Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: A Hong Kong take on Japan’s Lady Snowblood, Broken Oath is an action-packed tale of righteous vengeance directed by Jeong Chang-hwa (King Boxer) and starring the first lady of kung fu cinema: the inimitable Angela Mao! Orphaned and angry, Lotus (Mao) is raised by Buddhist nuns before she is exiled for her violent ways – and skipping classes to improve her martial arts skills. Finding herself alone in the world, she quickly comes to discover the truth of her past: that her father was once a respected member of the Imperial Court who was murdered in cold blood, and that her mother gave birth to her in a jail cell after being unjustly imprisoned for killing one of the culprits. With revenge on her mind and a newfound accomplice in tow (Bruce Leung, Magnificent Bodyguards), she sets out to track down the men responsible for tearing her family apart – armed with both her considerable martial arts prowess and a nest of scorpions with which to poison her enemies. Made at the height of her fame following roles in Hapkido, Lady Whirlwind, Enter the Dragon and When Taekwondo Strikes, Broken Oath is one of Angela Mao’s very best films – and boasts action choreography orchestrated by Hsia Hsu (Drunken Master) and Yuen Woo-ping, one of the most respected stunt coordinators in both Hong Kong (The Magnificent Butcher) and Hollywood (The Matrix). Eureka Classics is proud to present the film on Blu-ray for the first time anywhere in the world from a brand new 2K restoration. (102 Mins)

 

Joy Sales/Fortune Star HK DVD Synopsis: General Liu (Kwan Shan) was framed and killed by unsurper Tsou. The general's wife was exiled and died in prison when she gave birth to her daughter, Elaine (Angela Mao). Some 20 years have gone by and Elaine has excelled in kung fu. After she learned of her parents' fate, she vowed to take revenge... (93 Mins)

 

Views: Produced by the illustrious Raymond Chow under his Golden Harvest banner, the fantastic Broken Oath is the unofficial Hong Kong remake of Toshiya Fujita's Japanese classic, Lady Snowblood (1973), which was released only four years before – itself based on the popular Manga by Kazuo Koike. Set in the Ching Dynasty, the film follows the tale of a young lady monk known as Lotus; born out of vengeance in a women's prison and fathered by a rapist! Before her mother passes after giving birth, baby Lotus is handed over to another inmate who promises to care for her and help her seek revenge. But in order to break the cycle of violence and bad luck she had been born into, Lotus is left at a female-run Shaolin Temple until her teenage years. Later, and wonderfully trained in the art of Shaolin kung-fu, Lotus returns home before setting out on her mission to bring down everyone involved in her mother's attack!

 

Mostly shot in Korea, the film was directed by Jeong Chang Hwa – a South Korean director who made the move to Hong Kong and was behind Shaw Brothers hits such as Temptress Of A Thousand Faces (1969), Heads For Sale (1970), Valley Of The Fangs (1970), Six Assassins (1971), and the epic King Boxer (1972) starring Lo Lieh. Although this was a huge hit for both him and the studio, Jeong would soon pack-up and leave for the fast-rising Golden Harvest where he would deliver films such as The Devil's Treasure (1973), The Skyhawk (1974), The Association (1975), and The Double Crossers (1976) before this. With Broken Oath, Jeong presents one of his finest, playing off the blueprint for Lady Snowblood while exchanging certain character developments and the heroines deadly blades for scorpions. On a side note, Lady Snowblood would later remade in Japan in 2001 as Princess Blade, which would see Donnie Yen choreograph the fast-paced action...

 

Also known as Lady Killer, Broken Oath ran for just one week in Hong Kong cinemas back in December of 1977. While it didn't prove to be a massive hit, the film has long been revered as a classic and has always been seen as one of – if not the – best film of its leading starlet; the First Lady of kung-fu, Angela Mao Ying, in what would be her final film for Golden Harvest. Starting with them back in 1971, the feisty Taiwanese born femme-fatale starred in over 15 films for the studio such as The Angry River (1971), Lady Whirlwind (1972), Hapkido (1972), When Taekwondo Strikes (1973), The Fate Of Lee Khan (1973), A Queen's Ransom (1976), and many more including her scene stealing cameo in Bruce Lee's Enter The Dragon (1973). Appearing in many other Hong Kong and Taiwanese productions over the years including the fun Lady Constables (1978), Snake Deadly Act (1979), Duel With The Devils (1977), and Dance Of Death (1979) in which she would be choreographed by Jackie Chan, Angela Mao Ying would retire from the industry in the mid-1980s after marrying – eventually moving to New York where she would open a number of family run Chinese restaurants.

 

She is joined by a tremendous cast of kung-fu greats including the brilliant and illustrious Michael Chan Wai Man who appears as one of the main bad guys of the story, and had just starred for the director in his superb action-thriller, The Double Crossers (1976). Super-kicker and fan-favourite Bruce Leung also stars, helping Mao Ying in her final showdown as he impresses with his fantastic moves once again. The prolific Guan Shan, Chao Hsiung, Chang Pei Shan, also star as well as the incredible busy Wang Lai – actress of over 230 films who stars as Angela's adoptive mother. The great Fong Yau, who worked with director Jeong on Temptress Of A Thousand Faces (1969), Bruce Leung in The Dragon Lives Again (1977) and Bruce & The Iron Finger (1978), and Chan Wai Man on The Club (1981) and Gangland Odyssey (1990), stars as yet another villain, with the great Tony Lou Chun Ku – director of films such as Holy Flame Of The Martial World (1983), Bastard Swordsman (1983), Dreaming The Reality (1991), and Holy Virgin Versus The Evil Dead (1991) – joining him. The late-great Dean Shek delivers another fun role as an ass-kicking bad guy, with the great Han Ying Chieh and legendary Mao Ying film-regular Sammo Hung almost stealing the role as two of Angela's most memorable opponents; with the latter sporting a pair of fan-like blades on chains and with the former spitting fire at everyone.

 

Eagled-eyed viewers should also keep an eye out for stars such as Yeung Wai, the late Corey Yuen Kwai, great San Kwai, Mars, Yuen Wah, Lam Ching Ying, Yuen Biao, Chung Fat, Chin Yuet Sang, and hugely prolific Ho Pak Kwong – a lazy actor with almost 500 film credits to his name. Equally, many members of the famed Yuen Clan can also be caught at different times such as Yuen Yat Chor, Yuen Shun Yi, and Brandy Yuen – who may also have been the stunt-double for most of Mao Ying's more acrobatic moves. Their involvement is courtesy of the involvement of their big brother, the legendary and highly praised Yuen Woo Ping, who is the main fight choreographer of Broken Oath. Aided by the wonderful Hsu Hsia – who also appears throughout and is more recognisable to fans as the King of Sticks from Jackie Chan's Drunken Master (1978), which was directed by Yuen Woo Ping not long after this – the pair create an amazing array of creative fight scenes and battles, blending wild weapons work with intricate kicks, handwork and stylised shapes that highlight Mao Ying and her co-stars to the best of their abilities!

 

Opening with a captive credit sequence that's accompanied with some beautiful illustrations of its time period, Broken Oath offers some beautifully captured scenes by cinematographer Wong Wing Lung; the same man behind Shaw Brothers classics such as Jimmy Wang Yu's Temple Of The Red Lotus (1965), The Twin Swords (1965), and The Sword & The Lute (1967), Magnificent Trio (1966), and The Thundering Sword (1967), as well as most of Jeong Chang Hwa's titles and films such as Two Fists Against The Law (1980), The Fake Ghost Catchers (1982), Red Spell Spells Red (1983), and Stone Age Warriors (1991), among many more. In some territories, the film is also available in an extended cut that comes with added nudity, sex, and some violence – with both versions now available to enjoy with a glorious 2K restoration as part of Eureka Video's new Blu-ray release. Even now, almost 50 years later, Broken Oath still stands the test of time as one of Golden Harvest's and Hong Kong cinemas finest kung-fu films of the late 1970s...

 

Overall: A genuine kung-fu classic of Hong Kong cinema, Broken Oath is wonderfully made, beautifully shot, and packed full of amazing fight action!

 

Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Alternative Uncut Theatrical Version, Audio Commentary by Frank Djeng, Audio Commentary by Mike Leeder & Arne Venema, Interview with Bruce Leung, Patrick Macias on Lady Snowblood, Trailer

 

Joy Sales DVD Extras: Trailer, Stills Gallery

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Get your copy of this Eureka Blu-ray release HERE

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Watch my unboxing video for this Eureka Video release HERE

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Watch my video retrospective for this film HERE