ReelBars

Shanghai Blues (1984)

7.0/10 IMDb 70/100 MC
IMDb Trailer

In 1937 Shanghai, a soldier and a young woman have an awkward meet-cute in darkness under a bridge as they seek refuge during a bomb raid. Ten years later, the soldier, now a burgeoning songwriter and tuba-player in a marching band, is back in town desperately searching for his would-be soulmate. As fate would have it they end up living in the same building unbeknownst to each other. Through a series of mishaps, he mistakes her new ingénue roommate for his love interest and wacky love triangle hijinks ensue.

Best Release

Spectrum Films · 4K + Blu-ray (France)

Other Releases · 3

Director

Tsui Hark

Genre

Comedy, Romance

Box Office

$13,377

Cast

Kenny Bee, Sylvia Chang, Sally Yeh, Tin Ching, Loletta Lee Lai-Chun, Shing Fui-On, Manfred Wong Man-Chun, Fung Ging-Man, Woo Fung, Patrick Lung Kong

Runtime

1 hour and 43 minutes (103 minutes)

More movies under 2 hours

Editor's Notes

Note

Film Movement put this on 4K in February 2026 with English subs and a Vinegar Syndrome slipcover variant capped at 2000 copies, though it's HDR10 with the new dub only. The 2025 Spectrum Films import from France has Dolby Vision, both audio tracks, and a deleted scene, with French subs only.

noted May 3, 2026

Spectrum Films · 4K + Blu-ray (France) 2025

What's in the box

Packaging
Keepcase
Discs
3 discs — DISC ONE | DISC TWO | DISC THREE: A
Video
1.78:1 · Dolby Vision + HDR10
Audio
Cantonese other
Mandarin other
+ 1 more
other DTS-HD MA 5.1
Subtitles
other

Special features

DISC ONE (Blu-ray 4K)

  • The Film

DISC TWO (Blu-ray Copy)

  • The Film
  • 2025 introduction by critic Arnaud Lanuque (14:04, 1080p)
  • 2025 interview with director Tsui Hark (25:08, 1080i)
  • 2025 interview with actor O Sing Pui (18:01, 1080i)
  • Deleted "Blackface" Scene (2:03, 1080p)
  • 2024 Re-release Trailer (3:03, 1080i, in Cantonese with burnt-in English subtitles)
DISC THREE: A Light Never Goes Out (Blu-ray)

Releases of Shanghai Blues

Mentions

Loaded up on Tsui Hark with Peking Opera Blues, Shanghai Blues & The Blade 5 How you you describe this video effect? 23 Shanghai Blues (1984) getting a 4K release via VS partner label Film Movement Classics 6

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