A Touch of Zen
“Visionary” barely begins to describe this masterpiece of Chinese cinema and martial arts moviemaking. A Touch of Zen (Xia nu) by King Hu depicts the journey of Yang, a fugitive noblewoman in disguise who seeks refuge in a remote, and allegedly haunted, village. The sanctuary she and her three companions find with a shy scholar is shattered when a nefarious swordsman uncovers her identity, pitting the five against legions of blade-wielding opponents. At once a wuxia film, the tale of a spiritual quest, and a study in human nature, A Touch of Zen is an unparalleled work in Hu’s formidable career and an epic of the highest order, characterized by breathtaking action choreography, stunning widescreen landscapes, and innovative editing.
Special Features
- 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
- Documentary from 2012 about director King Hu
- New interviews with actors Hsu Feng and Shih Chun
- New interview with filmmaker Ang Lee
- New interview with film scholar Tony Rayns
- Trailer
- New English subtitle translation
- PLUS: An essay by film scholar David Bordwell and notes by Hu from a 1975 Cannes Film Festival press kit
New cover by Greg Ruth
Special Features
- 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
- Documentary from 2012 about director King Hu
- New interviews with actors Hsu Feng and Shih Chun
- New interview with filmmaker Ang Lee
- New interview with film scholar Tony Rayns
- Trailer
- New English subtitle translation
- PLUS: An essay by film scholar David Bordwell and notes by Hu from a 1975 Cannes Film Festival press kit
New cover by Greg Ruth
Cast
- Hsu Feng
- Yang Hui-zhen
- Shih Chun
- Gu Sheng-zhai
- Bai Ying
- General Shi Wen-qiao
- Xue Han
- General Lu Ding-an
- Zhang Bing-yu
- Gu’s mother
- Cao Jian
- Xu Zheng-qing
- Jia Lu-shi
- Yang Lian
- Wan Zhong-shan
- Lu Qiang
- Tien Peng
- Ouyang Nian
- Wang Rui
- Men Da
- Han Ying-jie
- Xu Xian-chun
- Miao Tian
- Nie Qiu
- Roy Chiao
- Abbot Hui-yuan
Credits
- Director
- King Hu
- Written by
- King Hu
- Based on a story from Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio by
- Pu Song-ling
- Presented by
- Sha Yung-fong
- Cinematography by
- Hua Hui-ying
- Additional cinematography by
- Zhou Ye-xing
- Editor
- King Hu
- Set design by
- Zou Zhi-liang
- Set design by
- King Hu
- Art director
- Chen Shang-lin
- Music by
- Wu Da-jiang
- Action choreography by
- Han Ying-jie
- Action choreography by
- Pan Yao-kun
- Assistant director
- Miao Tian
Trailer for A Touch of Zen
