SMK Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 Shaolin Mantis (1978) starring David Chiang The Thundering Mantis (1980) starring Leung Kar Yan 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Iron Head Rat Posted May 25, 2020 Member Share Posted May 25, 2020 Thundering Mantis.. Eddy Ko,what a villain 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Tex Killer Posted May 25, 2020 Member Share Posted May 25, 2020 Shaolin Mantis of course. It`s imo superior movie. Tho in mantis aspect TM is better presented and end fight is ultrafurious. If it would have been SM vs Dance of drunk mantis things would have been more complicated when it comes to choosing fav of two. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member sym8 Posted May 25, 2020 Member Share Posted May 25, 2020 I choose Shaolin Mantis over Thundering Mantis because I’ve only seen T.M once and can’t really remember it.(it may well change if I can find a good copy of T.M though) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Iron Head Rat Posted May 25, 2020 Member Share Posted May 25, 2020 I saw these two films almost 20 years apart. Although Shaolin Mantis is a much better put together film, TM forever has a nostalgic place in my heart. I remembering first seeing the Kid fight & thinking wow he's flexible, the training scenes in the countryside ,Beardy's charisma. Leung Kar Yan's Mantis looks better IMO too. Eddy Ko's eyes alone in this makes a villian i'll never ever forget. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Koravec Posted May 28, 2020 Member Share Posted May 28, 2020 I had to go with Thundering Mantis on the basis of only having seen Deadly Mantis a few years ago and thinking it was inferior as a martial arts flick. I had high expectations for a mantis style film too, being one of the cooler bug/animal forms imo. I know maybe my answer isnt all that fair...lol. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member venom10463 Posted May 28, 2020 Member Share Posted May 28, 2020 While I do love both films, I had to go with TM based off the fight choreography and I like Leung Kar Yan. Shaolin Mantis is a great film but it takes awhile to get going. I felt too much time was spent in the house. That is one reason why I rarely watch it. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Ramji Posted May 28, 2020 Member Share Posted May 28, 2020 I only watched Shaolin Mantis for the first time the other night and thought it was great. Spoiler I did think David Chiang’s character was a bastard though and didn’t understand how the film sided with him, a Qing spy, up until the the reveal at the end! That happily put the films ethics back in place for me and made it a classic. David Chiang impressed me as I never thought he was a great screen fighter from the films I’ve seen of his directed by Chang Cheh. Apart from his smaller stature not conveying much power, his stances and Mantis Boxing were crisp and convincing and his weapon work deserves credit too. I only really remember the insane last fight from Thundering Mantis which was awesome, due another watch but gonna have to go with the Mighty Lau Kar Leung’s film as he’s the Kung Fu daddy and this was a real good one. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Tex Killer Posted May 28, 2020 Member Share Posted May 28, 2020 Most interesting character in Shaolin Mantis....uhm, it`s not David Chiang. Think will revisit flick tonight... 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Ramji Posted May 28, 2020 Member Share Posted May 28, 2020 23 minutes ago, Tex Killer said: Most interesting character in Shaolin Mantis....uhm, it`s not David Chiang. Think will revisit flick tonight... You’re so right, Wong Hang Sau is the heart of the movie. Made me even more pissed that David Chiangs character was so selfish! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShawAngela Posted May 28, 2020 Member Share Posted May 28, 2020 54 minutes ago, Ramji said: David Chiangs character was so selfish! Selfish ? In what way ? I haven't watched this movie since a while, but it seems to me that David Chiang did all what he did in order to save his family and by his father's orders, but he also truly loved his wife, if not, he wouldn't have learnt the mantis style in order to avenge her death... I have to revisit this one in order to see if I'm mistaken or not...If I'm mistaken, forgive me for this comment. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Ramji Posted May 28, 2020 Member Share Posted May 28, 2020 23 minutes ago, ShawAngela said: Selfish ? In what way ? I haven't watched this movie since a while, but it seems to me that David Chiang did all what he did in order to save his family and by his father's orders, but he also truly loved his wife, if not, he wouldn't have learnt the mantis style in order to avenge her death... I have to revisit this one in order to see if I'm mistaken or not...If I'm mistaken, forgive me for this comment. Spoiler Hmm, I do think you’re right, maybe it was because I watched it dubbed and his character was voiced incredibly flat and emotionless so I didn’t really feel he loved her that much, more she was a puppet for him to manipulate to get what he wanted but he developed some feelings for her during the time he spent as her teacher. It reminds me of undercover police officers forming relationships with those they’re investigating, not very ethical?? I did feel ultimately his allegiance was to the Manchu’s but I know his parents were imprisoned and held hostage so it put him in a difficult position, and yes he learnt Mantis style to avenge her but I’m sure he could have found another way to have prevented her death in the first place. His dad did blame him for killing the rebel clan at the end! Enough to poison himself and his son! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Drunken Monk Posted May 28, 2020 Member Share Posted May 28, 2020 Weirdly, I don't really remember liking either but, deep in the recesses of my mind, I have a feeling I prefer Thundering Mantis to Shaolin Mantis. With that said, I intend on revisiting both of these. Perhaps next week. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member NoKUNGFUforYU Posted May 28, 2020 Member Share Posted May 28, 2020 I can tell you that most of my non martial arts friends had a negative reaction to Shaolin Mantis at the time. Investing time in a movie about a sellout is pretty difficult and some of the "moves" in the film look idiotic. Also, LKL basically inferred that Mantis style was invented by a traitor. Of course the film is a fantasy. The Manchu's would have just went in with muskets and looped everyone's heads off for being traitors. Little cadre's of a few dozen people are not a threat unless they have military backing and could possibly get entire armies to change sides. I've said this before, but the Mantis schools at the time were very offended by the film, especially since LKL portrayed Hung Gar as the back bone of resistance, etc. My friend that went to see it said he preferred King Boxer as the fights had better strikes (more power). I think the ending didn't help anything as well. For whatever reason LKL had basically made a Chang Cheh film. I realize a lot of people love this movie, so this is just my experience watching it in SF Chinatown. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DrNgor Posted May 28, 2020 Member Share Posted May 28, 2020 The final twist to Shaolin Mantis was interesting, although Chiang loses a bit of likability when it becomes clear that the final duel has more to do with him wanting to fulfill his mission (which is dishonest from the start) than it does with avenging his wife. I also think that some of those fights in the second half could've been shortened for some more character development. In any case, LKL would've been better served telling the original legend (or one of them) of the creation of Praying Mantis kung fu, in which the fighter challenges the Shaolin monks, gets whupped, goes into hiding, observes a praying mantis fighting a cicada(?), creates the style and then goes back to Shaolin and beats them. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Ramji Posted May 28, 2020 Member Share Posted May 28, 2020 3 hours ago, NoKUNGFUforYU said: I can tell you that most of my non martial arts friends had a negative reaction to Shaolin Mantis at the time. Investing time in a movie about a sellout is pretty difficult and some of the "moves" in the film look idiotic. Also, LKL basically inferred that Mantis style was invented by a traitor. Of course the film is a fantasy. The Manchu's would have just went in with muskets and looped everyone's heads off for being traitors. Little cadre's of a few dozen people are not a threat unless they have military backing and could possibly get entire armies to change sides. I've said this before, but the Mantis schools at the time were very offended by the film, especially since LKL portrayed Hung Gar as the back bone of resistance, etc. My friend that went to see it said he preferred King Boxer as the fights had better strikes (more power). I think the ending didn't help anything as well. For whatever reason LKL had basically made a Chang Cheh film. I realize a lot of people love this movie, so this is just my experience watching it in SF Chinatown. That’s some very interesting insights, thank you. I would never have thought Mantis practitioners would have gotten upset over this but I can see why given the points you mention! It’s interesting to think of the real life rivalries that existed/exist between different schools, I would have just thought everyone loved LKL back in the day. The ending saved it for me because I felt he needed to pay for the loss of his wife and the rebel clan, if the film had ended with him saving his parents and going back to his normal life I would have been a bit ‘wtf?’ 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member JackieRome Posted June 13, 2020 Member Share Posted June 13, 2020 The first film is boring. The second is among the craziest things I've ever seen. 3 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Omni Dragon Posted June 27, 2020 Member Share Posted June 27, 2020 I voted for The Thundering Mantis. Personally I find it a lot more fun and entertaining. I don't always like the silliness in kung fu comedies, but it seems about right here for my taste and only goes over the top in some moments. IMO the silliness is well complemented by having one of the best, barmiest dubs ever. Of course TTM is probably best remembered by most for Leung Kar Yan's crazy, mad, rage in the end fight. On 5/28/2020 at 2:52 PM, Tex Killer said: Most interesting character in Shaolin Mantis....uhm, it`s not David Chiang. Think will revisit flick tonight... Take away the gender and romance and I feel like Liu Chia Liang reused some of that character for the Fang Shiyu character played by Hsiao Ho in Disciples of the 36th Chamber. Both are mischievous students who prefer kung fu to academic study, also both characters mothers are played by Lily Li, plus the calligraphy scenes feel somewhat similar. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted June 28, 2020 Member Share Posted June 28, 2020 (edited) Can't decide. I like them both. It's too early in the morning for you to expect this sort of decision from me. Edited June 28, 2020 by ShaOW!linDude 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member morpheus Posted November 3, 2020 Member Share Posted November 3, 2020 I'll take Shaolin Mantis. I think Lau Kar Leung really tested the limits of David Chiang's physical abilities in this film. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Cognoscente Posted June 23, 2021 Member Share Posted June 23, 2021 Thundering Mantis. Leung Kar-Yan gave such a visceral performance that's unparalleled. I wonder what other people in the industry thought of it. Imagine if the people behind this movie had made it with Simon Yuen Siu-Tin, or better yet if they had done this movie with Simon instead of Sleeping Fist. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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