The Swordsmen Stay Home in Arrow's Shaw Brothers Street Gangs of Hong Kong Box
Arrow Video's four-disc Shawscope set restores seven 1970s Shaw Brothers street films, out on 23 November in the UK and 24 November in the US.
In Arrow Video's next Shaw Brothers box, the swordsmen stay home and the fights move to the streets. Shawscope Presents: Street Gangs of Hong Kong gathers seven Shaw films made between 1973 and 1980 in a four-disc limited edition Blu-ray set, and Arrow says all seven have brand new 2K restorations from the original 35mm negatives. It's out in the UK on 23 November 2026 and in the US and Canada on 24 November.
Arrow says Shaw started this wave of socially charged martial arts films in the wake of Bruce Lee's contemporary-set kung fu films. The Delinquent, co-directed by Chang Cheh and Kuei Chih-Hung, follows a hot-headed young martial artist fighting back against the triad gang trying to recruit him. Its US title was Street Gangs of Hong Kong, and the US TV spot is on the disc.
Chen Kuan-Tai stars in The Teahouse and its sequel Big Brother Cheng as a small business owner who reluctantly turns to violence. The spinoff Big Bad Sis has a factory worker training her sworn sisters to fight back against the men who oppress them. Chen returns with Danny Lee, later the star of The Killer, in the heist film The Big Holdup. Chor Yuen's The Convict Killer stars Ti Lung as a man just out of prison and hunting the person who framed him. Hua Shan's The Brothers puts a police inspector and a triad leader on opposite sides, and Arrow calls it one of the chief inspirations behind John Woo's A Better Tomorrow.
Frank Djeng, James Mudge and David West recorded new commentaries. There are new interviews with Susan Shaw (filmed in 2026 by Frédéric Ambroisine) and with Chen Kuan-Tai, plus one with Chen and Bruce Le together. Tony Rayns discusses Kuei Chih-Hung and Chor Yuen. The reversible sleeves have new artwork by Tom Fournier, and the booklet has writing by Jonathan Clements, Samm Deighan, Victor Fan and David West.
At the time of writing, Arrow's UK store has it at £60 (RRP £69.99) and its US store at $70 (RRP $99.99). The UK set is Region B and rated 18, and the US set is Region A.
Ti Lung's convict goes after his framer with an iron chain, which is one way to clear your name.
