Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Shaolin Kung Fu Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 18, 2022

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of Cinematic Vengeance: 8 Kung Fu Classics from Director Joseph Kuo.

The hits (and/or kicks, smacks and whacks) keep on comin', with this set from Eureka! Entertainment following releases like Shawscope Volume One from Arrow and a number of offerings from 88 Films like The Chinese Boxer and Disciples of Shaolin in my review queue. The big difference between those films and the ones featured in this huge collection is that these were the handiwork of one Joseph Kuo, a name which may frankly not be all that familiar even to lovers of the "kung fu" genre. Kuo was, as they say, a "multi-hyphenate" who frequently wrote, produced and directed his films, which tended to be independently financed far, far away from the riches and "studio system" of facilities like the Shaw Brothers. As commentator Frank Djenge mentions on more than one disc, that meant Kuo often tried to film outside, where he didn't have to pay for things like sets, which can give these films a kind of distinctive ambience at times. According to the press sheet Eureka! sent with the (check) discs, seven of the eight films in this set are making their worldwide debuts on Blu-ray.

The commentary on this feature provided by Mike Leeder and Arne Venema compares this film to The Big Boss, though the commentators are quick to point out that the Bruce Lee film does not feature rickshaws, a mode of transportation which is kind of quaintly at the center of this outing. If what might be called a "rickshaw racket" gives this film some distinctive content, in other ways, it unabashedly traffics in "rival gang" territory, with Lin Fung (Chiang-Lung Wen) having to contend not just with enemies, but the fact that he's promised his blind wife he'll never fight again (with that vow of avoidance being one of the elements that may link this film to The Big Boss).

Leeder and Venema also wonder out loud whether this is really a Joseph Kuo film, since a so-called "deputy director" named Peng-Yi Chang is credited, and there are some stylistic quirks here which may suggest the commentators are on to something. Still, this provides a colorful and in its own way unique take on tried and true plot machinations, with several fight sequences inventively staged.

Shaolin Kung Fu Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Shaolin Kung Fu is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Eureka! Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1. This is a generally pleasing looking transfer, though I found the color timing to be a bit inconsistent. As you may be able to make out by shuffling through the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review, while a lot of the presentation looks nicely warm and well suffused, there are moments here that have a decidedly greenish cast to them, something that can give flesh tones in particular a kind of "alien quality". As with other films in this set, the Scope lenses utilized can introduce various anamorphic oddities, something that should be familiar to anyone longtime lover of these films. Damage is relatively minimal, limited to things like small nicks and occasional flecks. There's a bit of image instability right at the opening as the credits play, though as Leeder and Venema point out, some of that may be due to whomever was directing having to cut and start over in an establishing shot where he was probably trying to time the entrance of characters as the credits end. Grain resolves naturally throughout.

Shaolin Kung Fu Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Shaolin Kung Fu features LPCM Mono tracks in either Mandarin or English. As with some of the other films in this set, I'd personally recommend sticking with the original language track, since it boasts overall better fidelity, noticeably hotter amplitude, and better modulated high frequency range in particular. The English track can sound a bit brittle and even harsh in the upper registers, and there's some noticeable crackle as well. The Mandarin track admittedly sounds a bit boxy at times, and as with virtually any kung fu film you could name, the sound effects are often on the goofy side and can also sound a bit "hollow" on occasion, but there's really no overt damage to report. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Shaolin Kung Fu Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary with Mike Leeder and Arne Venema

Shaolin Kung Fu Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Is Shaolin Kung Fu familiar? Undoubtedly. But it also is surprisingly unique in its own way, and the whole rickshaw element kind of gives this an "historical" aspect (as Leeder and Venema get into, rickshaws have all but disappeared in Hong Kong, and obtaining a license to "drive" one now is virtually impossible to get). Technical merits are generally solid, and Shaolin Kung Fu comes Recommended.