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

[Drunken Monk]

After making my hilarious "One Thumbed Boxer" joke above I thought fuck it and gave One Armed Boxer (1972) a go. All this time I'd thought I'd seen it. Turns out I've only seen the sequel.
I really enjoyed it. It's mostly fight scenes and while it's a basher through and through, it's certainly an energetic one. Vibrant too. This is one I can appreciate for being both a good film and very silly. The monk that inflates himself is a particularly fun. Also, the version I saw stole the Shaft theme. It had a pretty solid dub track though.

I've never liked Jimmy Wang Yu. I've always found his moves clunky and awkward. But maybe he's one I need to revisit too. This was a massively enjoyable film from start to finish with a wonderful daftness to it.

[Liersi]

On 7/15/2020 at 6:02 PM, Drunken Monk said:

Though the choreography does feel a little more 77/78-ish than 1979

I love being in a place where a sentence like this can exist and make sense.

Speaking of '79, I watched Mission Kiss and Kill the other night, and that sentence fits like a glove. Blackie Ko choreos and plays second fiddle, Li Yimin plays the main dude. The plot is unpretentious and fairly effective at providing excuses to string many fights together without getting lost in exposition: Li Yimin plays the chinese version of the fast-talking, always smiling "police" guy who always gets his mark. Blackie is his childhood buddy and all-around Robin Hood bro. There's a villain (Long Fei), and you know he's the villain because he does the villain laugh. He sets a trap for poor Li Yimin, forces him to marry his daughter and has him smuggle a bunch of jade horsies to...somewhere. Where exactly is irrelevant, because the film is just about getting from A to B while everyone and their brother knows you're coming and wants the damn horsies. The film scored points with me for not casting Li Yimin as the comic relief underdog he usually plays. He still grins like an idiot all the time, but he isn't naive here, and he's cocky as hell. It's fun to see the heroes not be gullible vegetables who fall for every children's trick for once. The fights set up by Blackie are okay, but lack an escalating narrative. It's mostly a buddy comedy with an abundance of acrobatics and playfulness. There's neither complexity nor precise timing or power. Wide swings and kicks, and lots of opera tumbling and spear work. Felt like a lazy '79, or a sloppy post-DM '78. It's like they're experimenting and there's still too much of this and too little of that. Considering the talent at hand they're all just cruising here, plus, as I said, there's hardly any escalation. Li and Blackie are punching cans for most of the runtime, and it doesn't really matter. Only Long Fei himself puts up a fight at the end using some ridiculous crab style including a pincer sound effect. Chonk. Maybe I had fun because the German dub turns it up to 11 with the silly lines. In terms of movement, timing, complexity and power it's a forgettable affair.

[paimeifist]

On 7/15/2020 at 4:00 PM, Drunken Monk said:

After making my hilarious "One Thumbed Boxer" joke above I thought fuck it and gave One Armed Boxer (1972) a go. All this time I'd thought I'd seen it. Turns out I've only seen the sequel.
I really enjoyed it. It's mostly fight scenes and while it's a basher through and through, it's certainly an energetic one. Vibrant too. This is one I can appreciate for being both a good film and very silly. The monk that inflates himself is a particularly fun. Also, the version I saw stole the Shaft theme. It had a pretty solid dub track though.

I've never liked Jimmy Wang Yu. I've always found his moves clunky and awkward. But maybe he's one I need to revisit too. This was a massively enjoyable film from start to finish with a wonderful daftness to it.

I love One Armed Boxer. The sequel is better, but it’s one of the best!

 

I dabbled in some Jimmy Wang Yu this evening as well.

 

Deadly Silver Spear fun Wuxia flick with an easier to absorb plot than many. The movie is pretty adventurous and has lots of fantasy elements, fire breathing foes, flying guillotines, and such. The action is simple but good. Jimmy Wang Yu is an assassin hired by a couple (Chang Yi, Hsu Feng) that are looking to overthrow their master. They hire Jimmy Wang Yu to take out their masters top fighters. The master hears that his fighters have been taken out, and he orders the two people looking to back stand him to kidnap Jimmy Wang Yus girlfriend and her father.

Your typical backstab filled wuxia plot, but not nearly as complex as many similar films..which is for the better in my opinion.

Jimmy Wang Yu may not being the most elegant of screen fighters, but his intensity is pretty rare, and makes up for his lack in other areas.

[ShawAngela]

I watched the Mandarin version of Daggers 8 yesterday and I enjoyed it as much as the English version I had gotten  a few months ago and I finally was able to see the very end (which was cut in my English DVD).

 

I also watched Suet Leung aka Lady Snow yesterday, which looks very much like Painted Skin, with some differences  at the end. Tian Ni plays the ghost.

[paimeifist]

Continuing my Jimmy Wang Yu-fest...

 

I watched Savage Killers last night. As some may know, this is the film that was cut and spliced to create Kung Pow. I really enjoyed that movie when I was a kid (I’m not sure I’d like it as much today..) so it was fun to watch Savage Killers as it had a bit of nostalgia for me, even though id never seen the film itself.

As my good friend @DrNgor pointed out to me, the story is essentially a poor mans version of Executioners from Shaolin. With Lung Fei as the invincible style villain, and Jimmy Wang Yu and Lau Kar Wing as the Tiger and Crane specialists.

 

All in all, the movie is pretty good. The fights are actually very good, with a good finale between Lung Fei and Jimmy Wang Yu. Lau Kar Wing seemed like he could muster up good fights out of any cast, although I have a higher opinion of Jimmy Wang Yu as a screen fighter than many do. I feel he brings an intensity and presence that is quite rare and makes up for his shortcomings in other areas. 

Lau Kar Wing was his usual masterful self, and although he got more screen time than usual I was still left wishing he had more. Lung Fei turned in a great performance as the invincible style master...although it’s hard not to laugh any time I see him, as he will always be “Betty” to me.

 

Solid flick, worth a watch if you’re a fan of “Invincible Master” style flicks or any of the performers.

Edited July 18, 2020 by paimeifist

[saltysam]

The Tattoo Connection

Sleazy HK epic with a fantastic cast ( Jim Kelly,Chen Sing,Tan Tao Liang,Bolo) set in modern day with Agent Kelly after the stolen diamonds pilfered by Chen Sing's mob. The Kuenfist 1:85:1 custom with some inserts is far superior to the crappy USA DVD.

[ShawAngela]

Chinese orthodox kung fu

A lot of good fights and a good ending. It's so strange that the name of the lead actor isn't even mentioned in the cast on hkmdb. They mention Ling Yun as the lead, but he only has a few scenes and the poor other guy doesn't have any recognition as the main lead of the movie !!

[ShawAngela]

On 7/18/2020 at 1:02 PM, paimeifist said:

I have a higher opinion of Jimmy Wang Yu as a screen fighter than many do. I feel he brings an intensity and presence that is quite rare and makes up for his shortcomings in other areas. 

I agree 100% with this. In all the movies I watched him in, there was a really pregnant intensity and presence in all his fights.

And when one decides to wach a movie with him, one know that it will be a good one, at least for the fights !

[Liersi]

2 hours ago, ShawAngela said:

I agree 100% with this. In all the movies I watched him in, there was a really pregnant intensity and presence in all his fights.

And when one decides to wach a movie with him, one know that it will be a good one, at least for the fights !

I'll give him the intensity, yeah. And that's no mean feat. It's hard to find it all, the physicality, the skill, the charisma and the acting. Jimmy has charisma to spare. Especially in kung fu action, it's important not to forget the story and the investment in characters. Jimmy's charisma helps me relate to his characters, fights and stories even when I don't personally like them. That's rare.

I saw Along Comes a Tiger tonight, which I'd never seen before although I adore Tommy Lee. What I loved about it was its commitment to storytelling. Not all of it worked, but here's a kung fu movie that refuses to show fighting for fighting's sake, that porno-like approach that many kung fu films use. Now I love fighting, but I also love characters and stories, and I absolutely adore fight narratives. The kind of fight that isn't long just to be long. The kind of fight that dares to be short to make a point. Stories with fights in them, and each fight tells a story. This is one of those. The story is a cheap riff on Once Upon a Time in the West, and director Wu Ma was probably on some restroom candy when he made the film. Totally unique atmosphere, and all over the place. It even manages to feel arthouse in places, experimental. Not everything works, but some of it does.

The fights serve the story, and they are well staged by Tommy Lee. Here's the thing: you won't get instant satisfaction. Until the end, the fights are utilitarian. They drive the story of a mute strangers known only as the "Tiger", who kills everyone belonging to a gangster syndicate led by hunchback Tommy Lee. As the bad guys have no idea who or where he is, they can't send the usual succession of cronies to fight him. And the people he kills aren't necessarily the best fighters. There's also an insufferable wise-ass kid who won't go away. Tommy may have partaken in the same candy Wu Ma had laying around, because he's even more inventive here than usual. Several characters have highly individualized weapons. Tommy himself uses his hunched back as both a shield and a weapon, plus he's weilding a cane with a hidden blade. His bodyguards specialise in tandem fighting, becoming each other's weapons. Wang Dao as the hero uses a short stick that breaks out into a multi-section nunchuck. The gambling den women use bladed fans. And you know Tommy doesn't shy away from complexity, so this escalates into some funky brawls. Tommy doesn't get it all right, but he gets a lot of it right. Wang Dao shows some great snappy fighting in this, as does Tommy himself. Their duel at the end features an awesome fight narrative where both opponents switch tactics, styles and weapons (in weapons) multiple times to gain the upper hand. Stephen Dong Wei is also great as a cocky police agent, and his fight with the tandem-bodyguards is the other standout.

Tommy Lee is a treasure. His fights are inventive, narrative, and - given the right performers - inspiring.

[saltysam]

The Secret Rivals

Classic kung fu, Don Wong Tao and John Liu at their best going up against Hwang Jang Lee. I'd love a blu ray of this, i assume the Soulblade DVD is the best version available?

[CT KID]

On 7/16/2020 at 6:25 PM, paimeifist said:

I love One Armed Boxer. The sequel is better, but it’s one of the best!

 

I dabbled in some Jimmy Wang Yu this evening as well.

 

Deadly Silver Spear fun Wuxia flick with an easier to absorb plot than many. The movie is pretty adventurous and has lots of fantasy elements, fire breathing foes, flying guillotines, and such. The action is simple but good. Jimmy Wang Yu is an assassin hired by a couple (Chang Yi, Hsu Feng) that are looking to overthrow their master. They hire Jimmy Wang Yu to take out their masters top fighters. The master hears that his fighters have been taken out, and he orders the two people looking to back stand him to kidnap Jimmy Wang Yus girlfriend and her father.

Your typical backstab filled wuxia plot, but not nearly as complex as many similar films..which is for the better in my opinion.

Jimmy Wang Yu may not being the most elegant of screen fighters, but his intensity is pretty rare, and makes up for his lack in other areas.

Have you seen The Man From Hong Kong? He was really good in that modern day setting and the dojo fight is a standout. He really showed some swag in that movie too.

[Drunken Monk]

The Heroes (1980) - Loved this movie! Just when I think I've seen everything, I'm given a genuinely interesting and riveting story. Long story short: Ti Lung helps the evil Michael Chan Wai-Man burn down Shaolin temple but isn't really on board. He lives with soul churning regret. And so he begins training the "rebel" monks through various means of torture. I know it sounds insane and it kind of is, but it's done VERY well. Ti Lung's inner conflict carries the movie and I was just waiting for the big reveal.

As for the action, it's great. It's a little slow compared to a number of early 80's movies but there's some decent shapes and weapon fights on display. Dorian Tan Tao Liang is in the film but he doesn't really get a lot to work with. A few short fight scenes here and there. But the finale is an all out rebellion with Chan Wai-Man and Ti Lung having a nice little showdown.

Recommend this one A LOT.

[DrNgor]

48 minutes ago, Drunken Monk said:

The Heroes (1980) - Loved this movie! Just when I think I've seen everything, I'm given a genuinely interesting and riveting story.

The fight choreography was too slow for me when I saw it at age 17 (or 18). But I'd probably appreciate it more now than I did then.

Now you must watch Ti Lung's other Taiwanese films: Inheritor of Kung Fu; Revenger; and Emperor of Kung Fu.

[Liersi]

54 minutes ago, Drunken Monk said:

The Heroes (1980) - Loved this movie! Just when I think I've seen everything, I'm given a genuinely interesting and riveting story. Long story short: Ti Lung helps the evil Michael Chan Wai-Man burn down Shaolin temple but isn't really on board. He lives with soul churning regret. And so he begins training the "rebel" monks through various means of torture. I know it sounds insane and it kind of is, but it's done VERY well. Ti Lung's inner conflict carries the movie and I was just waiting for the big reveal.

As for the action, it's great. It's a little slow compared to a number of early 80's movies but there's some decent shapes and weapon fights on display. Dorian Tan Tao Liang is in the film but he doesn't really get a lot to work with. A few short fight scenes here and there. But the finale is an all out rebellion with Chan Wai-Man and Ti Lung having a nice little showdown.

Recommend this one A LOT.

Great to hear! I've been putting this one off waiting for filmArt (german editor) to release their blu-ray. Shouldn't be long now. You mentioning the interesting story gives me the warm fuzzies. Di Long portraits inner conflict very well so it sounds like a winning combination.

[Drunken Monk]

1 hour ago, DrNgor said:

The fight choreography was too slow for me when I saw it at age 17 (or 18). But I'd probably appreciate it more now than I did then.

Now you must watch Ti Lung's other Taiwanese films: Inheritor of Kung Fu; Revenger; and Emperor of Kung Fu.

It’s worth a rewatch, I think. It is definitely slow but it’s still very enjoyable. Some nice Wing Chun-ish hand work from Ti Lung.

Putting those three on my list. Will try to get to at least one tomorrow.

[Duel to the Death]

Goose Boxer  is a silly silly movie. The comedy is bad, about as bad as Bolo but i love it. It's so ridiculous and bad. Surprisingly it does have some good fighting. But you don't see that until 3/4 into the movie. Do i recommend this movie? Only if you like the worst comedy. But it does have Lee Hoi Sang so that's a plus. And whatever movie can you see a goose shit in someone's face? Or Kama Sutra Kung Fu? Or a plot that doesn't make much sense? 

I would really like to watch a subbed version in it's original language to see how different it feels. 

[DrNgor]

2 hours ago, Duel to the Death said:

Goose Boxer  is a silly silly movie. The comedy is bad, about as bad as Bolo but i love it. It's so ridiculous and bad. Surprisingly it does have some good fighting. But you don't see that until 3/4 into the movie. Do i recommend this movie? Only if you like the worst comedy. But it does have Lee Hoi Sang so that's a plus. And whatever movie can you see a goose shit in someone's face? Or Kama Sutra Kung Fu? Or a plot that doesn't make much sense? 

Yeah, that's about right. I was surprised by the quality of the MA the first time I watched it, and was rather positively disposed toward it. The second time around, however, the comedy was just grating. But I do think it's one of Tommy Lee's finest hours.

[Duel to the Death]

Shaolin Temple Against Lama Against Undercranking. The undercranking in this movie is strange since it doesn't even need it. The fights scenes are all wonderfully choreographed. And most fights have a mixture of fighting at normal speed and sped up. It's like they did it for a stylized reason and not to hide any bad choreography.

This isn't the best movie but it sure is entertaining. Fighting from beginning to end. There is barely a scene without fighting in it. I like the story too. 

I have not looked into it but i wonder if there is a widescreen version of this or a version in it's original language with subtitles.

  

[Drunken Monk]

Super Dragon (1976) - Okay, so I need to turn my brain off and watch something incredibly dumb and fight filled after this one. I had not one iota of an idea as to what was going on in this film. NONE. Again, it could be my fault since I chose to work with this on in the background. But the plot totally alluded me. Something about an escort company, there are some pearls, Polly Shang Kuan's dead father, a flute player... NO FUCKING CLUE.

When I wasn't being eternally baffled I was loving the fight scenes. I think everyone gets their chance to shine here: John Cheung, Polly Shang Kuan, Mark Long, Cliff Lok and even Phillip Ko Fei. I'm actually not all that familiar with the work of Polly but she holds her own among the men here. I think I'll need to dig a little deeper into her filmography.

This movie does have a lot of fights and the action is great but I just lost what the hell was going on. For that reason alone I can't really say this film is great. If you follow along it might very well be something special.

[DrNgor]

1 hour ago, Drunken Monk said:

I had not one iota of an idea as to what was going on in this film. NONE. Again, it could be my fault since I chose to work with this on in the background. But the plot totally alluded me

It's apparently based on a Gu Long novel, so that would explain why it's hard to follow. The screenwriter probably didn't know what to include and what to leave out.

[Drunken Monk]

The Mystery of Chess Boxing (1979) - I'm just going to come out and say it: I like this movie more than Drunken Master and Snake in the Eagle's Shadow. It simply does not mess around. Paper thin plot, a score that'll make you want to kill yourself, terrible wigs and fake facial hair but a non-stop ride of fight after fight after fight. I adore this movie. It's no budget film making at its absolute best. It has a goal and achieves it: to deliver action. Top stuf.

[Duel to the Death]

1 minute ago, Drunken Monk said:

The Mystery of Chess Boxing (1979) - I'm just going to come out and say it: I like this movie more than Drunken Master and Snake in the Eagle's Shadow. It simply does not mess around. Paper thin plot, a score that'll make you want to kill yourself, terrible wigs and fake facial hair but a non-stop ride of fight after fight after fight. I adore this movie. It's no budget film making at its absolute best. It has a goal and achieves it: to deliver action. Top stuf.

Oh ya, one of my favorites. Did you see it dubbed or in its original language? I had only seen it dubbed until someone recently shared with me the subbed version. Both are great. 

[Drunken Monk]

24 minutes ago, Duel to the Death said:

Oh ya, one of my favorites. Did you see it dubbed or in its original language? I had only seen it dubbed until someone recently shared with me the subbed version. Both are great. 

I’ve only ever seen it dubbed. I actually kind of like the dub: “Huh! Five elements!”

[TibetanWhiteCrane]

Rewatched Method Man aka Fearless Young Boxer aka Avenging Boxer or whatever you wanna call it. Always been lukewarm on this one as a whole while always appreciating the action. Traded my DVD away in the 00's and rebought it a few years ago, so I thought I'd pop it on. For some reason I enjoyed it way more on this revisit than on any other viewing.

The comedy didn't bother me as it use to, I liked Peter Chen as a lead much more and just really enjoyed it from start to finish. It's funny how that happens sometimes. With some films, the passing of time is just needed for you to fully enjoy what it has to offer. I also have a lot of affection for these Taiwan shot indies from this period. Love the locations and just the vibe of them overall. The dub is stupid but sort of charming in its stupidity like so many others.

Casanova Wong in heel mode is actually preferable to me, as I was never really sold on him as a lead. Always good to see Chia Kai in any role and in action, and this is some of his best alongside Seven Steps of Kung Fu and Of Cooks and Kung Fu, both superior films, but quite alike to this one in many respects.

Also props to Peter Chen for the training scenes as you can tell he's really putting in the work. Plenty of great fights of course, but I really like the final showdown in the warehouse, and the idea of the hero and the girl admitting to themselves that hey, we can't beat this motherfucker fair and square, so we have to rig up a whole warehouse and use tag team techniques and acrobatics to bring him down. Fun stuff.

Edited July 22, 2020 by TibetanWhiteCrane

[Drunken Monk]

It’s funny that @TibetanWhiteCrane and I watched the two films we did today as I just took this photo over the weekend...