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

[Secret Executioner]

Kung Fu Girls AKA The Three And Half Dumb Kung Fu Girls (Taiwan, 1978)

The release I have is the French Bach Films release uner the title Le Masque infernal contre la panthère du kung-fu (The infernal mask vs the kung fu panther) though the title you get when you watch the film is Le Masque infernal contre les tigresses du kung fu[/i (The infernal mask vs the kung fu tigresses), which is much more fitting as you don't have one, but 4 fighters (one of the English title says "Three And Half" not because one of these girls is crippled, but because these girls are a very young kid and 3 young adults - 2 pairs of sisters whose parents argue to become the head of some village).

The movie itself is a pure riot:

- The French dub is horrendously funny: seems like they couldn't get 4 actual women/girls to voice the main characters - 2 girls have the same voice and the little girl sounds a bit weird (more like an adult trying to sound like a little girl).

- The soundtrack is so ridiculous I won't be able to keep a straight face hearing Rossini's William Tell Overture anymore (cause this, a silly music that fits the tone of the film and a piece that must have been stolen from an anime are the only music you'll hear throughout the film).

- the choreography is very nice (the little girl has some nice moves, but what was the point of showing all these animal styles early in the film if they aren't using them at all - guess you still get to see).

- The comedy has everything: the girls' argue like brats, there's a Scoobydoo-like chase scene, a cross-dressing that kind of backfires (remember, ladies: NEVER dress up as a guy to sneak into a brothel - heck, who would come up with such a stupid idea), some racist stuff (one henchman is a magician and when he fights the 4 main characters, he turns into an arab and uses his flute to lift the girls' dresses, flies on a magic carpet and breathes fire before becoming a blind Japanese man... All with clichee Arab or Japanese music, of course).. There's stuff for everyone, even silly sound effects such as a siren when the breathing-fire guy runs around after getting burnt.

Basically, my verdict is that this is something so bad that it's great - and strangely enough, with all the stuff that is wrong in this film, I couldn't spot any single flaw.

Other tidbit that may make me like this film more than I should: the sister of the little kid is IMO really cute.

[iron flag]

Watched 7 Steps of Kung Fu last night. Really liked it. Plenty of good fights and action. I dont think Ive seen Chai Kai kick that much ass before! Isnt he usually one of the henchmen that get dispatched rather quickly?

[ukrevrend]

The Blazing Temple 1978

Gave this a spin the other night, last time I saw this was a F/S vhs tape many moons ago, now it's in glorious W/S! With an all star cast including:

Carter Wong, Barry Chan, Chia Ling (very small part) & Chang Yi & many more!

It's a Shaolin vs Manchu, typical of the time but loaded with top, top action, Joseph Kuo director, never disappoints, this was definately his era!

More weapons than shapes (and me being a 'Shapes' Fan, it still held me!), but Carter Wong throws down a wicked 'Crane Fist' at the final fight!

Action packed from start to finish, Chia Ling pops up in the beginning, fights, (very well) then disappears until the final fight!

Recommended

4/5

Bless

[Secret Executioner]

The Legendary Strike (1978), starring Angela Mao and Carter Wong.

The movie is rather nice, but I'd have 2 complaints:

it's really complicated (I had a hard time figuring out who was working with who, if they were good or bad guys - still not sure I got everything right)

the copy is (quality-wise) horrendous (lots of grain, the night scenes are next to unwatchable - sound is okay though).

Overall, this was a bit disappointing but the action is nice and the unexpected twists (while so numerous they make the story impossible to follow) help maintaining a certain interest.

[Coliseum1972]

Innocent interloper 2/6.....couldn't get into it

Invincible monkey fist 2/6 , about some pirates terrorizing a village. Same thing , couldn't get into it so it gave my nothing.

[Coliseum1972]

Legend of a fighter 4.5/6

Iron Monkey '77 , 3/6......couldn't get into it much as I tried.

[DrNgor]

Legend of a fighter 4.5/6

Iron Monkey '77 , 3/6......couldn't get into it much as I tried.

I really wanted to like IRON MONKEY '77, but it never really grabbed me. The most memorable part of the film is when the father strangles his little son to death in the jail cell. The fights never came close to knocking my socks off.

[Tex Killer]

I think iron monkey`77 was terrific. And the version I saw was not so good in quality, give me proper widescreen original language version I would like it even more.

[the moose]

I'm with Tex on this one. I would have given the 1977 5/6, the choreography is exceptional for its time. I had to double check that Lau Kar Leung didn't do the choreography because it did a damn good job of imitating his style. The budget is bigger than average also.

[fatcat]

I didn't see the whole movie yet, but I really enjoyed the end fight for Last Hurrah For Chivilry. Ive always enjoyed Fung Hak Ons Praying Mantis. I was wondering if he used a real style in that end fight, Could anyone elaborate?

[Killer Meteor]

Just revisited the first old school film I saw, Snake & Crane Arts of Shaolin (has it really been twelve years????) and it just occured to me...Jackie sets a trap to catch out the murderer of the Shaolin Masters, a trap that gets a LOT of innocent people killed, then it turns out the "mystery" killer is the scary dude who is the leader of the Black Dragon Gang, and was obviously as guilty as a cat in a goldfish bowl.

Love the movie

[iron flag]

Watched a double feature last night: Red Phoenix and Stormy Sun. Old school and really old school! Both classics in their own way. Red Phoenix does have some good fighting

[Secret Executioner]

Just revisited the first old school film I saw, Snake & Crane Arts of Shaolin (has it really been twelve years????) and it just occured to me...Jackie sets a trap to catch out the murderer of the Shaolin Masters, a trap that gets a LOT of innocent people killed, then it turns out the "mystery" killer is the scary dude who is the leader of the Black Dragon Gang, and was obviously as guilty as a cat in a goldfish bowl.

Love the movie

What I remember the most in this film is the annoying (though funny at points) girl dressed up like a boy and who is OBVIOUSLY a girl.

[Tex Killer]

What I remember the most in this film is the annoying (though funny at points) girl dressed up like a boy and who is OBVIOUSLY a girl.

Thats not too unusual thing in kungfu movies..I hate that concept a lot:wink:

[Killer Meteor]

Though to be fair, when she does dress as a girl, Jackie carries on as though she was a boy, so they were having a bit of fun with it. And to be fair, she does look fairly boyish unlike, say, Angela Mao or Polly Shan Kuan.

[DrNgor]

Thats not too unusual thing in kungfu movies..I hate that concept a lot:wink:

I loved that character. I thought she was a great foil to Chan's character.

[Killer Meteor]

I loved that character. I thought she was a great foil to Chan's character.

Yeah, and the actress is well cute in Half a Loaf of Kung Fu.

[MLee]

Been getting into Chen Sing movies recently. Just watched Kung Fu The Invisible Fist and Gold Snatchers. Chen Sing fights Yasuaki Kurata in both movies. Both were fun and enjoyable basher style movies!

[Coliseum1972]

Silver Spear 4/6 , kinda hokey with the "submarine" sound effect during underwater fight though

[sifu iron perm]

one of you great peoples need to sort me out with a 10/10 copy of of cooks and kung fu and incred kung fu mission.

[Tex Killer]

"My life is on the line"..

Amazing old skool flick and nice to see those golden memories still apply after 15 yers..

Laung Kar Leung is the man,

[kevenz]

one of you great peoples need to sort me out with a 10/10 copy of of cooks and kung fu and incred kung fu mission.

Of Cooks and Kung Fu = German Megamax version.

Incredible Kung Fu Mission = US Pagoda films version.

[Coliseum1972]

Naked comes the huntress 3.5/6 , I expected more....but the woman was nice eye candy

[Secret Executioner]

Drunken Tai Chi (HK, 1984), off the Flying Fists Of Kung Fu 12-movie set.

Pretty fun film. Probably not Donnie Yen's best (I've only seen Ip Man, Hero and Seven Swords so far, and I have OUATIC2, 14 Blades and Blade II in my "to watch" DVDs), but still not that bad of a film; the crazy old teacher and his fat wife are a hilarious couple (together or individually), the soundtrack is enjoyable (love the sax track when the wife tries to teach Donnie her skills - very fitting tune) and the fights are fun to watch (and quite creative at times).

Having already seen Godfrey Ho's Asso Asia production 5 Pattern Dragon Claws (starring Bruce clone Dragon Lee and legendary kicker Hwang Jang Lee) previously (a different release though), I must say that I have rather high hopes concerning the 10 other movies from this set (I sure expect them to be as good as these two).

[almightyvice]

ninja in the dragons den was a good good one. the fights were innovative with the ninja qualities