Shawscope: Volume Four

Ten-disc set includes: Super Inframan (1975)Outrageously entertaining Hong Kong sci-fi outing finds evil Princess Elzibub and her minions, including such monstrous (and rubber-suited) creatures as Beetle Man and Octopus Man, rising up from the Earth's core to invade the surface world. A planetary defense team creates the towering hero Inframan to halt her plans for global domination. Danny Lee, Terry Liu, Yuan Man-Tzu star. 90 min. In Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles/Dubbed in English. C/Rtg: NR Black Magic (1975)Gruesome, outrageous and wildly entertaining horror tale follows a young, engaged couple as they are tormented by a sexy widow/sorcerer. When the woman learns how to cast a love spell on the unwilling object of her affections, it spells nothing but trouble for the young lovebirds-resulting in a magic-filled showdown. Ti Lung, Lo Lieh, Tien Ni star. 96 min. In Mandarin with English subtitles/Dubbed in English. C/Rtg: NR Black Magic 2 (1976)Got milk? This comic, gooey sequel to the 1975 thriller follows the chilling exploits of an evil wizard addicted to the white stuff, gaining his steady supply from a hypnotized young woman magically impregnates (via a spell rather than in the usual manner). Shock-stuffed Shaw Brothers saga stars Lieh Lo, Lung Ti, and Ni Tien. 90 min. In Mandarin with English subtitles/Dubbed in English. C/Rtg: NR The Oily Maniac (1976)Disabled lawyer Sheng Yung (Danny Lee) couldn't save client Yin (Feng Ku) from a death sentence, but Yin wanted to make sure the counselor could protect his daughter (Ping Chen) from gang vengeance. Gifted an ancient spell, the amazed attorney could now transform into a sludge-coated monster-and hand slippery justice to the criminals! Bonkers horror-hero opus co-stars Lily LI, Angela Yu Chien. 88 min. In Mandarin with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Battle Wizard (1977)A scholar and his swordswoman sister come up against a beautiful snake charmer in this action-packed martial arts adventure. Only after the heroic siblings vanquish the villainous warrior known as the Red Python can they bring about lasting peace... and they're more than ready to mix it up! Danny Lee, Shang Yun Liang, and Chen Chi Lin star. 83 min. In Mandarin with English subtitles/Dubbed in English. C/Rtg: NR Bat Without Wings (1980)When a dastardly villain (who looks suspiciously like a member of the rock band Kiss) returns to a small village after a five-year absence, he proceeds to kidnap a young maiden. Now, the abducted girl's family and a fearless swordsman must overcome incredible obstacles to rescue her from the bat-like bad guy. Chan Shen, Ku Feng, Yuen Wah star in this, well, batty martial arts epic. 92 min. In Mandarin with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Hex (1980)Tubercular Sau Ying (Tien Ni) had an abusive slob of a husband Chun (Wang Jung) burning through her inheritance. Sympathetic servant Yi Wah (Szu Chia Chen) wound up helping her drown the creep and dispose of the corpse in a lake-but the eerie twists will come fast and furious. Hon Kwok-Choi, Yu Tsui-Ling also star. 94 min. In Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Hex vs. Witchcraft (1980)Deep in hock with the legbreakers after him, degenerate gambler Cai Tou (James Yi Lui) gets offered a small fortune by a strange senior (Chi Hing Yeung) if he'd marry his daughter. The catch? She's a ghost-and very jealous-and literally possessive of other women. Out-there, sexy supernatural farce co-stars Jenny Leung Jan-Lei, Booi Yue-Fa. 96 min. In Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Hex After Hex (1982)The irrepressible ghost from "Hex vs. Witchcraft" has her sights on a new guy-muscular Tsang (Lo Meng)-but he's uninterested in a spectral sweetie. Her workaround? Engineer the demise of the lady (Liu Lan-Hsi) he's sweet on, and possess her body to carry on a romance! Dan Lau, Lily Chan also star. 101 min. In Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Bewitched (1981)Arrested for the brutal murder of his young daughter, Stephen Lam Wai (Ai Fei) admitted to the act, but swore it was done under the influence of demonic possession. Supervising cop Bobby Wong (Melvin Wong) wasn't buying it-initially-but he'd be locked in a battle for his soul with the Thai sorcerer (Hussin Bin Abu Hassan) responsible. 101 min. In Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Bloody Parrot (1981)Legend had it that a demon-created parrot effigy could grant it's possessor three wishes... but they always came with a price. A swordsman (Jason Pai Piao) and a constable (Tony Liu) join a stunningly violent and death trap-laden race for the mystic prize. Jenny Liang, Ku Kuan-Chung also star. 89 min. In Mandarin with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR The Fake Ghost Catchers (1982)The young apprentice (Hsiao Hou) of a phony medium wearied of his fraudulent existence, but he get to prove himself as hero and mystic when he helps a wandering warrior (Chang Chan-Peng) free the ghost of a murdered bride (Lily LI) from the pursuit of the spectre of her spurned slayer. 96 min. In Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Demon of the Lute (1983)You don't want to be giving requests to malevolent minstrel demon Chin Mo (Jason Pai Piao), whose music can kill. Warrior woman Hsiao Feng-Ling (Kara Wai) embarks on a quest for the magic bow and arrow capable of giving Chin Mo the hook. Chin Siu Ho, Wong Lik, Kwan Fung, Lung Tien Hsiang also star. 101 min. In Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Seeding of a Ghost (1983)Offbeat Shaw Brothers classic concerns a Hong Kong taxi driver whose wife is killed by a pair of thugs after a magician predicts that she will meet a bad end. Making an unholy alliance with supernatural forces, the cabbie becomes determined to get revenge-setting in motion a brutal confrontation with the hoodlums who murdered his wife in the process. Phillip Ko, Norman Tsui star. 90 min. In Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Portrait in Crystal (1983)Retired from combat, Long Fei (Jason Piao Pai) spent years in solitude sculpting the likeness of a woman in crystal (Lio Yu-Po). Perhaps he shouldn't have wished her to come to life-as she goes on a murder spree, and he must stop it before the victims' families come looking for vengeance. Horror-fantasy co-stars Wei Hao Ting, Yu Hsiao, Jung Wang. 77 min. In Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (1983)Failed PI Eden (James Yi Lui) was poised to end it all when he was joined by LI (Cherie Chung), who claimed her life was ruined by a UFO abduction. They each found renewed purpose, as Eden was determined to prove the truth of her allegations... and cash in. Winking sci-fi farce also stars Tam Tin-Nam, David Lo, Leung Tin. 92 min. In Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Widescreen; Soundtracks: Mandarin mono, Cantonese mono, English mono; Subtitles: English; audio commentary; featurettes; image gallery; theatrical trailers; more.