Hong Kong's Celestial Pictures has signed a distribution deal with Intercontinental Film Distributors for the video release of its 760-title Shaw Brothers library in Hong Kong and Macau.

Celestial is spending about $14.7m (HK$115m) on restoring and digitally re-mastering the library which contains classics such as The One-Armed Swordsman and The Five Deadly Venoms. Most of the films have been unavailable to audiences since their initial theatrical release. The first titles will be released on the DVD and VCD formats on December 5.

Celestial is organising a week-long series of screenings to promote the launch of the library at the JP Causeway Bay Cinema from November 14-20. The "Shaw Film Week" will feature seven titles from different eras including Come Drink With Me, The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin, Blood Brothers and Let's Make Laugh.

Celestial's backer - Malaysian media empire Usaha Tegas - acquired the Shaw Brothers library two years ago for $61.5m (HK$480m). Celestial also intends to produce Asian-language movies and manages a Chinese-language film channel, Celestial Cinema.

Intercontinental is one of Hong Kong's leading independent film and video distributors and is also the exclusive sub-distributor of Buena Vista product in Hong Kong.