What was the last classic martial-arts film you watched?

[Duel to the Death]

2 hours ago, ukrevrend said:

Sleeping Fist w/s Eng Dub 1979

Starring: Beardy, Yuen Siu Tien, Eddie Ko & Huang I-Lung (The Kid)

First saw this on the big screen back in 1980 (Late Night, London) when I was just a teenager and it blew me away, Classic 'Shapes Fu'! And when Beardy did that Yawn, the cinema erupted!  Gave it another go after reading @Duel to the Death comments above. I haven't changed my mind, this is a Classic Shapes Fu that, for me, hasn't lost it's impact. Beardy & The Kid throwing Mantis Fist every 10 mins and Eddy Ko at his menacing best, I think it's Eagle Claw he's using, as his preferred weapon! Forget the story, this about the Shapes Fu

 I  understanding your reasoning, @Duel to the Death,  this is a take on the Drunken Style, like many others at that time, but I think this one does it extremely well.  Saw this way before I saw the re-teaming  of Beardy, The Kid & Eddy Ko in Thundering Mantis and yes The Kid becomes annoying.

4/5

Bless

I bet I would of liked it more if I had seen it years ago and had a similar theater experience. I unfortunately have never seen a Kung Fu movie in a theater. I wasn't born until 1973 and as a kid I can't recall movies like that playing in our area. The closest I ever got was seeing Karate  Kid in the theater. Lol

[ukrevrend]

1 hour ago, Duel to the Death said:

I bet I would of liked it more if I had seen it years ago and had a similar theater experience. I unfortunately have never seen a Kung Fu movie in a theater. I wasn't born until 1973 and as a kid I can't recall movies like that playing in our area. The closest I ever got was seeing Karate  Kid in the theater. Lol

Your right, the cinema experience of a kung fu film is second to none! I had the privilege of seeing quite a few the top, top films in the cinema, Warriors Two, Dance of the Drunk Mantis, New Fist of Fury, Crystal Fist, Magnificent Butcher , Drunken Master, Snake In The Eagle's Shadow, The Sword, Shaolin Plot, Snuff Bottle Connection, 36th Chamber, King Boxer, Snake In The Monkey's Shadow and of course Sleeping Fist!

Bless

[ShawAngela]

Shaolin disciple : Liu Chia Liang's nephew is billed as the lead here, but there are other stars who are the main leads and have more screen presence than him, such as Ku Feng, Kwan Hoi San, Bruce Tong. It looks like as if there were two movies in one, with such scenes as exorcisms by a monk (who is Ku Feng's enemy) and the gold-revenge plot, and Liu Chia Yung even doesn't have the same haircut during the movie !

But the fights are good and the plot is interesting.

Ruthless revenge : Ku Feng again, with Ho Kwok Choi and Bruce Liang as the leads, in a funny kung fu comedy with good fights and funny gags.

 

[JackieRome]

Sun Dragon it's a fun by-product, it has some good fighting but all the performers (except for the protagonists) don't know how to act. it looked like a porn with some decent kung fu scene. Billy Chong continues to sound good to me, but he always has the problem that he works in very low quality films. Vote: 5/10

Legend of a Fighter I heard about it well but apart from the final fight it is not very satisfactory. He has no particularly good characters, many are the usual stereotypes already seen, and the fighting is sufficient. Vote: 6/10

[Duel to the Death]

The Prodigal Son Absolute classic. The only part i did not like was the asthma angle The fight between Leung Yee-tai and Ngai Fei should of been so much longer but cut short because of asthma. I feel we were cheated a little bit. But other than that it's a masterpiece. 

I feel like this movie, Warriors Two, Magnificent Butcher, Knockabout and probably others are kind of connected having a lot of the same actors in them. If i was to rate them i'd probably go,

1. Knockabout

2. Warriors Two

3. The Prodigal Son

4. Magnificent Butcher

I'm partial to Knockabout and i feel it's underrated. And it's a coin flip between Warriors Two and Prodigal Boxer for the second spot. The Mantis Boss in Warriors Two is so wicked, while the fast hitting Wing Chun style in Prodigal Son is Breathtaking. I feel Magnificent Butcher is the lesser of the 4 but still a great movie.  

I'm sure you could add Spooky Encounters or The Victim and  maybe movies i haven't seen. 

[Liersi]

Cantonen Iron Kung Fu Bit of an odd one for '79. You have the requisite silliness and low-brow humor, even a Dean Shek stand-in, and then you have Beardy in full-on power mode trying to muscle The Victim into the preceding year. I found the choreography to be all over the place. First it felt like more of an early '70s basher with sloppy timing and wide moves, with Beardy as the only good mover among the bunch. Everyone else just wasn't on the level. The fighting looked rough, sloppily staged and unexciting. So many blocks before the other guy even moves. Then Ma Jin-gu and Gao Fei start squaring off with Beardy and everything changes for the better. Great finale, great fight-storytelling with Gao Fei and Beardy both going through their full repertoire trying to wrestle each other down. An object lesson in how important the right performers are to these films. Some have the moves but not the timing, some the timing but not the moves. A select few have both. Beardy and Gao Fei have both.

Which brings me to a rewatch of Seven Steps of Kung Fu. This is one of my favourite films featuring great martial arts movers together on screen. Seeing people move well is why I watch these films, it's my greatest passion. Cantonen Iron Kung Fu had me curious if the sloppy timing was in my head. It really wasn't. Ricky Cheng is doing his Jackie thing, which sucks, but by God that man can move. He plays off other fighters well, too. The real stars are the others. Jia Kai is always a pleasure to behold, and he's never been better than here. He moves with a certainty and precision that gives Jin Ming (Tommy Lee) the opportunity to really tune up the speed and complexity whenever he's not fighting cans. Thankfully, Chen Shan of Shaolin vs Lama fame makes his debut here, and he's up to the task. Hell, the entire cast is comprised of excellent screen fighters, so you get good to great timing and complexity on every encounter. You know the cast is good when Tommy Lee himself and Lung Fei are playing second fiddle. I never get tired of the sequence where Jia Kai kicks Chen Shanout of the gazebo and down those rocks, then casually flicks himself over the rocks, sticks the landing and keeps the fighting pace without missing a beat. He also makes sure to turn his mug into the camera so you can see it was him. Out of the more famous performers it is rightfully Yuen Biao who gets the mention as a superior mover talent. But there were others who could do this stuff with the same authority, they just never made it big. In terms of plotting and acting this is forgettable and cheap, but in terms of movement talent I find it to be a top tier effort.

[Liersi]

22 minutes ago, Duel to the Death said:

The Prodigal Son Absolute classic. The only part i did not like was the asthma angle The fight between Leung Yee-tai and Ngai Fei should of been so much longer but cut short because of asthma. I feel we were cheated a little bit. But other than that it's a masterpiece.

That's another recent rewatch, and I felt the same way minus the asthma complaint. Sammo focused more on general speed and power later on, but these early efforts are a treasure trove of complex combat interactions. He already had the focus on speed and power, as well, so these films offer a trifecta of highly technical complexity, speed and power. No wonder these films still knock our socks off. There hasn't been anything like them since! Everyone else was still doing either Drunken Master or Chinese Opera inspired choreography, and Sammo goes and makes it a point to show the difference between opera and "real" kung fu. Speaking purely as a martial arts movie nerd, Sammo was the genius of the opera bunch.

Edited June 23, 2020 by Liersi
Messed up the quote

[Iron Head Rat]

12 hours ago, Duel to the Death said:

The Prodigal Son Absolute classic. The only part i did not like was the asthma angle The fight between Leung Yee-tai and Ngai Fei should of been so much longer but cut short because of asthma. I feel we were cheated a little bit. But other than that it's a masterpiece. 

I feel like this movie, Warriors Two, Magnificent Butcher, Knockabout and probably others are kind of connected having a lot of the same actors in them. If i was to rate them i'd probably go,

1. Knockabout

2. Warriors Two

3. The Prodigal Son

4. Magnificent Butcher

I'm partial to Knockabout and i feel it's underrated. And it's a coin flip between Warriors Two and Prodigal Boxer for the second spot. The Mantis Boss in Warriors Two is so wicked, while the fast hitting Wing Chun style in Prodigal Son is Breathtaking. I feel Magnificent Butcher is the lesser of the 4 but still a great movie.  

I'm sure you could add Spooky Encounters or The Victim and  maybe movies i haven't seen. 

The asthma angle is part of the charm of The Prodigal Son.. The audience always wanting that bit more. Sammo wanted us baying for more from Lam Ching Ying & boy did we get it with the Ninja fight. I dont think Sammo wanted long drawn out fights. Quick, clean & effective, straight to the point if you like. A bit like Wing Chun Great film..

[Graeme Of Death]

The Prodigal Son is one my all time favourites, think it would have been the first time I seen Yuen Biao outwith a Jackie film. Said it many times but no one in the past 20 odd year could do quality fights like Sammo and Yuen Biao in their prime. 

[Drunken Monk]

Seven Steps of Kung Fu - While the first thirty minutes of this film consists of mainly comical fights, the next hour is full of some of my favourite choreography of all time. I think the final fight is in my top ten fight scenes of all time. It’s fast, complex and though I don’t love an overindulgence in acrobatics, here it works. Beautiful stuff.

There’s not really that much more to say. It’s a simple plot with crisp, frequent action. I’d have liked one or two more training scenes but that’s because I’m a sucker for training. Otherwise...no complaints. Fantastic movie.

[nectarsis]

1 hour ago, Drunken Monk said:

Seven Steps of Kung Fu - While the first thirty minutes of this film consists of mainly comical fights, the next hour is full of some of my favourite choreography of all time. I think the final fight is in my top ten fight scenes of all time. It’s fast, complex and though I don’t love an overindulgence in acrobatics, here it works. Beautiful stuff.

There’s not really that much more to say. It’s a simple plot with crisp, frequent action. I’d have liked one or two more training scenes but that’s because I’m a sucker for training. Otherwise...no complaints. Fantastic movie.

Is this the best version available?...looks like its only dubbed, but as long as picture qualities ok I can live (though would definitely prefer subbed).

[ShawAngela]

The chase : The first time I watched it, it was maybe 10 years ago, in English and with an only fair quality print, if I remember well (or was it the Joysales vcd ?). I just watched the dvd i bought from our friend @TheKungFuRobber, and not only the quality print was very good, but also, I rediscovered how good was this movie ! James Tien, Maria Yi, Fong Sam, Kam Shan did all a good job, and the plot was very good !

[Drunken Monk]

37 minutes ago, nectarsis said:

Is this the best version available?...looks like its only dubbed, but as long as picture qualities ok I can live (though would definitely prefer subbed).

I'm not nearly as well-versed on available versions as some people on these boards. I watched the version available on Amazon Prime which I'm sure is the version you posted (I own that DVD too).
It's not exactly Blu Ray quality but it's not pan and scan and the picture is more than acceptable. I've never heard of a subtitled version being available but I could be wrong.

[Duel to the Death]

48 minutes ago, nectarsis said:

Is this the best version available?...looks like its only dubbed, but as long as picture qualities ok I can live (though would definitely prefer subbed).

Seems to be on this set. But based on one of the reviews this is probably not the version to get. It's missing frames. 

https://www.amazon.com/Martial-Arts-Essentials-Vol-Best/dp/B0016MJ73C/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=the+martial+arts+essentials+dvd&qid=1593032124&sr=8-5

[nectarsis]

47 minutes ago, Duel to the Death said:

Seems to be on this set. But based on one of the reviews this is probably not the version to get. It's missing frames. 

https://www.amazon.com/Martial-Arts-Essentials-Vol-Best/dp/B0016MJ73C/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=the+martial+arts+essentials+dvd&qid=1593032124&sr=8-5

i know i owned one of these sets years back

..either Vol 2 or 3....mostly unwatchable :/

[Liersi]

14 hours ago, Drunken Monk said:

Seven Steps of Kung Fu - While the first thirty minutes of this film consists of mainly comical fights, the next hour is full of some of my favourite choreography of all time. I think the final fight is in my top ten fight scenes of all time. It’s fast, complex and though I don’t love an overindulgence in acrobatics, here it works. Beautiful stuff.

There’s not really that much more to say. It’s a simple plot with crisp, frequent action. I’d have liked one or two more training scenes but that’s because I’m a sucker for training. Otherwise...no complaints. Fantastic movie.

Good call on the training part. I'm a sucker for those as well. In particular I share your feelings on the acrobatics in the fights. It's for show and can take you out of a believable fight when overdone, but when the players have the speed and purpose they exhibit here it can integrate well. Even Chen Shan repeatedly sinking down into a full split feels like a power move more than a dance move here. "Crisp" is a great adjective to describe the effect of the good speed and timing throughout, thank you for that.

[Liersi]

What's good about Seven Steps of Kung Fu is bad about this: The Mar's Villa. Or Wu Tang Magic whatever. What's the opposite of crisp? Someone help me out here, I need an adjective. Whatever is it, the fights in The Mar's Villa are it. What a waste of talent. This film features the majestic Jia Kai as a doting servant to "no punches, please" John Liu, a man of a singular talent. Singular as in one, not as in unique. Then you have Stephen Tung Wai (Dong Wei), who shares choreo credit with Jia Kai. Plus Gao Fei in a double role as the villainous twin brothers, and the likes of Mark Long as bit players in roadside brawls. The on-screen talent is of the highest caliber. But everyone needs to slow down and go wide to make John-John look good. Gao Fei has a few moments in the finale where it feels like he's just about had it with Mr. Legs and ramps up the speed. Granted, there's only so much you can do in fight design when the aim is to have the protagonist kick everything goooood because he kicks gooood. But the timing is abysmal in parts, and never better than passable when John's in the mix. I haven't seen his other films in ages, but I'm dreading it now. Not a bad film, mind you, it just fails to live up to the talent on display.

[ukrevrend]

18 hours ago, nectarsis said:

Is this the best version available?...looks like its only dubbed, but as long as picture qualities ok I can live (though would definitely prefer subbed).

There is a 35mm Rip w/s Eng & Chi Lang' Subbed from RareKF about on DVD!

Bless

[Drunken Monk]

The Shaolin Plot (1977) - Consider the talent on board I was shocked to discover that this one is an absolute snooze fest for the most part. When there is action, it's good. Nothing monumental but pretty solid for a 1977 movie. There's a particularly nice moment when James Tien takes on a bunch of Shaolin monks. The final ten or so minutes is enjoyable too.

But this film is slow going. Many moments seem to be there for scenery and end up feeling two or three minutes too long. It really makes the whole thing a bit of a bore. I can't really say I'd recommend this one at all. It's alright and, even then, it's only just alright.

This is best watched with a few beers and playing "Who can you spot?" with some friends, I imagine.
 

[ShawAngela]

A few months ago, I finally managed to get a copy of the movie Chivalrous Killer with one of my favorite actors Tien Yeh.

I searched for it for ages, and for years, there was only one picture from this movie on hkmdb and now, there are a lot more, with a complete listing of the cast.

An Fung, whose make-up in this movie makes him look very much like Chiang Nan (the young) plays a bad guy. Well, I was a little bit disappointed, first, because the quality print isn't very good, second, because it's in Mandarin only, and the sound isn't very good either, so, it's difficult to understand what's going on, and last, I'm FURIOUS because the last 5 mn are cut, right in the middle of an explanation !!

Also, there are obviously some cut scenes, because there are jumps from the beginning of a fight to its end without the middle from time to time...

If anyone has the complete ending of the  movie, it would be great to let me know, please.

 

 

Ok, today, I tried the dvd on another player, and I finally was able to watch the end of the movie...a sad ending.

The beginning and the end of the movie are told by a narrator in the style of the ones we see in the inns with their strange "clapping" instrument, and while the guy talks, some paintings showing historical facts are shown, so, I guess that the movie must tell the story of an historical fact...

Edited June 29, 2020 by ShawAngela

[Duel to the Death]

The Big Boss This is the Bruce Lee movie i have seen the least. Maybe 3 times now? I lost track. Definitely no more than 5.

Today is the first time i ever watched a Bruce Lee movie in a language other than English. My younger self would have not watch a subtitled movie if the dub was available. It would not be until later in life i started listening to the original audio and started to prefer it in most movies. I started the movie in Cantonese (on my old dvd version) but the sound was muffled and wasn't the best, so i decided to check out the Mandarin track and it was so much better. More clear and seemed to fit the movie perfectly. I enjoyed the movie more this time than i have in the past. 

Edited June 29, 2020 by Duel to the Death

[Drunken Monk]

The Tattoo Connection (1978) - This is an odd film. It has huge martial arts talent on board (Dorian Tan Tao Liang, Chan Sing, Bolo Yeung, Chiang Tao and even Lee Hoi Sang!) and yet it gives us the least fight scenes possible. It's maddening. The film is fun (I love this era) but it just doesn't deliver when it comes to martial arts. If you love boobs and bush, it delivers in droves, but it just doesn't cut the mustard as a kung fu movie.
The film revs up with ten minutes to go and, I'll admit, Jim Kelly looks great. Far better than he did in Enter the Dragon but this is years later and fight choreography had advanced.
I actually really enjoyed the fight scenes in this one. They remind me of Bruceploitation movies and we all know that's my jam at the moment. There just isn't enough! The film is worth watching but don't go expecting anything fantastic. It's mostly mediocre.

There is a wildly funny scene in this film where Chan Sing has sex with (rapes?) a girl and, as he's pouring himself all over her, it cuts to footage of a Formula 1 car as well as race care noises. It's hilarious.
 

[DrNgor]

5 minutes ago, Drunken Monk said:

I actually really enjoyed the fight scenes in this one. They remind me of Bruceploitation movies and we all know that's my jam at the moment.

Bruce Leung Siu-Lung did the choreography here.

I thought it was too sleazy for my taste. About 90% of the women on screen doff their duds at some point. And when Tan Tao-Liang berates his girlfriend for having the moxie to get raped? Just lost me.

[ShawAngela]

I updated my previous post on Chivalrous killer.

[Drunken Monk]

Snake in the Monkey’s Shadow (1979) - I’m just going to come out and say it: this is NOT a good movie. Not even remotely. Even if I forgive it for it’s typical plot (as I do many kung fu films), the fight scenes are so fucking boring. The fight choreography feels clunky and simple. Even slow at times. More like a 1976 film than a 1979 film.

I have no idea why this film is so universally loved. Movies like Crystal Fist, Daggers 8 and Seven Steps of Kung Fu crap all over Snake in the Monkey’s Shadow.

This is a two star movie and not the 4 or 5 star classic some people claim it is. In my opinion, of course.