Yu Tien Lung Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 [img]https://i.imgur.com/no5INCN.gif[/img] I've been into Kung Fu flicks since the 70's (that's right, I'm an OG), and over time I've just gravitated to weapon films. I can appreciate a good footfistfight like any martial arts fan, but there's something about the blood & terror of blades slashing around that will keep me locked in more than a flying tornado kick to the head. So what are your favorite old school weapons films? My top 3: -Triple Irons / The New One Armed Swordsman -Seven Blows of the Dragon / the Water Margin -The Masked Avengers 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member thundered mantis Posted April 6, 2021 Member Share Posted April 6, 2021 Odd Couple Legendary Weapons Last Hurrah for Chivalry 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator KUNG FU BOB Posted April 6, 2021 Administrator Share Posted April 6, 2021 LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF CHINA HEROES OF THE EAST ODD COUPLE 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TibetanWhiteCrane Posted April 6, 2021 Member Share Posted April 6, 2021 Depends on the parameters on what constitutes a "weapons film". For me personally, I separate "swordplay" films from what I consider "weapons films" which would include armory beyond just swords and your regular bladed weapons. And of course the choreography has to be geared towards weapons work to a certain degree, and not just feature the odd spear or pole or whatever. With all that crap out of the way.... I would probably go with... Masked Avengers Five Element Ninjas Eight Diagram Pole Fighter But there ar so many. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TibetanWhiteCrane Posted April 6, 2021 Member Share Posted April 6, 2021 3 minutes ago, KUNG FU BOB said: LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF CHINA HEROES OF THE EAST ODD COUPLE Ooooh, Heroes of the East would be my number 4. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator KUNG FU BOB Posted April 6, 2021 Administrator Share Posted April 6, 2021 4 minutes ago, TibetanWhiteCrane said: Ooooh, Heroes of the East would be my number 4. That's funny, because your choice, 8 DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER, would be my fourth. And your other choices would be near the top as well. Others that immediately came to mind for various reasons are: DUEL TO THE DEATH (1983) MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE THE BLADE 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yu Tien Lung Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 3 hours ago, TibetanWhiteCrane said: Depends on the parameters on what constitutes a "weapons film". For me personally, I separate "swordplay" films from what I consider "weapons films" which would include armory beyond just swords and your regular bladed weapons. And of course the choreography has to be geared towards weapons work to a certain degree, and not just feature the odd spear or pole or whatever. With all that crap out of the way.... I would probably go with... Masked Avengers Five Element Ninjas Eight Diagram Pole Fighter But there ar so many. I understand. I tend to draw that line between fist/foot with an odd knife or blade movies, and the old periodical films where swords and spears were the way things were handled. There are some films that have swordplay exclusively, but a lot of them will have swords and all the other weapons. For that matter the 36th Chamber can be considered a weapons film, really hard to keep that out of my top 3. Masked Avengers is like the Five Venoms with swords, what's not to love about it, and yes so many, that's why I started this thread, to get some ideas on anything I haven't seen yet. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TibetanWhiteCrane Posted April 6, 2021 Member Share Posted April 6, 2021 17 minutes ago, Yu Tien Lung said: that's why I started this thread, to get some ideas on anything I haven't seen yet. If that's the case, I think a thread title like UNDERRATED WEAPONS MOVIES or WEAPONS MOVIES RECOMMENDATIONS would net you better results. Only because when you ask for a top 3, you tend to get just the cream of the crop, which I assume you will have seen the majority of already. Just a suggestion. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator KUNG FU BOB Posted April 6, 2021 Administrator Share Posted April 6, 2021 46 minutes ago, Yu Tien Lung said: I understand. I tend to draw that line between fist/foot with an odd knife or blade movies, and the old periodical films where swords and spears were the way things were handled. There are some films that have swordplay exclusively, but a lot of them will have swords and all the other weapons. For that matter the 36th Chamber can be considered a weapons film, really hard to keep that out of my top 3. Masked Avengers is like the Five Venoms with swords, what's not to love about it, and yes so many, that's why I started this thread, to get some ideas on anything I haven't seen yet. Great thread @Yu Tien Lung. I immediately thought of THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN as well, but had similar doubts about whether or not it belonged here. There's outstanding weapons work in the film, and it's depiction of the three-sectional staff's creation is a stand-out moment for me too. That's a good summation of MASKED AVENGERS. 26 minutes ago, TibetanWhiteCrane said: If that's the case, I think a thread title like UNDERRATED WEAPONS MOVIES or WEAPONS MOVIES RECOMMENDATIONS would net you better results. Only because when you ask for a top 3, you tend to get just the cream of the crop, which I assume you will have seen the majority of already. Just a suggestion. Good idea. I actually think we may have a thread like that already. I don't have time to search for it right now though. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yu Tien Lung Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 34 minutes ago, TibetanWhiteCrane said: when you ask for a top 3, you tend to get just the cream of the crop, which I assume you will have seen the majority of already. Yes that's true, and I've seen a few, but tastes are varied and I'm sure I'll get some tips on top notch films that I haven't got to. I've seen some of the off the beaten path stuff and sometimes you can find a hidden gem, but unfortunately some of it should stay that way. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DrNgor Posted April 19, 2021 Member Share Posted April 19, 2021 (edited) Hmm... Shaolin Rescuers Heroes of the East Avenging Eagle Edited April 19, 2021 by DrNgor 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Yihetuan Posted April 20, 2021 Member Share Posted April 20, 2021 I've always enjoyed Fearless Fighters. It's gimmicky & silly but the exotic weapons were cool like the solar ray. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Ninja Sinai Posted April 20, 2021 Member Share Posted April 20, 2021 (edited) The best old skool Kung fu weapons movie ever made has to be between The Odd Couple and Legendary Weapons of Kung Fu. As for third place.. the first one to come to my mind was Last Hurrah For Chivalry but that’s more of a swordplay movie.. so I guess I would go for The Masked Avengers. So what about the top 3 swordplay movies? I would easily say: 1. Duel To The Death 2. Last Hurrah for Chivalry 3. Sword Stained With Royal Blood (or Sword of Justice). Edited April 20, 2021 by Ninja Sinai 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TibetanWhiteCrane Posted April 20, 2021 Member Share Posted April 20, 2021 (edited) Edit Edited April 20, 2021 by TibetanWhiteCrane 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Yihetuan Posted April 26, 2021 Member Share Posted April 26, 2021 Definitely not in my top 3 old school weapons is the "donkey" weapon from The Eight Immortals. Anyone remember that one? If I recall correctly, one of the 8 Immortals from Chinese mythology was a fangshi and the character who portrayed him in the movie had an amulet in the shape of a donkey and he would make it appear in the heat of battle to donkey kick the bad guys. I remember thinking WTF kind of weapon is that when I first saw it?! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member NoKUNGFUforYU Posted April 26, 2021 Member Share Posted April 26, 2021 Triple Irons stood out, I was some stupid kid who put together his own three section staff which flew apart as I recall. Chinese Connection- nunchaku beats the samurai and believe it or not, Superman Chu- I bought old Chinese coins at SF Chinatown and tried to sharpen and throw them. 1. I still believe the 3 section staff was a disposable weapon to dismount horsemen and then finish with a sword or spear. Then someone got really good a twirling it and arranged some moves and pretended it was a useful weapon. 2. Like the 3 Section, the Nunchaku are not actually that good of a weapon. Hence there are no official katas for it in Kabudo/Okinawan weapons and most Kata's and forms were invented for tournaments. Unlike the Sai (good for catching swords, spears and staffs in close), Kama (a sickle, need I say more? Especially when you add the weighted chain) Tonfa (Even modern cops use it) and Spear and Staff, they just didn't see the need to but a lot of effort into the Nunchaku, even though it looked great on film. I missed the class in Kempo where they show you how easy it is to disarm them. 3. Throwing coins?MMMMM, OK...... I liked flexible weapons. True story, at least in the papers, there was an attempted robbery of John Yee's electronics store in Richmond CA during a riot in the 1970s. Yee busted out a steel whip and they decided to rob some place else. Yee was a bad ass at Judo and Boxing, and his Kung Fu students fought in the kickboxing tournaments. I should have went there, but they had a reputation for shaving their head and pretending to be monks, so I opted not to. Too bad, the boxing and Judo really augments kung fu and puts it kicking and screaming into the 20/21st century, but no way I was shaving my head...... 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DrNgor Posted April 26, 2021 Member Share Posted April 26, 2021 (edited) (Edit - Deleted) Edited April 27, 2021 by DrNgor 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member sym8 Posted April 26, 2021 Member Share Posted April 26, 2021 Odd Couple,Eight Diagram,Last Hurrah,A lot of the Venom movies. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yu Tien Lung Posted April 27, 2021 Author Share Posted April 27, 2021 9 hours ago, NoKUNGFUforYU said: Triple Irons stood out It did for me too. it also was one of the very first films I saw on the big screen back in the 70's so there's some sentimental value there. Not only did it have top notch choreography & fight scene cinematography, but the story was great, and the shock value of lopping off an arm early in the film and Ti Lung getting chopped in half stuck with me. All violence in Kung Fu films have to meet that standard for me since. Underrated flick, and can't find it on any websites to watch, not that popular, maybe cause the original title "the *New* One Armed Swordsman" sucks so bad. It's like somebody took over new ownership of a restaurant. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member NoKUNGFUforYU Posted April 28, 2021 Member Share Posted April 28, 2021 On 4/26/2021 at 9:40 PM, Yu Tien Lung said: It did for me too. it also was one of the very first films I saw on the big screen back in the 70's so there's some sentimental value there. Not only did it have top notch choreography & fight scene cinematography, but the story was great, and the shock value of lopping off an arm early in the film and Ti Lung getting chopped in half stuck with me. All violence in Kung Fu films have to meet that standard for me since. Underrated flick, and can't find it on any websites to watch, not that popular, maybe cause the original title "the *New* One Armed Swordsman" sucks so bad. It's like somebody took over new ownership of a restaurant. Pretty sure it is on youtube and some other streaming services for $1.99. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yu Tien Lung Posted April 29, 2021 Author Share Posted April 29, 2021 1 hour ago, NoKUNGFUforYU said: Pretty sure it is on youtube and some other streaming services for $1.99. I'll look into it, I think I found it once on YT but the quality was so poor it was unwatchable. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator thekfc Posted April 29, 2021 Moderator Share Posted April 29, 2021 41 minutes ago, Yu Tien Lung said: I'll look into it, I think I found it once on YT but the quality was so poor it was unwatchable. I think he meant available to buy or rent on YT & other services - $1.99 & up. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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