Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment and MVD Entertainment.
Source: MVD Entertainment press release
Special Thanks to Derek Stubinski
Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment and MVD Entertainment.
Eureka Entertainment is proud to announce the release of FURIOUS SWORDS AND FANTASTIC WARRIORS, a spectacular collection of ten martial arts classics from the legendary Chang Cheh, the “Godfather of Hong Kong cinema.” Presented on Blu-ray for the first time in North America, this definitive five-disc set will be available as part of the Eureka Classics range. The collection will be released on 23 September 2025 in North America, in a strictly limited edition of 2,000 copies (per territory). This exclusive release will feature a slipcase and a collectors’ booklet.
Distinguished by his penchant for bloodshed and a thematic concentration on the bonds of brotherhood and masculine sacrifice, Chang Cheh is one of the most prolific and accomplished directors ever to emerge from the Hong Kong film industry. Often hailed as the “Godfather of Hong Kong cinema,” he enjoyed a career spanning six decades and worked in a multitude of genres, from Chinese opera to kung fu films via wuxia pian, historical epics and tales of the supernatural.
Presented here are ten films that reveal the range and versatility of Chang’s career as a filmmaker. Traditional wuxia pian is represented by KING EAGLE (鷹王, Yīng wáng, 1971), TRAIL OF THE BROKEN BLADE (斷腸劍, Duàncháng jiàn, 1967) and WANDERING SWORDSMAN (遊俠兒, Yóuxiá er, 1970); choreographed by Lau Kar-leung, MEN FROM THE MONASTERY (少林子弟, Shàolín zǐdi, 1974) and SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS (洪拳與詠春, Hóng quán yǔ yǒng chūn, 1974) are both drawn from Chang’s Shaolin cycle, included here alongside NEW SHAOLIN BOXERS (蔡李佛小子, Càilǐfú xiǎozǐ, 1976); IRON BODYGUARD (大刀王五, Dàdāo wáng wǔ, 1973), released at the dawn of the kung fu era, is representative of changing trends in Hong Kong cinema; and some of Chang’s more esoteric work is represented by the opera film THE FANTASTIC MAGIC BABY (紅孩兒, Hóng hái'ér, 1975) and the supernatural fantasy THE WEIRD MAN (神通術與小霸王, Shéntōng shù yǔ xiǎo bàwáng, 1983). Also included is the anthology film TRILOGY OF SWORDSMANSHIP (群英會, Qúnyīnghuì, 1972), to which Chang contributed a segment alongside his contemporaries Yueh Feng and Cheng Kang.
All produced during Chang Cheh’s tenure at Shaw Brothers, these ten films are a testament to the director’s distinct aesthetic style and his recurring thematic preoccupations. Eureka Classics is proud to present this selection of Chang’s work for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK and North America.
Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment and MVD Entertainment.
FURIOUS SWORDS
Disc 1: MEN FROM THE MONASTERY & SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS
Disc 2: KING EAGLE & IRON BODYGUARD
FANTASTIC WARRIORS
Disc 3: FANTASTIC MAGIC BABY & THE WEIRD MAN
Disc 4: TRAIL OF THE BROKEN BLADE & WANDERING SWORDSMAN
Disc 5: TRILOGY OF SWORDSMANSHIP & NEW SHAOLIN BOXERS
Running Time: 1013 Minutes
Number of Discs: 5
Language: Chinese (Mandarin)
Subtitles: English
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
US
Region Code: 1
SKU: EKV70597
UPC: 760137189527
Sreet Date: 9/23/25
List Price: $104.95
UK
Region Code: A,B
SKU: EKA70597
UK Rating: 18
Street Date: 9/22/25
RRP: £55.99
- Limited to 2,000 copies
- Limited edition slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling
- Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on all films in this set by film critic and writer James Oliver
- 1080p HD presentations of all 10 films on Blu-ray
- Optional English subtitles, newly revised for this release
- New audio commentaries on each film by a selection of Hong Kong cinema experts
including Frank Djeng, Mike Leeder, Arne Venema and David West - New interview with Hong Kong cinema scholar Wayne Wong on the life and work of Chang Cheh
- New video essay by Jonathan Clements (author of A Brief History of China) on IRON BODYGUARD
- New video essay by Jonathan Clements on Chang Cheh’s Shaolin films
* All extras subject to change
MEN FROM THE MONASTERY. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment and MVD Entertainment.
SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment and MVD Entertainment.
KING EAGLE. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment and MVD Entertainment.
IRON BOYGUARD. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment and MVD Entertainment.
FANTASTIC MAGIC BABY. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment and MVD Entertainment.
TRAIL OF THE BROKEN BLADE. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment and MVD Entertainment.
TRAIL OF THE BROKEN BLADE. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment and MVD Entertainment.
TRILOGY OF SWORDSMANSHIP. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment and MVD Entertainment.
About Eureka Entertainment
Eureka Entertainment is the leading independent distributor of classic silent/early films in the UK. Its catalogue also contains World Cinema, Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Indie Dramas, Hollywood Classics, Comedy and Thriller films as well as a wide selection of TV titles, providing the diversity and selection necessary to continue to satisfy today’s market demands and to power the digital video revolution for years to come.
In 2004, Eureka! established the award winning Masters of Cinema Series, a specially curated director-led Blu-ray and DVD collection of classic and world cinema using the finest available materials for home viewing. In 2014, Eureka! established Eureka! Classics intended to highlight a broader selection of classic and cult cinema, and in 2017, Eureka! established Montage Pictures, a label celebrating ground-breaking and thought-provoking world cinema from new and upcoming directors.
About MVD Entertainment Group
MVD Entertainment Group is a full service music and movie distribution firm, exclusively representing thousands of audio and visual products for DVD, Bluray, CD, vinyl, and digital rights, worldwide. MVD also exclusively distributes a growing line of merchandise including limited edition collectibles, tee shirts, and more. “Serving Artists and Audiences†is MVD's purpose statement; it represents a commitment to the interests of the musicians, filmmakers, record labels, producers, managers, and every link in the supply chain. The customers are the Audience, from wholesalers, sub-distributors, major retail chains, online retailers, specialists, and independent mom and pop stores, all the way to the consumer. MVD Entertainment Group was founded in 1986 by Tom Seaman, an industry veteran with prior experience with The Record Hunter, Sam Goody, CBS Retail, and JEM Distribution. Tom, along with his family Elinor, Eve and Ed, initially focused on music videotapes. At the turn of the century, with the advent of DVD, MVD built a large catalog of exclusively distributed audiovisual content on DVDs, with special strength in music concert films, horror movies, documentaries, comedy, cult classics, and much more.