SHAW BROTHERS STUDIO

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Shaw Brothers Studio

The 'Shaw Studio' (Chinese: 邵氏片場), owned by Shaw Brothers (HK) Ltd. , is the forerunner and the largest movie production company of Hong Kong movies.
From their distribution base in Singapore where they founded parent company Shaw Organisation in 1924, and as a strategic development of their movie distribution business in Southeast Asia, Sir Run Run Shaw (邵逸夫) and his third brother Runme Shaw (邵仁枚) founded South Sea Film (南洋影片) in 1930. It was later renamed Shaw Brothers Studio. The studio released Hong Kong's first movie with sound 《白金龍》 (which translates as "platinum dragon", or one of the slang terms for a pistol) in 1934.

Contents
Legacy
Directors
Actors
Celestial Pictures acquisition and distribution
List of actors
Films
See also
External links

Legacy


The clam-shaped Shaw Brothers logo, which opened nearly every Shaw film, was modelled after that of the ''Warner Brothers'' studios

Directors

The Shaw Brothers studio is noted for directors King Hu, Lau Kar-leung and Chang Cheh. King Hu was an early director who is best remembered for his film ''Come Drink with Me'', a martial arts film which differed from those of Chang Cheh in that it featured a capable female protagonist and revolved around romance in the martial arts world, rather than fast paced action and the tales of brotherhood which Chang Cheh would later popularize. Chang Cheh, who was more fond of the latter components, would go on to be Shaw Studios' best known director, with such films as the ''Five Deadly Venoms'', the ''Brave Archer'' (based on the works of Jin Yong), the ''One Armed Swordsman'', and other classics of Wuxia and Wushu film. Almost equally as famous was fight choreographer turned director Lau Kar-leung, who would produce such highly regarded kung fu films as ''The 36th Chamber of Shaolin'' and ''Eight-Diagram Pole Fighter''.
Actors

The stable with which the Shaw Brothers worked became one of their trademarks. While other studios rotated a good number of cast members, Run Run and Runme Shaw almost always had a familiar face in their films. The group from the ''Five Deadly Venoms'' - who would become known by that namesake - were among the most popular. These five were Lo Mang, Lu Feng, Sun Chien, Chiang Sheng and Kuo Chui, who had been stars in the Shaw studio for years, but did not become memorable faces until the ''Five Deadly Venoms''. The "sixth Venom", Wei Pai, who played the Snake in ''Five Deadly Venoms'' was also part of the ''Venom Mob'' which numbered over 15 actors which appeared in almost all of the Venom movies.
Two other stars were particularly well known and favoured by Chang Cheh in his movies: Ti Lung and Alexander Fu Sheng. Ti Lung is considered one of the most, if not ''the'' most handsome martial arts actor to grace Shaw Studios, but is also accredited as a capable actor who reinforced his physical glamour with strong characterisation over his many films. Alexander Fu Sheng, who starred with Ti Lung on many occasions, was killed in 1983 in a car accident, ending what had been a short career.
Members of the Seven Little Fortunes, including Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung, played extras and bit parts in several Shaw Brothers films in the 1970s, although they were obviously unknowns at the time.
Shaw Studios was not well known for female actors however, largely due to Chang Cheh's preference for brotherhood tales, and producer Mona Fong's alleged hatred for beautiful actresses. Nonetheless, actresses like Betty Loh Ti, Cheng Pei Pei, Lily Li Li Li and Tien Niu appeared in Shaw films. Cheng Pei Pei in particular is relatively well known for her starring role in King Hu's ''Come Drink With Me'', and more recently in Ang Lee's ''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' as Jade Fox.

Celestial Pictures acquisition and distribution


Although many of their classic films have become subject to bootlegging over the years due to copyright disputes in the international market, Celestial Pictures acquired rights to the studio's legacy, and is releasing 760 out of the nearly 1,000 films on DVD, with restored picture and sound quality.
Since early 2007, about 50 of these are also available for download through Jaman, a movie download service for independent and world cinema, which acquired the internet rights from Celestial. Titles include Notorious Eight, Invincible Shaolin and Return of the Bastard Swordsman.
Many landmarks in Hong Kong and Singapore are named especially after Sir Run Run Shaw for his generous contributions to charity and medicare. The Shaw Organisation remains a major distribution network in Singapore today.

List of actors


Most fans may not be familiar with the actors actual names, a recognizable role has been provided for some actors.
Popular Actors Notable film(s) with major roles

Gordon Liu aka Lau Kar Fai
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin aka ''Master Killer''
Clan Of The White Lotus
Dirty Ho
Disciples of the 36th Chamber
Eight Diagram Pole Fighter aka ''Invincible Pole Fighter''
Legendary Weapons of China
Martial Club
Return to the 36th Chamber
Shaolin and Wu Tang
Shaolin Challenges Ninja
Shaolin Mantis
Treasure Hunters aka ''Master of Disaster''

Danny Lee
Blood Brothers
Brave Archer
Life Gamble
Shanghai 13
The Super Inframan
Water Margin

Chen Kuan Tai
3 Evil Masters
Boxer From Shantung
Blood Brothers
Challenge Of The Masters
Crippled Avengers
Executioner From Shaolin
Flying Guillotine
Heroes Two
Iron Monkey
Killer Constable aka ''Karate Exterminators''
Men from the Monastery
Water Margin

Cheng Pei Pei
Come Drink With Me
Golden Swallow aka ''Girl With The Thunderbolt Kick''
Golden Sword
The Flying Dagger

Chiang Sheng
Venom Mob films

David Chiang
5 Masters Of Death
Abbott Of Shaolin
Angry Guest
Blood Brothers
Shaolin Temple
Duel Of Fists
The Heroic Ones
Naval Commandos
Shaolin Mantis
Water Margin

Alexander Fu Sheng
5 Masters Of Death
Avenging Eagle
Brave Archer series
Chinatown Kid
Life Gamble
Shaolin Temple
Eight Diagram Pole Fighter
Heroes Shed No Tears
Heroes Two
Legendary Weapons of China
Men from the Monastery
Naval Commandos

Hsiao Ho
Dirty Ho
Disciples of the 36th Chamber
Lady Is The Boss
Legendary Weapons Of China
Mad Monkey Kung Fu
My Young Auntie
Leung Kar-Yan aka "Beardy"

Leung Kar-Yan (Beardy)
4 Assassins aka ''Marco Polo''
5 Masters Of Death
Boxer Rebellion
Iron Monkey
Odd Couple aka ''Eternal Conflict''
The Victim
br>Secret Service of the Imperial Court

Kara Hui
Clan Of The White Lotus
Eight-Diagram Pole Fighter
Dirty Ho
Legendary Weapons Of China
Lady Is The Boss
Life Gamble
Long Road To Gallantry
Mad Monkey Kung Fu
Martial Club
My Young Auntie

Ku Kwan Chung
Abbott Of Shaolin
Chinatown Kid
Brave Archer series (Chief of Peach Island)
Sentimental Swordsman
Shaolin Rescuers

Kuo Chui
Master of the Flying Guillotine
Venom Mob films

Lau Kar Leung
Disciples of the 36th Chamber
Drunken Monkey
Eight-Diagram Pole Fighter
Legendary Weapons Of China
Lady Is The Boss
Mad Monkey Kung Fu
My Young Auntie

Lo Lieh
Five Fingers of Death
5 Masters Of Death
Abbott Of Shaolin
Dirty Ho
Executioner From Shaolin
Clan Of The White Lotus
Hammer Of Gods
Mad Monkey Kung Fu
Shaolin Handlock

Lily Li Li Li
Brave Archer
Challenge Of The Masters
Clan Feuds
Eight-Diagram Pole Fighter
Executioners From Shaolin
Long Road To Gallantry
Abbott Of Shaolin
Shaolin Mantis
The Bastard

Lo Mang
Clan Feuds
Bastard Swordsman
Venom Mob films
Five Element Ninjas
Lion Vs. Lion

Lu Feng
Venom Mob films

Lung Tien-Sheng (aka "the Spearman")
Venom Mob films
Five Element Ninjas
Lady Is The Boss
Long Road To Gallantry

Sun Chien
Clan Feuds
Bastard Swordsman
Venom Mob films

Ti Lung
5 Masters Of Death
Avenging Eagle
Angry Guest
Blood Brothers
Clan FeudsShaolin Temple
Drunken Master II
Duel Of Fists
The Heroic Ones
Kung Fu Instructor
Sentimental Swordsman
Shaolin Prince
The Magic Blade
10 Tigers Of Kwangtung
Water Margin

Jason Pai Piao
Emperor and His Brother
Lady Assassin
Killer Constable
Shaolin Intruders
Shaolin Prince
Shaolin Rescuers

Derek Yee
Black Lizard
Buddha's Palm
Heroes Shed No Tears
Shaolin Intruders
Shaolin Prince

Wang Li
Venom Mob films
Five Element Ninjas
Little Dragon Maiden
The Weird Man

Johnny Wang Lung-Wei
5 Shaolin Masters
Clan Of The White Lotus
Shaolin Temple
Eight-Diagram Pole Fighter
Invincible Shaolin
Lady Is The Boss
Lion Vs. Lion
Martial Club
My Young Auntie
Return to the 36th Chamber
Shaolin and Wu Tang
Venom Mob films

Norman Chu
Abbott Of Shaolin
Bastard Swordsman
Brave Archer
Lady Assassin
The Magic Blade
Shaolin Challenges Ninja
Shaolin Mantis
Vengeful Beauty
Wen Hsueh Erh aka "Candy Wen" 3 Evil Masters
Emperor and His Brother
Lady Assassin
Little Dragon Maiden
Venom Mob films

Shirley Yu
Venom Mob films
The Call Girls
Crazy Sex
Dreams Of Eroticism

Jimmy Wang Yu
Assassin
Beach Of The War Gods
Come Drink With Me
Golden Swallow
Hammer of Gods
One Armed Swordsman

Wong Yue
Dirty Ho
Executioner From Shaolin
Lion Vs. Lion
The Spiritual Boxer
The Shadow Boxing ''aka The Spiritual Boxer Part 2''

Films


Main articles: List of Shaw Brothers Films

See also



Cinema of Hong Kong

Golden Harvest

Hong Kong action cinema

Ocean Shore

Venom Mob

External links



The Shaw Story - at the official company website.

The Rise and Fall of the House of Shaw - scholarly essay by Tom Green.

Shaw Brothers Movies - list of DVD releases

ShawScope - Shaw Brothers kung fu movies fan site

Shaolin Chamber - Reviews, extensive poster-art gallery

Shaw Brothers Films - list of online releases at Jaman

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