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.
---
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: 4.6666665 / 5 from 132 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","work","upgrade","case","sound","set","buy","film","movie","release","effects","shaw","presentation","exception","brother","transfer","fun","restoration","extras","line","title","acting","entry","flick","plot","tone","artwork","slipcover"].
"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*"
"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!"
"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."
"Descendant of the Sun (1983), directed by Chor Yuen, is a visually lush entry in the Shaw Brothers wuxia cycle, leaning heavily on stylization and theatrical flair rather than grounded storytelling. As with much of Chor Yuen’s work, the film prioritizes ornate sets, vivid costumes, and a sense of heightened artifice, creating a world that feels closer to stage fantasy than lived reality. The plot—woven with intrigue, hidden identities, and mystical elements—can be difficult to follow, but narrative clarity often takes a backseat to atmosphere and visual composition. Action sequences are elegant rather than brutal, emphasizing choreography and pose over raw impact. It’s not the most accessible wuxia film, but for viewers attuned to Chor Yuen’s aesthetic, its dreamlike quality and visual richness are exactly the point."
"Descendant of the Sun is a colorful fantasy martial-arts movie produced by Shaw Brothers Studio and directed by Chor Yuen. The film mixes wuxia action, mythology, and supernatural elements, following a powerful child with mystical origins who grows up to protect a princess from an evil ruler. The Blu-ray released by Vinegar Syndrome restores the film from original elements in a new HD transfer and presents it with its original Cantonese audio and English subtitles. The release also includes extras such as a commentary and video essays, helping preserve this cult Hong Kong fantasy for modern collectors."
"Great visuals, incredibly silly but hugely entertaining!"
"Chor Yuen still doesn't get his flowers as he should! Without a doubt the greatest superman film of them all. Psychotronic madness top to bottom. If you hate this, you hate fun and you hate art. Great restoration and supplements as well."
"This fantasy tale with elements of SUPERMAN rates 8/10 with me. The full VS presentation earns full honors. The transfer is very nice, allowing all those miniatures, colored lights & magic powers to really pop. Glad to have this on my Shaw Bros shelf!"
"Supernatural kung fu fantasy of the early ‘80s aided by optical effects and the science fiction influence of US mainstream genre hits (note the John Carpenter-inspired synth score, with its obvious ripoff of the Superman theme) is such a cool niche in the Shaw Brothers catalogue. On the decline, directors at the studio were seemingly unleashed, pulling out all the possible crazy stops, and throwing all the laser bolt-exploding pyrotechnics at the screen that the budget would allow, right as production was slowing down and Shaw Brothers were losing cultural currency and going off a cliff financially. Getting all they can out of flashing lights, a giant smoke machine, wire work and water features, this gets pretty wild, even as it doesn’t go nearly as hard as the anything-goes-insanity of Holy Flame and the Martial World or Buddha’s Palm, and the last twenty minutes of its Star Wars-riffing light show with a near constant exchange of energy particles also gets a little wearing. Amazing packaging, good booklet essays and video essay. Though I think it's time to retire Frank Djeng commentary tracks. Hundreds later, he's said all he can say, surely there's somebody else?"
"Lavish, fantastical sets; the wildest fight scenes with vibrant magical attacks; combining elements of Superman, Hercules, Chinese folklore, and Merlin vs. Madam Mim from 'The Sword in the Stone'; a diabolical group called the "Intelligence Nation" who want only intellectuals in their ranks; a wonderful blend of fantasy, action, drama, comedy, and even a splash of horror."
0 Item(s)
