificent Trio - bit tricky, UK DVD is mono but non anamorphic and subs are not 16:9 friendly. Not sure about the HK DVD. If you speak Mandarin, Dutch DVD is anamorphic with mono sound
The Chinese Boxer - wait for Dragon Dynasty
Boxer From Shantung - German DVD has mono and English subs
Man Of Iron - IVL DVD is mono
Five Shaolin Masters - HK DVD is 5.1 but sounds quite close to original audio. I think Dragon Dynasty has this one
The Magic Blade - Aussie DVD is mono but upcoming Image DVD may turn out better
Crippled Avengers - IVL DVD is 5.1 but quite subtle. Again, Dragon Dynasty may have this one
Human Lanterns - UK DVD is less cut than HK but is missing footage present in that DVD! Image is planning an uncut release

If you want The Assassin, get the Australian DVD because it has the original mono - the HK DVD sounds awful, with lots of newly added synth music

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 27 Jan 2007, 14:16

I'd be interested to see how DD "Come Drink With Me" turns out. I have the HK DVD though and am happy with it

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 27 Jan 2007, 14:29

I have the HK DVD and am not happy with it.

Letterboxed and remixed.

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 27 Jan 2007, 14:32

I got the German Come Drink With Me which was mono and 16:9 - a blowup of the 4:3 letterbox master - but the top of the frame bends badly in the centre and the subs have the same problems as the HK DVD. Caps from the French and Dutch DVD suggest a new genuine 16:9 master was made.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 27 Jan 2007, 14:33

If anyone wants to compare Come Drink With Me...
(I've got the french one).

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 27 Jan 2007, 14:33

Remixed, OK I can understand, but letterboxed well... it would of been nice if it was anamorphic but we're talking about a 35 year old HK film (at the time of release by Celestial), How good do you expect it to look? I
thought it looked as good as could be under the circumstances. Can't be arsed upgrading, may double dip if DD has unique extras 8)

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 27 Jan 2007, 14:47

thanks for recommendations but those are mostly non-celestial/ivl dvds. I only need HK dvd (with mono) recommendations.

maybe I should list films I've seen and own. It's a short list

+ ratings on scale 1-5, only full stars

own:
One Armed trilogy (Celestial/IVL) 4/4/5
36th Chamber trilogy (german) 5/3/2
Come Drink With Me (finnish dvd) 3
Boxer From Shantung (french dvd) 5
8 Diagaram Pole Fighter (french dvd) 5

Seen
Anonymous Heroes 2
Invincible Shaolin 3
Heroes of the East 4
Shaolin Martial Arts 3
Excecutioners From Shaolin 5
Shaolin Temple 3
Clan of the White Lotus 3
Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan 3
Big Brother Cheng 2
Vengeance 3
Kid with the Golden Arm 4
Avenging Eagle 3

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 27 Jan 2007, 14:47

Oh, it looks good. But it should've been anamorphic. No excuse for that really. I hope DD get it right.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 27 Jan 2007, 15:10

I would reccomend some, but I havent got the foggiest whats got mono/origanal sound so wont try to

but I own maybe 100 of them? and theres plenty of top quality films, just no idea about specs, personally I couldnt care less if they remixed them as only a few sounded like shit remixes to me.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 27 Jan 2007, 15:22

romerojpg wrote:I would reccomend some, but I havent got the foggiest whats got mono/origanal sound so wont try to but I own maybe 100 of them? and theres plenty of top quality films, just no idea about specs, personally I couldnt care less if they remixed them as only a few sounded like shit remixes to me.

Go ahead, I'll find out the specs myself.

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 30 Jan 2007, 13:54

Five Venoms rocks the world!

ReconFive · Post by **ReconFive** » 30 Jan 2007, 15:32

I have been collecting quite a few of the IVL remasters of the Shaw films, and honestly i do not remember encountering any 5.1 mixes that pissed me off with either too much added bass or changed sound effects or music. The audio tracks are very mild and sound like glorified mono.

But anyway.. a few that i like.

-36th Chamber (all 3)
-Eight Diagram Pole Fighter (fucking awesome, prob Lau Kar-Leung's best work)
-5 Shaolin Masters (classic Chang Cheh)
-The Jade Tiger
-7-man Army
-Heroes of the East
-Dirty Ho (classic english title

)
-Mad Monkey Kung Fu
-The Lady Hermit
-Crippled Avengers
-Shaolin Mantis
-The Boxer From Shantung
-Clan of Amazons
-The Water Margin
-Soul of the Sword
-Have Sword, will Travel
-Legend of the Fox
-14 Amazons
-Shaolin Intruders
-Young Avengers
-Swift Sword
-Executioners from Shaolin

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 12 Jul 2008, 09:38

Any new recommendations? Celestial and mono only.

I've recently bought

Shaolin Martial Arts
The Delinquent
Seeding of a Ghost
New Shaolin Boxers
Killer Constable
The Rebel Intruders
Disciples of Shaolin
Big Bad Sis
Heads For Sale
The Magnificent Ruffians
Bewitched
Delightful Forest

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 11 Aug 2008, 12:08

Some screens from Media Blaster's newest release Challenge Of The Masters

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 11 Aug 2008, 12:24

Looks good. I have the Australian DVD but I'd upgrade for improved subs and the original dub - provided the latter is fully genuine, with no added foley like on One Armed swordsman DD

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 11 Aug 2008, 12:48

One-Armed DD wasn't original mono?

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 12 Aug 2008, 16:33

Mandarin track was. English dub had some noticeable new foley in places, very distracting.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 12 Aug 2008, 17:58

Ah, I got scared for a second. Shame about the dub, though. I don't have any use for it myself, but I know some may prefer it.

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 12 Aug 2008, 19:54

I prefer some of the English dubs to the Mandarin ones. Just depends on my mood really.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 12 Aug 2008, 20:06

Can't say I've ever heard a Mandarin dub that made me want to listen to the film in English.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 12 Aug 2008, 21:03

Markgway wrote:Can't say I've ever heard a Mandarin dub that made me want to listen to the film in English.

I can. The Kid with the Golden Arm made me wonder if it had been more fun in English (with a good, over the top dub of course).

Oh, and maybe this is the time make a little confession. I sometimes watch Cantonese Shaw films in Mandarin. The Cantonese voice actors are always over-acting and sometimes if the movie is more serious I may prefer it in Mandarin.

Killer Meteor · Post by **Killer Meteor** » 12 Aug 2008, 23:06

I find the Mandarin dubs from the mid 70s onward to be dead dull for some reason. Doesn't help that Shaws stopped having good music and foley - Eddie H. Wang seemed to be having a competition with himself to devise the most irritating tunes ever for various Venoms movies

I also quite like the English dubbers Shaws used for the majority of their product. They're not good by any means but I get a few laughs out of them. Wasn't so keen on Golden Harvest's dubbers

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 15 Apr 2009, 19:17

I don't normally post much about HK movies because there's half a dozen guys here who know way more about them than I do. But there's a few films that need more attention, so here goes.

First, Asia-Pol (1966), a Shaw Brothers - Nikkatsu co-production directed by Akinori Matsuo and starring Jimmy Wang Yu as a secret agent. The sunsets, casinos, gadgets and femme fatales are all included, and plenty of influences are taken from the James Bond movies as well as Nikkatsu's 1960's action films. The cast is mostly Japanese, and in fact Wang Yu also plays a Japanese character for once (instead of beating them to death as usual). Nikkatsu legend Jo Shishido plays the villain. One of Wang Yu's coolest films.

The IVL dvd features original mono.

The Japanese version differs quite radically. Mark or someone else could maybe give us a brief lecture.