Sources: Many links here are Amazon affiliate links that will help support this site. Over 30 of the movies can be watched for free on Amazon Prime (get a free 30-day trial if you're interested in that option). In some cases, Prime only has the dubbed English versions, so I included a few links to YouTube that have rentable versions with the original Chinese audio track and English subtitles. There are also a few links to buy certain movies for cheaper on YouTube.
Disclaimers: 1) I try to keep these links up to date, but can't guarantee that they are. If you find mistakes, missing links, etc., please feel free to notify me via my contact page. 2) I'm personally not a big fan of English dubbing, but for many of these movies, there is no other option available.
Wuxia Crash Course
First, check out this shortlist of our top recommendations for both novels and movies. It's perfect if you're new to the genre, want a refresher, or are interested in the specific tone we aimed for in Righteous Blood, Ruthless Blades.
Novels:
Movies:
Magic Blade (1976) - DVD - Prime
Reign of Assassins (2010) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
Bride with White Hair (1993) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime
Note: Magic Blade is based on the novel Horizon, Bright Moon, Saber, making those two a perfect combination of written and cinematic inspiration.
Full movie list from the sourcebook
14 Amazons (1972) - DVD - Prime
The Assassin (2015) - Blu-ray - Prime
Bat Without Wings (1980) - DVD
Bloody Parrot (1981) - DVD
The Blade (1995) - DVD - Prime
Bodyguards and Assassins (2009) - DVD
Bride with White Hair (1993) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime
Broken Oath (1977) - DVD
Chinese Ghost Story (1987) - Blu-ray - DVD
Come Drink With Me (1966) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime
Crippled Avengers (1978) - DVD - Prime
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
Curse of the Golden Flower (2006) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
Deadful Melody (1994) - DVD
Death Duel (1977) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime
The Delightful Forest (1972) - DVD - Prime
Detective Dee Series
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010) - DVD - Prime
Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon (2013) - DVD - YouTube (Rentable)
Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings (2018) - Blu-Ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
The Duel (2000) - Prime
Dragon Gate Inn (1967) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime - YouTube (Rentable)
Dragon/Wu Xia (2011) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime
Duel for Gold (1971) - DVD
Duel to the Death (1983) - DVD - Prime
The Fate of Lee Khan (1973) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
Finger of Doom (1972) - YouTube
Fist of Legend (1994) - Blu-ray - DVD
The Four Trilogy (2012-2014)
The Four (2012) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
The Four II (2013) [Lawless Kingdom] - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
The Four III (2014) [Kingdom of Blood] - DVD - Prime
Boxed Trilogy - DVD
Heaven Sword Dragon Sabre (1978) - Prime
Heroes Shed No Tears (1980) - Prime
House of Flying Daggers (2004) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
Human Lanterns (1982) - Prime
Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (1972) - Blu-ray - DVD
Jade Dagger Ninja (1982) - DVD
Also known as Shaolin Fox Conspiracy (1982) - DVD - Prime
Kid with the Golden Arm (1979) - DVD - Prime
Killer Clans (1976) - DVD - Prime
Killer Constable (1980) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime
Last Hurrah for Chivalry (1979) - DVD - YouTube (Rentable)
Legend of the Bat (1978) - DVD
Legend of the Black Scorpion (2006) - DVD
Magic Blade (1976) - DVD - Prime
Magnificent Bodyguards (1978) - DVD - Prime
Marco Polo (1975) - Prime - YouTube (Rentable)
Masked Avengers (1981) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime
Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976) - DVD - YouTube (Rentable)
New Dragon Gate Inn (1992) a.k.a. Dragon Inn - DVD
The One-Armed Swordsman (1967) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime
Once Upon a Time in China (1991) - DVD - Prime
Opium and the Kung Fu Master (1984) - Blu-ray - DVD - YouTube (Rentable)
Reign of Assassins (2010) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
The Savage Five (1974) - Prime
Sentimental Swordsman (1977) - Prime
Soul of the Sword (1978) - Prime
Sword Master (2016) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
Swordsman and the Enchantress (1978) - Prime
Swordsman II (1992) - DVD
Temple of the Red Lotus Trilogy
Temple of the Red Lotus (1965) - DVD
The Twin Swords (1965) - Prime
The Sword and the Lute (1967) - Prime
A Touch of Zen (1971) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
The Twin Swords (1965) - Prime
True Legend (2010) - Prime
Web of Death (1976) - Prime
What Price Honesty? (1981) - Prime
Wu Xia/Dragon (2011) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime
Fiction Books
7 Killers (unofficial translation)
Bing: From Farmer’s Son to Magistrate in Han China
The Book and the Sword (official translation)
Condor Heroes Trilogy (unofficial translations)
The Deer and the Cauldron (official translation)
The Eleventh Son (official translation)
Fox Volant of Snowy Mountain (official translation)
Heroes Shed No Tears (unofficial translation)
Horizon, Bright Moon, Saber (unofficial translation)
Legend of Lu Xiaofeng (unofficial translation)
Legend of the Condor Heroes (unofficial translation)
Legends of the Condor Heroes (official translation)
Legend of the White-Haired Demoness (unofficial translation)
Return of the Condor Heroes (unofficial translation)
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (official translation)
Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword (unofficial translation)
Smiling Proud Wanderer (unofficial translation)
Water Margin (Outlaws of the Marsh) (official translation)
Non-Fiction Books
Chinese Martial Arts Cinema: The Wuxia Tradition
Commerce and Society in Sung China
The Destruction of the Medieval Chinese Aristocracy
The Development of Chinese Martial Arts Fiction: A History of Wuxia Literature
Dictionary of Official Titles in Imperial China
History of Imperial China (series)
Records of the Grand Historian
Additional Personal Recommendations
The following TV shows and movies are not mentioned in Righteous Blood, Ruthless Blades, but are personal favorites of mine that are also excellent representations of the genre in one way or another. This selection is more diverse than the official recommendations, with both fantasy and modern settings that surpass what we aimed for in the game.
36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) - DVD - Prime
Ashes of Time Redux (1994) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime - YouTube (Rentable)
Brotherhood of Blades (2002) - YouTube
Butterfly Sword (Butterfly & Sword) (1993) - DVD
The Deadly Breaking Sword (1978) - Prime
Fearless (2006) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
Five Deadly Venoms (1978) - DVD - Prime
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime
Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain (2006) - DVD
Fong Sai Yuk Series
The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk (1993) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Purchasable)
Fong Sai Yuk 2 (1993) - DVD
The Grandmaster (2013) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
Have Sword Will Travel (1969) - DVD - Prime
Heaven Sword Dragon Saber 2 (1978) - Prime
Ip Man Series
Ip Man (2008) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Purchasable)
Ip Man 2 (2010) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Purchasable)
Ip Man 3 (2015) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Purchasable)
Ip Man Trilogy Boxed Set - DVD
Ip Man 4 ( 2019) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
Iron Monkey (1993) - Blu-ray - DVD
King Boxer (Five Fingers of Death) (1972) - DVD - Prime
Kung Fu Cult Master (1993) - DVD
Lady Hermit (1971) - Prime
Little Big Soldier - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
Moon Warriors (1992) - Blu-ray - DVD
Painted Skin (2008) - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
Return of the Condor Heroes (2006) - Prime
Return of the Sentimental Swordsman (1981) - Prime
Rise of the Legend - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
Seven Swords (2005) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Purchasable)
Sword of Swords (1968) - Prime
Sword Identity (2001) - DVD - Prime
Sword Stained With Royal Blood (1981) - Prime
Storm Riders (1998) - Blu-ray
Tai Chi Master (1993) - Blu-ray - DVD
A Touch of Zen (1971) - Blu-ray - DVD - Prime (Rentable)
The Wandering Swordsman (1970) - DVD - Prime
