Guest fightlikeapes Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 but maybe i'll like it more restored. that has happened a couple of times for me. so i rewatched it - i still don't like it the action is awful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sevenhooks Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 As I stated above. There's some adolescent issue going on here Yeah, I'm beginning to see your point. :b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sandpalm79 Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Hey Sevenhooks, you are probably right about the choreography.But when I was young I didnt notice slow choreography, I just noticed them being on poles and how cool the dude with the white beard was. :-) so when I see those parts now, its great. But if you judge it as a matter of fact, the choreography is no where like any of the other movies at the time. It just has classic parts for me, so i love it. its very subjective if you think this is classic or not, objectively speaking, it might be kinda bad.. but i cant see it other than the little boy in me reminiscing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iron flag Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 The fighting is not good but I really liked the movie. I didn't have high expectations (with David Chiang playing a shaolin monk) 8o so I wasnt dissaponted. But the story,characters, and especially the sets where really cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member KyFi Posted June 3, 2007 Member Share Posted June 3, 2007 Ok, I haven't seen the whole movie yet, but I did watch some long fight clips online. I guess I'd agree with sevenhooks that objectively, the fights aren't top notch for the time period. But, fight speed isn't too crucial for my enjoyment of a Shaw film, so I'm happy I ordered this one based on what I saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kungfusamurai Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 I thought it sucked when I checked it out as a fullscreen english dubbed DVD, and I think it still sucks. It just looks cleaner in its newly remastered widescreen form. It makes for screenshots, that's about it. The choreography is so poor, you'd think it was made in '73. Heck, movies from that year had faster fight scenes. And the ending was really lame. Some fight scenes are alright, but overall, the movie totally ruined the legend of Pai Mei! KFS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vengeanceofhumanlanterns Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Just watched the Celestial version las night. Now, I held off watchin this film until now and kinda forgot a great deal of what the film was like. sevenhooks and kungfusamurai I don't get it. WTF is your problem with the fight scenes? There's nothing especially lame about them. Throughout the film I's just sittin here lookin for your justification of sh#ttin on this film and throughout the entire film only spotted one (seemingly) sped up part to the fight scenes in the film, at about 55 min. mark. The choreographing in the fight scenes are just fine. If improvements were to be made very little would be necessary. The story, acting, and script are very well done. This film brims with character. The continuity is very tight as well. I think I actually like this version better than my Venom Mob's version (which I greatly apreciate). Lilly Li has a great scene (very realistically done), where she kills a no good classmate. Fine killing scene there. What an injustice to the genre by talkin sh#t about this film. David Chiang and the advent of Lo Lieh's: Pai Mei character? So many fans appreciate the Pai Mei (or Bai Mei) character with Gordon Liu. Why put this film down? There's no good reason for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Donnie1974 Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Vengeance Well said! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chen Zhen Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 compared to all of the movies 7H mentioned, there is no possible way that u could put Shaolin Abbot in the same ball park. its just too slow for me. the choreography itself isnt bad, but the finale was very boring, and wouldve been great in maybe 1977.....but in 79, u had guys like LKL, YWP and sammo hitting their creativity peaks. theres simply no comparison. cant speak on the rest of the film, just the action. there are clips on shaolinchamber.com i think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kungfusamurai Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 sevenhooks and kungfusamurai I don't get it. WTF is your problem with the fight scenes? There's nothing especially lame about them. ----------------------------------------------- Like I said, the fights are too slow. Some of the moves are good, but overall, it's not up to speed compared to other Shaw Bros films from that year, or even the previous 7 years. And there's too much unnecessary acrobatics, requiring characters like Pai Mei to be body doubled. Pure cheese from beginning to end. Sorry. KFS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vengeanceofhumanlanterns Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 Well I guess if your attention span can only tolerate fight scenes, where the film is sped up (as you find with the films on your more preferable 1985 - Present thread :rolleyes ), and have no interest in old school character development or a decent storyline, the film would be considered boring or cheesy. Shaolin Abbot provides some very natural choreographing IMO. I also think David Chiang did a great job with the role as a shaolin monk. I consider it a classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shaolin Patriot Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 I just received my IVL copy yesterday. I have a suspicion that there may be missing scenes. SPOILER ALERT: here are my assumptions that would need further confirmation: * David Chiang's earlier training scenes seemed too short * The end fight between David and Lo Lieh seemed shorter than I remember * There is a flashback scene during the end fight that reveals a part of David's earlier training (i.e. how to best kill Lo Lieh), not seen earlier in the film Can someone confirm the above? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Iron Boat Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 Oddly, I've yet to see this film, being passing up on it forever.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kungfusamurai Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Well I guess if your attention span can only tolerate fight scenes, where the film is sped up (as you find with the films on your more preferable 1985 - Present thread ), and have no interest in old school character development or a decent storyline, the film would be considered boring or cheesy. -------------------------------------------------------- You don't know me very well. I am a huge fan of samurai cinema, so if you wanna talk about slow moving films... As for slow moving fights, who the hell moves like that in real life? I know that fights in kung fu movies aren't real life, but moving like you're fighting in molasses is just toooo fake. I'm not saying that the keystone cops undercranked way of fighting, like those Robert Tai films, is the way to go. I hate those just as much. But the films of Lau Kar Leung, for example, were done at a good pace without resorting to any undercranking. Heck, the fighting in Executioners From Shaolin was quite slow, but they were just fast enough to be entertaining. But I give it the benefit of being from '76. Whereas Shaolin Abbot is from '79! Heck Simon Yuen could move faster than those peeps in that film, and he was close to death that year. KFS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chen Zhen Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 yeah, Lau Kar Leung's action was probably 5x faster.....without undercranking! theres nothing wrong with undercranking if used properly, which guys like sammo and ywp used quite well. shaolin abbott needed a bit of undercranking.. but i still thought the finale was boring, speed issues aside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kungfusamurai Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 I'll have to rewatch it again, but I remember the final fight not only being boring, but that whole final section looked like it was rushed or they ran out of ideas and decided to end it. Kind of like the way those old Hammer horror films used to end right after the monster dies. No epilogue, no tying up lose ends. Just 'The End'. KFS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Brigadier Chow Posted June 7, 2007 Member Share Posted June 7, 2007 This movie is ass at best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vengeanceofhumanlanterns Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 the fighting in Executioners From Shaolin was quite slow, but they were just fast enough to be entertaining. That's just what I thought of the fighting in Shaolin Abbot. I've viewed many, many, Shaw Bros, flicks and I've seen examples of slow, undercranked fighting, that are far worse than what you find in Shaolin Abbot. The fights are not so slow that they look predictable (maybe a little contrived here or there), but what Shaw flick dosen't? I don't care what year this film was released or in judging it in comparison to any other Shaws films. I just disagree with the unjustifed harsh remarks. Why do this anyway? Anyone else thinks SHAOLIN ABBOT* sucks? How does encouraging this sort of perspective on these present releases help sales or further distribution of these films? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GwaiLoMoFo Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 If you dont have alot of disposable income and would like to avoid wasting it on a potentially bad film it helps. I dont have the desire to see (or buy) every Shaw film. If Im gonna spend money on a film, I want it to be a good/great film Ill want to watch more than once. It can help people like me save time and money, both of which I dont have in abundance. Of course I dont just read "this one sucks" and write the film off. If I read that the majority of people who see a film dont think to highly of it, it moves down my want list. Ive bumped around this forum for a while now and I know which members have similar tastes to mine. So I appreciate (and value) both the positive and negative feedback on these films. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sevenhooks Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 What an injustice to the genre by talkin sh#t about this film. Why put this film down? There's no good reason for it. I don't care what year this film was released or in judging it in comparison to any other Shaws films. I just disagree with the unjustifed harsh remarks. Why do this anyway? Why? Because it's my opinion, okay?? Last time I checked, this was still a forum, was it not? You really need to not take this so personal. Honestly, if for example, you had started a thread trashing a favorite Shaw flick of mine titled (for instance), "does anyone else think FISTS OF THE WHITE LOTUS suck?", I'd respond with a counter OPINION, not take it so personal or even go so far as to suggest that such criticism could actually HINDER potential future sales!! :rolleyes You really need to accept the fact that not everyone is going to share the same opinions when it comes to these films. If someone such as kungfusamurai or myself offer criticism that you find to be too much to handle, then by all means, feel free to engage in debate with us. But don't think for a moment that you're somehow going to make me see the light at the end of the tunnel - as I wouldn't presume I could do the same in your case. How does encouraging this sort of perspective on these present releases help sales or further distribution of these films? You're right. From now on, you'll only hear glowing, 5-Star reviews for each and every Shaw film I discuss here. It's unbelievable really. Somehow, according to your implication, my harsh critique of this film might somehow prevent a future audience for this and any other Shaw film that I, in your words, so "unfairly sh#t" on? Really though, how much more plausible would it be that any deterence among potential distributors (thereby eliminating a possible future audience altogether) would be as a result of prior bootlegs on the domestic market (ala the Venom Mob version which, by your own admission, you "greatly appreciate").... I think I actually like this version better than my Venom Mob's version (which I greatly apreciate). Not that I have anything wrong with that. Supply and demand ya know. But that's another topic for another day. ((Just to be clear though, it was actually my english dubbed half-inch reel that was the source for that Venom Mob version of Slice of Death that you love so much. So.... you're welcome! :b )) Oh, my new signature btw: What an injustice to the genre by talkin sh#t about this film. ...vengeanceofhumanlanterns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest THE BASTARD Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 it didnt suck but the plot had general faults. way better version than the one i had though whewww...8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vengeanceofhumanlanterns Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Listen I'm just speaking my point of view and now YOUR taking it personally and gettin all upset over it. Why's that? You don't wanna hear my view? It's a forum isn't it? I'm NOT taking it personal. I'm debating the issue and merely standing up for a film that I feel in no way warrants such harsh criticism. That's MY opinion o.k. I don't care how you rate films or about YOU seeing any light at all, but don't think I'm gonna hold back with what I think so you can feel self satisfied. That's right, this is your opinion and I respect it as that ONLY. Telling me I should refrain from expressing mine is a bit hypocritical. Don't ya think? I normally don't respond with anything but a quick, curt, response to these sorts of bash threads (as I had on this very post initially), but this time after watching the remastered version so soon since, I had to say what I felt about it and I'm standing by it. Really though, how much more plausible would it be that any deterence among potential distributors (thereby eliminating a possible future audience altogether) would be as a result of prior bootlegs on the domestic market It's good you brought that up. Because posting bash threads like this one is (I feel in some instances) just as impeding to Celestial's efforts as bootlegging. Many people peruse this site for info on Celestial's latest releases. ((Just to be clear though, it was actually my english dubbed half-inch reel that was the source for that Venom Mob version What the hell were YOU dointg with it? I'm surprised ya didn't throw it away. Oh, my new signature btw: What an injustice to the genre by talkin sh#t about this film. ... vengeanceofhumanlanterns That's right! Don't forget it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BKarza Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 this thread is your "Portrait in Crystal/Perils of the Sentimental Swordsman". Hopefully you get that. It was almost deja vu like watching this unravel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HAZ74 Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 This is a forum for people to post their impressions of movies. People are gonna all have different tastes. There are a lot of movies that I love that many people would call junk & vice versa. We're meant to debate opinions, but I don't think anyone can really call another person another person out on some "injustice" thing simply cause he doesn't like a film, especially a guy like 7H who doesn't hesitate to put people up on movies & readily shares what he knows with relative noobs like me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Brigadier Chow Posted June 7, 2007 Member Share Posted June 7, 2007 Vengeance, I respect your opinion about the movie, but I'm sure there is some movie out there that you really dislike. Come on now, this is a genre we all here have proven we have love for. I think controversy like this sommetimes adds to the fun of the board, we can all agree to disagree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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