From the venerable Shaw Brothers studio comes One-Armed Swordsman, the 1967 wuxia film that changed the face of Hong Kong cinema forever! Directed by legendary filmmaker Chang Cheh with action choreography by Lau Ka Leung and Tong Gai, this internationally successful film launched the career of Jimmy Wang Yu, who portrays the iconic title character. When the Golden Sword School finds itself under siege, it is up to a faithful disciple (Guk Fung) to put his life on the line to protect both his master and his fellow students. Tragically, the brave hero is killed in the process, but before he dies, he passes on his precious Broken Sword and convinces Master Qi Rufeng (Ting Fung) to accept his son Fang Gang as his own. The film then flashes forward to follow the adventures of a now grown-up Fang (Jimmy Wang Yu), who has become the top student at the martial arts school. Even so, he is hated by his jealous classmates. One snowy evening, a dejected Fang meets up with a group of students led by the master's spoiled daughter (Pan Yin Tze). When Fang refuses to fight her, the daughter becomes enraged and chops off his arm!

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Cheh Chang co-writes and directs this Hong Kong action drama. Accepted to the Golden Sword School after his father sacrificed his life to save his master, Fang Kang (Yu Wang) is resented by his fellow pupils and decides to leave. However, his master's daughter Chi Pei-erh (Yin Tze Pan) challenges him to a fight and chops off his arm. After being nursed back to health by Hsiao Man (Chiao Chiao), Fang Kang attempts to master the art of sword fighting with one arm and finds himself returning to the Golden Sword School on a desperate mission to save his master.

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One-Armed Swordsman is a prime choice for The Film Society of Lincoln Center’s "Heroic Grace: The Chinese Martial Arts Film" series. The movie is one of the essential classics of Hong Kong cinema, and its director Chang Cheh (Super Ninjas, Five Deadly Venoms) lorded over Chinese martial arts movies in the 60s and 70s. At the time, his films were only matched in acclaim by those of King Hu (Come Drink with Me, A Touch of Zen) and in popularity by those of Bruce Lee (Return of the Dragon, Enter the Dragon).

One-Armed Swordsman opens in dramatic fashion with an assault on a martial arts school and after that, it never lets the viewer go. The kindly Qi Ru-Feng runs the school under attack, but he is saved by his student, Fang Cheng, at the cost of Fang’s own life. To repay his debt, Qi raises Fang’s orphaned son, Fang Gang (Jimmy Wang Yu in the role that made his career) and trains him into a masterful disciple. Qi’s spoiled and flirtatious daughter, Pei (Chiao Chiao), taunts Fang because he will not play her games, and in a half-accident, half-intentional incident, Pei slices off Fang’s right arm. Bleeding profusely, Fang plummets off a bridge, and Master Qi, believing Fang has drowned, laments his death. But Fang actually fell into the boat of Hsiao Man, a farm girl who herself was orphaned long ago. She restores Fang to health while falling in love with him. Seeing martial arts as responsible for the death of her father, she loathes that world, but because Fang is so dispirited at being a cripple, she gives him her father’s martial arts manual which just happens to emphasize left-handed techniques (all the more odd since left-handedness in Chinese culture is seen as highly undesirable).

Excerpt from CultureVulture located HERE

Edition Details:
• Audio Commentary by Bey Logan
• Interview with Hong Kong Cinema expert, David West (17:25)
• Reverse Sleeve featuring Original Hong Kong Poster Art

4-page Booklet essay by Calum Waddell

Blu-ray Release Date: March 26th, 2018
Transparent Blu-ray Case inside cardboard slipcase