Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Clan of the White Lotus Blu-ray Movie Review

Clan of the White Lotus is a worthwhile classic in the world of the Shaw Brothers. Clan of the White Lotus is also referred to as Fists of the White Lotus – an alternative title for the production. Produced by Run Run Shaw (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Heroes Shed No Tears) and Mona Fong (Disciples of the 36th Chamber, Lightning Fists of Shaolin), Clan of the White Lotus is an entertaining classic well worth seeing. Executive produced by Chia-Hsi Huang (Mad Monkey Kung Fu, The Shadow Boxing), Clan of the White Lotus features performances by Lieh Lo, Lung-Wei Wang, Kara Ying Hung Wai, Hou Hsiao, and Ching-Ching Yeung.

Priest White Lotus (Lieh Lo) returns for more action. The villainous role is once again in the spotlight as the main villain character of a kung-fu spectacle. White Lotus is battling against esteemed monk Hung Wen-Ting (Chia-Hui Liu).

The White Lotus sought revenge for a lost brother and things spiral out of control as bodies pile up and action takes center stage in the wake of death. As the stakes escalate, the monk practices the technique known as the “Embroidery Fist” in countering the moves of “Nerve Centre Shutdown” and “Weightless Boxing” as perfected by the White Lotus. Can The White Lotus be defeated by the determined monk? With high stakes, the games aren’t over until the last man is standing.

The supporting cast of characters includes Governor Kau Tin-Chung (Lung-Wei Wang), Mei-Hsiao (Kara Ying Hung Wai), Personal Swordsman of White Lotus (Hou Hsiao), and Hu Hsiao-Ching (Ching-Ching Yeung). The cast of characters have fun with their roles. As an ensemble, the cast does a solid job together. Lieh Lo and Chia-Hui Liu are both excellent in their leading roles. These performers did excellent work in the film and helped to add so much to the filmmaking.

Clan of the White Lotus features solid art direction by Johnson Tsao (The Battle for the Republic of China, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin). The art direction is worthwhile and is a nice highlight for the filmmaking. Costumes by Chi-Yu Liu (An Amorous Woman of Tang Dynasty, Lightning Fists of Shaolin) add an impressive aesthetic quality to the film, too. Makeup by Hsu-Ching Wu (A Touch of Zen, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin) and hair styling by Yen-Lien Peng (Hong Kong Godfather, Holy Flame of the Martial World) add to the filmmaking.

The stunts coordinated for Clan of the White Lotus by Hou Hsiao (Disciples of the 36th Chamber, The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter), King-Chu Lee (The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, Legendary Weapons of China), and Hsin Shen (First Strike, Red Spell Spells Red) are excellent. The stunt work impresses. Wonderful action scenes unfold with the fight scenes adding so much to the experience.

Edited by Hsing-Lung Chiang (The Avenging Eagle, Sons of the Good Earth) and Yen-Hai Li (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter), Clan of the White Lotus is a solidly edited film. There is much to appreciate about the editorial style and what it brings to the production. The film is well-paced and doesn’t have much in the way of filler.

The score composed by Eddie Wang (Legend of the Fox, The Shaolin Boxer) entertains with music that elevates the action and adds to the production magic. Wang is a talented composer and someone of considerable merit. The music adds a great deal to the filmmaking and to the epic action sequences.

The cinematography by Chih Chun Ao (Legendary Weapons of China, Martial Club) is a highlight of the film. The visuals are compelling and the emphasis on highlighting the action is important to the film. Effective cinematography by Ao elevates the spectacle.

Written by Tien Huang (The Shaolin Boxer), Clan of the White Lotus is an entertaining and solid action-packed script. Huang does a solid job with the story and bringing out the action-packed fun with the characters that audiences expect from a Shaw Brothers classic. An entertaining script by Huang.

Directed by Lieh Lo (Black Magic with Buddha, Deadly Kick), Clan of the White Lotus is a solid and engaging Shaw Brothers classic. Clan of the White Lotus is worth seeing and fans of kung-fu action classics will certainly enjoy the film. Clan of the White Lotus isn’t top-tier but it is certainly a fun film. Worth seeing for Shaw Brothers fans.

Clan of the White Lotus Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, Clan of the White Lotus is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The film has somewhat disappointing clarity and detail. The transfer looks aged and clearly comes from an older master.

The transfer has some unfortunate wear and looks a bit harsh in some sequences. The harsh aetheric isn't that pleasing overall and the film could have used a more robust scan or restoration. An average-at-best scan and one that appears with more muted color reproduction and less refined detail. Even so, it's certainly a watchable high-definition presentation but expectations most assuredly should be kept in check.

Clan of the White Lotus Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. The audio was clear and easy to understand. Dialogue is well reproduced. The English subtitles were well done and free from having egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

Clan of the White Lotus Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary with Film Critic James Mudge

Audio Commentary with Film Historian Brian Bankston

White Terror – Interview with Critic and Author David West (HD, 26:18)

Original Theatrical Trailer (SD, 3:45)

Celestial Trailer (SD, 1:10)

Clan of the White Lotus Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Clan of the White Lotus is a worthwhile and action-packed film. Clan of the White Lotus features solid filmmaking and plenty of spectacle for Shaw Brothers fans. The Blu-ray release features a somewhat dated transfer – the presentation looks far less impressive than ideal. On a more positive note, the release comes with plenty of bonus features – two audio commentaries, trailers, and an extended interview with author David West. Recommended.