7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
All is well until the dastardly Tongyang brings his rickshaws into town and starts using his hired muscle to dominate the clientele.
Starring: Chiang-Lung Wen, Ping Lu, Yuan Yi, Peng Cheng (II), Chi-Ping ChangForeign | 100% |
Action | 11% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Mandarin: LPCM Mono
English: LPCM Mono
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (A, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
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.
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 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.
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.
(Still not reliable for this title)
18 Bronzemen II / Yong zheng da po shi ba tong ren / 雍正大破十八銅人
1976
酒仙十八跌 / Jiu xian shi ba die
1979
Jue quan / Hu bao long she ying / 絕拳 / 虎豹龍蛇鷹
1977
少林小子 / Shao Lin xiao zi
1975
少林寺十八銅人 / Shao Lin Si shi ba tong ren
1975
迷拳三十六招 / Mi quan san shi liu zhao
1979
Shi fu chu ma / 師父出馬
1979
猩猩王 / Xīng xīng wáng | 88 Asia Collection #6
1977
Palace Carnage / Can ku da ci sha / Qing gong da ci sha / 清宮大刺殺 / 88 Asia Collection #36 / Slipcover in Original Pressing
1978
Nan Shao Lin yu bei Shao Lin / 南少林與北少林
1978
5 Masters of Death / Shao Lin wu zu / 少林五祖
1974
Fists of the White Lotus / Hong Wending san po bai lian jiao / 88 Asia Collection #26
1980
冒險王 / Mo him wong | Eureka Classics
1996
Bai yu lao hu | 白玉老虎 | 2K Restoration
1977
冷面狙擊手 / Leng mian ju ji shou
1991
富貴列車 / Foo gwai lit che / Shanghai Express | Eureka Classics
1986
搏命單刀奪命搶 / Bo ming dan dao duo ming qiang / Eureka Classics
1979
Hong quan xiao zi / 洪拳小子 / 88 Asia Collection #28
1975
Stroke of Death / Chu long ma liu / 出籠馬騮 / 88 Asia Collection #31
1979
敗家仔 / Bài jiā zăi
1981