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

[DragonClaws]

Great to see you back Morgoth .

Edited October 8, 2015 by DragonClaws

[DrNgor]

Hey there, Morgoth! Glad to see you 'round these parts.

[Bruce Lee]

Crippled Avengers, love it

[Morgoth Bauglir]

Hey thanks guys.  Forum looks a bit weird to me but I'm getting used to it.  

[paimeifist]

My ninja!....terminator.

 

Morgoth, I wrote a review for Double Crossers my friend, check it out!

[Bus]

The Mighty Four and Clan of the White Lotus 

[Morgoth Bauglir]

My ninja!....terminator.

 

Morgoth, I wrote a review for Double Crossers my friend, check it out!

I saw that and I appreciate it.  I've never seen someone comment on Double Crossers.  Sounds like it's worth a watch.  I'll have to get it from you if we do a trade some time.  

[Lady Jin Szu-Yi]

Death Duel (1977) It was fun to see Ti Lung's Magic Blade character mirror the Third Master in wanting to give up that life. Lo Lieh stole the scene he was in, so much fun - the blood as war paint was such a great touch. And  LOLOLOL at David Chiang. He had waaaaay too much fun with that five minute cameo.  Outside of those cameos though, it wasn't my cup. 

 

Rewatched My Rebellious Son (1982) a uniquely sentimental film from Sun Chung. The theme is never forget where you came from, in this sense, what it means to be Chinese and stand up to foreigners etc. Fu Sheng did quite well here in his usual sweet comedic role and martial skills-wise too, especially after dealing with broken legs and worse.  It was a nice part for him. 

 

Of course, Chan Wai Man slapping his samurai comrades stupid in their display of martial skill remains the highlight of the movie for me.  What can I say? 

Edited October 10, 2015 by Lady Jin Szu-Yi

[Lady Jin Szu-Yi]

Flaming Swords - not my cup. Wasn't enough of a story or characterization for me.

 

The pan and scan crappy transfers from these black belt theatre / wu tang collection releases do not help. 

 

****

 

The Master Strikes Back (1984) Very squirm inducing Sun Chung wu xia about corruption and control in Phoenix Town.  Ti Lung's Kung Fu master Instructor Tong is brought there to whip the local military into top shape, but his bratty son -Tong Xiao Feng- easily riles up the locals including the awful Chief Constable (Chan Wai Man.)  When Xiao Feng is wrongly accused for stealing things go seriously downhill for Ti and his boy.  Castration is the method of extreme punishment here and boy is it horrific. These moments are shot with a horror film in mind (the old woman doing the castrating is something out of an Italian Horror film. She's very unsettling to look at.) Props to Sun Chung for making these scenes as repulsive as they had to be. 

 

Of course, the telling moment is when the Chief Constable mentions eye for an eye tactics against Inspector Tong. The ending is justice desserts no doubt. People are reduced to their most base insticts / emotions.

 

This is the second film where Sun Chung explores corruption and legal justice issues and while it's far more intimate (fewer characters, one location.) It's the one film of Sun Chung's that makes me uncomfortable in how absolutely awful people can be to each other.  The Master Strikes Back shows the lengths a parent must take to avenge their child.  Chan Wai Man really flashes his menacing Cheshire Cat grin here, a visual cue of how rotten a person his Chief Constable was. And like Ti Lung, both men performances get a bit too broad at some points, but it never took me out of the movie.

 

Not my favorite Sun Chung film because of how consistently unpleasant it is, but it's an interesting piece in his output.

[Secret Executioner]

Why is it I now want to see that Master strikes back film now ? Probably for the gruesome content, same as some Italian horror films (another comparison to these while discussing the film funny...).

[Lady Jin Szu-Yi]

Why is it I now want to see that Master strikes back film now ? Probably for the gruesome content, same as some Italian horror films (another comparison to these while discussing the film funny...).

It is very, very rough going. Sun Chung goes to great lengths to imply the castration and even that is a bit too much for me personally (and I've sat through many a brutal Italian horror film where they SHOW everything. My days of doing that are long over though.)  It's a not nice look at people who want to completely control their surroundings / situation. 

 

 

[DrNgor]

LONG STEP MANTIS - This was going to be my second October review, but it turns out that it wasn't the obscure Taiwanese film I was looking for and an alternate title to DYNAMITE TRIO instead. The comic segments are well choreographed, but the movie doesn't pick up until the last 30 minutes. Then we get a series of wonderfully-complex hand-based technique fights courtesy of Mark Lung and a supet bad Lung Fei, who fights with one hand a la CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE, but better. Choreographer Jackie Chen Siu Lung doesn't quite reach the heights of FEARLESS DRAGONS, but he comes close.

[DragonClaws]

Yessir 

 

Picked that up a few ago from my local £ store and recall it being very over the top in parts. Love how he uses his leg like a hammer to nail some of his enemies into the ground. Not to mention all the other random odd segments throughout the film. I'm sure Ive discussed this film with Morgoth before?.

 

You've sparked my interest in Long Step Mantis Doc, Love the a.k.a title Dynamite Trio, I think its a good title for an old school film.

Edited October 13, 2015 by DragonClaws

[SMK]

Hey thanks guys.  Forum looks a bit weird to me but I'm getting used to it.  

I haven't promoted this yet, but at the very bottom of the site you can change the theme of the forum to BASIC. It's a simplified, white background version of the forum. Maybe this will be more towards your liking. If you check it out, let me know. 

[Morgoth Bauglir]

That is a bit easier on the eyes.  I use my phone for internet so websites usually look different than on a computer.  SC36 is easy to navigate.  It looks much better than that yuku forum.  

[Morgoth Bauglir]

 

 

 

Picked that up a few ago from my local £ store and recall it being very over the top in parts. Love how he uses his leg like a hammer to nail some of his enemies into the ground. Not to mention all the over random odd segments throughout the film. I'm sure Ive discussed this film with Morgoth before?. 

 

Possibly.  But it's such a forgettable movie, I don't remember the movie or ever discussing it.  I do remember one part, a bad wire stunt where Casanova kicks a guy so hard he goes through the roof?

 

Edited October 13, 2015 by Morgoth Bauglir

[DragonClaws]

 

Possibly.  But it's such a forgettable movie, I don't remember the movie or ever discussing it.  I do remember one part, a bad wire stunt where Casanova kicks a guy so hard he goes through the roof?

 

 

Hi Morgoth, we will have to dust of the Ninja Terminator appreciation thread at some point.

 

That's right, there's some random moments thanks to some odd wire work. I'm sure he picks a guy up by his crotch and lifts him above his head in one fight?.

Edited October 13, 2015 by DragonClaws

[AlbertV]

Revisited one of my all time favorites, Kill or be Killed, the so-called "greatest Hollywood martial arts movie ever made"...only Hollywood didn't make this...it was South Africa  The fighting is JKA-style karate courtesy of Sensei Stan Schmidt and Shihan Norman Robinson, who also appear as two fighters on the team of the obsessed with winning Baron Von Rudloff. This was the film that introduced me to James Ryan, who was an actor who trained with Schmidt and Robinson and looked very convincing in his fights. Of course, he was doubled for his gymnastic style flips by Derrick Lotz, who appears in the film as a fighter from New York who joins Miyagi's team. 

 

Everyone knows there is a sequel, Kill and Kill Again, in which Ryan's character is named "Steve Chase". There are sources which call Ryan's character from the original Steve Chase, but actually his character's name in the film is "Steve Hunt" as revealed by Von Rudloff in a conversation with his right hand man with a heart of gold, Chico. 

[ShawAngela]

If I'm not mistaken, The loot is still available on yeasia, Joysales subbed version.

 

And if you want to see David Chiang and Norman Tsui together in a very good top action movie, try to get Dragon Killer 1977, a Chinese-Thai coproduction in which they are both excellent.

 

And thanks for the clip of The loot, it's still very enjoyable to see David Chiang in action !

[Lady Jin Szu-Yi]

If I'm not mistaken, The loot is still available on yeasia, Joysales subbed version.

 

And if you want to see David Chiang and Norman Tsui together in a very good top action movie, try to get Dragon Killer 1977, a Chinese-Thai coproduction in which they are both excellent.

 

And thanks for the clip of The loot, it's still very enjoyable to see David Chiang in action !

Unfortunately, YesAsia is long sold out of that Joysales copy of The Loot, but thank you for mentioning it. An actual copy of that Joystar in new condition of two films I'd go somewhat over my budget for...

 

I'll have to seek out Dragon Killer, Thanks for the tip ShawAngela.  I like  David and Norman as a team. 

Edited October 15, 2015 by Lady Jin Szu-Yi

[DragonClaws]

Revisited one of my all time favorites, Kill or be Killed, the so-called "greatest Hollywood martial arts movie ever made"...only Hollywood didn't make this...it was South Africa  The fighting is JKA-style karate courtesy of Sensei Stan Schmidt and Shihan Norman Robinson, who also appear as two fighters on the team of the obsessed with winning Baron Von Rudloff. This was the film that introduced me to James Ryan, who was an actor who trained with Schmidt and Robinson and looked very convincing in his fights. Of course, he was doubled for his gymnastic style flips by Derrick Lotz, who appears in the film as a fighter from New York who joins Miyagi's team. 

 

Everyone knows there is a sequel, Kill and Kill Again, in which Ryan's character is named "Steve Chase". There are sources which call Ryan's character from the original Steve Chase, but actually his character's name in the film is "Steve Hunt" as revealed by Von Rudloff in a conversation with his right hand man with a heart of gold, Chico. 

 

I have this on DVD Albert under the title Karate Kill. I think the sequel is the better of the two films. The first film gets a bit bogged down and is pretty much all filmed in one location. Saying that I did enjoy watching it and James Ryan wasn't too bad in the action scenes. His charisma and good physicality helps him pull of the role of action hero. Those films made a lot of money despite the very low budget and lack of star names. 

 

 

Edited October 14, 2015 by DragonClaws

[ShawAngela]

Maybe you could try there, then (vcd format only) :

 

https://www.buyoyo.com/buyoyo/eng/GlobalSearch.do?ProductType=all&KEYOPTION=Vname&ProductType2=-1&keyword=the+loot&x=0&y=0

 

 

[Lady Jin Szu-Yi]

ShawAngela,

 

thanks again! I'll give that a try when I get home. I'll have to do more research on if my Mac can play VCDs though. 

[paimeifist]

Fighting Ace

 

Pretty awesome movie. While the plot isn't much to speak of, it is filled with good fights. This isn't much of a surprise with Ricky Cheng Tien Chi and Wong Chi Sang in charge of the action with the likes of John Liu, Doris Lung, and Kwan Yung Moon performing. John Liu puts on a great performance throughout, showing his trademark 1 legged kicking ability (haha!), but mixing in quite a bit of solid hand to hand and even some weapons work as well. Kwan Yung Moon is awesome as usual, but unfortunately doesn't get much screen time. The whole cast is really good in the fights. Wu Ma has a cool cameo as a sam seedlike character, and puts in some nice fighting when not being doubled. I was not familiar with the main villain (Cliff Ching Ching) but he impressed me in the fights, and reminded me a bit of Wang Lung Wei with his powerful shapes and physicality. The finale between him John Liu, and Wang Tai Lung was awesome, especially a bit where he fights John Liu as Wang Tai Lung hangs on to one of his legs! I am not sure if it is the best fight of the film, as the kicking match between John Liu and Kwan Yung Moon earlier in the movie is pretty damn awesome, and the movie is filled with solid fights anyway.

 

Wong Chi Sang had a cameo appearance himself, having a nice fight with Cliff Ching Ching in the opening scene. I didn't catch Ricky Cheng Tien Chi, but I have to assume he was doubling at times, because there were some pretty awesome acrobatics being done by doubles.. Either he and/or Wang Tai Lung was pulling double duty here!

 

Worth a watch for the fights. I'll probably watch it again some time.

Edited October 20, 2015 by paimeifist

[DragonClaws]

 

 

Fighting Ace

 

Pretty awesome movie. While the plot isn't much to speak of, it is filled with good fights. This isn't much of a surprise with Ricky Cheng Tien Chi and Wong Chi Sang in charge of the action with the likes of John Liu, Doris Lung, and Kwan Yung Moon performing. John Liu puts on a great performance throughout, showing his trademark 1 legged kicking ability (haha!), but mixing in quite a bit of solid hand to hand and even some weapons work as well. Kwan Yung Moon is awesome as usual, but unfortunately doesn't get much screen time. The whole cast is really good in the fights. Wu Ma has a cool cameo as a sam seedlike character, and puts in some nice fighting when not being doubled. I was not familiar with the main villain (Cliff Ching Ching) but he impressed me in the fights, and reminded me a bit of Wang Lung Wei with his powerful shapes and physicality. The finale between him John Liu, and Wang Tai Lung was awesome, especially a bit where he fights John Liu as Wang Tai Lung hangs on to one of his legs! I am not sure if it is the best fight of the film, as the kicking match between John Liu and Kwan Yung Moon earlier in the movie is pretty damn awesome, and the movie is filled with solid fights anyway.

 

Wong Chi Sang had a cameo appearance himself, having a nice fight with Cliff Ching Ching in the opening scene. I didn't catch Ricky Cheng Tien Chi, but I have to assume he was doubling at times, because there were some pretty awesome acrobatics being done by doubles.. Either he and/or Wang Tai Lung was pulling double duty here!

 

Worth a watch for the fights. I'll probably watch it again some time.

 

I love how Liu's character learns from multiple masters and then keeps making excuses so he can go learn with another teacher. I wrote a short review for this back on the old SC36 forums.

 

Link- http://www.shaolinchamber36.com/kungfufandom/index.php?/topic/21042-fighting-ace-1979/

 

Edited October 20, 2015 by DragonClaws