no word yet??

[Guest sevenhooks]

I'm curious as to why I haven't seen folks on here commenting on this yet.

Just finished watching Rendezvous With Death (it HAS been out for a good minute now).

Haven't watched this movie in over 15 years and even then it was one of the worst, faded bootleg videos I've ever seen (and I've seen plenty, trust me!).

But even back then with the sh#tty copy, I knew this was a phenomenal flick.

And now, all these years later, not only does the film stand the test of time, it exceeds it.

Brilliant, fun, underrated classic.

Just great stuff all around.

Ranks right up there along with Avenging Eagle, To Kill a Mastermind and Human Lanterns as the best stuff Sun Chung ever did for Shaw Brothers.

EDIT:

Small quip, but I just wish there was an english dubbed or even a cantonese audio track included on the disc.

Mandarin just doesn't work for me.

Oh, well.

[Guest Iron Boat]

What is this To Kill a Mastermind everyone keeps talking about?

[Guest sevenhooks]

Only one of the best classic kung fu movies ever made.

No hype.

It's just that one, there was little attention paid to it when released as a result of the no name cast.

And two, it's been virtually impossible to see the flick since then aside from the same horrible bootleg that everybody has (ie: colorless, washed out copy with subtitles completely below the sceen, henceforth making the already wonderfully complicated plot impossible to follow).

[Guest Iron Boat]

Well thanks for the info, I have seen this movie mentioned but have otherwise never heard of it...those screenshots do look interesting though, sort of avenging eagle like. Is there any well known actors in it?

BTW, from the films I've seen of Sun Chung, Avenging Eagle, Judgement of an Assassin, The Proud Youth, Human Lanterns, I think he may be becoming my favorite Shaw director.

[Guest BKarza]

Hasn't gotten here yet. Of course, I have 2 vhs versions but that's not what you meant.

[Guest sevenhooks]

Well thanks for the info, I have seen this movie mentioned but have otherwise never heard of it...those screenshots do look interesting though, sort of avenging eagle like. Is there any well known actors in it?

Wang Lung Wei and Ku Feng are among the only real "known" actors in the film.

LOT's of unknown's though as mentioned before. LOT's.

But they all do a phenomenal job of kicking 'nuff ass in this flick.

I remember the general consensus among fans back then was like, "damn, where'd they get all these guys from, and where've they been hiding them all this time??!"

I believe Lo Mang's BROTHER is apparently even in this (he's supposedly in the pic seated to the right of Wang Lung Wei)!

BTW, from the films I've seen of Sun Chung, Avenging Eagle, Judgement of an Assassin, The Proud Youth, Human Lanterns, I think he may be becoming my favorite Shaw director.

That is not a shock at all.

He's up there for me too.

I think he WOULD have easily been considered the best had he actually MADE more movies!

You also may want to check out "Kung Fu Instructor" with Ti Lung, Wang Yu and Ku Feng.

GREAT flick!! ((and absolutely brilliant directing!!))

[Guest peringaten]

Damn 7! Now you're getting me excited - come on postman!

Nice pics too - cheers man!

Sun Chung's already delivered my release of this year with Devil's Mirror.

Hope he caps it off nicely with this one.

[Guest TheManInWhite]

There was a clip on this film posted awhile ago. When I saw it, it looked very intriguing. I must cop that when it comes out!!

[Guest Iron Boat]

Okay but is "Mastermind" coming out? On Celestial that is? This film seems so obscure maybe it wont be released.

[Guest sevenhooks]

Okay but is "Mastermind" coming out? On Celestial that is? This film seems so obscure maybe it wont be released.

I certainly hope so.

It has been listed on some past releases (in the bio/filmography sections) as being "available" as denoted with an asterix.

[Guest BKarza]

TKaM also has Yuen Wah in the performance of his life. If you wanted to know what he could do, see this. I always laugh when people mention him in regard to Eastern Condors, knowing no one has seen him in TKaM

His 7F brother Yuen Bun/Bing is also in it. Lo Mang's brother has the rings on his arms.

This is probably the best "straight up" choreograhed picture done by Tong Gaai's crew. This one starred able bodied persons that didn't need to be doubled like in Chor Yuen and other Sun Chung pictures.

It's shot like only Sun Chung was shooting films. It may be a fav. Sun Chung and/or martial picture period.

[Guest sevenhooks]

So... nobody's got anything to say about Rendezvous With Death yet??

[magicpoe]

Has my copy along with Trilogy. Any word on original trailer?

[Guest sevenhooks]

Sadly, no original trailer.

[Guest tino]

Still waiting on mine. I saw the ups truck driving toward my house today and got excited then my excitement turned into dissapointment as the truck passed me by. Should get it tomorrow.

[magicpoe]

That's to bad. Bet it was nice. Thanks for the info sevenhooks.

[Guest sevenhooks]

I saw the ups truck driving toward my house today and got excited then my excitement turned into dissapointment as the truck passed me by.

I hate when that happens.

[Guest sikmao]

...was ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT, imo!!!! i remembered seeing this, for the first time & thinking, "fighting with an UMBRELLA??!!?? COOL!!!" this was one of the first movies that i saw on the big screen, in NYC's Chinatown, that was very UNLIKE any "Bruce Lee" flick i had been familiar with!! Wang Yu has a nice playful air to his acting style. sometimes, i think he gets a little too silly, but i thought it was appropriate for his role in this one. i wasn't really feeling the 'female lead', tho'. her performance was a little "stiff", to me, & it seemed that her face was a bit puffy!! lol!!! (like she'd been crying or something!) Chen Kuan Tai was cool, as the "arrogant" swordsman, i thought.

i like the idea of Wang Yu having to be "tested", with the "goal" of his mission. makes room for a lot of good fight scenes!!! i, particularly, liked the one where Chen Kuan Tai makes his "staff" into a "spear"!!!! surprise, surprise!!! hahahahaha!!! dope flick all the way sround, imo.

[Guest BKarza]

Haven't finished watching but a quick note so far. This seems to be "the" uncut version. Of course my german lang. print was cut BUT my theater cam job appears to have been cut. The scene where the girl "in the window" bites into something and then goes to the brothel where Kuan Tai is, then back to Lo Lieh getting caught, then to the stone falling where Wang Yu is is not there. The cam job shows the girl, then goes right to the stone falling with Wang Yu. You never see Lo Lieh get captured. When that scene came on, I was sitting there thinking, this doesn't look familiar. Talk about a pleasant surprise.

Oh and believe you me, when I'm done, I'm going to have tons to say.

[Guest vengeanceofhumanlanterns]

sevenhooks, I've been waiting for my copies of Rendezvous With Death and Trilogy Of Swordsmanship. They should arrive today, hopefully. I can't wait to see Rendezvous With Death I just know it's gonna be one of the best of the never seen before Celestial releases of 2006. Did you order your copies from yesasia?

For a no-name cast, To Kill A Master Mind looks very promising. Though I have my reservations with Shaw Bros. releases that lack notable leads. I'm definitely gonna give this one a chance if (hopefully when) it's released. Thanks for posting the pics.

[Guest falkor]

Rendezvous With Death is definitely a top film (4/5); I watched it last night.

Ranks right up there along with Avenging Eagle, To Kill a Mastermind and Human Lanterns as the best stuff Sun Chung ever did for Shaw Brothers.

I wouldn't go as far as to say that... It's only because you watched it recently that you rate it so highly, but it doesn't come anywhere close to Avenging Eagle mate; get serious... you are being dishonest to yourself.

The main problem for me is that the best fight scene in Rendezvous is the first one against the 4 killers. Here we are shown all the secrets of the umbrella, but these "secrets" are never utilised later on in the film--just plain umbrella fighting from thereon. Also, Ku Feng doesn't get killed, but they get the namelist from Chen Kuan Tai. The opening fight scene is definitely better than the end fight scene. There was no Magic Blade moment for this film... And I waiting to see what Wong would do with that umbrella, but was a little bit let down. That's my honest opinion.

[Guest sevenhooks]

I wouldn't go as far as to say that... It's only because you watched it recently that you rate it so highly, but it doesn't come anywhere close to Avenging Eagle mate; get serious... you are being dishonest to yourself.

That could very well be true to some extent.

It has been a LONG time since I've seen Rendezvous With Death.

I always liked it a lot.

And I've NEVER seen it looking so mint.

That said, when I bought the Celestial version of Avenging Eagle I was happier than a pig in sh#t.

But I watched it once and that was it.

Haven't been back to see it again since.

Rendezvous With Death on the other hand, I've now seen a total of four times since picking it up last week... and I'm not tired of it yet.

There's a LOT in this film that holds my interest and keeps me coming back.

So yeah, I stand by what I said.

In the bigger picture Avenging Eagle is probably the better film.

But right now, if I had the choice, I'd watch Rendezvous again. No contest.

And by the way, it's not at all about the "newness" factor either.

I was certainly just as excited about Deadly Breaking Sword when that finally came out too.

But the difference there was that DBS was an utter disappointment for me on nearly every level.

I watched it once and haven't been back to it since then.

The main problem for me is that the best fight scene in Rendezvous is the first one against the 4 killers. Here we are shown all the secrets of the umbrella, but these "secrets" are never utilised later on in the film--just plain umbrella fighting from thereon. Also, Ku Feng doesn't get killed, but they get the namelist from Chen Kuan Tai. The opening fight scene is definitely better than the end fight scene. There was no Magic Blade moment for this film... And I waiting to see what Wong would do with that umbrella, but was a little bit let down. That's my honest opinion.

Fair enough.

And not for nothing, but I thought Magic Blade was a boring, overrated piece of tripe.

[Guest sevenhooks]

On another note:

Anyone else notice the use of Jerry Goldsmith's score from "Capricorn One" in Rendezvous With Death?

[Guest the golden dragon]

>desent copy of this film to sell me.

Shawsope.com has a scene from this movie.

This movie looks like an awesome feast of kung fu.

GD

[Guest tino]

Just watched Rendezvous. Good fun movie and I also believe the best fight was at the beginning. The last fight was good but was cheap the way the villian dies. I like Avenging Eagle, Magic Blade, Deadly Breaking Sword, and even Proud Youth better. This isnt the best of Sun Chung imo but still very worth purchasing. I give it 7.5 out of 10.