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

[DragonClaws]

When the Shaw Brothers films first came to Brazil, they were mad expensive (about 40-60 BRL). It took a couple of years for some of them to become cheap at certain DVD houses around the city (although a lot of them still sell for high prices on the Brazilian equivalente of E-bay). The distributor then re-released some of them with new covers, and they were a lot cheaper the second time around. Sadly, there were some movies that ended up not being included in the second wave:

The Blade (not Shaw, but still released at the same time)

Black Sheep Affair (idem.)

Burning Paradise (idem.)

Five Shaolin Masters

Two Champions of Shaolin

Invincible Shaolin

Shaolin Handlock

Shaolin Executioners

Heroes Two

Deadly Mantis

Come Drink With Me

Shaolin Prince

...and a few others

Hi DrNgor, is Black Sheep Affair the one with Chiu Man Chuk & Shu Qi?.

IMPACT magazine ran a few articles about the Celestial releasing the Shaws classics. I was pretty hyped at the time because Id heard so much about them but watched very little. By the time they came out I had gone to University and I didn't have much disposable income for buying HK films or much else that I collected.

Can anyone confirm for me if Carter Wong staged the fights scenes in Kung Fu Arts?. I asked this after writing some brief thoughts on the film last week.

[masterofoneinchpunch]

...

Can anyone confirm for me if Carter Wong staged the fights scenes in Kung Fu Arts?. I asked this after writing some brief thoughts on the film last week.

Yes. Under the name of Huang Chia-Da. HKMDB has this listed as well as the credit image up for martial art director.

[DrNgor]

Hi DrNgor, is Black Sheep Affair the one with Chiu Man Chuk & Shu Qi?.

Yes. I'm apparently one of the three people in this world who really, really like that movie. It was released stateside as Another Meltdown, thus passing it off as a sequel to Meltdown/High Risk, which is understandable (if you tilt your head and squint a little), since both films feature Mainland wushu stylists fighting terrorists.

[masterofoneinchpunch]

.. Lion vs. Lion - On one hand, Tyrone "The King of Sticks" Hsu and Chin Yuet-Sang give us some of the greatest old school action ever, especially in the one-two punch that is Johnny Wang Lung-Wei's duels with Chin (great chain whip fighting) and Sharon Yeung Pan Pan (who wields a mean knife). On the other hand, the story is crappy, the movie spins its wheels too much in the first half (and it's not very interesting), the finale is rushed to the point that it barely makes sense, Wang Yue's talents are wasted, and the title refers to a 10-minute sequence near the hour mark that really doesn't describe the film as a whole (bad B-movie titling there, folks). Thomas Weisser wrote in Asian Cult Cinema that this is the ultimate film about Lion Dancing, but I wouldn't go that far. The Young Master and Dreadnaught have scenes that are on par with this film, and the James Bondian lions in OUATIC 3 are more entertaining than this.

Here is a film I really need to rewatch. I was so enamored with the fight scenes the only time I saw it I had a higher opinion of it than most that I read here. But I never dissected the logic of the movie.

I know several reviewers that have a lower opinion of Thomas Weisser than Ric Meyers. Brian (from HKMDB and a few other sites) put a list of errata from that book that was huge. It was one of the reasons I never picked up that book. But it seemed from the errors than many films he just did not watch.

[DrNgor]

I know several reviewers that have a lower opinion of Thomas Weisser than Ric Meyers. Brian (from HKMDB and a few other sites) put a list of errata from that book that was huge. It was one of the reasons I never picked up that book. But it seemed from the errors than many films he just did not watch.

I appreciated that his book had a section (a movie guide within a movie guide) just for old school kung fu movies. I thought that was particularly neat, even if I didn't give it the attention I should've at the time.

[DragonClaws]

Yes. Under the name of Huang Chia-Da. HKMDB has this listed as well as the credit image up for martial art director.

Thank you MOTOIP, I didn't know the films original title and could not find it on HKMDB under Kung Fu Arts

Yes. I'm apparently one of the three people in this world who really, really like that movie. It was released stateside as Another Meltdown, thus passing it off as a sequel to Meltdown/High Risk, which is understandable (if you tilt your head and squint a little), since both films feature Mainland wushu stylists fighting terrorists.

I liked the film too, so you are now a part of the four only people in the world to like it. I'd only just left school when I bought the HKL VHS release. It's not the greatest example of Asian action cinema buts its far from the worst. Ken Lo and Shu Qi's presence might make me a little more biased though.

[thekfc]

......................

I liked the film too, so you are now a part of the four only people in the world to like it. I'd only just left school when I bought the HKL VHS release. It's not the greatest example of Asian action cinema buts its far from the worst. Ken Lo and Shu Qi's presence might make me a little more biased though.

Make that part of the five only people in the world to like it.

[Killer Meteor]

Thank you MOTOIP, I didn't know the films original title and could not find it on HKMDB under Kung Fu Arts

I liked the film too, so you are now a part of the four only people in the world to like it. I'd only just left school when I bought the HKL VHS release. It's not the greatest example of Asian action cinema buts its far from the worst. Ken Lo and Shu Qi's presence might make me a little more biased though.

The HKL trailer made it look like the greatest movie ever. I still love that trailer!

08GQxZoSh-4

[One Armed Boxer]

The HKL trailer made it look like the greatest movie ever. I still love that trailer!

Tell me about it! The HKL trailers were always awesome, pretty sure a lot of people who were unfamiliar with HK movies and picked up one of their DVD's would probably get hooked just based on watching the trailers alone, which their disc's always came loaded with.

I wonder how many other people out there bought this movie based on the missile through the van shot at 1:09 - 1:14 in the trailer? I did!

[DragonClaws]

Make that part of the five only people in the world to like it.

It appears the film has some more support on the forums:smile:. The HKL VHS releases had the trailers on befor the main feature. After seeing the trailer for BSA on the their release of Hitman I went out and bought it. At the time Blockbuster Video were selling the Videos cheap as DVD was really starting to take off.

[Ramji]

I've always rated Black Sheep Affair personally. Chiu Man Chuk's best imo albeit not seen much of his tv work.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Make that part of the five only people in the world to like it.

Make me #7 after Ramji. I remember this as being pretty good, though I think I thought the end fight had some issues. I'd have to watch it again.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

I found Blacksheep Affair average-below average. It does have an awesome prison shower fight scene. A couple more fights like that would have have made it much more watchable.

[the moose]

The Black Sheep Affair is below par for me too. And the Chinese propaganda in the movie makes me cringe. The action is pretty decent courtesy of Ching Siu Tung, but it doesn't have anyrthing else going for it.

I've always rated Black Sheep Affair personally. Chiu Man Chuk's best imo albeit not seen much of his tv work.

You mean you rate the black sheep affair over the Blade??!!

[Ramji]

Damn, How could I forget the Blade...

But in some ways the action is better in BSA? Is it sacrilegious to say that? I think the Black Sheep Affair is the best showcase of Chiu Man Chuk's physical abilities, I really like the kickboxing action with the wushu flair, he's really on top form and takes a few nasty falls as well showing his versatility. Yeah there's some awkward wires but there's some pretty decent grounded stuff too and 98 was a pretty dry year for action. The fight in the ally in Body Weapon was good but doesn't top this imo.

The Blade is obviously a miles better film than BSA for sure haha. One of Tsui Harks best. This discussion should be in the modern section?

You know thinking about it there's a case for Fong Sai Yuk being the best movie he's been involved in but I consider that a Jet film primarily. Awesome film though.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

Off the top of my head Mahjong Dragon is my fav. Not a great movie but i pop it in once every couple years.

[Coliseum1972]

I just saw Black Dragon , any other good Jason Pai films ?

[DrNgor]

I just saw Black Dragon , any other good Jason Pai films ?

He was great in Hell's Wind Staff and Shaolin Intruders. He was also the main star and pretty solid in Demon Strike, which pits him and Leung Kar-Yan against Legendary Superkicker Hwang Jang Lee.

[Ramji]

Off the top of my head Mahjong Dragon is my fav. Not a great movie but i pop it in once every couple years.

Ahh Mahjong Dragon, another of his I forgot about, not doing too well am I as that's one I've not seen! Looking forward if it's his fighting best?

Watched Dragon Claws last night, wasn't hugely taken with it but that's perhaps due to the terrible dub. Of course there's still some nifty bootwork from Hwang Jang Lee and also some fun dinner time antics between Yuen Qiu and Jimmy Liu. Pretty good end fight although I didn't like the toad style antics that much.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

Mahjong Dragon- I don't know if fighting wise it's his best, but he looks great and he fights Ken Lo. Good movie. Definitely one that you want in your collection.

[DrNgor]

Mahjong Dragon- I don't know if fighting wise it's his best, but he looks great and he fights Ken Lo. Good movie. Definitely one that you want in your collection.

I thought Zhao Wen-Zhuo's moves were flashier in Blacksheep Affair, but the final fight in Mahjong Dragon is one of my favorite fights, period.

[Lone Wolf]

Had to re watch the invincible armor from 1977 yesterday. Hwang Jang-Lee was a total bad ass in that film...but when isn't he.

[Coliseum1972]

Black Dragon 4.5/6

Hells wind staff 4/6 , the end fight was a bit OTT lol

[DragonClaws]

Ahh Mahjong Dragon, another of his I forgot about, not doing too well am I as that's one I've not seen! Looking forward if it's his fighting best?

Watched Dragon Claws last night, wasn't hugely taken with it but that's perhaps due to the terrible dub. Of course there's still some nifty bootwork from Hwang Jang Lee and also some fun dinner time antics between Yuen Qiu and Jimmy Liu. Pretty good end fight although I didn't like the toad style antics that much.

Ive noticed Dragon Claws gets a lot of negative comments but I just cant recall much about the film. When M.I.A released this & Born Invincible I rented them both out one weekend. I need to re-watch these two at some point.

Black Dragon 4.5/6

Hells wind staff 4/6 , the end fight was a bit OTT lol

I'm sure Hells Wind Staff was based on a comic book?. I recall the finale being a bit nuts with Hwang Jang Lee facing off against multiple attackers at the same time.

Had to re watch the invincible armor from 1977 yesterday. Hwang Jang-Lee was a total bad ass in that film...but when isn't he.

It's a great independent Kung Fu movie.

[Lone Wolf]

Ahh Mahjong Dragon, another of his I forgot about, not doing too well am I as that's one I've not seen! Looking forward if it's his fighting best?

Watched Dragon Claws last night, wasn't hugely taken with it but that's perhaps due to the terrible dub. Of course there's still some nifty bootwork from Hwang Jang Lee and also some fun dinner time antics between Yuen Qiu and Jimmy Liu. Pretty good end fight although I didn't like the toad style antics that much.

Yeah I know how a bad copy of a film will affect my opinion about it. If you look at my sig you can find an awesome copy of Dragon's Claws there. I enjoyed the movie myself!