During the ’60s, Shaw Brothers dominated the Hong Kong cinema world. They the biggest studio with their Movie Town complex that was producing all around the clock. In 1969, Shaw Brother released 30 feature films to their massive theater chain. While you’d imagine that this was a paradise for producers, they had to deal with Run Run Shaw being a studio boss who had creative control over everything. At the end of the decade, producers Raymond Chow, Peter Choi, and Leonard Ho split from Shaw Brothers and formed Golden Harvest. The idea being that the trio could offer actors, directors and producers better deals and creative freedom with their new operation. Their first film production landed Shaw Brothers writer-director Huang Feng (The Crimson Charm) to create The Angry River. Instead of also luring over a Shaw Brothers superstar for the leading role, the studio discovered newcomer Angela Mao. She had been trained at a Peking Opera School and knew martial arts. She proved worthy of this exciting supernatural Wuxia film that established the next big studio in Hong Kong.
The rebellious and deceitful Lunar Sect is making a major move on Liangyi Castle. After killing a few nobles, they hit Lan Tin-lung with a dagger in a slow acting lethal poison. His only chance of survival is for his daughter Lan Feng (Angela Mao) to seek out a mystic monk who knows the herbal cure. She must journey to the Devil’s Valley which involves crossing The Angry River on a tightrope. Her journey gets scarier and supernatural when she must battle snakes and a giant reptile man. You get to see Lan Feng’s superior sword skills when she’s surrounded by the member of the Lunar Sect led by King Hell. Is she really going to save her father?
Angela Mao makes a statement as she arrives on the screen. There’s nothing dainty-like about her fighting style. She’s taking hits and spitting blood. She proves her action moves as she takes up all the Dyali Scope Frame. Dyali was more than Golden Harvest’s widescreen rival to Shawscope. Dyali Scope was developed in France. This allows the film to look as good as anything being released from the Shaw Brothers at this time.
It’s amazing to think that an emerging Hong Kong studio would trust their first feature to an unknown actress. Think of how many studios now get attacked online by goons when they put out a movie with a female action character. Hong Kong moviegoers had no issues with Angela Mao swinging a sword against a giant lizard creature. What’s intriguing is how Golden Harvest’s first film in 1971 would feature the two stars that would keep the studio on top in the ’80s. Sammo Hung is the fight choreographer in the film. Jackie Chan also pops up as an extra. Both men would move up the ladder at the studio over the next decade until they reached international stardom.
Angela Mao proved to be more than a sensation in Hong Kong. Her movie Lady Whirlwind became the box office champion in America after it was renamed Deep Thrust. She later played Bruce Lee’s sister in Enter The Dragon. 88 Films is also releasing Mao’s The Invincible Eight and The Himalayan this month. Angela Mao currently runs Nan Bei Ho restaurant in Bayside, Queens. I’ve been told her Stinky Tofu is “excellent.”
The Video is 2.35:1 anamorphic. The 2K restoration from the original negative brings out the beauty of the Tawain locations. This is the best way to see how Golden Harvest launched themselves in Hong Kong. The Audio is Mandarin LPCM 2.0 mono. The mix sounds great. There’s also an English dub at LPCM 2.0 mono. The movie is subtitled in English.
Mini Poster with the original artwork and a new design. It’s suitable for framing.
Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng and Michael Worth is a great way to rewatch the film. The duo know so much about Golden Harvest, Angela Mao and Hong King cinema. They point out how the film has a few things in common with the Shaw Brothers’ Touch of Zen including a few Tawain locations.
Image Gallery (2:06) includes color press photos, lobby cards and the poster.
Original Mandarin Trailer (3:52) will give you a sense of how the feature film was restored. The wheat isn’t so golden in the opening here. Angela Mao gets hyped as a brilliant new talent who has been training for 12 years.
88 Films presents The Angry River: Limited Edition. Directed by Huang Feng. Screenplay by Huang Feng. Starring Angela Mao, Chang I Fei, Chiang Nan, Feng Yi, Han Ying Chieh, Sammo Hung, Kao Yuan, Lam Ching Ying & Jackie Chan. Running Time: 91 minutes. Rating: Unrated, Release Date: May 12, 2026.
