QUICK SCHLOCK: The SHAWSCOPE VOL. 1 Box Set - Part 3
Schlockmania's trilogy of Quick Schlock posts on Arrow Video's excellent Shawscope Vol. 1 box set comes to a close with this look at the final four films on the set. Keep in my mind that the three posts devoted to this set only cover the films themselves: there are several hours of extras spread across all the discs in this set that would take months and several more posts to cover, as well as two CDs' worth of classic music library tracks utilized in the films and a deluxe full-color booklet with savvy critical writing about the films.
If you're into Shaw Brothers fare, it's a foregone conclusion that you should pick this up. That said, it's always worth taking a quick look at the excellent films included in this deluxe set. Appropriately, the final four films offer two classics each from a pair of the studio's best directors - two from groundbreaking stylist Chang Cheh and two by martial arts philosopher Lau Kar-Leung. They're all must-watch titles for fans of the kung fu genre and bring this set to a strong, memorable close.
THE FIVE VENOMS: "...a mystery, a police procedural in period epic dress and a pretty angry commentary about how easily corrupted government and justice systems can be"https://boxd.it/2Ckbz5
CRIPPLED AVENGERS: "Chang packs each reel with plenty of action and choreography but he makes the gimmicks serve the story, fully exploring their potential..."https://boxd.it/2CkbV1
HEROES OF THE EAST: "... a seamless blend of (Lau's) philosophical approach to martial arts and his gift for laying out fight scenes with elegance and precision..."https://boxd.it/2zMgOD
DIRTY HO: "If you want to see a kung fu film from this era that is working hard on every level, this is an obvious pick."https://boxd.it/2zMvaD https://youtu.be/nv43UrIJWxQ