Bruceploitation Reviews

[saltysam]

Bruce Li In New Guinea

I'm at a point in my life (almost 55) where i question why i continue to be drawn to celluloid madness,of which this film is a prime example. It's got Bruce Li as an Anthropologist 😁 Larry Lee as his buddy and the legendary Chen Sing as an evil snake cult leader,with an outfit to match the description. It's got a princess, a fighting gorilla, a comedic scene involving bananas thats up there with anything the Marx Brothers pulled off, Bolo and superb special effects ,the highlight is the snake on the baby's face (has to be seen to be believed). Watch as Chen Sing effortlessly outclasses Bruce but being the baddie he has to lose. A Towering achievement and it's a crime against cinema this hasn't had a full restoration. The best for now is the wide,anamorphic english dubbed german DVD. Everyone needs to watch this movie at least once.

[DragonClaws]

23 hours ago, saltysam said:

Bruce Li In New Guinea

I'm at a point in my life (almost 55) where i question why i continue to be drawn to celluloid madness,of which this film is a prime example. It's got Bruce Li as an Anthropologist 😁 Larry Lee as his buddy and the legendary Chen Sing as an evil snake cult leader,with an outfit to match the description. It's got a princess, a fighting gorilla, a comedic scene involving bananas thats up there with anything the Marx Brothers pulled off, Bolo and superb special effects ,the highlight is the snake on the baby's face (has to be seen to be believed). Watch as Chen Sing effortlessly outclasses Bruce but being the baddie he has to lose. A Towering achievement and it's a crime against cinema this hasn't had a full restoration. The best for now is the wide,anamorphic english dubbed german DVD. Everyone needs to watch this movie at least once.

 

One of the Bruceploitation titles I've missed over the year's, even with Bolo and Chan Sing and Larry Lee among the supporting player's. From the reviews/comment I've read, people either enjoy for being so wacky and far out, or they plain hate for that reason.

 

 

Quote

a comedic scene involving bananas thats up there with anything the Marx Brothers pulled off,

 

Someone posted this scene on the forum's, but I cant find the YouTube up-load, or the thread it's in. If the rest of the movie was as funny, it would be considered a classic of the Martial Arts comedy sub-genre.

[saltysam]

2 hours ago, DragonClaws said:

 

One of the Bruceploitation titles I've missed over the year's, even with Bolo and Chan Sing and Larry Lee among the supporting player's. From the reviews/comment I've read, people either enjoy for being so wacky and far out, or they plain hate for that reason.

 

 

 

 

You are missing out,it's awesome. Next up is the movie they filmed back to back, BL The Invincible. It's been a while, i remember it's not as whacky as New Guinea but i think the gorilla returns 😁

[ShaOW!linDude]

On 3/4/2019 at 2:17 PM, saltysam said:

Bruce Li In New Guinea

Everyone needs to watch this movie at least once.

I would gladly donate my viewing experience of this to anyone just so I could say I'd never seen it.

[DragonClaws]

2 hours ago, saltysam said:

You are missing out,it's awesome. Next up is the movie they filmed back to back, BL The Invincible. It's been a while, i remember it's not as whacky as New Guinea but i think the gorilla returns 😁

 

Now that one I have, via the MillCreek box-set's, is pretty straight for an old Ho Chung Tao flick, with the exception of the Gorilla interlude. Chan Wai-Man has a role in this one right?.

 

[saltysam]

Bruce Li The Invincible

In the annals of iconic moments in kung fu cinema history, the sequence where the great Chen Sing, using his famed "shaolin disguise technique" instantly morphs into Mars is right up there.! yes you read that right. Made back to back with the legendary New Guinea and featuring some of the same cast, Bruce Li actually plays a supporting role in his own movie. Plot revolves around disgraced student Chan Wai Man emigrating to Malaysia where he nonchantly becomes the evil big chief with designs on an innocent young girl. Throw in Hark-On Fung, an epic fight between Chen Sing & a gorilla that's up there with Lee Vs Norris amongst other delights and you have yourself a classic. This custom by kuenfist is very good, widescreen anamorphic english dubbed. Is kuenfist still about, he did very good work.

Edited March 6, 2019 by saltysam

[Coliseum1972]

The Bruce Li with the gorilla , sigh....all credibility went out the door with that scene

If anything Amsterdam Connection and Ninja Strikes Back are underrated

 

 

[saltysam]

14 hours ago, Coliseum1972 said:

The Bruce Li with the gorilla , sigh....all credibility went out the door with that scene

If anything Amsterdam Connection and Ninja Strikes Back are underrated

 

 

you expect credibility in a film where Bruce Li is cast as an anthropologist and popping over to New Guinea seems to be as easy as me jumping a bus into town- best embrace the madness, if you are looking for credibility in a film entitled Bruce Li In New Guinea then your expectations are far too great. As for Amsterdam Connection it commits the crime a kung fu movie,even a bad one should never be-it's boring. I like Ninja Strikes Back though.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Exit the Dragon, Enter the Tiger aka Bruce Lee - The Star of All Stars (1976) starring Bruce Li

I remember seeing a trailer for this at the drive-in when I was a kid, and always wanted to see it. Being naive at that age, I didn't grasp that it wasn't an actual Bruce Lee film, and when I later realized that, Ihad no desire to see it. Or any Bruceploitation movie, as a matter of fact. But eventually I dipped my toe into those waters a few times. Still don't care for the Bruceploitation sub-genre as a whole. However, even though he made his share of stinkers, I find that whenever I am willing to watch one, I often opt for Bruce Li as I often find his films to have a better quality of choreography. (I enjoy Dynamo, The Blind Fists of Bruce, and Chinese Connection 2.) This weekend I was in a used dvd place and happened upon this, brand spanking new, for $3. Sold! 

In retrospect, I wish I still had my $3. This is definitely one of his stinkers. The plot is trite, rehashed, and boring as all get out. But even worse is the horrendously dull choreography. After reaching the midway point of the film, I just started ff'ing to the fight scenes. Didn't help. It's mundaneness ran the entire length of movie. The choreography is borderline "basher" style, and I have a very low tolerance for that.

I could not exit the Tiger fast enough.

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

59 minutes ago, ShaOW!linDude said:

Exit the Dragon, Enter the Tiger aka Bruce Lee - The Star of All Stars (1976) starring Bruce Li

I remember seeing a trailer for this at the drive-in when I was a kid, and always wanted to see it. Being naive at that age, I didn't grasp that it wasn't an actual Bruce Lee film, and when I later realized that, Ihad no desire to see it. Or any Bruceploitation movie, as a matter of fact. But eventually I dipped my toe into those waters a few times. Still don't care for the Bruceploitation sub-genre as a whole. However, even though he made his share of stinkers, I find that whenever I am willing to watch one, I often opt for Bruce Li as I often find his films to have a better quality of choreography. (I enjoy Dynamo, The Blind Fists of Bruce, and Chinese Connection 2.) This weekend I was in a used dvd place and happened upon this, brand spanking new, for $3. Sold! 

In retrospect, I wish I still had my $3. This is definitely one of his stinkers. The plot is trite, rehashed, and boring as all get out. But even worse is the horrendously dull choreography. After reaching the midway point of the film, I just started ff'ing to the fight scenes. Didn't help. It's mundaneness ran the entire length of movie. The choreography is borderline "basher" style, and I have a very low tolerance for that.

I could not exit the Tiger fast enough.

I remember going to the theaters and actually seeing this and being incredibly disappointed. Bruce Li made a bunch of stickers before he found his footing playing non Bruce Lee imitation roles. I'm still kind of mystified by how many fans he has to this day as we always felt like we were scraping from the bottom of the barrel when we went to see his films. I hear from Toby that he's an incredibly nice guy and some of the pictures and interviews I've seen with him bely that. He lost his wife and I understand he is very shy now and very stunned like several other of these guys that he has such an incredible fan base. That being said the stuff he did from 78 on is pretty cracking. As a matter of fact I need to flip on a few of more of his films and give him a shot. I have a few unopened. Bruce Le is another matter, he just sucks.

[ShaOW!linDude]

2 hours ago, NoKUNGFUforYU said:

As a matter of fact I need to flip on a few of more of his films and give him a shot. I have a few unopened. Bruce Le is another matter, he just sucks.

If you've not seen any of the Bruce Li films I mentioned enjoying, give those a try.

Yeah, Bruce Le's films by and large are just abysmal. The only one I consider any good that it actually has a rewatch value is Enter the Game of Death. There are some pretty good fight scenes in that one. Too bad he couldn't have held to that standard. 

[DragonClaws]

19 hours ago, ShaOW!linDude said:

But even worse is the horrendously dull choreography.

 

What did you think of the very ballsy finale, there fighting on the rocks, as the waves crash over nd around them. It took some bottle to stage/execute that scene.

 

Did you watch a pan and scan or widescreen print?, someone on the forums sent me a Widescreen copy, that I need to re-watch now.

[ShaOW!linDude]

19 hours ago, DragonClaws said:

 

What did you think of the very ballsy finale, there fighting on the rocks, as the waves crash over nd around them. It took some bottle to stage/execute that scene.

Did you watch a pan and scan or widescreen print?, someone on the forums sent me a Widescreen copy, that I need to re-watch now.

Yes, that's some treacherous terrain to stage a fight scene on, but as I said, most of the choreography had an almost "basher" style feel to it, and that just bores me. It was all just very dull.

It was a widescreen print that really needs its aspect ratio tweaked because the view essentially splits the screen into even thirds, and even as large as my TV screen is, the figures and action still looks small sometimes. Plus, some of the action takes place in an old foundry, which is a dark setting making viewing difficult at times.

[Killer Meteor]

7 hours ago, ShaOW!linDude said:

Yes, that's some treacherous terrain to stage a fight scene on, but as I said, most of the choreography had an almost "basher" style feel to it, and that just bores me. It was all just very dull.

It was a widescreen print that really needs its aspect ratio tweaked because the view essentially splits the screen into even thirds, and even as large as my TV screen is, the figures and action still looks small sometimes. Plus, some of the action takes place in an old foundry, which is a dark setting making viewing difficult at times.

I'm very fond of the film, but yes, a lot of the action is slow and choppy. The fight on the roof-top is very good though. The US version improves the fight scenes by putting more music over them.

[saltysam]

Exit The Dragon is great, but i only have the cut UK dvd.

[Killer Meteor]

19 hours ago, saltysam said:

Exit The Dragon is great, but i only have the cut UK dvd.

I've seen the cut UK transfer, and a Mandarin subbed uncut version.

[saltysam]

Bamboo Brotherhood

Great 70's basher, my favourite genre.Features fights aboard moving trains, hiding in caves and revenging the world. great stuff.

Enter The Game Of Death

I am pretty sure Bruce Le flicks were just made up as filming went along. Early on Bruce is scrapping with Bolo in a forest,moments later he's scrapping with Bolo in a boxing ring. Full of music nicked from Enter, the plot concerns a document the japanese have that Bruce is enlisted by a bunch of patriots to retrieve. If you've ever wanted to hear a dubbed Le utter "i'm just a hardworking taxpayer" then watch this 😁 either by accident or design the Pagoda sequences take place in the middle of the film. It doesn't matter though because the last 50 minutes is non stop fighting. Wow Enter The Game Of Death on blu-ray, who'd have thought it possible?

[Killer Meteor]

Enter the Game of Death is a movie I've grown to love.

[saltysam]

Bruce Against Iron Hand

A mysterious killer is bumping people off using finger kung fu, it's up to tough cop Bruce Li to unmask the culprit and bring him to justice. A surprisingly under the radar Ho Chung Tao flick, given it teams him up with Bruce Leung and has the great Ku Feng as a baddie as well as evil bastard Fang Yeh (restrained here) it's not great, fighting is functional, Leung in his red tracksuit is underused but it does have a balls out battle for the climax. Some dodgy dubbing causes some hilarity, in one sequence Feng can't rise to the occasion with his girlfriend and he blames his impotence on his kung fu 😁 My dvd copy is a part widescreen print i transferred off the old uk VHS years ago, has a better print ever surfaced?

[DragonClaws]

 

Her's a long winded ramble for Kung Fu Fandom readers'/contributors to sink their teeth into. Please click on the link below, for my complete review, thank you.

 

 

[saltysam]

Bruce The King Of Kung Fu

The story of Lee's days of youth in HK told Bruce Le style. We learn that he was a rascal, always fighting, his dad sent him to learn wing chun fist, he also learns snake style and drunken kung fu during the course of the film. During his many scraps he seriously injures Shek Kin's son, Mr Han is not having that so he seeks Bruce out for a climactic battle. Entertainingly daft, the jamal custom is rough, this needs a proper full widescreen remaster to be fully appreciated.

[kevenzz]

I watched Soul Brothers of Kung Fu blu ray last night and it was pretty good… the print was very grindhouse looking but that's the part of the charm I guess

It was fun to see Lo Mang in a movie that's not Shaw Brothers.

I also believe I saw Yuen Biao in a scene ? but not sure.

[Chu Liu Hsiang]

Watched the wonderful presentation of ENTER THE FAT DRAGON yesterday and enjoyed it so much. I hope more Sammo movies will get a similar treatment soon. Among many others, I loved the scene where Feng Ko An just sits and watches Sammo ruin the fancy car. I think Feng Ko An must have had a fine sense for comedy, did he ever have the chance to really display it?

[Drunken Monk]

Enter the Fat Dragon - I’ve literally waited twenty years to watch this film and...well...I didn’t like it at all. The story is as dull as dishwater and the choreography, besides an incredible shapes-style fight at the end, is uninspired and repetitive. Not to mention the Bruce screams being tediously overdone.

This is often heralded as the king of Bruceploitation films and, quite frankly, Tower of Death is a masterpiece compared to this. Is it watchable? Absolutely. It wasn’t bad enough for me to turn it off. But I won’t be popping this in the Blu Ray player again anytime soon. Shame really, since the recent German mediabook release is GORGEOUS.

[saltysam]

Clones Of Bruce Lee

Legendary Bruceploitation title lives up to it's reputation-utter madness. The real Bruce dies and so Secret Agent boss Mr Colin recruits mad doctor Lucas (Jon.T. Benn) to take a sample of Bruce's DNA and from it clone 3 Bruce Lee's. He does this by the ten minute mark, cloning people comes naturally to mad doc Lucas. After they are trained by the Doc's sidekicks, led by Bolo they are sent on missions by Mr Colin, which include fighting invincible bronzemen who can only be stopped by being grass. It all goes tits up by the end though as mad Doc Lucas goes even madder. Dragon Lee,Bruce Le and Bruce Thai are the clones. IMDB lists the Colin character as an actor called Andy Hannah, his only credit. He needs to be found & interviewed along with Alexander Grand, who's also in this.

Soul Brothers Of Kung Fu

A very serious Bruce Li outing, himself and Lo Meng are two illegal immigrants who, along with their female friend barely make it to HK alive.Once there they find menial jobs but trouble ensues as Bruce saves Carl Scott from  dock heavies led by Jim James (who's been in a couple of BL flicks) from there things escalate and they soon have evil and ruthless bastard Ku Feng on their trail. Bruce's girl is raped by Akexander Grand and mown down, Bruce is beaten badly.He vows revenge and learns iron finger kung fu. Meanwhile Lo Meng falls in with the baddies. Notable for it's unhappy/happy alternative endings, both of which are featured on the zinemageddon BDR disc. Pretty violent as well, one of Ho Chung Tao's best.