Shaw Brothers in 1968

In 1967 Shaw Brothers released 42 films. In 1968 they released 28, only 2/3rds of the previous year’s volume. And unlike the ‘genre shotgun’ that was 1967, the studio also reduced the types of movies they were making.

If you divide their films into Modern (19th century onwards) and Classical then the studio made equal numbers of each, 14 on both sides.

In the Modern films effort was split between melodramas (5, 35%) and musical/comedy (6, 43%) with some adventure/spy films making up the rest. This breakdown stays pretty consistent for a few years, suggesting that it was working for the studio.

But on the Classical side things are changing. The vast majority (11, 78%) were wuxia films. And that percentage will grow in 1969.

Shaw Brothers used to offer many ways to visit Classical China: haungmei diao; costume dramas; tragic romances; judicial intrigue. There is now really only one option – wuxia pian.

That suggests a change in their audience, or in the audience that the studio was targeting. The studio’s Classical films from the early 60s were targeted to those interested in ‘returning’ to Classical China, Chinese expatriates and diaspora who were cutoff from mainland China.

But these late 60s Classical films have no interest in actual Chinese history or providing a temporary respite for those cut off from home. They are all about magical powers and swordplay.

I’m guessing the audience for these were younger. Folks that were probably born outside of mainland China, or who left when they were very young. They aren’t nostalgic for something that they don’t remember.

This audience, and the generation that follows them, will become increasingly interested in stories about Hong Kong itself. That’s still a few years away, but 1968 is of interest for being the first time I recall Cantonese appearing in one of their Mandarin language films.

Overall, the Shaw Brothers of 1968 is more focused than they were in 1967. They have switched over to a model that will serve them well going in to the 1970s, while largely leaving behind the nostalgic trips to Classical China that got them to where they are.

Ian Whitney
Published: 2025-08-20