DESCENDANT OF THE SUN is part of our Vinegar Syndrome Archive collection, celebrating forgotten cinematic oddities from the video store era. This collection was inspired by our own brick & mortar video stores, with locations in Bridgeport, CT, Denver, CO, Toronto, ON, and Pittsburgh, PA.
Unique to this line, each numbered limited edition release will come fitted in a specially designed, bottom loading VHS inspired slipcase, while also including a double-sided poster.
These releases will ONLY be available on our website and at participating indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them. This spot gloss slipcase edition (designed by Sean Longmore) is strictly limited to 5,000 units and includes a 40-page perfect bound book. This release may (but probably not) be followed by a standard edition in the future.
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Shek Sang has quite a dilemma. Born inside a glowing rock and discovered by a meager carpenter who raised him, he became aware of his otherworldly powers early on. When he defeats a pack of soldiers forcefully rounding up laborers, he finds a way into the Princess's compound to escape being hunted down. The Prince Regent, eager to realize his secret Intelligence Nation agenda of slaughtering any baby he deems unintelligent, is plotting to kill his niece, the Princess, in his quest for power and a nation of pure intelligence. Now, aware of the evil danger threatening the Princess, yet unable to divulge to her his true identity, Shek Sang plays the role of a lowly houseboy and bird-trainer for her parrot. As the Prince Regent discovers an equally powerful Evil Baby with which to challenge Shek Sang, and the Princess falls in love with his alter ego, a reckoning is looming.
A deliriously entertaining epic of Chinese folklore, Hercules and Superman tropes, dynamic fight sequences, and Wuxia fantasy that could only could come from Shaw Brothers, DESCENDANT OF THE SUN stars Derek Yee (Buddha's Palm, director of Viva Erotica), Cherie Chung (Once a Thief, Peking Opera Blues), and Tien-Hsiang Lung (Five Element Ninjas, House of Traps). Directed by Chor Yuen (The Magic Blade, Haunted Tales), it features stunning photography by Lam Wah-Chiu (The Seventh Curse), as well as excellent stuntwork from Tang Chia (One-Armed Swordsman) and Yuen Wah (Enter the Dragon). Vinegar Syndrome is thrilled to bring you this wild, underseen adventure, newly scanned in 2K from its original camera negative, and featuring its original, unaltered film-sourced soundtrack.
directed by: Chor Yuen
starring: Derek Yee, Cherie Chung, Tien-Hsiang Lung
1983 / 92 min / 2.35:1 / Cantonese Mono
Additional info:
Overall rating: 4.676259 / 5 from 139 reviews.
Descendant of the Sun is a highly regarded Shaw Brothers film, celebrated for its unique blend of Chinese folklore, Hercules and Superman tropes, and dynamic fight sequences. This limited edition release, featuring stunning photography and newly translated English subtitles, is a must-have for collectors and fans of vintage cinema.
Review topics: ["colors","looks","packaging","set","case","sound","upgrade","work","buy","film","release","movie","effects","shaw","exception","brother","presentation","transfer","fun","restoration","title","treatment","acting","extras","line","vsa","artwork","tone","tale","essays"].
"Great box with beautiful artwork comes with poster and booklet. Picture quality is great with my oled and sound is good too. The movie itself is at times silly with funny references but also has great action. Shaw bros doing what they do best making crazy fun and very entertaining movies I highly recommend."
"What absolute madness this is. Its like someone watched Superman, Kamen Rider and a wuxia film while in the throes of a near death fever and decided their final act on Earth was going to be to write this film. Explosions, optical laser effects, zombies, flying golden men, and a literal rock/paler/scissors fight are just the beginning of what you have in store for you here. This is peak cinema *cue the Marty "cinema" meme*"
"A Shaw Brothers Superman riff by Chor Yuen, how could I not love this"
"Amazing release of a fun movie. I love the quality of packaging from you guys, with the book and slipcover. So glad I picked this one up. One of Petunia's favorites so far!"
"Fantastic release of a bonkers movie. Love that VS is giving overlooked Shaw Brothers gems a polish."
"This film and the commentary is so much fun. And the action is non stop and just good shaw brothers fun! Love thos lineup."
"The bountiful and over the top effects and gushing colors in this one are awesome 👏"
"Visually this was a real treat, and I think most people would dig this, but personally I didn't get that much out of it. I would still recommend it to fans of wuxia."
"Descendant of the Sun is an imaginative Shaw Brothers fantasy that delivers a wildly entertaining superhero-style adventure with a uniquely Hong Kong flair. The film’s colorful visuals, ambitious action sequences, and earnest sense of wonder make it consistently engaging. It stands out as a charming and inventive cult gem that feels like an offbeat martial-arts answer to classic superhero cinema."
"Another awesome release from VS"
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