When a noblewoman is framed for adultery and nearly executed by her treacherous, power-hungry brother-in-law, she escapes into the brutal mountain peaks to master a mystical Tibetan fighting art. Directed by Huang Feng and starring the incomparable Angela Mao, The Himalayan is a breathtaking 1976 Shaw-era Golden Harvest classic that blends stunning high-altitude vistas with bone-crunching martial arts mastery.
In the majestic Himalayas, Tseng Ching Lam (Angela Mao) finds her arranged life upended when her devious uncle-figure, Gao Zhen, murders his brother, replaces him with a lookalike and frames Lan for murder and adultery using his deadly tiger claw kung fu. Rescued from a watery execution by a childhood friend, Lan retreats to an isolated monastery to learn the rare, esoteric fighting discipline of the Eagle Lama.
Director Huang Feng elevates the material far above a typical revenge saga, and iconic fight choreography by Sammo Hung (co-directed with Han Ying-chieh) makes it even better, giving you fierce combat, kinetic pacing and a stellar matchup between Mao and veteran villain Chan Sing, who chews the scenery with genuine glee.
Keep your eyes peeled for brief cameo appearances from legendary stunt extras and future icons like Jackie Chan, Corey Yuen, and Sammo Hung himself.
88 Films brings The Himalayan to Blu-ray with a stunning 2K restoration from the original negative, preserving the film’s rich color palette and sweeping outdoor cinematography. Rounded out by a robust selection of bonus features—including an audio commentary by Asian cinema historian Frank Djeng, an O-ring slipcase with gorgeous new artwork by Aurelio Lorenzo and a reversible sleeve with original poster art—this release is an absolute essential. You can get it from MVD.
