LOS ANGELES -- Hidden in a vault for decades, some of the best martial arts movies ever made will soon be slashing their way back onto the screen following a breakthrough deal to unlock a treasure trove of classic Hong Kong cinema.

The films, produced by the Shaw Brothers Studios from the late 1950s through the late 1970s, helped define a genre, which has gained a new worldwide following with the success of ***"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon***." But while they have been cited as inspiration by directors ranging from action master John Woo to cult auteur Quentin Tarantino, few young fans have ever seen the Shaw Brothers originals.