What was the last basher film?

[DrNgor]

The title says it all.

 Showdown at the Equator came out in early 1978 and was a basher as far as I can tell. Also, Angry Young Man came out in 1983 and all of the choreography outside of the finale against Legendary Superkicker Hwang Jang Lee was very vintage basher in its execution.

Any other suggestions?

[DrNgor]

20 minutes ago, DarthKato said:

Interesting. I just watched some of the fights from The Prodigal Boxer on YouTube(It looks like an awesome movie). They kind of reminded me of the fights from Bruce Lee's The Big Boss. Would I be correct in calling The Big Boss a Basher Film?  

I think all of the non-Bruce Lee fights in The Big Boss; Fist of Fury; and Way of the Dragon are bashers. I think Bruce Lee choreographing himself is a bit of a class of its own. But I think we can argue that until the cows come home.

 

43 minutes ago, One Armed Boxer said:

Perhaps we need to come up with a new term - would you prefer post-modern basher or new wave basher?

Those terms would definitely apply to the fights in Prison on Fire 2, I'll say that.

Until further notice, I'll nominate Angry Young Man for the position of "Last Basher Movie," similar to how the "Final Old School Movie" was A Ninja in Ancient China, made in 1993 at the height of the wire-fu boom.

 

[shukocarl1441996347]

Dragon Force 1982?

[DarthKato]

I found this thread where they are talking about basher films. Hope it helps:

https://www.36styles.com/kungfufandom/topic/4535-shaw-basher-films/ 

[DrNgor]

On 12/21/2022 at 9:48 PM, DarthKato said:

I found this thread where they are talking about basher films. Hope it helps:

https://www.36styles.com/kungfufandom/topic/4535-shaw-basher-films/ 

According to that thread, the latest examples of movies that featured basher choreography (at least in parts) were from 1985:

Hong Kong Godfather
Danger Has Two Faces
This Man is Dangerous

[DarthKato]

53 minutes ago, DrNgor said:

According to that thread, the latest examples of movies that featured basher choreography (at least in parts) were from 1985:

Hong Kong Godfather
Danger Has Two Faces
This Man is Dangerous

I noticed that. I tried to see if I could find  some later ones, but I’m not entirely sure what counts as a Basher film. 

[DrNgor]

7 hours ago, DarthKato said:

but I’m not entirely sure what counts as a Basher film. 

A basher film is more defined by its fight choreography style than anything else. While most were set either in the Republic Era or the Modern Day, there were exceptions, like the 1972 film The Prodigal Boxer. It's mainly a choreography style that predates shapes-based choreography, with generic punch, block and kick techniques. In a lot of the earlier examples, kicks were often below belt level and pretty sloppy in execution, while in the works of Jimmy Wang Yu and Roc Tien, the handwork could be described as "flailing arms." Obviously, Sammo Hung worked well within the sub-genre, as did Bruce Leung Siu-Lung and Yuen Woo-Ping.

Edited December 27, 2022 by DrNgor

[One Armed Boxer]

9 hours ago, DrNgor said:

According to that thread, the latest examples of movies that featured basher choreography (at least in parts) were from 1985:

Hong Kong Godfather
Danger Has Two Faces
This Man is Dangerous

Can't agree on these, all three are contemporary set actioners were the choreography style is intentionally desperate and less intricate to fit in with the setting. In my view the 'basher' style of choreography refers to the period that pre-dates the more complex style of choreography that came in towards the end of the 70's (that would come to be referred to as shapes), exactly as you've stated @DrNgor. Perhaps we need to come up with a new term - would you prefer post-modern basher or new wave basher?  

[DarthKato]

1 hour ago, DrNgor said:

A basher film is more defined by its fight choreography style than anything else. While most were set either in the Republic Era or the Modern Day, there were exceptions, like the 1972 film The Prodigal Boxer. It's mainly a choreography style that predates shapes-based choreography, with generic punch, block and kick techniques. In a lot of the earlier examples, kicks were often below belt level and pretty sloppy in execution, while in the works of Jimmy Wang Yu and Roc Tien, the handwork could be described as "flailing arms." Obviously, Sammo Hung worked well within the sub-genre, as did Bruce Leung Siu-Lung and Yuen Woo-Ping.

Interesting. I just watched some of the fights from The Prodigal Boxer on YouTube(It looks like an awesome movie). They kind of reminded me of the fights from Bruce Lee's The Big Boss. Would I be correct in calling The Big Boss a Basher Film?  

[One Armed Boxer]

19 minutes ago, DarthKato said:

Would I be correct in calling The Big Boss a Basher Film?

Yep.