The Angela Mao Ying Collection

During the 1970s, Angela Mao (billed in this DVD anthology as Angela Mao Ying) was the most electrifying heroine in the martial-arts genre. Although she never quite achieved the iconic stature of Bruce Lee and others who followed in his cinematic path, Mao nonetheless enjoyed a cult following who will certainly appreciate this handsome collection of six of her finest performances. The most familiar titles here are the crime thrillers Stoner (1974) and A Queen's Ransom (1976), which garnered some extra attention on this side of the Pacific thanks to post-007 star George Lazenby; but these connect-the-dots potboilers, with Mao in supporting roles, are also the weakest offerings in the set. The real gem is Broken Oath (1977), a wild tale with Mao as the revenge-seeking daughter of a sexually assaulted female prisoner; the vibrant fight sequences coupled with Mao's wonderfully fierce persona help raise the film to near-genre-classic status. The remaining three movies—When Taekwondo Strikes (1973), The Tournament (1974), and The Himalayan (1976)—all share vigorous choreography and handsome production values, with Mao shining as a strong woman in the midst of whirlwind violence, but none truly stand out as masterworks of the genre. Nonetheless, Mao's presence consistently makes for an entertaining experience, and this set will likely be a joy to fans of martial-arts cinema. Recommended. (P. Hall)