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Due to the vagaries of rights acquisition, it has taken Arrow Video three volumes of its indispensable Shawscope series to offer the movie that started it all in terms of Shaw Brothers Studio’s ascent to the top of the Hong Kong box office: Chang Cheh’s groundbreaking 1967 wuxia The One-Armed Swordsman. As such, it can be easy to take for granted Chang’s ultraviolence and grim thematic undertones given how many later, more refined efforts from Chang and other filmmakers have already been released.

Nonetheless, The One-Armed Swordsman’s economy of pacing and visceral transmission of its hero’s rage give the film a power undiminished by the host of copycats that flooded the Hong Kong market over the next decade. Jimmy Wang Yu’s maimed warrior, Fang Kang, cuts an instantly iconic profile: hair bound in a fin-like top knot and beard honing his jaw to a point,...

Shaw Brothers films are not exactly at the top of many film buffs’ watching list. For one, there has not been a traditional Shaw film, opening fanfare and all, in close to 30 years and a hefty portion of the public do not give catalogue films the time of day. Even for those who do, there is a vast selection of genres, directors, actors and studios that, often for good reason, will strike someone’s fancy more so than a 1960s, 70s or early 80s Shaw production.

It is widely known that said movies were produced at the speed of light, like cheap toys on a factory production line. Even so, their legacy lives on, with the bountiful number of martial arts films made and released in countries around the world, in addition to their critical role in making Kung Fu films popular in North America. For the decidedly smaller band...

A little behind the rest of the pack, Frankie Chan’s remake (this version is based on the 1972 martial arts classic ‘The 14 Amazons’) Legendary Amazons is finally set to debut in America, via Well Go USA. Cecilia Cheung (Shaolin Soccer), Cheng Pei-Pei (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) and Liu Ziaoqing (Plastic Flowers) star as widowed wives who must lead the other widows into battle when the last of a long line of Song generals are killed. Richie Ren (Life Without Principle, Accident) also stars as Yang Zongbao, the last of the Song generals to fall. Bonus materials include a behind-the-scenes featurette and a new, optional (the only option for that in our book, is the Off position) English dub. Legendary Amazons debuts on U.S Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital....October 16th Synopsis: Yang Zongbao is the last man standing in the Yang clan, a family of generals who have dedicated...

Continuing on from the start of our new weekly feature last week, rounding up the new releases coming to DVD and Blu-ray each Monday, we have a brilliant line-up of films making their way to the shelves of your local stores today, and of course the virtual shelves online.

We’re treated to a fantastic set of new films this week – some of the finest of last year – a few excellent TV shows, and a handful of classics that are being given the HD treatment, released on Blu-ray for the first time.

We’re big fans of the Blu-ray format here at HeyUGuys, and can’t recommend it enough to you. If your television has the means to play Blu-rays and you don’t yet have a player, I thoroughly encourage you to treat yourself to one at the nearest possible opportunity. I made the upgrade about two years ago,...

Another week, another Monday. So it’s time for the rundown of DVDs and Blu-ray’s hitting stores online and offline this week. It’s another packed week, with plenty of movies waiting to take you money, so let us breakdown the new releases and highlight what you should – and shouldn’t – be buying from today, May 14th 2012.

Pick(S) Of The Week

The Sitter (DVD/Blu-ray)

When the world’s most irresponsible babysitter takes three of the world’s worst kids on an unforgettable overnight adventure through the streets of New York City, it’s anyone’s guess who’s going to make it home in one piece. Starring Jonah Hill (Knocked Up, Get Him To The Greek) and Sam Rockwell (Moon & The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy), The Sitter is a new level of twisted and debauched hilarity from the director of Pineapple Express, David Gordon Green.

Produced by The King of Action Cinema, Jackie Chan, Legendary Amazons is an epic martial arts adventure set during the brutal wars between the Song and Xia Dynasties of Ancient China. Paying “homage” to the 1972 Shaw Brothers classic ‘The 14 Amazons.’ this action-packed blockbuster recounts the adventures of the legendary Yang Clan, a courageous and patriotic attack force of warrior women. Each a master of a unique style of martial arts, they are called to fight their greatest ever battle, when an overwhelming army of barbarian invaders threatens to overrun their homeland. Oh, and most important parts - martial arts epic fans take note - it gets released in the UK this coming May...and the trailer looks pretty darn spiffy. Legendary Amazons UK trailer...