NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Eureka Blu-ray (April 2025): Eureka have transferred The Magnificent Trio (1966) and Magnificent Wanderers (1977) to 1080P as part of their The Magnificent Chang Cheh Blu-ray package. The films are shared on one dual-layered Blu-ray. They are cited as being "1080p HD presentations on Blu-ray from masters supplied by Celestial Pictures". Shot in Shawscope (2.35:1), The Magnificent Trio balances studio-bound interiors with rare outdoor sequences, like the opening and closing shots of desolate landscapes, which frame the story with a sense of isolation. Cinematographer Yung-lung Wang (Broken Oath, Five Fingers of Death, Six Assassins) employs clean, functional framing - wide shots for action, close-ups for emotion - reflecting the era’s wuxia aesthetic. The color palette is vibrant in 1080P with reds and golds in costumes, contrasting the muted village tones, though the makeup (heavy and dated) occasionally jars. Fight choreography by Lau Kar-leung and Tong Kai is elegant yet restrained, favoring single-stroke kills over elaborate duels, aligning with the film’s focus on drama over spectacle. It looks quite pleasing in this HD presentation. Magnificent Wanderers is a notch below Magnificent Trio looking a shade softer and some possible warping or ratio distortion. Choreography, again by Kar-leung and Kai, blends acrobatics with humor (e.g., exaggerated falls), peaking in the munitions dump explosion - a spectacle rare for Chang but underwhelming in execution. The palette is brighter - reds, yellows, and blues - befitting the comedic tone, though studio-bound locations dominate. Overall more modest than Magnificent Trio but a fairly decent image on this shared-film Blu-ray.

NOTE: We have added 90 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Eureka use linear PCM dual-mono tracks (24-bit) in the original Mandarin language. Both films have multiple fight sequences with snappy, whiplash-like, cracks with karate chops, poles and swords etc. Sword clashes and sparse ambient sounds (wind, footsteps) are crisp, though not spatially dynamic. The audio is authentically hollow without much bass. The Magnificent Trio score is by Fu-Ling Wang (The One-Armed Swordsman, The Enchanting Ghost, The Flying Guillotine, The Dragon Missile, The Big Boss, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story) featuring a traditional orchestral score with strings and percussion that swells during action and softens for pathos, typical of Shaw Brothers’ early wuxia. The score of Magnificent Wanderers  (which offers an optional English DUB) was by Frankie Chan (Broken Oath, The Prodigal Son, Fallen Angels, The Fearless Hyena, Chungking Express, Odd Couple). It leans into playful, upbeat melodies with percussion-heavy action cues, contrasting Trio’s solemnity. Sound effects - boings, crashes - amplify the slapstick, sometimes to excess. Celestial’s restorations prioritize fidelity to these mono tracks, using the uncompressed transfers to enhance clarity within their single-channel constraints. All sounds quite authentic and indicative of the genre to my ears. While lacking Cantonese or stereo options, the mono tracks suit the films’ vintage charm, restored to minimize hiss or distortion. Eureka offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Eureka Blu-ray offers a new commentary on The Magnificent Trio by go-to Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) and Michael Worth. There is also a commentary on on Magnificent Wanderers by Mike Leeder (editor of 100% Jackie Chan: The Essential Companion) and Arne Venema. We have heard Djeng's expertise on commentates for Eureka's Blu-rays of Slaughter in San Francisco, Magic Cop, Angela Mao: Hapkido & Lady Whirlwind, Knockabout, The Shaolin Plot and Dreadnaught. Worth always adds important value as someone working in the industry. Djeng’s historical and cultural insights - e.g., Ming Dynasty context, wuxia influences - complements Worth’s focus on choreography and performance (Jimmy Wang Yu’s early style.) Action cinema experts Leeder and Venema bring enthusiasm and expertise, covering the 99-minute film with production anecdotes (e.g., Fu Sheng’s comedic shift), Chang’s late-career pivot, and kung fu comedy trends. Their chemistry, seen in prior Eureka tracks (Super Spies, Secret Lies), ensures an engaging listen. “Chang Cheh Style” is a new 1/2 hour video essay by Gary Bettinson, editor-in-chief of Asian Cinema Journal, delivers an analysis of Chang’s auteur trademarks - “yang gang” brotherhood, heroic bloodshed, visual motifs illustrated with clips, it contextualizes both films within his oeuvre (The One-Armed Swordsman, Five Deadly Venoms), offering academic depth for fans and newcomers. The package has a limited edition O-Card slipcase by Grégory Sacré and collector’s booklet featuring new writing by critic James Oliver (The New Europeans) on Chang Cheh, and offers critical essays on his career, Trio’s wuxia roots, and Wanderers’ comedic shift.  

The Magnificent Trio introduces Chang Cheh’s signature “yang gang” (masculine vigor) philosophy, emphasizing brotherhood, loyalty, and self-sacrifice among men. The trio’s bond - forged through shared ideals rather than blood - reflects an early articulation of this theme, though less visceral than in later works like The One-Armed Swordsman. Social justice is another key thread: the farmers’ desperation and the magistrate’s tyranny critique systemic corruption, a recurring motif in wuxia that resonates with 1960s Hong Kong’s socio-political undercurrents. The tension between duty and morality, embodied in Yan’s arc from antagonist to ally, adds depth, foreshadowing Chang’s penchant for morally complex characters. Brotherhood persists, albeit in a lighter vein in Magnificent Wanderers; the trio’s alliance with Chu is born of convenience and camaraderie rather than noble ideals, a comedic twist on “yang gang.” Anti-authoritarian rebellion remains, with Mongols as cartoonish villains, but the film trades social commentary for absurdity. Sacrifice, a Chang staple, surfaces in the finale, though diluted by the comedic framework. The shift to humor reflects Chang’s attempt to adapt to the late-1970s market, where kung fu comedies were eclipsing his traditional heroic bloodshed. Eureka’s The Magnificent Chang Cheh Blu-ray double feature delivers a solid 1080p presentation that respects the films’ Shaw Brothers origins, with restored mono audio that captures their distinct tones - Trio’s somber elegance, Wanderers’ playful chaos. The extras are a standout, blending expert commentary, academic analysis, and collector appeal, making it a comprehensive tribute to Chang’s legacy. Absolutely recommended to those keen on the director and the wuxia genre.

Gary Tooze