The Kung Fu Fandom Guide to Modern Chinese Action

[DrNgor]

I’m now working on compiling volume of my collection of reviews of as many Chinese action movies as possible:

 The Kung Fu Fandom Guide to Modern Chinese Action Cinema (1982 – 2000)

 Included in this volume are reviews of:

 -          Stunt and fight-driven action movies of the Jackie Chan/Sammo Hung mold;
-          Bullet Ballet/Heroic Bloodshed movies;
-          Girls n’ Guns films;
-          Hopping Vampire and horror-action movies;
-          Triad films;
-          Some other odds and ends.

NOT included in this volume are:

-          Period fantasies (a lá A Chinese Ghost Story);
-          Wire-fu movies—both kung fu and wuxia—from the 1990s;
-          Cut ‘n Splice films from IFD or Filmark.

All of those will be handled in separate, later volumes.

So far, I’ve gleaned as much as I can from the Kung Fu Fandom Board as it stands, plus some odds and ends from the B-Masters Cabal (Stomp Tokyo; Teleport City; The Unknown Movies; Cold Fusion Video; and You Call Yourself a Scientist). While I’m pretty sure I can get all the rest from the darkest corners of the internet if need be, I’d like to invite you all to take a look, identify films that aren’t included, and watch and review them. They can be a short review (at the “What Was the Last Modern Film…”) or a full-fledged review. You don’t need to say anything to me; just watch, write and post. I’ll be sure to pick it up and insert it into the book.

There are a few movies that I’m reserving for my own remarks, like Dragons Forever; Wheels on Meals; My Father is a Hero; A Better Tomorrow 2; and some others. So don’t be (too) surprised if something that you posted doesn’t show up in the final copy.

The Kung Fu Fandom Guide to Modern Chinese Action Cinema.pdf

[DrNgor]

I'm *almost* done with this one. About 20 more films that I either want to watch and review, or just break down and track down an internet review of to put in.

[DrNgor]

Okay, this one is ready for posting. I'm sure there's a good dozen Philip Ko movies and another dozen Simon Yam films that are missing (not to mention some Taiwanese obscurities that I probably couldn't find reviews for anyway), but in general, I think I accomplished what I set out to do. There are more than 300 pages worth of reviews here, so there should be enough to chew on to keep you all busy for a while.

The following Kung Fu Fandom members have reviews contained therein:

@DrNgor, @ShaOW!linDude, @One Armed Boxer, @masterofoneinchpunch, @Drunken Monk, @Daxtreme, @chazgower01, @Lady Jin Szu-Yi, @CrazyFrog, @DiP, @TibetanWhiteCrane, @kokuryuha, @Writ, @paimeifist

Enjoy!

The Kung Fu Fandom Guide to Modern Chinese Action Cinema.pdf

[chazgower01]

Oh man, this is awesome! 

[Writ]

This is great! I haven't posted in some time because life has just been so busy, but I'm so glad that one of my reviews has contributed to this mega compilation. I'll make sure not to dissappear for too long next time because I'd love to contribute more if I can! 

[paimeifist]

I’m honored to be part of this. Sorry about my inactivity and absence. I still dabble in the Fu from all eras.

[DrNgor]

Just now, paimeifist said:

I’m honored to be part of this. Sorry about my inactivity and absence. I still dabble in the Fu from all eras.

I forgot to mention it, but I joined our two reviews of the 1993 SWORD STAINED WITH ROYAL BLOOD for wire-fu volume.

 

Great having you back.

[chazgower01]

In the process of writing a book about Yukari Oshima, and did a review of A Punch to Revenge, which I didn't see in the guide - here's a condensed version of it for you:

A Punch to Revenge (1989, Hong Kong, dir. Lee Chiu) 3.5/5

An impotent man (Eddy Ko), who is tortured by his wife’s prostitution to pay the bills and care for their seriously deformed son, decides to talk his visiting cousin and friends into taking part in a robbery for a Triad boss (Chan Ging). Yukari is a social worker trying to help him and his family and tries to see the best in him, while jaded Policeman Ben Lam tries to convince her otherwise. The Triad boss is Ben Lam’s former partner on the Police force, who went crooked.

Of course the Triad boss screws them over and all hell breaks loose. He convinces Eddy Ko to cheat his visiting cousin and friends. Ben Lam and Yukari have to whoop some butt to get everything sorted out… rather Ben Lam does in the finale.

This has a category listed as action, but I look at it more as a Crime Drama with some good action in it. They’re definitely trying to make a statement here while still delivering some HK-style action. It’s a pretty entertaining small budget film.

Yukari in the ‘sort of’ budding romance role is better than she has been. She actually is dressed cuter and shows a genuine warmth at times. You can still tell, it’s not what she does best though…

Stanley Fung has a small part… as a Police Captain (big surprise).

 

[DrNgor]

 

4 hours ago, chazgower01 said:

In the process of writing a book about Yukari Oshima, and did a review of A Punch to Revenge, which I didn't see in the guide - here's a condensed version of it for you:

 

[chazgower01]

😊 Whoops!