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

[ShawAngela]

38 minutes ago, saltysam said:

Showdown At The Equator

Nora Miao and her dad own a restaurant, which gets trashed by local gangsters. While cleaning up a crazily drunk Larry Lee stumbles in, they sit him down, give him a glass of water and he immediately sobers up. He's looking for work and is also an expert fighter who starts whupping ass on these gangsters,who's boss is Lo Lieh. Meanwhile undercover cop Bruce Liang is snooping around. Highlights include Nora wielding nunchakus while fighting off baddies and smoothie Larry Lee trying to charm the pants of Nora. The print i watched was crap, semi wide but terrible picture with burnt in arabic subs.

This one deserves a better picture quality. I too have a just fair copy, likely the same as yours, I don't remember.

[Ronin]

The Majesty Cat (1975)

My obsession with Taiwanese wuxia continues. First off, the widescreen print that is floating around is definitely missing a significant amount of footage, so it's hard to make full sense of the story. Even so, I really enjoyed this and boy is it strange. The action scenes range from the completely ridiculous (in a good way), to slow and basic, and back around to surreal and totally over-the-top. This is definitely not a straightforward martial arts film. Tien Peng directs and stars. Surprised to see Chang Yi show up at one point. Would love to see this complete and remastered someday.

[clanarchy]

On 5/11/2023 at 7:37 PM, Super Ninja said:

One of Kuo's best and perhaps my fave of his after 7 Grandmasters. Choreo is ahead of its time. Fantastic stuff.

Would love another Kuo set with this and Swordsman Of All Swordsmen included. Keep dreaming I guess. I like what Eureka and 88 etc are doing but I’m personally not all that interested in what seems like rebooting the Hong Kong Legends catalogue with commentaries. I purchase and support them all, I even ordered the new Bruce set and I’m not even a fan but I’d much rather throw money at the classics that haven’t had multiple releases already. 

[Super Ninja]

3 hours ago, clanarchy said:

Would love another Kuo set with this and Swordsman Of All Swordsmen included. Keep dreaming I guess. I like what Eureka and 88 etc are doing but I’m personally not all that interested in what seems like rebooting the Hong Kong Legends catalogue with commentaries. I purchase and support them all, I even ordered the new Bruce set and I’m not even a fan but I’d much rather throw money at the classics that haven’t had multiple releases already. 

That's two of us then. Swordsman has a good chance of getting a fine release I'd say as the restored version is currently in circulation, but I haven't heard King of Kings getting the same amount of love sadly. 

[ironfistedmonk]

On 5/16/2023 at 4:05 PM, clanarchy said:

Would love another Kuo set with this and Swordsman Of All Swordsmen included. Keep dreaming I guess. I like what Eureka and 88 etc are doing but I’m personally not all that interested in what seems like rebooting the Hong Kong Legends catalogue with commentaries. I purchase and support them all, I even ordered the new Bruce set and I’m not even a fan but I’d much rather throw money at the classics that haven’t had multiple releases already. 

 

Yeah it does seem like they are just re-releasing the HKL stuff, I guess they are just playing safe, these releases sold before so they should sell again.

[Ronin]

Relentless Broken Blade (1979)

Another film that is just crying out for a nice remaster. The widescreen version I watched is bereft of color and the subtitles just barely keep you on top of the twisting plot, but I loved it. Really starting to appreciate Tien Ho now that I have seen him in a few films. Chi Kuan-Chun is always great and Shih Chung-Tien was excellent as the wandering monk. Had no idea that Phillip Ko was in this. I think I can safely say that I am now a fan of director Peng-Yi Chang. Really need to check out more of his films.

[Super Ninja]

4 hours ago, Ronin said:

Relentless Broken Blade (1979)

Another film that is just crying out for a nice remaster. The widescreen version I watched is bereft of color and the subtitles just barely keep you on top of the twisting plot, but I loved it. Really starting to appreciate Tien Ho now that I have seen him in a few films. Chi Kuan-Chun is always great and Shih Chung-Tien was excellent as the wandering monk. Had no idea that Phillip Ko was in this. I think I can safely say that I am now a fan of director Peng-Yi Chang. Really need to check out more of his films.

Man you have a great taste. First King of Kings, now this? My favorite Chang Peng-yi wuxia, what a movie! And you're right, it begs for a remaster. I'd recommend Clutch of Power, Awe Inspiring Weapon, Night Orchid and Shaolin Kung Fu Mystagogue. 

[Yihetuan]

On 4/9/2023 at 12:17 AM, Django said:

Shaolin Invincibles - AGFA / Vinegar Syndrome

Fantastic release of this bonkers indie. I have only seen it one time before, and that time it was the Tai Seng DVD but I thought it was great then aswell. Top performances from Chia Ling, Doris Lung and Carter Wong, but wait there's more - The end fight with Tan Tao-Liang and Jack Long! Two of my top favorite guys in their prime time - all presented in glorious HD in a roughed up print with burnt in subs, just the way I like it. 

***** 

I rewatched Shaolin Invincibles for the first time in a long time thanks to the new AGFA blu ray and it made think of the 'other' underappreciated primate martial arts film, King Kung Fu. Anyone else want to see a remastered HD version of this movie?

@SMK, thanks for fixing the issue.

Edited May 20, 2023 by Yihetuan
added trailer

[Chu Liu Hsiang]

@Super Ninja@Ronin are MAJESTY CAT and RELENTLESS BROKEN SWORD available on dvd somewhere? I saw they are on youtube ..

[Ronin]

7 minutes ago, Chu Liu Hsiang said:

@Super Ninja@Ronin are MAJESTY CAT and RELENTLESS BROKEN SWORD available on dvd somewhere? I saw they are on youtube ..

Not officially, no. I believe the rips I have (I watch everything off of hard drives now) were from custom-made DVDs that I got from ADC a while back. These were obviously sourced from old beaten-up theatrical film prints that someone must have had scanned and transferred to DVD. Both films deserve much better treatment. If the YouTube uploads are widescreen they are probably stolen from these exact custom DVDs.

[Ronin]

22 hours ago, Super Ninja said:

Man you have a great taste. First King of Kings, now this? My favorite Chang Peng-yi wuxia, what a movie! And you're right, it begs for a remaster. I'd recommend Clutch of Power, Awe Inspiring Weapon, Night Orchid and Shaolin Kung Fu Mystagogue. 

Thanks! I love crazy swordplay films (the crazier the better) and I am trying to catch up on my huge backlog of titles, especially the films from Taiwan. Thanks for the recommendations, I think I have all of those except for CLUTCH OF POWER. I have seen NIGHT ORCHID and loved it.

[Chu Liu Hsiang]

54 minutes ago, Ronin said:

Not officially, no. I believe the rips I have (I watch everything off of hard drives now) were from custom-made DVDs that I got from ADC a while back. These were obviously sourced from old beaten-up theatrical film prints that someone must have had scanned and transferred to DVD. Both films deserve much better treatment. If the YouTube uploads are widescreen they are probably stolen from these exact custom DVDs.

thank you!

[Super Ninja]

4 hours ago, Chu Liu Hsiang said:

@Super Ninja@Ronin are MAJESTY CAT and RELENTLESS BROKEN SWORD available on dvd somewhere? I saw they are on youtube ..

I have the Far East Flix DVD, not aware of a better physical copy, wish there were. The version on YT is pretty much the same as the one you can dl, and that's also the version available on DVD, the one with burnt-in subs. One version, I think the one on YT, had a little fan work done, someone tried restoring the image, it's somewhere around the Phillip Ko fight if I remember correctly, that part was quite damaged.

[Chu Liu Hsiang]

1 hour ago, Super Ninja said:

I have the Far East Flix DVD, not aware of a better physical copy, wish there were. The version on YT is pretty much the same as the one you can dl, and that's also the version available on DVD, the one with burnt-in subs. One version, I think the one on YT, had a little fan work done, someone tried restoring the image, it's somewhere around the Phillip Ko fight if I remember correctly, that part was quite damaged.

thanks! I wish these movies would get more attention but it's probably a niche within a niche. well one can always hope.

 

[shukocarl1441996347]

The Cannibals (1972?). Now, I've always liked Chang Yi, so this film should have been right up my street. Directed by Kao Po Shu - the lady director of The Desperate Chase, and the young 'Kenny' from that film is in this! Alas you can't polish a turd and this one IMHO is a big steaming one. Chang Yi spends w-a-y too much time off the screen and even when we get to the climatic fisticuffs- it's not good. Choreography is poor. Punches and kicks miss by a mile and the samey type moves just go on and on. 

[Jizzmaster Jerry]

Five Fighters from Shaolin.  Why can’t somebody make a movie like this again?  I guess there’s Gallants.  Watched that too many times now.  I want a young-ish cast.  Young but a ton of experience from all the actors and everybody else.  And they have to be the best performers.  Only A class experienced performers. And everybody behind the camera needs to be brilliant and inventive.  It needs to be a great movie.  And everybody needs to work for very little pay.  
 

I just don’t think something this special will come along again.  

 

Edited May 26, 2023 by Jizzmaster Jerry

[saltysam]

The Invincible Kung Fu Trio

It takes a special talent to make a martial arts flick featuring Meng Fei,Kam Kong,John Liu and Angela Mao so boring but it's somehow happened here. Not good at all, even the widescreen custom with burnt in subs i watched didn't really improve it.

Fatal Flying Guillotines

Carter Wong up against Guillotine expert Chen Sing is not as good as it sounds. Very nice print on the german Blu with a choice of dub or mandarin with subs.

Edited May 29, 2023 by saltysam

[Django]

Tiger And Crane Fist

First time watch! Loved it. For me it's up there with Master of the Flying Guillotine as Wang Yu's best. 

[saltysam]

Black Panther

Chen Sing is framed at the airport by his buddies Shan Mao & Lung Fei , he's put in nick and refuses to say a word during his imprisonment. After lots more dodgeiness he escapes and goes after those who fitted him up,who's boss is Yusaki Kurata. There's nothing more iconic in 70's basher cinema than an enraged good guy Chen Sing losing his shit,he's much better in these than some of the costume Taiwanese movies he did.And one early scene from this was definitely nabbed by JC for Police Story.

[Drunken Monk]

The Red Phoenix (1978) - Recently watched the German Blu Ray release. Firstly, it looked incredible. It's also a massively enjoyable film. A very simply mystery with a fight scene every five minutes. David Chiang isn't my favorite on screen fighter but he does a decent job here. Throw in Lo Lieh, Polly Shang Kwan and Jack Long and you have some serious talent on board. I'd never seen this one and I'm SO glad I bought it. I need to watch the extended cut next but it might be a little while before I get to that.

[Yihetuan]

The Bionic Boy - Dir. Leody Diaz [1977] (Philippines)

Gave this a re-watch the other night and still as enjoyable as ever. What a great idea of merging two hits of the 70s (Enter the Dragon and The Six Million Dollar Man) with the added novelty of the main hero being a little kid. Even though it doesn't quite live up to its awesome premise for a variety of reasons; it's still a pretty fun movie. Yes, the "bionic" effects are just slo-mo action scenes of Johnson Yap & the finale becomes more of a gunfest than showcasing Yap's martial arts prowess but there was some cool pyrotechnics and stunt work.

There was a sequel in name only, Dynamite Johnson aka Return of the Bionic Boy but it wasn't as entertaining as The Bionic Boy. The sequel was a showcase for Marrie Lee of Cleopatra Wong fame and Johnson Yap wasn't utilized as much and that was disappointing even though it had its moments too and wasn't a complete bust of a movie.

I have the German CMV Laservision dvd that features both films and it's decent quality. It'd be nice to have a true HD remastered version of this movie.

 

[saltysam]

Fists Of The Double K

Though the Chen Sing classics are up there, this for me is the godfather of early 70's basher movies. It's got a solid hero in Henry Yue, despicable villains, a great score and excellent fight scenes. Henry's battle with Pigtail Lang is superb, and the quarry set climax featuring Fang Yeh and his incredible whip skills is fantastic. The german DVD is about the best at the moment, if Mr Worth could find and release this in HD then i'd forgive him for the Bruceploitation book debacle.

[Josh Baker]

Bruce and the Iron Finger- plot is a meaningless clothes line to hang pretty great fight sequences on choreographed by Bruce Leung, with added weirdness in having the main antagonist having to maintain celibacy in order to obtain full martial power.

Tattoo Connection- watched it again last night, still love this movie and Jim Kelly's uber-cheesy suaveness. If a company was interested I would like a new English dub and a HD widescreen restoration, with an actor dubbing Kelly who doesn't suck the life out of his on screen charisma.

[Django]

53 minutes ago, Josh Baker said:

Tattoo Connection- watched it again last night, still love this movie and Jim Kelly's uber-cheesy suaveness. If a company was interested I would like a new English dub and a HD widescreen restoration, with an actor dubbing Kelly who doesn't suck the life out of his on screen charisma.

What versions are available of this film?

[Josh Baker]

8 minutes ago, Django said:

What versions are available of this film?

Only ones I've found are pan and scan crops. There was one letterboxed I found but it looked cropped from the pan and scan version and in poor quality.

The highest quality version I've found is a pan and scan TV rip on YouTube but its unfortunately awkwardly censored.