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

[ShawAngela]

Killer of snakes, fox of shaolin

Chang Li only has two fight scenes, here, and it's Carter Wong's movie, telling the classic story of a female fox falling in love with a human being.

There are lots of fights, with an often used snake style.

[Yihetuan]

ZATOICHI VS THE FLYING GUILLOTINE aka THE BLIND SWORDSMAN'S REVENGE aka A SWORD RENOUNCED [1974] - Dir. Larry Tu Chong-tsun (Tai Chung Fung)

I've seen most of the Taiwanese Zatoichiploitation rip off films and this is the best of the bunch. Of course one has to temper expectations as the Chinese Zatoichi clone (actor Sing Lung), although bearing a similar physical likeness, is predictably nowhere near the actor or swordsman that Shintaro Katsu is in the original. While this version also plays up the gambler/comedic themes, it's just off and doesn't quite work. The fight choreo has quite a bit of quick edits and under cranking as well to mask the lack of sword skills of Sing Lung in the action scenes as did quite a few basher films of that era.

So with all these negatives, why do I still like this movie? Most of that has to do with the fact I recently watched The Blindswordsman vs The White Wolf and that movie was so godawful that in comparison, this movie seems like a classic. I also enjoyed the parallel story line involving prolific villain Chen Hung-lieh and Kang Kai and as title suggests, the "flying guillotine" wielded by Kong Do. I believe this is the first time that the weapon took on the form as popularized by the classic Jimmy Wang Yu movie & it also used the "richochet gunshot" sound every time the weapon was engaged. So it gets marks for pioneering the look and sound of the weapon before Wang Yu turned it into an icon of kung fu movie lore.

★★★☆☆

 

 

Edited January 31, 2022 by Yihetuan

[Cognoscente]

10 hours ago, saltysam said:

Back Alley Princess

Way over long at 122 minutes,

It's strange that Golden Harvest would allow this yet Bruce Lee's movies were never allowed to be that long.

[Yihetuan]

The Witch with Flying Head [1982] - Dir. Chang Jen-chieh

Taiwan's take on the SEA mythology of the flying head (penanggalan) most popularized in the West by Mystics in Bali. Talk about a film that deserves a remastered, fully restored version, this is the one! It's just bonkers and has it all - gore, crazy special effects (pyrotechnic and optical), & just steeped in a creepy weirdness that permeates the whole film. If only Mondo Macabro or Massacre Video were able to find the original elements and bring this classic back to life as a 2k blu ray.

★★★★★

Edited January 31, 2022 by Yihetuan

[DrNgor]

14 hours ago, Cognoscente said:

It's strange that Golden Harvest would allow this yet Bruce Lee's movies were never allowed to be that long.

Well, the gamble was successful and it was Angela Mao's highest-grossing film.

[DrNgor]

On 6/10/2020 at 7:10 PM, ShawAngela said:

Damager : nice story about a Chinese acupuncturist. Does anyone know of an aka of this movie ? I thought that it was Chinese kung fu and acupuncture, but a quick look to hkmdb showed me that it's not the same movie

I don't know if anyone ever responded to this question, but according to the IMDB it's Chinese Acupuncture Kung Fu: https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=17272&display_set=eng

 

[nectarsis]

giving this one a whirl

 

[DiP]

Warriors Two (1978) - 9/10

[nectarsis]

[DiP]

The Prodigal Son - 9.5/10

[Chu Liu Hsiang]

PRODIGAL SON, too  

First watch, impressed! I hated the opera troup slaughter scene. I know these mood breakers are kinda mandatory but this one was extraordinarily nasty. 

[DrNgor]

25 minutes ago, Chu Liu Hsiang said:

I hated the opera troup slaughter scene. I know these mood breakers are kinda mandatory but this one was extraordinarily nasty. 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way.

[DrNgor]

On 7/9/2020 at 8:09 PM, tdb said:

She directed three other movies, Dark Lady of Kung Fu (1981), Wolf Devil Woman (1982), General Invincible (1983) that are all supposed to be worth a look. 

I tried watching Dark Lady of Kung Fu tonight but stopped after 42 minutes. It was just far too meandering, plotless, and unfunny (despite everybody but Roc Tien being played for laughs) to really get into. I might finish it later, but I can't see why I'd do that.

[sym8]

Warriors Two,for me still the greatest traditional Kung fu movie,was going on to watch Prodigal Son but my Xbox is playing up(picture keeps going grainy)so will have to wait.

[nectarsis]

[Drunken Monk]

The Return of the 18 Bronzemen (1976) - I put this one in the background while I worked and two things happened. First, I realized I had never seen it. Second, I ignored work and watched the entire thing. I did watch it dubbed though, in case I needed to follow along while I actually did some work.

I don't know what the general consensus is on this one but, for me, this is a bonafide 5-star classic. And this coming from someone who doesn't really like Carter Wong. Here he absolutely shines as he goes through trial after trial of grueling fights and feats of strength.
The plot is simple (is there actually one?). Carter Wong is a bad guy who goes to Shaolin to hone his skills. The rest of the film is one massive training sequence and it's glorious. This may be Joseph Kuo's finest direction as it's shot beautifully. And Eureka's remaster makes it vibrant and colorful. 

This one just did it for me. I honestly loved everything about it.

[DragonClaws]

 

 

[ShawAngela]

32 minutes ago, DragonClaws said:

 

 

This looks great ! I don't rememebr to have this movie in my collection...

[kuenfist]

Peking Man is a very good basher.  Great settings great fights !!! Liked it very much

[Chu Liu Hsiang]

DUEL TO THE DEATH - I am ashamed to admit that I had forgotten just HOW amazing this movie is. And visually stunning, upgrading to the Eureka bluray is really worthwhile. Sing Lam's fate makes me angry, another woman having to suffer because of some men's wrong ambitions. Grr!

[ShawAngela]

29 minutes ago, Chu Liu Hsiang said:

DUEL TO THE DEATH - I am ashamed to admit that I had forgotten just HOW amazing this movie is. And visually stunning, upgrading to the Eureka bluray is really worthwhile. Sing Lam's fate makes me angry, another woman having to suffer because of some men's wrong ambitions. Grr!

I still haven't watched this movie, though I have the Eureka release, and I think that I also had bought the HK Video dvd release in the 2000's !!

[Chu Liu Hsiang]

23 minutes ago, ShawAngela said:

I still haven't watched this movie, though I have the Eureka release, and I think that I also had bought the HK Video dvd release in the 2000's !!

Don't wait another decade to watch it! 

[Django]

 

42 minutes ago, ShawAngela said:

I still haven't watched this movie, though I have the Eureka release, and I think that I also had bought the HK Video dvd release in the 2000's !!

Bastard Swordsman or Five Element Ninjas are both better 🥴

[ShawAngela]

14 minutes ago, Django said:

 

Bastard Swordsman or Five Element Ninjas are both better 🥴

Off topic, but who is your avatar ?

[DragonClaws]

On 2/24/2022 at 1:44 PM, ShawAngela said:

This looks great ! I don't rememebr to have this movie in my collection...

 

On 2/24/2022 at 5:47 PM, kuenfist said:

Peking Man is a very good basher.  Great settings great fights !!! Liked it very much

 

I agree with @kuenfist comments, there is a nice train set fight sequence early in the film.