Jumping right into the 20-year drama of this family saga, Dragon Swamp opens with an attack from a group of angry monks who want the Jade Dragon Sword returned to their monastery. To say they are annoyed by the thieving ways of The White-Faced General, Tang Dachuan (Huang Chung-Hsin), who has seduced Master Fan's student Fan Ying (a brilliant Cheng Pei Pei) and used her to get ahold of the sword, is an understatement. Two kids later, he is discovered!
Fan Ying’s world is about to change forever. Dachuan took their boy with him when he ran off after a quick duel with the monks and, due to her own exile for her involvement in the betrayal to the abbot, her daughter will be raised by Master Fan Chung Yun himself. She must face banishment to the Dragon Swamp for the next 20 years . . . alone.
But Fan Ying is full of surprises as she makes her way toward the exile. We’ll catch up with her further on down the road as director/writer Lo Wei, who also plays Master Fan, jumps forward twenty years as we watch a very different Cheng Pei-pei dancing across the Taoist Lingshan Chunyang Monastery’s 8-diagram steps on her way to the Jingang Pagoda. A thief is watching her.
And he, echoing what we witnessed 20 years ago, is after the Jade Dragon Sword.
Once again, the abbott is in crisis mode as the sword - which is a rare item from the Shang Zhou Dynasty, but also cursed - is lifted again. The students are all released to track down the thief and return it; this includes the very spirited Qing Erh (Pei-pei). While everyone second guesses her talent with a sword, it turns out she’s quite good and takes down all challengers . . . or bullies. From a wild encounter inside a roadside dive with a bunch of thieves to some unexpected reunions, she’s all about returning the cursed sword.
But what she doesn’t realize is just how painful her journey to the true location of the Jade Dragon Sword is going to be.
Full of fun battles in a variety of studio-bound fantastical locations, Dragon Swamp is a wuxia film which leans into the fantasy elements with both set designs and its story, proving to be more operatic with its family drama than originally expected. Fans of the Shaw Brothers also get some great make-up effects from artist Fong Yuen, who brings characters and consequences to life with great success throughout this Run Run Shaw production.
Pei-pei also gets to flex her acting abilities as she plays both the mother and the daughter at the center of this flick. With support from Yueh Hua as Roaming Knight, Lo Lieh as Head of Security Yu Chiang, and a fun cameo from Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Dragon Swamp is a beautifully-lensed epic which reunites a family torn asunder by the Jade Dragon Sword.
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
Cheng Pei-pei, the screen's greatest swordswoman, teams with Lo Lieh for this amazing, fast-paced adventure of the "Martial Arts World" where everyone is killing to gain the famous "Jade Dragon Sword." Fascinating characters, like the Roaming Knight and the Master of Dragon Swamp, clash in this family feud, which takes place over twenty years. In addition to the spectacular fights, this special production holds an emotional wallop for the finale.
Video
Presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, Dragon Swampt gets its hands bloody and never once rinses its sword as beauty is birthed in this same blood, all with its audience in mind. The poetry on display comes through in the lush fields, the crispness of the interiors and the haunting exteriors, and the sudden violence which echoes throughout the film, including its big finale in which a lone figure takes down all manner of soldiers. Black levels are strong throughout, bringing out nice details in both the loud and quiet moments of this epic adventure. The night and rain-drenched scenes included here are truly rich with layers and those tracking shots are glorious to behold in 1080p.
Audio
For this release, viewers get a satisfying uncompressed Mandarin and English original mono audio. There are optional English subtitles.
Supplements:
Get ready for some exciting thrills and chills with these bonus features!
Commentary:
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There is a new commentary delivered by Gilbert Po, a Hong Kong academic and filmmaker.
Special Features:
- NEW Audio Commentary With Hong Kong-Based Academic And Filmmaker Gilbert Po
- Celestial Trailer
- Original Theatrical Trailer
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Composite Blu-ray Grade
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MPAA Rating:
Runtime: 105 mins
Director: Wei Lo
Writer: Wei Lo
Cast: Pei-Pei Cheng; Hua Yueh; Lieh Lo
Genre: Action | Drama
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor: Shaw Brothers
Official Site:
Release Date:
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: June 13, 2023
Synopsis: After being implicated in the theft of the Jade Dragon Sword, Fan Ying is banished to the Dragon Swamp for 20 years.
