Golden Swallow (Cheng Pei-pei) is just not having it when a mysterious agent from her past returns and starts framing her for some serious heinous activity! She’s ready to take matters into her own hands in 1968’s Golden Swallow (aka The Girl With The Thunderbolt Kick).
I mean, truly, is there a more perfect example of a bloody and operatic Chang Cheh wuxia film than right here? You want comic book violence? Check. A love triangle? Check. Western-like tropes? Check. And one helluva big and bloody finish! It’s all here in Golden Swallow, a sequel to King Hu’s 1966 masterpiece, Come Drink With Me.
This is prime Shaw Brothers. And, with Cheh in the director’s chair, Golden Swallow (Pei-pei), Silver Roc (Jimmy Wang Yu), and Iron Whip Han To (Lo Lieh) become absolutely superheroic with their skills and their swords. They are absolutely unforgettable when it comes to the pantheon of Shaw Brothers productions, and that is part of the chop socky charm of this film, which is now included in Shaw Brothers Classics, Vol. 1 from Shout Factory.
Golden Swallow is living in peace with her gentle warrior, Iron Whip Han To, who only fights as a last resort. He has somewhat brought her more toward his understanding of martial arts, but all of that is wiped away when the vicious Silver Roc starts killing members of the evil Golden Dragon Clan and framing Golden Swallow for it.
Silver Roc is her former lover and he wants her out of hiding and by his side, it seems. Is this the way to do it? Maybe. She is very much torn by the presence of the two men and, in a world this brutal, the more the bloodshed, the more the reasons to join forces with the deadliest.
Jimmy Wang Yu, fresh off the absolute success of One-Armed Swordsman, definitely steals the show here. Sure, Pei-pe and Lieh get a huge chunk of on-screen time, and their chemistry is indeed enduring, but this is a movie for Yu, who deals death like few are capable of. Watching him glide through the air is both exhilarating and unforgettable as he takes out all sorts of foes. You might not like his attitude and you might hate his character for what he does (even having a young boy take his own life), but Yu is unmistakable here, nailing moment after moment while Lieh keeps his cool in almost zen-like manner and Pei-pe judges honor and loyalty against the buckets of blood collected during this Shaw Scope classic.
Featured on the second disc of this spectacular box set which comprises 11 classic martial arts films from the famous Shaw Brothers' library, featuring some of their greatest stars Jimmy Wang Yu (One-Armed Swordsman), Cheng Pei-pei (Come Drink With Me), Lo Lieh (King Boxer), Ku Feng (The Five Venoms), and David Chiang (The Boxer From Shantung). Many of these films, like Golden Swallow, are debuting for the first time on Blu-ray.
The disc also contains an interview with actress Cheng Pei-Pei By Frédéric Ambroisine, a new Celestial Trailer, the Original Theatrical Trailer, and a brand-new commentary from Hong Kong-Based Academic And Filmmaker Gilbert Po.
Whoosh. Punch. Kick. Chop. Dive into the world of Martial Arts Mayhem with the release of Golden Swallow!
Home Video Distributor: Shout Factory
Available on Blu-ray - June 13, 2023
Screen Formats: 2.35:1
Subtitles: English
Audio: Mandarin: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; 11-disc set
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A
The indomitable martial arts team of director Chang Cheh and stunt choreographer Liu Chia-liang continues the compelling saga of The Golden Swallow from King Hu's Come Drink With Me in this sequel of heartbreaking romance, intrigue and stunning action.
Video
Presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, Golden Swallow gets down to its chop socky business with its audience in mind. The poetry on display comes through in the lush fields, the crispness of the interiors, and the sudden violence which echoes throughout the film, including its big finale in which Yu takes on all manner of men. Black levels are strong throughout, bringing out nice details in both the loud and quiet moments of this epic adventure.
Audio
For this movie, the audio offered is a Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio With New Subtitle Translation and an English Dub version. Everything is front-loaded and works to create a pleasant home viewing experience throughout the 104-minute running time.
Supplements:
Commentary:
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There is a NEW Audio Commentary By Hong Kong-Based Academic And Filmmaker Gilbert Po, which is both informative and exciting.
Special Features:
Included on the disc are the following supplemental items:
- Interview With Actress Cheng Pei-Pei By Frédéric Ambroisine
- Celestial Trailer
- Original Theatrical Trailer
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Composite Blu-ray Grade
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MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 109 mins
Director: Cheh Chang
Writer: Cheh Chang; Yun Chih Tu
Cast: Pei-Pei Cheng; Jimmy Wang Yu; Lieh Lo
Genre: Action | Drama
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor: Shaw Brothers
Official Site:
Release Date: April 3, 1968 (Hong Kong)
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: The indomitable martial arts team of director Chang Cheh and stunt choreographer Liu Chia-liang continues the compelling saga of Golden Swallow from King Hu's Come Drink with Me in this sequel of heartbreaking romance, jianghu intrigue and stunning action.
