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

[DrNgor]

Drunken Master, Slippery Snake (1979):

 

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by DrNgor

[DrNgor]

Spiritual Kung Fu (1978) - According to Jackie Chan: Inside the Dragon, this was produced in 1978 but not immediately released, because it took a few months for Lo Wei to scrounge up the money to do so--it was released that year, while Jackie's Seasonal films were in production. It was his second attempt at a kung fu comedy, following the shelved (at the time) Half a Loaf of Kung Fu. It suffers from some large flaws, mainly stemming from the pacing, as it takes 40 minutes for the story to get going and almost an hour for Jackie to do some real fighting. That said, I like this movie far more than I probably should. The fight between Jackie and the Lo Han pole formation is really good (the defunct Wasted Life website included it among their 100 best fights of all time) and I don't think I've seen James Tien do better work than here. That, I'm just a sucker for films that showcase the five animals technique, which is Jackie's style of choice here. The last third or so is gold, but mileage will certainly vary on the rest.

Edited August 4, 2017 by DrNgor
grammar

[bobostilllives]

FIGHT FOR GLORY--- recently watched this david chiang movie on youtube.  it was english dubbed. sword fighting mostly--pretty good.

[Tex Killer]

whiplash. Cheng Pei Pei is looking for his father and is joined by 7 crooks(against their will)...Eventually they find him at mountains but bucket has been kicked...

This is quite odd film. One moment (most of) gang are trying to rape CPP, few minutes later they are like nothing happened. There is midget, boa, quite a lot singing and below average martial arts(although some moments are ok and CPP kicks quite nicely).

But on plus side Pei Pei has never looked hotter, this time her appearance is not formal. For that movie is worth seeing at least once.

 

[DrNgor]

Iron Monkey (1977)

 

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by DrNgor

[DragonClaws]

3 hours ago, DrNgor said:

Iron Monkey (1977) - I got this for Christmas back in 1998 and dismissed it as being "too slow" (the choreography, not the pacing) when I saw it. Revisiting it almost 20 years later, I respect the film a lot more than I did back then. Long story short: Chen Kuan Tai plays a wastrel named "Iron" whose father is part of your average anti-Qing movement. One of the rebels (Wilson Tong) is actually a Qing agent in disguise and Iron's family is arrested and subsequently executed. Iron is left to fend for himself, and goes to the forest near Shaolin to live and forage for food. One of the laymen studying there, played by Chi Kuan-Chun, invites him to the temple to study. After basic training, he goes to the East Chamber to study the Monkey Fist with the "bitter monk". Several years later, he completes his training and goes undercover as a Qing enforcer in order to ferret out the warlord (played by Kam Kong) who ordered his family's execution.

Good write up dude, reviewed this one for the animals styles themed mutual reviews in 2015. Apart from the finale, there's little I can recall about it, other than being just an average old school flick.

[DrNgor]

1 hour ago, DragonClaws said:

Good write up dude, reviewed this one for the animals styles themed mutual reviews in 2015. Apart from the finale, there's little I can recall about it, other than being just an average old school flick.

Thanks. I'll go back and read your review. I too think it's average on the whole, despite it having a surprisingly strong following. Go figure.

[DragonClaws]

23 hours ago, DrNgor said:

I too think it's average on the whole, despite it having a surprisingly strong following. Go figure.

Amazed about the strong following too Doc, it's not a movie I've noticed people discussing/recommending online.

 

23 hours ago, DrNgor said:

Thanks. I'll go back and read your review.

Sure I wrote it pre-2016, so it should still be on the forums.

[DragonClaws]

Dug out my copy of Magnificent Butcher, for @DrNgor mutual monthly reviews thread. Anyone interested in my thoughts, just click on the link below, to access the full review, thank you.

Wai Pak and Yuen Biao, show their support for Sammo Hung.

Watched the movie?, get the shirt, 36 Styles have created a great Magnificent Butcher inspired t-shirt design. Available in a variety of styles and colors, for both men and women.

Link- http://www.shaolinchamber36.com/magnificent-butcher-train-hard-tank-top/

 

Edited August 17, 2017 by DragonClaws

[Rodolphe Dux]

Fate of Lee Khan. Always amazed how awesome King HU is and how brilliant was the Chinese and HK cinema. It's good to have that kind of reminder.

[DragonClaws]

(Re-Post)

I originally posted this write-up just before the server got hacked last week. Here's the link for anyone who missed it first time round.

[ShaOW!linDude]

The Tattoo Connection (1978)
Stars: Jim Kelly, Dorian Tan Tao-Liang, Chan Sing, Bolo Yeung, Chiang Tao.
Action Director: Bruce Leung Siu-Lung.

I've stumbled across used copies of this for years and was just never interested in it. Finally picked it up. It wasn't that bad. It was pretty decent. The choreography wasn't any great shakes, just fairly standard, but there's a lot of fight scenes. Actually this is almost more Dorian Tan's vehicle that it is Kelly's fight-wise. Still, it's a solid flick, and the finale is worth the money paid for a used copy. So if you're into some Blaxploitation action out of curiosity or for nostalgia's sake, this is a good to check out.

[DragonClaws]

On 06/10/2017 at 11:23 PM, ShaOW!linDude said:

The Tattoo Connection (1978)
Stars: Jim Kelly, Dorian Tan Tao-Liang, Chan Sing, Bolo Yeung, Chiang Tao.
Action Director: Bruce Leung Siu-Lung.

Always had a soft spot for this, despite a lot of the more sleazy parts. One of the best casts of Martail Arts stars ever assembled.

It was sold in the U.K as a Black Belt Jones sequel, which might alter your expectations. I still have the exact same bootleg DVD release I picked up over a decade ago. The print is full screen and realy worn out, but it just added to the charm for some reason. That said, it would be enjoyed a lot more in widescreen.

 

[Killer Meteor]

The veddy British dubbing really detracts from the soul funk factor.

[DrNgor]

2 hours ago, DragonClaws said:

Always had a soft spot for this, despite a lot of the more sleazy parts. One of the best casts of Martail Arts stars ever assembled.

 

Yeah, those sleazy parts killed it for me. It felt so mysogynistic that I just had a bad taste in my mouth afterward.

[DragonClaws]

18 hours ago, DrNgor said:

Yeah, those sleazy parts killed it for me. It felt so mysogynistic that I just had a bad taste in my mouth afterward.

There's the random racing car picture inserts too, that are used when Chan Sing assualts Tan Tao Liangs on-screen girfriend. Not sure if they were in the original cut?, or used to censor some of the more graphic shots?.

 

[DragonClaws]

Filled some spare time today, by re-visiting this old school actioner Death Duel Of Mantis.

If you'd like to view my ramblings on this title, please click on the link below, thank you.

[saltysam]

Snake In The Monkey's Shadow - For the first hour or so this is your typical light hearted student/teacher fare but then it turns quite dark. John Chang is pretty good in the "Jackie" role and there's some good fights here. The new german dvd has an english dub and is a nice anamorphic print with some inserts, it also has the animal cruelty sequence i could've done without   appreciate it's an important polt point and without it the climax would not make sense but i wish they could've just staged it.

[DragonClaws]

 

Any Kung Fu Fandom reader's who missed this Enter The Ninja review first time round, can access it by clicking on the link below, thank you.

[DragonClaws]

 

Here's my final contribution to this months mutual monthly review theme. Any Kung Fu Fandom readers, who would  like to read my ramblings, please click on the link provided.

Edited October 31, 2017 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

Re-visisted The Secrets Of Chinese Kung Fu recently, and wrote down a lengthy ramble about it.

Any Kung Fu Fandom followers/readers, can view my thoughts by clicking on the link below, thank you.

[saltysam]

The Dumb Ox-  Here's a rarity, Lung Fei in a movie featuring neither Jimmy Wang Yu or Bruce Li other than that he's his usual villainous self in this entertaining actioner starring Kam Kong as the title character. The Asia Line german dvd looks very nice,scope with a clear english dub.

[ShaOW!linDude]

2 Great Cavaliers

[Killer Meteor]

Instant Kung Fu Man (1977)

Early kung fu comedy with John Liu and Hwang Jang-Lee kept on the sidelines for the most part whilst two Yip Fei-yangs (one a crook, one a lazy Shaolin student) mess around - whatever happened to him anyway? It's actually fairly funny but lacks the universal appeal that makes the subsequent Jackie Chan Seasonal films so impressive.

Awesome use of the title theme from How Was The West Was Won!

6/10

 

The Return of Bruce (1977)

Bruce Le in Manila for assorted kung fu hi-jinks. Nothing special, some good fights, and this film's version of Wei Ping-ao makes him seem like Stallone - is it possible to be limp waisted as well as limp wristed?

4/10

 

Stranger from Canton (1973)

Very violent basher, released theatrically in the US as The Karate Killer, with Jason Pai Paio figghting some especially loathsome Ching villians (kind of a rarity prior to the Shaolin cycle started the following year). Terrific action and atmoshphere, but minus some points for the icky child torture scene

7/10

 

 

[lilmanjs]

The Fate of Lee Kahn

King Hu didn't make a movie that you could say is horrible, from what I've seen. This is another Dragon Inn style movie and it works, maybe not as well, but still does. I like how the cast of characters in the Inn make you think who is really who and there are some good downright funny moments before Lee Khan shows up. I like the general who shows up in the Inn and tries to get away with not paying for his meal. The payoff later when Lee Khan is killing off people after he shows up made me laugh. I wonder who's idea most of the shots in the final sequence of fights were cause there are a lot of wonky shots that destroy the pacing of the fights.