Member Michael L. Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 I think I'm with you on this one here. Just watched it again last night. I want to like it, I really do. It's just too ridiculous at times, even for a Kung Fu flick. I mean, walking on the ceiling & the rattan basket?! The Indian fellow getting all Dhalsim from Street Fighter on a dude? I like the atmosphere in the beginning with the blind monk in the fog & what not (even like the score a lot too) but overall it fails to grab me. Too bad, it's got a lot of redeeming qualities. I wrote a piece on ShaolinChamber36.com where I posit Master of the Flying Guillotine inadvertently invented the Street Fighter games! I don't mind the magic powers in it but the point of some of them bothers me... if the One Armed Boxer is so bad he can pull a Lionel Richie, how come he didn't retreat to the ceiling when fighting the Thai boxer in the hut with the red hot floor? If you have magic powers, use them! But I forgive a great deal when the flying guillotines are being utilized and I like Master of the Flying Guillotine even more than One Armed Boxer. For me the top of the "classics I don't get" list would be the The Brave Archer films. Way too much is going on, way too many characters, way too much prior knowledge of Condor Heroes required and not enough in the way of good fighting to make me forgive the transgressions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member David Rees Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 Some of mine: Come Drink With Me: It may have been influential but god is it boring, and choreography now looks very slow. Five Venoms: Great cast but they dont do a lot, plot slows the film to a snails pace. Most Chor Yuen films!!: Sorry but i find his storytelling very confusing and melodramatic just cant follow his films at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member prinnysquad Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 I wrote a piece on ShaolinChamber36.com where I posit Master of the Flying Guillotine inadvertently invented the Street Fighter games! My mate and I noticed that when we watched it. I suppose the only classic I didn't 'get was Five Venoms. I've mentioned before on here about how it was probably mostly my fault. I was tired, drunk, and went into the film expecting an action-heavy blast. My physical and mental state, mixed with an incorrect preconception, meant that the film really crawled along when I watched it, and at the finish I thought, 'is that it?!?' I think the trailer sold it very differently, too. For me, at least, it created an image in my mind of frequent, intricate fights where the weak spot of each fighter had to be painstakingly discovered - almost like a series of trials. I normally like these potboilers, and have watched plenty of these films where action takes a back seat to plot, character and atmosphere. That's why I will definitely watch it again, but in a proper state this time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WuxiaFan Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Well, I've noticed that I tend to disagree with Mark on a lot of movies. IMO he bashes a lot of awesome movies based on their week plot and acting in spite of fantastic choreography, only to praise others with dreadful plot and so-so fighting, but as someone said, it's all a matter of taste. However, I'll take your advice, since it's been quite a while since I last saw MotFG, and it was a washed-out, cropped, old, dubbed version Maybe I'll appreciate it more in a restored state. Fair enough. Yes, you should definately watch a decent restored version on DVD. I have this version that I'm happy with. I'm sure you could find a good used copy for under $5. http://www.amazon.com/Master-Flying-Guillotine-Yu-Wang/dp/B00006FDBE/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1298471102&sr=1-1 Wuxifan was only kidding around. I know that without hearing his "tone" it can be hard to tell. But I know him, and he's a great guy. I'm not saying he doesn't mean what he's saying opinion-wise. Thank you KFB! Just that he's not being a dick, even though it may seem that way (and even though he looks like a dick! ). Watch for the 7 grandmasters paying you a visit! I was aiming my comments at aponblod. Though I was joking around too, But I do disagree with some of the bashing of treasures in the genre. Agree. But not everyone is going to like the treasures, but some should be off limits.Other treasures should just be taken for what they are and not expect academy award winning acting, sets, scripts, etc. They're just kung fu movies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Apanblod Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 Agree. But not everyone is going to like the treasures, but some should be off limits.Other treasures should just be taken for what they are and not expect academy award winning acting, sets, scripts, etc. They're just kung fu movies! Treasures, isn't that quite a leading term? And I certainly don't agree with you that some movies should be immune to subjective critique. My favourite Kung Fu-movie of all time is Masked Avengers, and my favourite indie is Snake Deadly Act. And while few probably would agree with me that they are that good, I wouldn't be offended if someone thought they are aweful, which isn't unlikely. Another classic I don't really get the appeal of is Legend of a Fighter. The fighting is good, but not compared to anything that came out at the time, and Leung Kar-Yans acting is so over the top, you really can't take it seriously. I think the main problem is that it's trying to hard to be "epic" when it obviously doesn't have any of the resources to ever be that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Shawoholic Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 the original becomes boring and anti climatic when he leaves Shaolin. I need to check 36th of chamber again, seen it twice years ago and I remember enjoyed it from beginning to very end. Police Story I did not like,beginning and finale were good but middle dragged far too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Space Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 Warriors 2. Can't get into that. Focused only when about LKYan and CWong's characters. Everyone is ugly. Dean Shek. WC goes out the window in the end. We do get the famous CWong flying kick though. Drunken Master. All FF except for when HJL is on screen, then back to FF. Can't stand it. DM2? Hell yes. DM? Fu.. no. SitES. P-U. Just stop! Heresy, pure and simple. I agree about Secret Rivals though, it was pretty meh at times. Nice locations though. As for me...I guess the Police Story movies are not my favorite. Also, I can only watch so many "classic" Shaws. Eventually, the sometimes slower pace, bad wigs and often cheap sets or sound stages, plus overly serious tone, get on my nerves a bit. I generally feel that the best of the SB movies was never as good as the best of Golden Harvest, Seasonal and the like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 How is Shaw Bros. ranks a forum and Golden Harvest doesn't? Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member teako170 Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 How is Shaw Bros. ranks a forum and Golden Harvest doesn't? Just curious. Either we had (some years ago) or discussed the concept for a GH forum -- and it didn't pan out as the Classic section seemed to suffice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Idiot Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 My favourite Kung Fu-movie of all time is Masked Avengers. And while few probably would agree with me that they are that good I would agree with you, Masked Avengers is all sorts of badass. Blood drinking & trident wielding mayhem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Shawoholic Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 I would agree with you, Masked Avengers is all sorts of badass. Blood drinking & trident wielding mayhem. It`s at least best venom movie.Mystery identity works there lot better than in 5 deadly venoms.End fight is amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Iron Boat Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 Masked Avengers, best Venom film?? U guys are too kind I agree Secret Rivals is not even good much less a classic, Warriors 2 I sold after one viewing, Legend of a Fighter was ok but the Bruce Lee angle shouldn't be played up so much, very misleading, I like Billy Chong's Crystal Fist a lot more than Jackie Chan's Drunken Master, 7 Grandmasters fell flat for me as well. 5 Deadly Venom's is great though, its not the fault of the film that people go in expecting non stop action, Cheng Che set out to make a mystery flick and he succeded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Apanblod Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 Masked Avengers, best Venom film?? U guys are too kind I agree Secret Rivals is not even good much less a classic, Warriors 2 I sold after one viewing, Legend of a Fighter was ok but the Bruce Lee angle shouldn't be played up so much, very misleading, I like Billy Chong's Crystal Fist a lot more than Jackie Chan's Drunken Master, 7 Grandmasters fell flat for me as well. 5 Deadly Venom's is great though, its not the fault of the film that people go in expecting non stop action, Cheng Che set out to make a mystery flick and he succeded. What do you suggest for a better winner of that title then? I agree as well on Secret Rivals, it's not good at all. Secret Rivals II on the other hand is an instant classic and I never get tired of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Iron Boat Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 I need to check 36th of chamber again, seen it twice years ago and I remember enjoyed it from beginning to very end. Police Story I did not like,beginning and finale were good but middle dragged far too much. 36 Chambers is cool beginning to end but considering all the training and revenge motifs the end fights could of been a lot better, or at least more exciting. A movie that cranks up after Shaolin training is Iron Monkey, those are end fights....the bitter end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Iron Boat Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 What do you suggest for a better winner of that title then? I agree as well on Secret Rivals, it's not good at all. Secret Rivals II on the other hand is an instant classic and I never get tired of it. I say Crippled Avengers was the best, with a murderers row of Villians, Chen Kuan Tai, Wang Lung Wei, and Lu Feng! Otherwise in Venom films they just fight each other which gets redundant from film to film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Apanblod Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 I say Crippled Avengers was the best, with a murderers row of Villians, Chen Kuan Tai, Wang Lung Wei, and Lu Feng! Otherwise in Venom films they just fight each other which gets redundant from film to film. Well, as long as the fighting is good, I honestly don't mind And let's face it, even though I love Chen Kuan Tai and Wang Lung Wei, none of them could ever boost the amazing physicality of the later venom crew. I saw Crippled Avengers a few weeks ago and I can only say it felt like warming up for the later venom movies. They got better and better the more movies they did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member northern b Posted February 23, 2011 Member Share Posted February 23, 2011 Not so sure people are expecting high brow slick story telling and acting to be honest - As someone said many people consider all kung fu movies to be badly acted badly dubbed fare!! Which we of course know is NOT true The main theme here seems to be films that are lauded as being all that but that some consider to be over-rated- I rate Legend of a fighter and Drunken Master but as has been seen some don't- all down to personal taste. Just as some prefer bashers to the intricate shapes kung fu (which I love!) There are some films that I think are good but not great legendary weapons and Enter the 36th Chamber would be among those for me, Then there are many that could have been great- Crystal fist has the elements but I think the production, edits and comedy conspired to bring it down a rung or two from where it could it have been- Billy Chong really did have the ability. There are also films like Fatal Needles V Fatal Fists and Heroes of the Wild that don't seem to get many props but literally blew me away with how good they were! Another couple of titles that I don't particularly care for are Mystery of Chess Boxing- frame clip central and Born Invincible- a film that proves even the Yuens are fallible- another frame clipped mess with Carter flailing Wong. Really don't get what the noise is all about with them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Kennedy Il Sung Posted February 24, 2011 Member Share Posted February 24, 2011 The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (Though I will give this a rewatch soon) The Duel - I didn't hate it I just thought it was okay not the classic everyone deemed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WuxiaFan Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Remember we are freaks to people becuase most consider kung fu movies awful crud. That you're right about! I prefer the term "fanatic" actually. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (Though I will give this a rewatch soon) How could you not "get" this one? Of all classic kung fu movies, THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN is in the top 5 greatest EVER. This was the movie that turned me into a kung fu fanatic at age 12! Please allow me to give you a high level blow-by-blow of the movie: -Young man witnesses evil Manchu government troops brutalizing innocent people; -Young man trys to stand up to them, friend is killed, family is killed, and then is pursued by the Manchus; -Young man sneaks into the Shaolin Temple and is nursed back to health; -Young man is accepted and becomes a Shaolin Monk (San Te), but then wonders when he'll get to learn Shaolin kung fu; -San Te then learns that all he has to do is "ask" to learn kung fu; -San Te begins training (one of the all-time greatest kung fu training sequences ever filmed) -San Te becomes one of the greatest Shaolin kung fu masters and suggests a new "36th Chamber" of training. -San Te then is shunned by the Abbot of Temple and forced to leave; -San Te then exacts revenge on those evil Manchu warriors using all of his kung fu training; -San Te is accepted back in the Shaolin Temple and allowed to open the 36th Chamber. YES, watch it again and report back to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted March 3, 2011 Member Share Posted March 3, 2011 WuxiaFan ---- That's a really good synopsis. I also love San Te's inventiveness while determined to defeat a brother monk (as a test) so that he develops a new weapon ---- the 3 sectional staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Michael L. Posted March 4, 2011 Member Share Posted March 4, 2011 On Flying DVDs Of Death, we declared 36 Chambers Of Shaolin to be the greatest kung fu movie ever and the standard that all others are judged against I really think how you follow the movie (can you understand the original soundtrack, do you read subtitles or go for dubbed) makes a major difference in most films, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Apanblod Posted March 4, 2011 Member Share Posted March 4, 2011 On Flying DVDs Of Death, we declared 36 Chambers Of Shaolin to be the greatest kung fu movie ever and the standard that all others are judged against I really think how you follow the movie (can you understand the original soundtrack, do you read subtitles or go for dubbed) makes a major difference in most films, though. I think few people deny that 36 Chambers of Shaolin is one of the best training movies of all time, what I don't really like about it is the part after San Te is forced to leave Shaolin. After some excellent sparring fights against Lee Hoi Sang the rest of the fights are quite dull to be honest, and the end fight is a major let-down, especially considering that Lo Lieh is involved. Several new characters are introduced at the 60 minute mark or so and the story kind of feels forced somehow. It's a great movie, but taking into account that so many fans rank it number one in the genre, immensely overrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member John Posted March 4, 2011 Author Member Share Posted March 4, 2011 There's a lot of interesting thoughts here. I for one, don't think it's fair to single out most kung fu films as "crud" considering that this could be said of any prolific genre. Also, I'm noticing a common theme in that while the popular opinion surrounding genre classics tends to be overblown, that doesn't necessarily mean these are bad films. In any event, it's illuminating to hear the for and against of the well-known successes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member razorclam Posted March 5, 2011 Member Share Posted March 5, 2011 I did not care for the Bastard Swordsman series. For years people on this site talked those movies up. I sat down to watch them with natchos and an awesome homemade seven layer dip. They weren't unbearable, but they will never be mistakenly for greatness in my house. After all the build up, the first film came down to 2 guys fighting in a ball of yarn. In the second film, I couldn't stop laughing as CKT humped the other villian into submission. Seriously, check out the facial expessions of CKT and his adversary. It looks like prison rape. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member OpiumKungFuCracker Posted March 5, 2011 Member Share Posted March 5, 2011 I did not care for the Bastard Swordsman series. For years people on this site talked those movies up. I sat down to watch them with natchos and an awesome homemade seven layer dip. They weren't unbearable, but they will never be mistakenly for greatness in my house. After all the build up, the first film came down to 2 guys fighting in a ball of yarn. In the second film, I couldn't stop laughing as CKT humped the other villian into submission. Seriously, check out the facial expessions of CKT and his adversary. It looks like prison rape. lol Damn, you make me hungry for nachos now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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