Shawscope Vol 2 Limited Edition

Picking up where Volume One left off, this sophomore collection of Hong Kong cinema classics draws together many of the best films from the final years of the Shaw Brothers studio, proving that while the end was nigh, these merchants of martial arts mayhem weren#39;t going to go out without a fight! Armed with stunning special features and ravishing new restorations, this boxset is even bigger and bolder than the last one.We begin with kung fu master Lau Kar-leung#39;s instant classic The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, in which his adoptive brother Gordon Liu achieved overnight stardom as the young man who unexpectedly finds spiritual enlightenment on the path to vengeance; Lau and Liu followed the original with two comically inventive sequels, Return to the 36th Chamber and Disciples of the 36th Chamber, both included here. Already established as a genius at blending dazzling action with physical comedy, Lau himself plays the lead role in the hilarious Mad Monkey Kung Fu, coupled here with Lo Mar#39;s underrated Five Superfighters. Next, we once again meet Chang Cheh#39;s basher boy band the Venom Mob in no less than four of their best-loved team-ups: Invincible Shaolin, The Kid with the Golden Arm, Magnificent Ruffians and culminating in the all-star Ten Tigers of Kwangtung, co-starring Ti Lung and Fu Sheng.After Lau brings us perhaps his best high-kicking comedy with My Young Auntie, a playful star vehicle for his real-life muse Kara Hui, we see Shaw Brothers fully embracing Eighties excess in our strangest double feature yet: Wong Jing#39;s breathtakingly wild shoot-#39;em-up Mercenaries from Hong Kong, and Kuei Chih-hung#39;s spectacularly unhinged black magic meltdown The Boxer#39;s Omen. Last but certainly not least, Lau Kar-leung directs the last major Shaw production, Martial Arts of Shaolin, filmed in mainland China with a hot new talent named Jet Li in the lead role; it is paired in this set with The Bare-Footed Kid, a reverent remake of a Chang Cheh classic with Johnnie To (Running Out of Time) in the director#39;s chair and Lau back on fight choreography duties, in arguably the ultimate filmed tribute to Shaws#39; everlasting cinematic legacy.Limited Edition Blu-ray Collection ContentsHigh Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentations of all fourteen films, including nine new 2K restorations by Arrow FilmsIllustrated 60-page collectors#39; book featuring new writing by David Desser, Jonathan Clements, Lovely Jon and David West, plus cast and crew listings and notes on each film by Simon AbramsNew artwork by Mike Lee-Graham, Chris Malbon, Kagan McLeod, Colin Murdoch, Kung Fu Bob O#39;Brien, Lucas Peverill, Ilan Sheady, Tony Stella, Darren Wheeling and Jolyon YatesHours of never-before-seen bonus features including several cast and crew interviews from the Frédéric Ambroisine Video ArchiveTwo CDs of music from the De Wolfe Music library as heard in several of the films, exclusive to this collectionDisc One – The 36th Chamber Of ShaolinBrand new 4K restoration by Celestial Pictures and L#39;Immagine RitrovataNewly restored uncompressed Mandarin, Cantonese and English original mono audioNewly translated English subtitles, plus optional hard-of-hearing subtitles for the English dubBrand new feature commentary by critic Travis CrawfordBrand new select-scene commentary by film critic and historian Tony RaynsInterview with star Gordon Liu, filmed in 2003Interview with cinematographer Arthur Wong, filmed in 2006Shaolin: Birthplace of a Hero and Elegant Trails, two archive featurettes with Gordon Liu produced by Celestial Pictures in 2003Tiger Style: The Musical Impact of Martial Arts Cinema, a newly filmed overview of Shaw Brothers#39; influence on hip hop and other music genres, featuring music historian Lovely JonCinema Hong Kong: Swordfighting, the second instalment in a three-part documentary produced by Celestial Pictures in 2003 and featuring interviews with Gordon Liu, Lau Kar-leung, Cheng Pei-pei, John Woo, Sammo Hung, Kara Hui, David Chiang and othersAlternate opening credits from the American version titled Master KillerHong Kong and German theatrical trailers, plus US TV spotImage galleryDisc Two – Return To The 36th Chamber / Disciples Of The 36th ChamberUncompressed Cantonese, Mandarin and English original mono audio for both filmsNewly translated English subtitles for both films, plus optional hard-of-hearing subtitles for the English dubsInterview with star Gordon Liu, filmed in 2003Citizen Shaw, a French TV documentary from 1980 directed by Maurice Frydland, in which Sir Run Run Shaw gives an all-access tour of the Shaw Brothers backlot (including behind-the-scenes footage from Return to the 36th Chamber), remastered in high definitionHero on the Scaffolding, an archive featurette produced by Celestial Pictures in 2003Alternate opening credits sequences for both filmsHong Kong theatrical trailers for both filmsImage galleries for both filmsDisc Three – Mad Monkey Kung Fu / Five SuperfightersBrand new 2K restorations of both films from the original negatives by Arrow FilmsUncompressed Cantonese, Mandarin and English original mono for both filmsNewly translated English subtitles for both films, plus optional hard-of-hearing subtitles for the English dubsBrand new commentary for Mad Monkey Kung Fu by martial arts cinema experts Frank Djeng and Michael WorthNewly filmed appreciation of Mad Monkey Kung Fu by film critic and historian Tony RaynsInterview with actor Hsiao Hou, filmed in 2004Shaw in the USA, a brand new featurette on how Shaw Brothers broke America featuring Grady Hendrix and Chris Poggiali, authors of These Fists Break BricksHong Kong and US theatrical trailers for Mad Monkey Kung FuHong Kong theatrical trailer and UK VHS promo for Five SuperfightersImage galleries for both filmsDisc Four – Invincible Shaolin / The Kid With The Golden ArmBrand new 2K restorations of both films from the original negatives by Arrow FilmsUncompressed Mandarin and English original mono audio for both films, plus Cantonese mono for Invincible ShaolinNewly translated English subtitles for both films, plus optional hard-of-hearing subtitles for the English dubsInterview with action director Robert Tai, filmed in 2003Poison Clan Rocks The World, a brand new visual essay on the Venom Mob written and narrated by author Terrence J. BradyAlternate continuity cut of The Kid With The Golden Arm, presented via seamless branchingAlternate and textless title sequences for The Kid with the Golden ArmHong Kong theatrical trailer for Invincible ShaolinHong Kong theatrical trailer (audio only) and US TV spot for The Kid with the Golden ArmImage galleries for both filmsDisc Five – Magnificent Ruffians / Ten Tigers Of KwangtungBrand new 2K restorations of both films from the original negatives by Arrow FilmsUncompressed Mandarin and English original mono audio for both films, plus Cantonese mono for Ten Tigers of KwangtungNewly translated English subtitles for both films, plus optional hard-of-hearing subtitles for the English dubsBrand new audio commentary on Ten Tigers of Kwangtung by filmmaker Brandon BentleyInterview with star Chin Siu-ho, filmed in 2003Rivers and Lakes, a brand new video essay on Shaw Brothers#39; depiction of Chinese myth and history, written and narrated by Jonathan Clements, author of A Brief History of ChinaHong Kong (audio only) and German theatrical trailers for Magnificent RuffiansHong Kong trailers (Mandarin and Cantonese audio options) and US TV spot for Ten Tigers of KwangtungImage galleries for both filmsDisc Six – My Young AuntieUncompressed Cantonese, Mandarin and English original mono audioNewly translated English subtitles, plus optional hard-of-hearing subtitles for the English dubBrand new select-scene commentary by film critic and historian Tony RaynsInterview with star Kara Hui, filmed in 2003Cinema Hong Kong: The Beauties of the Shaw Studios, the final instalment in the three-part documentary produced by Celestial Pictures in 2003Alternate standard-definition VHS versionHong Kong theatrical trailerImage galleryDisc Seven – Mercenaries From Hong Kong / The Boxer's OmenBrand new 2K restorations of both films from the original negatives by Arrow FilmsUncompressed Cantonese and Mandarin original mono audio for both films plus English mono for Mercenaries from Hong KongNewly translated English subtitles for both films, plus optional hard-of-hearing subtitles for the English dubBrand new commentary on The Boxer#39;s Omen by critic Travis CrawfordNewly filmed appreciation of filmmaker Kuei Chih-hung by film critic and historian Tony RaynsAdditional footage from Mandarin VHS version of The Boxer's OmenInterview with Mercenaries from Hong Kong action director Tong Kai, filmed in 2009Hong Kong theatrical trailers for both filmsImage galleries for both filmsDisc Eight – Martial Arts Of Shaolin / The Bare-footed KidUncompressed Cantonese, Mandarin and English original mono audio for both filmsNewly translated English subtitles, plus optional hard-of-hearing subtitles for the English dubsBrand new commentary on Martial Arts of Shaolin by Jonathan ClementsBrand new commentary on The Bare-Footed Kid by Frank Djeng of the NY Asian Film FestivalNewly filmed appreciations of both films by film critic and historian Tony RaynsInterview with Martial Arts of Shaolin screenwriter Sze Yeung-ping, filmed in 2004Alternate standard-definition version of Martial Arts of ShaolinHong Kong and Japanese theatrical trailers for Martial Arts of Shaolin, plus trailers for the preceding Shaolin Temple films starring Jet LiHong Kong theatrical trailer and UK VHS promo for The Bare-Footed KidImage galleries for both filmsDisc Nine – Music From The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin, Five Superfighters, Invincible Shaolin And The Kid With The Golden Arm (CD)Disc Ten – Music From Return To The 36th Chamber, Magnificent Ruffians, Ten Tigers Of Kwangtung, My Young Auntie, Mercenaries From Hong Kong And Disciples Of The 36th Chamber (CD)