Video essay: “Shaw Brothers: Wuxia Warriors and Kung Fu Masters” | MUBI

In the early 1960s, four brothers redefined the landscape of Chinese cinema. These canny entrepreneurs had been making movies since the 1920s, producing an anonymous film every month in a bid to fill the theaters they had collected across Southeast Asia. But it wasn’t enough. Inspired by the classic Hollywood production system, the Shaw brothers opened one of the biggest private film studios in the world. By the mid-1980s, more than a thousand films bore their name, encompassing all manner of genres. But there was one with which they would be forever synonymous: the martial arts film.
This video essay provides an introduction to the Shaw Brothers Studio’s unmistakable house style and its long-lasting influence on action cinema, pop culture, and beyond.
Written by Matt Thrift
Edited by Ben Porro
Narrated by Rico Gagliano
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Full list of titles referenced:
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Lau Kar-Leung, 1978
The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter
Lau Kar-Leung, 1984
The Boxer From Shantung
Chang Cheh, 1972
Come Drink With Me
King Hu, 1966
Crippled Avengers
Chang Cheh, 1978
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Ang Lee, 2000
Dirty Ho
Lau Kar-Leung, 1979
The Dutiful Daughter
Chun Man-to, 1966
Five Deadly Venoms
Chang Cheh, 1978
Five Elements Ninjas
Chang Cheh, 1982
Heroes of the East
Lau Kar-Leung, 1978
How Huang Fei-hong Smashed the 5 Tigers
Wu Pang, 1961
Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan
Chor Yuen, 1972
Kill Bill: Vol.1
Quentin Tarantino, 2003
King Boxer
Jeong Chang-Hwa, 1972
Legendary Weapons of China
Lau Kar-Leung, 1982
The One-Armed Swordsman
Chang Cheh, 1967
With thanks to Celestial Pictures.

[@dakariholder02]

The perfect love letter to perhaps the most infamous and influential film studio in cinematic history. Thank you. 🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@kimothemo]

Dear Shaw Brothers, please release all P. Ramlee’s movies in new restoration!

[@zekaya]

Great video essay. Thank you for this!

[@NaikaVideo]

A fantastic video essay. I will say that Crippled Avengers is a Chang Cheh film and using that to describe Lau Kar Leung's output wasn't the best edit (Legendary Weapons of China could've been used instead), but otherwise, this was clear, concise and incandescent. Wuxia is such an important medium in the Chinese speaking world and this is the best explanation of that, along with how it differentiates from the open-handed kung fu film, on CZcams. Cheers!

[@andrewharris7517]

This video is Electric!

[@iwaisman]

thanks.

[@ThomasGroh]

grest video essay. but wasn't tarantino referencing the japanese film "lady snowblood" in "kill bill"?

[@aquaticlibrary]

Lady Snowblood is the primary inspiration. But this is one of the many others

[@lovemonster4052]

First!!!