Member Secret Executioner Posted June 4, 2015 Member Share Posted June 4, 2015 There are so many! As far as golden age goes though. My Young Auntie, Come Drink with Me, Thundering Mantis, Drunken Tai Chi, Return to the 36th Chamber, Five Element Ninjas, Crippled Avengers, I could go on and on. These are just a few that get played often. Some nice titles in there. I have found that with Kung Fu Films, and not as much in other genres, the sequels are often as good if not better then original. For example, as much as I love and respect The 36 Chambers of Shaolin. I find myself re-watching Return to the 36 Chambers more often. I love the creativity and humor. Excellent point, and a very good example. I too find myself preferring Return To The 36th Chamber over the original, mainly for the reasons you mentionned (the top-notch comedy and the creativity involved, especially with the scaffolding Fu). Another good example of sequel superior to the original in Fu cinema would be Master Of The Flying Guillotine being head and shoulders (no pun intended) above One Armed Boxer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member The Taiji Pirate Posted June 4, 2015 Member Share Posted June 4, 2015 Absolutely! I also forgot to mention, Crazy Horse Intelligent Monkey that movie is so gnarley, the sound effects alone are worth watching it for. A case can be made for Once upon a time in China II (as far as being as good or better the the first) The second bastard swordsman was a good call. And as far as Newer school movie Wu Xia aka Dragon with Donnie Yen gets watched a lot I love that movie! I also watched a movie last night for the first time that I will revisit soon -Shogun's Ninja 1980... If you havn't seen it I recommend it.. oh my goodness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted June 5, 2015 Member Share Posted June 5, 2015 CHIM is indeed a pretty enjoyable one, especially in the last third when Chi Kuan Chun comes up with the Horse style - the sound effects and the way he comes up with it floored me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted June 8, 2015 Member Share Posted June 8, 2015 Beach Of The War Gods (HK, 1973) The trailer didn't lie: it's a huge one. Starting out the way a Western would (a lonely stranger drops in a town with wind blowing and dust flying), it quickly cuts to action when Japanese drop in and the stranger battles them and make the remaining few run away. He later goes to recruit experts to train the population and so they can fight the Japanese on the nearby beach. While the plot of Chinese resistance against Japanese oppressors may seem done to death, this film has a twist in that it's not just a bunch of MA-trained fighters that we see, but entire armies. And being a Wang Yu flick, we get our lot of colorful characters: a guy fighting with a pair of short spears, another one who uses a pair of shields (Captain China ?) and a knife-throwing mercenary who looks like some of those mexican dudes in Spaghetti Westerns for the good guys, a bunch of guys wearing strange masks beating drums during the battles in the Japanese army. I couldn't believe that LITERALLY half the film was a giant battle in the little town, but it happened and it was very well-executed. The various weapons and some techniques (Reflecting technique, really ?!), the costumes and the planning of the battle are nice and creative, and the gore is pretty nice though a bit gruesome at time. The only nitpick I'd have is that the sound seems of average - if not bad at times - quality on the Jimmy Wang Yu Collection set. Not sure if it's an issue with the copy or the film itself, but the sound seemed low and distorted at points, especially in some outdoors scenes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Hei Meigui Posted June 11, 2015 Member Share Posted June 11, 2015 Movies I watch and re-watch again old new and not really Fu! (not in any particular order) and yes I reached out of the 90's! Dirty Ho Crippled Avengers Iron Monkey New Legend Of Shaolin (Jet Li) Wing Chun (with Michele Yeoh and Donnie Yen) Reign of Assassins Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame Young Detective Dee and the Rise of the Sea Dragon Brotherhood of Blades the scene in Hero with Jet Li and Donnie Yen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted June 14, 2015 Member Share Posted June 14, 2015 A good chunk of those are past 1990, but still one nice list (I like the Detective Dee films and Hero notably, and the Shaws you're mentionning are on my wantlist). Watched today: 18 Swirling Riders (Taiwan, 1980) - or 18 Shaolin Riders, a 1977 movie (according to the Kickin' It Shaolin Style set I watched this from) OMG, that was BAD. Dragged like crazy (the trailer promised an endless climax and it is indeed endless - in that you think it will never fucking end), confused as hell (the awkward editing that seems to skip bits or replay some all the time doesn't help - but I assume the copy used on the set was just very crappy) and it's completely unentertaining with uninteresting characters (you're not even sure who you're supposed to root for anyway), lackluster action... Hell, I nearly fell asleep and it runs only 75 minutes. Lo Lieh is in this, not sure what he's doing here - but his character isn't that great and only has a couple of scenes. For sure he isn't even a reason to watch this. Easily the worst film from the Kickin' It Shaolin Style set, and far worse than anything I've seen on the Flying Fists one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member legendarycurry Posted June 14, 2015 Member Share Posted June 14, 2015 rewatched Kickboxer (1989) starring Van Damme, I still think it is one of his best films. Still funny to me how Tong Po, the films psychotic villain is being played by an actor named Tong Po and being credit in the film "as himself. I wonder if that hurt his career Edit: I have also revisited Dragon Lord with Jackie Chan. And I saw a film i hadn't seen before called "King Of The Streets" very underwhelming martial arts movie from Mainland China, not recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member sym8 Posted June 18, 2015 Member Share Posted June 18, 2015 RECENTLY WATCHED SECRET SERVICE OF THE IMPERIAL COURT,A SHAW BROS MOVIE DRECTED BY Tony Liu Jun-Guk AND STARRING LEUNG KAR YAN AND LO LIEH.NOT TOO BAD A STORY BUT WHAT LETS THE MOVIE DOWN IS THE UNDERCRANKING DURING SOME OF THE FIGHT SCENES ITS SPED UP SO MUCH IT LOOKS STUPID,I KNOW THEY ALL USE UNDERCRANKING TO AN EXTENT BUT THIS IS JUST SO OFF PUTTING FOR ME.IF YOU DONT MIND THE SPED UP FIGHT SCENES(NOT ALL OF THEM ARE)THEN CHECK IT OUT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMK Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 RECENTLY WATCHED SECRET SERVICE OF THE IMPERIAL COURT,A SHAW BROS MOVIE DRECTED BY Tony Liu Jun-Guk AND STARRING LEUNG KAR YAN AND LO LIEH.NOT TOO BAD A STORY BUT WHAT LETS THE MOVIE DOWN IS THE UNDERCRANKING DURING SOME OF THE FIGHT SCENES ITS SPED UP SO MUCH IT LOOKS STUPID,I KNOW THEY ALL USE UNDERCRANKING TO AN EXTENT BUT THIS IS JUST SO OFF PUTTING FOR ME.IF YOU DONT MIND THE SPED UP FIGHT SCENES(NOT ALL OF THEM ARE)THEN CHECK IT OUT I seen this movie such a long time ago, I don't remember anything about it. Undercranking when overused, does tend to look a bit silly. I think the Jet Li movie 'Kung Fu Cult Master', is a good example of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member The Taiji Pirate Posted June 19, 2015 Member Share Posted June 19, 2015 rewatched Kickboxer (1989) starring Van Damme, I still think it is one of his best films. Still funny to me how Tong Po, the films psychotic villain is being played by an actor named Tong Po and being credit in the film "as himself. I wonder if that hurt his career Edit: I have also revisited Dragon Lord with Jackie Chan. And I saw a film i hadn't seen before called "King Of The Streets" very underwhelming martial arts movie from Mainland China, not recommended. Kickboxer II I feel is very under-rated. And it stars Cody from Step-by-Step "what a surreal moment it was when I realized this lol" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Hei Meigui Posted June 19, 2015 Member Share Posted June 19, 2015 Undercranking when overused, does tend to look a bit silly. I think the Jet Li movie 'Kung Fu Cult Master', is a good example of this. I took Kung Fu Cult Master as a silly Campy film, what was ridiculous is that they left it hanging and couldn't afford to make the sequel!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted June 20, 2015 Member Share Posted June 20, 2015 King Boxer (HK, 1972) Great, definitely up there in my top 5 favorite Shaw Bros films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted June 21, 2015 Member Share Posted June 21, 2015 Duel Of The Tough (South Korea, 1982) Revisited this one for a review, not a great film though it has enjoyable action and a funny dub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted July 12, 2015 Member Share Posted July 12, 2015 Among the recently watched old-school Fu flicks: Rebel Of Shaolin (Taiwan, 1977) Saw this one for a review, just like Duel Of The Tough I mentionned earlier. Mafia vs. Ninja (Taiwan, 1984) A Robert Tai movie with Alexander Lo Rei, some colorful fighters and a bunch of Ninjas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Lady Jin Szu-Yi Posted July 19, 2015 Member Share Posted July 19, 2015 I do not mind the under cranking in Secret Service of the Imperial Court. To me it adds an almost inhuman speed to the Brocade Guard. It's one of the few things that pushes this into fantasy wuxia territory so I like it for that as well. Now Lau Wing's villain? Still the one thing I cannot wrap my head around. >>> Shaolin Avengers. This was the first Shaw Brothers film which employed the you killed my ... I will get my revenge plot. And boy what a strange road to revenge. Leung Kar Yan's villain was a highlight. He owned that fight club stage, sitting on that chair like he was the boss. And his spear work was absolutely stunning. When it came to recreating moves, he looks like such a natural and steals the moment away from anyone else. He's the reason why I discovered old school Kung Fu, so I was happy to see an early Shaw role. Outside of this and Lu Feng's very early bit part, it was hard to pay attention. I suppose Fu Sheng's weak spot made it hard to take his character seriously, but he did much better work in other films. Today I watched the Brave Archer trilogy and understood/appreciated this trilogy a little more. It helps I am also reading my first wuxia now so I can understand the mechanics of Chinese martial arts fantasies. I know Fu Sheng's Guo Jing is not the sharpest weapon in the weapons rack, but I wish he wasn't sleep walking through parts 2, 3. That said, Niu Tien, Lo Meng and Lu Feng are all terrific. I liked that Dick Wei had a great role in part I too. I was surprised by the English subtitles in the IVL BA2; as they were much different and more coherent than the other version I have. I am curious to see what the subtitles are like once Celestial releases these on iTunes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMK Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Today I watched the Brave Archer trilogy and understood/appreciated this trilogy a little more. It helps I am also reading my first wuxia now so I can understand the mechanics of Chinese martial arts fantasies. I must admit, I've seen these films a couple times, and found it hard to completely understand what is going on. Maybe it will take numerous viewings to truly get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member paimeifist Posted July 19, 2015 Member Share Posted July 19, 2015 I must admit, I've seen these films a couple times, and found it hard to completely understand what is going on. Maybe it will take numerous viewings to truly get it. I finally made it through the first Brave Archer film the first couple of days ago. I tried to watch it many times before, but just got bored ot the point where I turned it off.. Now that I have seen many more whirling wuxia tales, I have an easier time watching and appreciating them. When I watch movies like this, I try to only really focus on the major characters.. I have found that if I really think to much about every character introduced, I am lost and have no idea what's going on. I actually enjoyed the Brave Archer, now that I finally watched it all the way through. It has many memorable characters, some decent action, and a very adventurous story and feel, which is probably the movies biggest strength. Its funny how Shaw Bros. could still maintain a feeling of adventure in a movie that seems to take place completely in sets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Lady Jin Szu-Yi Posted July 19, 2015 Member Share Posted July 19, 2015 I finally made it through the first Brave Archer film the first couple of days ago. I tried to watch it many times before, but just got bored ot the point where I turned it off.. Now that I have seen many more whirling wuxia tales, I have an easier time watching and appreciating them. When I watch movies like this, I try to only really focus on the major characters.. I have found that if I really think to much about every character introduced, I am lost and have no idea what's going on. I actually enjoyed the Brave Archer, now that I finally watched it all the way through. It has many memorable characters, some decent action, and a very adventurous story and feel, which is probably the movies biggest strength. Its funny how Shaw Bros. could still maintain a feeling of adventure in a movie that seems to take place completely in sets! Those are good points paimeifist. I had been trying to watch this series unsuccessfully for almost a decade now. Large casts make it hard for me to keep track. I'd say this is not a good choice for someone's first dip into Wuxia (just as my first choice of giallo viewing was not the right introduction to those films.) Like you, now that I've seen more than a few wuxia I can roll with it. I especially enjoyed Huang Rong-er, she made it easier to get into the first Brave Archer this time around. I understand the story as a whole now (BA 1-3), but it took several viewings to get there. I was just thinking how much I liked the Shaw sets because they often do not distract from the actors, fights and storytelling the way some modern sets can. I am all for realism, but if it gets in the way of my enjoyment of the characters / story, it kind of dampens the experience for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Hei Meigui Posted July 19, 2015 Member Share Posted July 19, 2015 I finally made it through the first Brave Archer film the first couple of days ago. I tried to watch it many times before, but just got bored ot the point where I turned it off.. Now that I have seen many more whirling wuxia tales, I have an easier time watching and appreciating them. When I watch movies like this, I try to only really focus on the major characters.. I have found that if I really think to much about every character introduced, I am lost and have no idea what's going on. I actually enjoyed the Brave Archer, now that I finally watched it all the way through. It has many memorable characters, some decent action, and a very adventurous story and feel, which is probably the movies biggest strength. Its funny how Shaw Bros. could still maintain a feeling of adventure in a movie that seems to take place completely in sets! This is why some of the films get edited by people like the Weinstein's/Miramax, because they feel the Western audiences are used to a faster pace, especially just get to the fight scene. They feel that since we don't understand the cultural reference and history that we get bored by those points they cut those scenes like in an edit of Iron Monkey, where they just cut the political content, and change the name from Wong Fei Hung because Westerners don't know his history. Even The Grandmaster where they edit for political content, and they just do a voice over or have a screen writing explaining the background. I think one of the hardest films to get through was the Water Margin because there are sooo many characters and you really need to have read or heard about the novel, because those characters are carried over in so many other films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Leung Tsan Posted July 20, 2015 Author Member Share Posted July 20, 2015 hey hey.... thanks to the Paul Nice interview by Kung Fu Bob, I rewatched magnificent ruffians..... it was YEARS that I did not watch this movie and again I had a total blast... and I still feared the moment Lo Meng got tricked..... cult classic movie, thanks for making me rewatch it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Lady Jin Szu-Yi Posted July 20, 2015 Member Share Posted July 20, 2015 After rewatching Crippled Avengers and realizing Dick Wei was in the movie, but I did not spot him, I made it my time killer to spot him in the Shaw films where he did not register to me. I knew about his roles in Brave Archer, Avenging Eagle and Life Gamble (All good parts, I wish he had more like Brave Archer - he was quite good in that.) I finally spotted him in The Kid with the Golden Arm (the deliverer of the Black Sand Palm.) And there he was in plain view in the beginning of Crippled Avengers and Invincible Shaolin. All this because I love his performance at the beginning of Five Deadly Venoms as the dying Master of the Poison Clan. The one aspect that disappoints, besides the lack of decent screen time is, Wei's Tae Kwon Dao skills are largely unused (a lot like Sun Chien ) As I discovered when rewatching Project A last week, Wei is a kicking beast. Next up, locating Sun Chien in a couple films I missed him in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMK Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 hey hey.... thanks to the Paul Nice interview by Kung Fu Bob, I rewatched magnificent ruffians..... it was YEARS that I did not watch this movie and again I had a total blast... and I still feared the moment Lo Meng got tricked..... cult classic movie, thanks for making me rewatch it I must admit, that interview also made me move MAGNIFICENT RUFFIANS way up on my "RE-WATCH" list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DragonClaws Posted July 21, 2015 Member Share Posted July 21, 2015 I recently watched Showdown starring Billy Blanks & Ken Scott. It's an average straight to video 90's Imperial Entertainment production with both Scott and Blanks looking pretty impressive. The film's nothing special but I find it to be an entertaining hour and thirty minutes. Ex cop Billy Grant (Blanks) is now working as a janitor in a rough high school. He takes Ken Marks (Scott) under his wing and teaches him Martial Arts. The local bullies just happen to be students of some evil master who's only out to manipulate them. Brion James has a nice supporting role playing the School principal. Which is a departure from his usual thug/heavy roles like the one he plays in Tango & Cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMK Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 And it stars Cody from Step-by-Step "what a surreal moment it was when I realized this lol" WOW. I use to watch that show. So Cody is doing his thing in the movie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Lady Jin Szu-Yi Posted July 21, 2015 Member Share Posted July 21, 2015 Shaolin Prince- because paimeifist's review and the promise of Ti Lung getting a little silly made me want to watch it again. It was fun. The Tiger Killer I also think it was paimeifist who suggested The Tiger Killer to me on KFC forums since I could not wrap my head around The Delightful Forest. I completely understand and like the Wu Song character and this might make me give The Delightful Forest a third spin somewhere along the way. I liked The Tiger Killer and it was a nice set up for where Wu Song is at the beginning of TDF. A little bleak, but nothing I cannot handle. A strange Shaw quibble: I am kind of over Ku Feng being in almost every SB film I've watched. I respect him and his acting skills, but I think it's seeing the same style of villain over and over again with him (I generally do not have an issue with folks being typecast, but I heard myself say Ku Feng again? while Flying Guillotines 2. ) I wasn't too crazy about Flying Guillotines 2, but at least I remember the weapon now. Deadly Breaking Sword - Again. I really like this movie. And yes paimeifist, Brother Lian's abilities were enhanced by Ku Feng's adminstrations - his halberd moves were much, much faster than they were in the opening scene. So good call, your post at Yuku made me watch again.) I would have liked to have seen more with the Lian character, perhaps another transition shot or so while he was transforming. Sun Chung is becoming a favorite Shaw director of mine. I like that. Human Lanterns This is scary to me on a few levels (how insane and petty people can be about status, fame and wealth. This is shown with the trio of characters Tan, Lung and Chun-Fang.) It is an ugly little movie, despite boasting one of the most otherworldly auras of any Wuxia I've seen. Plus it has one of my favorite Lo Meng performances both drama and fight-wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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