Search - The Bells Of Death: Shaw Bros Special Edition on DVD

Vintage Shaw Brothers, new release

Michael W. Jaworski | Fairfield, NJ USA | 03/05/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Vintage Shaw Brothers movie from '69, given the first class treatment from Image Entertainment. Samo Hung is NOT in this movie, nor did he work on it, but don't let that stop any of you Shaw Brothers/fu fans from checking out this cool nugget of a film. Very well-done, although I'm not familiar with the director. A very young Chang Yi has the lead role & looks good here. Actor Ku Feng is almost unrecognizable. The fu is sword swinging old skool; no wires, fairly exciting, just DO NOT expect the Venoms or Lau brothers choreography. Despite not being directed by the maestro, Chang Cheh, it's quite bloody, and there are quite a few good set-pieces.

Image, as usual, did a fabulous job; re-mastered, blemish free, widescreen picture; re-mastered audio & easy to read subtitles. Personally I liked this movie, if you read any of my other reviews you'll see I'm a hard-core fu fan, and my preference is Shaw Brothers/old-skool. I would definitely recommend this to like-minded fans, but not to people who only saw "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and think it's the last word on martial arts movies. I just don't think they would get it, and that's my opinion, like it or lump it."

"It's raining and my hair is wet... this in not a good place

D. Wilson | NY by way of Cali | 09/11/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"3 bloodthirsty bandits slay the family of a young peasant man, which in turn sends him on a quest for vengeance (as is normally the case). Not much new here in the way of storyline, but director Yueh Feng gives us enough great characters and dramatic beats to keep things fresh and interesting throughout. Chang Yi plays the lead well, showing us the stark change from the simple woodcutter to stoic and nearly emotionless vigilante. The villains are great as 3 vicious brothers who are each proficient in a different weapon (9 foot battle ax/sword/bow and arrow) and equally dastardly. The fights in the film are much more about style and the gruesome demise of the loser than the intricate and awe-inspiring battles of some of its peers. For instance, a battle in a bamboo forest where every swipe sends trees crashing to the ground, or a truly inventive scene where the fighters have lit candles at the ends of their swords and must fling them into the air and catch them again (without extinguishing the flame!) in between short bursts of swordfighting. Released only one year after the genre classic The One-Armed Swordsman (1967), this film shows much less sign of it's age. Probably the fact that there are far less sets used and more actual countryside (which is shot beautifully)... also the blood here is very well done; it's color and effect when limbs are removed or heads are gashed is really impressive. So yet another great film from the Shaw Brothers studio released nicely by Image Entertainment... see it!"

Chang Yi Five Star Revenge Vehicle..

David Brown III | gloucester, MA. USA | 09/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one Chang Yi's best roles and the martial arts in this film are of japanese quality. Ku Feng is one of three villians who've brutally murdered Chang Yi's family. Chang meets a master martial artist and is honored by him with being taught how to fight with exceptional talent. Great film. We're talking japanese quality fight and sword play choreographing here. Extremely well done."