Cheng Pei-Pei is back in action! This time she wields a whip instead of a sword and, as it is time for the Shaw Brothers to experiment with their brand of wuxia, one shouldn’t be surprised that its take of revenge comes across as paper-thin.
But that doesn’t mean that this one doesn’t kick some serious ass! The Shadow Whip has always been a favorite of mine due to its sheer gonzo-like swagger as the action sequences are frenetic and furiously charged with a whole lot of blood! From the glorious tracking shots to the wall-to-wall action sequences, there’s nothing here that doesn’t bring a smile to the face.
Directed by Lo Wei (his last effort before he brought Bruce Lee in Fist of Fury to the silver screen), The Shadow Whip remains a glorious guilty pleasure as Yung (Pei-Pei) and her Uncle Fang (Ku Feng) tackle one bounty hunter after another in pursuit of some stolen jewelry when it is revealed that Feng’s character is possibly a bandit known as The Shadow Whip.
If your heart is in need of a furious jumpstart when it comes to high octane action scenes, then this is the wuxia for you. It pauses little - making it a bit more wild in its rollout than expected - as everything comes at these two in a fast-paced manner. And it all lands with fierce urgency as three take on one heinous villain. 
Even the wire work is spellbinding here, never disappointing in its bravado. Sure, if you want a better story, there are other places to go looking but The Shadow Whip cracks like few others.
The Shadow Whip, now released in Shaw Brothers Classics, Vol 2, is only one of the unique Shaw Brothers films included. This spectacular box set comprises 12 classic martial arts films from the famous Shaw Brothers' library, featuring some of their greatest stars Cheng Pei-pei (Come Drink With Me), Lo Lieh (King Boxer), Sammo Hung (Wheels On Meals), Ti Lung (A Better Tomorrow), and David Chiang (The Boxer From Shantung). Many of these films are debuting for the first time on Blu-ray.
Home Video Distributor: Shout Factory
Available on Blu-ray - August 15, 2023
Screen Formats: 2.35:1
Subtitles: English
Audio: Mandarin: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
Video: MPEG-4 AVC
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; 12-disc set
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A
This top-ten box office hit reunites the star duo from Come Drink With Me in another classic action adventure. Cheng Pei-pei (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) radiates her trademark charm while wielding the deadly title weapon, which is implicated in multiple murders and a major heist. Whether single-handedly fighting sixteen bandits or avenging her father's brutal death, she demonstrates why she was Hong Kong's number one swordswoman and no slouch with the whip either!
Video
Presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, The Shadow Whip, from Shout Factory, gets its hands bloody and never once rinses its fists 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. Black levels are strong throughout, bringing out nice details in both the loud and quiet moments of this epic adventure. The tracking shots are glorious to behold in 1080p.
Audio
The audio is presented in a clean Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio track, complete with a new subtitle translation in English.
Supplements:
Get ready for some informative supplemental items with these bonus features!
Commentary:
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Critic and author David West provides a very detailed feature-length commentary for this release.
Special Features:
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NEW Audio Commentary With David West, Critic And Author Of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction To The Martial Arts Film
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Celestial Trailer
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Composite Blu-ray Grade
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MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 78 mins
Director: Wei Lo
Writer: Kuang Ni; Wei Lo
Cast: Pei-Pei Cheng; Hua YuehLi-Jen Ho
Genre: Action | Drama
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor: Shaw Brothers
Official Site:
Release Date: August 6, 1971
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: August 23, 2023
Synopsis: This top ten hit reunites Come Drink With Me's stars for a new adventure. Whether single-handedly fighting sixteen bandits, avenging her father's death, or solving multiple murders, our heroine shows why she's Hong Kong's number one sword - and whip - woman!
