10kbullets

Shaolin Mantis – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1978
Director: Chia-Yung Liu (Lau Kar-leung)
Writer: On Szeto
Cast: David Chiang, Cecilia Wong, Lily Li, John Cheung, Chia-Yung Liu (Lau Kar-wing), Chia-Hui Liu (Gordon Liu)

Release Date: March 22nd, 2022
Approximate Running Time: 100 Minutes 22 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Mandarin, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: $29.95

"When scholar Wei Fung (David Chiang) is hired by the Emperor to infiltrate a clan of rebellious Ming loyalists, his mission goes adrift when he falls in love the clan leader's granddaughter and his plans are discovered." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “HD master from the original 35mm negatives.”

Shaolin Mantis comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.8 GB

Feature: 29.8 GB

Audio: (4/5 DTS-HD Mono Mandarin), 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Mandarin and a LPCM mono mix in English. Both audio mixes sound clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, the fight sequences sound robust. That said, the Mandarin language track sounds fuller than its English language counterpart. Included with this release are two subtitle options: English for the Mandarin language track and a second English subtitle track for Mandarin text and signs.

Extras:

Extras for this release include U.S. trailer under the title The Deadly Mantis (3 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Hong Kong theatrical trailer (3 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with burnt-in English and Cantonese subtitles), an interview with actor John Cheung (20 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Chinese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with David West titled Complicated Families (13 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Asian cinema expert Frank Djeng, an audio commentary with Asian cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, reversible cover art, a double-sided foldout poster, a limited edition slipcover and four reproduction lobby cards.

Summary:

Chia-Yung Liu (Lau Kar-leung) directed some of the Shaw Brothers' most memorable martial arts films, like Spiritual Boxer, Executioners from Shaolin, 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Return to the 36th Chamber, Legendary Weapons of China, and The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter. He would team up with Chia Hui Liu (Gordon Liu) for most of these films. Besides directing Chia-Yung Liu (Lau Kar-leung), he is a renowned martial artist who has starred in many films, including The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires, Master of the Flying Guillotine, Knockabout, and Drunken Master II: The Legend of Drunken Master.

Shaolin Mantis opens with a pair of amazing martial arts sequences before settling into a melodrama about a spy named Wei Fung, who’s given the task of uncovering a clan of rebellious Ming loyalists. Along the way, Wei Fung falls in love with Tien Chi-Chi, a Ming loyalist daughter who chooses Wei Fung over her family, who’s plotting to overthrow the emperor.

But the narrative does a great job of maintaining momentum. Some of the exposition moments tend to drag. Fortunately, when it comes to the fight sequences, Shaolin Mantis delivers and then some. The most memorable fight sequence is when Wei Fung and Tien Chi-Chi escape from the Tien Clan home. They are forced to fight several opponents in a gauntlet that’s a reminiscent of the one Bruce Lee faced in the Game of Death.

Other memorable fight sequences include a scene where Wei Fung studies a mantis, which leads to his new fighting style, and the finale, where Wei Fung returns to the Tien Clan home seeking vengeance for his deceased wife, Tien Chi-Chi. This scene showcases Wei Fung’s Mantis fighting style as he works his way past each opponent to reach his ultimate goal, Chi-Chi's Grandfather.

The cast are very good in their respective roles, especially Chia-Yung Liu (Lau Kar-leung) in the role of Tien Chi-Chi’s grandfather. He made a career of playing bad guys, and in Shaolin Mantis, his character is the epitome of evil. Another performance of note is Chia-Hui Liu (Gordon Liu) in the all-too familiar role of a Shaolin Monk. Though Chia-Hui Liu (Gordon Liu) only appears in one scene, he is always a joy to watch. Ultimately, where Shaolin Mantis lacks when it comes to story, it more than makes up for it with its exceptional fight sequences.

Shaolin Mantis gets a good release from 88 Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras, recommended.