Fans of Shaw Brothers Studio rejoice! Genius Products and the Weinstein Company, in their latest additions to the Celestial Pictures/Dragon Dynasty Collection, provide us with more "Shaw Scope" actioners on terrific new DVDs.

This week we get two classic titles, Come Drink With Me (which set the bar for sword-wielding kung fu heroines four decades before Uma Thurman picked up a blade) and my focus in this piece -- the magnificent Heroes of the East (1979). Starring Hong Kong screen legend Gordon Liu, Heroes of the East is a strange entry in Shaw Brothers history. It's a love story. Something of a kung fu classic romance, this is the tale of the son of a rich Chinese businessman who is betrothed to the Japanese daughter of one of his father's business partners. Love at first sight turns readily into a heated debate over which culture -- and more importantly, which kung fu -- is better.

The husband, Gordon Liu, best known over here for his recent roles in both installments of Kill Bill, but known to the rest of the world as one of the greatest martial arts stars in history, constantly defeats his wife in various martial arts displays. When the strongheaded woman finally has enough of his machismo, she leaves him and returns to Japan. Missing his wife, he concocts a plan to challenge her sense of pride by offering an open challenge -- hoping to prove once and for all that Chinese kung fu trumps Japanese karate any day of the week.

Unfortunately for Liu (but fortunately for us), the letter is intercepted by his wife's sensei who gathers some of Japan's greatest masters to compete in the arranged challenge. In order to prevent all-out war between the temples, Liu agrees to fight them alone. One-on-one. What follows is a thrilling series of combats, each pitting different styles against one another. Hitting all the bases, there are scenes involving Chinese Boxing, Drunken Boxing, Judo, swordplay, a knife fight, exotic weapons and even a climactic battle of trickery pitting Ninjitsu against Chinese cunning.

But there are a few things separating this from many of the other Shaw Brothers films. First and foremost, it isn't a bloodbath. It's a love story about honor, friendship, and understanding between the two cultures. No one dies. But that's not to say that the fighting isn't extraordinary. Director Lau Kar-Leung (aka Chia Liang Liu, director of The Legend of Drunken Master and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin) was himself a kung fu master -- a rarity among Shaw Brothers directors -- who put an intense focus on the authenticity of the martial arts. Rather than just bringing in actors, he gathered together a group of authentic Japanese martial artists, all masters in their chosen weapon or style. This focus makes for some incredible and influential fight scenes that are still riveting 30 years later.

Not a Shaw Brothers aficionado? Become one. This new Dragon Dynasty DVD of Heroes of the East comes loaded with educational features like a 36-minute lecture from a Shaw Brothers expert explaining all the nuances of the film and its cast, plus a great interview Gordon Liu himself. On top of that, there's a discussion on the differences between the Shaolin and Ninja styles presented in the film. By the time you're done sifting through this disc, you'll be able to discuss it with the best of them. I love the treatment Celestial Pictures and Dragon Dynasty are giving these old classics. A wonderful night's entertainment for any martial arts fan. Heroes of the East is on DVD now.

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