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Is it rare for the villian to be a girl?


Mugen

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The simple answer is yes. I'm sure there will be many members who can name kung fu films with female villains but I, for one, cannot. Well, no classic kung fu films anyway.

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It's quite rare for the classic kung fu genre and less rare for the classic wuxia genre. Here are a couple I can think of at the moment.

Pan Yin-tze in THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN (1967). While not a villain per say, she is an antagonist to Jimmy Wang Yu, enough so to chop his arm off during a temper tantrum.

Betty Pei Ti in INTIMATE CONFESSIONS OF A CHINESE COURTESAN (1972). She's the sadomasochistic master of a bordello who kidnaps and tortures poor Lily Ho, turning her into a prostitute and vengeful murderer.

Chen Pei-hsi in FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS (1982). She portrays a Japanese kunoichi who infiltrates a Chinese martial arts club. She tries to seduce Lo Meng. If you're seen even one Venoms Mob film then you know what happens to him. Also, several of the other ninjas in the film are revealed to be women as well.

It's easier to cite examples in modern-era films such as THE BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR, THE EAST IS RED, IRON MONKEY, and CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

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Betty Pei Ti in INTIMATE CONFESSIONS OF A CHINESE COURTESAN (1972). She's the sadomasochistic master of a bordello who kidnaps and tortures poor Lily Ho, turning her into a prostitute and vengeful murderer.

I recently bought this and have yet to watch it. Tell me, does it have a lot of action in it or is it more of a drama?

Chen Pei-hsi in FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS (1982). She portrays a Japanese kunoichi who infiltrates a Chinese martial arts club. She tries to seduce Lo Meng. If you're seen even one Venoms Mob film then you know what happens to him. Also, several of the other ninjas in the film are revealed to be women as well.

I completely forgot about this one!

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I recently bought this and have yet to watch it. Tell me, does it have a lot of action in it or is it more of a drama?

I wouldn't call it an action movie although it is set in the "martial world" and has some fantastic wuxia fighting in it, mostly near the end. There is a lot of drama but it's shot like a Tarantino or chambara film so it's never dull.

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I remember seeing a couple of Shaw Brothers sword films at the Great Star in San Francisco in which the villain was a swordswoman who, with her followers, tried to dominate the swordplay world. These were two different films with different villainesses, but neither had any virtue. In each movie the swordswoman had the captured hero at her mercy and tried to entice him into her bed. When he refused, hell hath no fury. I don't remember the titles offhand, but they were fun.

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convict killer has a pretty strong female baddie character (afair, played by ching li).

shes one scheming bitch in that one. i do not recall her doing any gung in it tho.

btw, just visited the hkmdb and peeped 3 of 3 opinions on CK, neither being too kind with the flick. what gives!?

heres me giving some well deserved love to convict killer. good one.... imho.

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Candy Wen was pretty nasty in 2 Champions of Shaolin, killing Lo Mang's bride.

The Landlady (don't know the actress's name) in The Hot the Cool and The Vicious was a villian.

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I recently bought this and have yet to watch it. Tell me, does it have a lot of action in it or is it more of a drama?

Intimate Confessions is more of a hate filled erotic bloodfest then a drama, watch it immediately, Betty Pei is gorgeous.

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convict killer has a pretty strong female baddie character (afair, played by ching li).

Speaking of Ching Li this is a spoiler but plays a villain in SHAOLIN AND WU TANG.

Also Wang Kuai Sheng plays a villain in EAGLE'S CLAW.

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Morgoth Bauglir

It's not uncommon for a villain to be a woman. But it's very rare for a woman to be the main villain, at least for oldschool movies. Knight Errant is the only one I can think of off the top of my head.

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Lau Kar Wing was on a good one directing in '81, when he gave us two real strong female fighting baddies in Treasure Hunters, Yang Jing Jing, & Carry on Wiseguy, Lily Li. Both roles mirroring each other the way the male & female badguys partnered duo together in the fighting. Wang Lung Wei & YJJ, Lau Kar Wing & Lily Li. Two of the best end fight villainous shapes ladies.

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Michiko Nishiwaki, Yukari Oshima, Ruby Wong, Maggie Siu, Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Rothrock and Brigitte Lin have all been cast in the role of villain off and on. Brigitte Lin has largely made of career of it as has Michiko Nishiwaki, so no, I wouldn't say it's uncommon for women at all for women to play the villain. Personally, I like seeing them cast in those roles as they can have more fun with them. The goody two shoes types seem to be pretty straight forward and don't offer as much for an actress to build on.

Laura

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GOLDEN DRAGON YIN-YANG

I DIS A GREE..... THERE HAS BEEN MANY A 'VILLIANESS' IN THIS GENRE!

THEY MAY NOT BE THE LEAD BADDIE but THEY ARE ALWAYS THERE!

GD Y-Y :wink:

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