FEATURE: The Shaw Brothers - The Studio that Conquered a Continent

British-born martial arts enthusiast Bey Logan takes us behind the curtain at what made The Shaw Brothers such a power house of Asian cinema from 1951, to their golden years in the 70's, to their last film in the late 1980s.

[@cnl1213]

That time between the mid 60s to the mid 80s must have been wild in Hong Kong entertainment industry. With the Shaw Brothers empire, invention of TV and live broadcasting, emergence of Bruce Lee and his rise to fame with Golden Harvest, his untimely passing, then everyone scrambling to fill the void. Definitely more than a book worth of material there. Imagine a TV series depicting these times and characters would be amazing.

[@Bornagainvillain]

Grew up on these movies, and have influenced my interest in learning martial arts for myself. My dad had the video taps and when they were at work, my brother and I would sit there and watch em.

[@abdulsharif6541]

Shaw Brothers is still the best....

[@crosenblum]

I started watching kung fu movies in the 1970's and 80's, and especially fell in love with the story quality and action of shaw brothers, especially the venom series, kid with golden arm, all awesome.

[@TheArtyDans]

Im a little partial to their horror movies. Campy but so much fun!

[@duantorruellas716]

Craig rosenblum , I agree the venoms and golden arms were some of their best work. And one titled Invincible dragons I think. North shaolin versus south as well as 18 bronze men and master killer films with Gordon was incredible

[@bryanscarboddi1210]

Just got 💯ninja hunter💯 on dvd not shaw brothers but haven't laughed this much in a long time 🤣

[@lizziesangi1602]

@@TheArtyDans I love their horror - and it's the horror flick that's campy but Asian campy - it's so cool. There's some Asain horror, now I dunno how they miss campy, NOT, but for the fact they are SO BAD. Great stuff here. Thanks for it!

[@wj1213]

In my opinion, theShaw brothers, did it the best💯 and let me tell you this as black Americans they were the greatest movies we’ve ever seen in the 70s salute to RUN RUN

[@cosmicrust9715]

My First Love Will Always Be Shaw Brother Films but now I am In Love With TVB Tv Series 80s Wuxia Dramas👍

[@abdulsharif6541]

The Venom Crew is still my favorite Shaw Brothers Cast.

[@ShinSuperSaiyajin]

Lo Mang is my fave among the Venom Crew

[@Massproduce201]

They were some funny mfs oozed charisma amazing actors as well as athletes alike 💯

[@ericrecano8557]

Beautiful explanation as to why to this day Shaw Brothers films have this untouchable appeal to me that can never be replicated.

[@lukejacobus8989]

This was awesome!

[@retrotemplar6377]

Awesome Bey

[@AgouraSteve]

GREAT!! I give this mini documentary 2 thumbs up. Great topic!

[@fritzthecat8158]

Shaw brothers and golden harvest are my only passion

[@poonlionglai4699]

Hex is based in Les Diabolique.... One of my favorite Shaw Bros movie

[@susieangelo6410]

Watching Shaw Brothers movies were my favorite pastime. A bunch of us, including members of the family will drive to San Francisco Chinatown and dive into Great Star Theater on Jackson Street for our weekly fix. No matter what genre, we were there!

[@TheArtyDans]

What an awesome memory! Thanks for sharing

[@rockzilla-666-]

I totaly agree what Bey logan is talking about. Im watching kung fu movies since 1980 as a 9 year old boy. Now i,am 52 and watch more kung fu movies than ever before because today more of them are available for me. I'am totaly addicted to this Genre and to the hongkong cinema

[@philsuz9649]

good old bay logan love kung fu movies brought movies from jackie chan fan club in the80,s kung fu movies in the 1970's and 80's, my favorets

[@perryfan49]

I loved this!

[@andrewharris7517]

Dig it… Finally A video that has told the 100% truth about SHAW Brothers Films…. I grew up on theses films along with the Blaxploitation films.. We Loved these films $5 for 3 Movies at the Rugby Theater in Brooklyn and on the 40 Duce… This video is Electric!!! Bay Logan the Jedi Master of Hong Kong film.. Really Digging the Black Shampoo poster…

[@danecamaeangcod2716]

Im a late bloomer but i love #shawbrothers most especially the actors and everything 💕💕

[@duantorruellas716]

I agree with Tarantino when he said , look past the camp and see the art , they are sincere and very creative. And I might add , based on an ancient cultural art. Our host here is spot on about everything he said about MA cinema , and I agree run run shaw was brilliant.

[@TheArtyDans]

Camp is what make Shaw stuff fun to watch. My fav movie is Black Magic and it doesnt get more campier than that! But having said that, solid story and a fun movie to watch. Art? Well looking back on that movie some 40 odd years later, thats debatable

[@josephvanburen887]

Im guessing people think they're campy is because of the dubbed English and badly full framed video copies?

[@lizziesangi1602]

Best upload on this lousy media!!! Great stuff Thanks!!!

[@carleenewhyte]

I just love ❤️ the Shaw brothers.

[@TheArtyDans]

What's your favourite? I havent seen anywhere near enough of their films, but I love Black Magic!

[@carleenewhyte]

@@TheArtyDans avengers Chein Cheng and leu Feng but love all of them love venom also.

[@TheArtyDans]

This is embarrassing but I haven't seen Avengers but heard it's really good! I should get onto it,.,yes?

[@carleenewhyte]

@@TheArtyDans u must watch avengers Chein Cheng performance is good plus funny It's on KZbin and there's flags of iron I watched five shaws movies in one day.

[@TheArtyDans]

Nice! I like to buy the movies on bluray as well

[@abdulsharif6541]

Shaw Brothers is my most influential form of entertainment overall.... My favorite movies are indeed "Shaw Brothers Studios Movies" (The most dynamic fighting scenes, great balance of humor, and some historical elements as well, also love the Chinese Classical Music /Chinese Jazz, etc...added to the vibe...

[@TheArtyDans]

I love the campy Shaw Brothers horror flicks! Black Magic 1 and 2!

[@lizziesangi1602]

Man, I wish they'd upload SHAW BROTHERS Horrors! They are superb!

[@trer8]

Bey should script a Black Shampoo tribute for Michael Jai White, with featured chainsaw duel .

[@cherryt8824]

Owner of the studio watched at least one film a day; once 7 films in one day. "you'd give him any film and he'd watch it. He's passiomate about films." a friend said.

[@alexzander1769]

Didn't know this

[@DragonDaggerFeenix]

I was never really into movies. When i discovered shaw brothers i realized i had just been watching the wrong kinds of movies!

[@billybolex8609]

Is this documentary included as an extra on any DVD or Blu-ray release?

[@GothamKnight84661]

It might'ev been, If it isn't? It should be.

[@Partoftheratpack]

The money they were making for the time was unreal

[@jeffdevera8049]

Just wondering why some movies are blocked or not accessable?

[@TheArtyDans]

Any examples you can think of?

[@61282]

I love cat vs rat 😤 How dare you 😂😂😂🫶

[@user-bj8js3mt3i]

Strongly recommend that you do not use to get envolved.

[@HUEnshiro_do_Norte]

Shaw Brothers is like Marvel. But I'm a DC man: I prefer Golden Harvest. hahahaha...

[@fairuzazli6468]

Monopoly

[@gene5856]

MADE CHINA PEOPLE PROUD

[@henryomeara9701]

Respect to All Contrasting Opinions, I think Bruce Lee, Jet Lee and Jackie Chan are ENTIRELY BORING!, compared to Shaw’s Venoms and Gordon Liu!

[@TheArtyDans]

Hi Henry - I appreciate your opinion, thanks for posting it. It's great that we have a variety of views and opinions, I encourage it. I dont think there is anything wrong with your opinion.

[@GothamKnight84661]

Get out, yeah no getb out. Jet spell's his last name with LI not Lee, you clown!

[@fritzthecat8158]

Bro you are insane. You gonna watch Once upon a time in China II and call jet li boring?!?!?!

[@Bornagainvillain]

I don’t respect this opinion at all

[@mikehunt9884]

not just shaw bros is gone, but HK cinema as a whole is in a dismal state. Its very unfortunate. I guess HK has bigger problems these days.

[@poonlionglai4699]

I agree. I believe their movie worked because they need what entertained them. Because of shaw brother's Hong Kong movie had a ready south east Asia market. They had since forgotten how to entertained themselves hence the dismal state

[@chrispopsjunior8978]

It's funny how Logan has gone from a writer in the 80's who dismissed Shaw Brothers fliks... To a "Shaw Brothers expert" nowadays.. What a con

[@TheBeylogan]

I guess I did my homework when the full trove of Shaw Brothers films became available, which is wasn't in the 1980s.

[@ericcoyle3520]

Sorry but mid to late 70s choreography is absolutely awful. The whole "set a fight to a disco beat" works because the fighting is so formulaic and so rhythmic that it just comes across as a dance, not a fight. It wasn't until the mid 80s that it finally got sorted out. Think about all those fights where the people involved don't even look at each other when they are blocking blows and taking up physical positions where any sense of power is completely negated and let's not talk about the sound effects where every blow sounds exactly the same as every other blow. Just pants. And I love martial arts films.

[@dubsurgeon1742]

Eric Coyle - you really do appear sorry with pompous conceit such as you wrote above! You miss the point of the GRACE and skill involved, and have generalised grossly. You obviously DO NOT LIKE Martial Arts films, and have no respect of appreciation for them by you attitude here- so who are you trying to kid? Get a sense of humour and try doing anything close to the moves (you slate here )with a mate and see how arrogant and ridiculous you appear among those of us who have genuine love for these films, and recognise how they evolved from the 1960's into the early Lau Chia Liang / Chia Tang (for Chang Cheh ) and Sammo Hung (various Shaw's directors) chorography , into the ingenious late 70's classics; then the 'cranked' fury of the early to mid 80's action seen notably with Tony Chin-Ku Lu , and Sammo's Golden Harvest work.

[@TheContraspirit]

I don't think it's awful but I prefer the martial arts choreography from the early 70s with its focus on speed and impact to the choreography in the late 70s with its stiff, pattern-like moves.

[@dubsurgeon1742]

@@TheContraspirit thats so wrong a generalisation ( actually back to front) you prove you havent a clue as to what you discuss!!! Who cares what someone who has only a limited comprehension, experience, and appriciation thinks of these films? Who are you BLIND CRETIN CLOWNS trying to fool with utter BS - piss off and watch other films, you've nothing to contribute on this topic apart from your petty ignorance. 😂🤣😂

[@fritzthecat8158]

Lmao it sounds like you love maybe 1 or 2 martial arts films. You just described everything that makes them what they are as a bad thing