Member Drunken Monk Posted January 31, 2015 Member Share Posted January 31, 2015 I just finished watching "The Lady Assassin" and I don't even know where to start. I loved it. Manic undercranking, great performances, a Dracula looking Japanese fighter, gold ninjas, Norman Chu wielding a fan... All round a really great, if not a little bonkers, film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted February 1, 2015 Member Share Posted February 1, 2015 Return To The 36th Chamber (1980) I wasn't too sold on the idea of a sequel to the legendary classic The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin, especially when it involves quiproquos and more comedy. But I was pleasantly surprised by this film (which I've read a lot of praise on, though I barely had any idea what it really was about): - the action is stellar (no surprise there I guess, but I really wanna underline this just because it's one of my favorite aspects of the film), with some great bare-handed or weapon-based fighting - gotta dig that creative "construction site kung fu" our lead is using - the comedy (which I feared would feel out of place or wouldn't be that enjoyable) is actually pretty funny - Gordon Liu has some funny parts in the first half of the film, and there's a lot of funny slapstick during his stay in Shaolin. The only things I wasn't too fond of was the monk getting diarhea after drinking the tea (poop jokes in a SB movie ?!) and I couldn't help finding the guy with weird teeth and a big mole kinda ridiculous - though the character is pretty funny overall. Speaking of the characters, you got your regulars with Kong Do being once again a marvellous psycho-looking evil dude (I really dig this guy), while John Wang was okay as the evil factory boss. Gordon Liu is an interesting and funny lead (and in spite of the very different background, his character here is as investing as his San Te character in the first film), but the monks at Shaolin seem less nice than in the first movie (but I guess they don't have to be nice to that leading character... The Temple scenes are still great though). The factory workers are kinda forgettable, except for that guy I mentionned earlier with the mole and the bucked teeth Overall, this is a very solid movie and I may have enjoyed it as much if not more than the original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Tex Killer Posted February 1, 2015 Member Share Posted February 1, 2015 I don't want to spoil your viewing of Mini skirt gang, but I enjoyed Bamboo house of dolls much better than this one... Judging from 30 mins, miniskirt is terrible. Takes prolly hours to finish it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member paimeifist Posted February 1, 2015 Member Share Posted February 1, 2015 How about Kwan Yeong Moon in Return to the 36th GHW? He played his typical half-crazy looking kicking bad guy well! I watched 3 Evil Masters yesterday. Very good movie. Some fun training scenes and comedy to carry the pretty typical story. I thought Chen Kuan Tai was awesome playing an "old master" type of character and had good chemistry with Yuen Tak. Lau Hok-Nin and the 3 masters were all good as well, particularly Wang Lung Wei of course. Above all, the fights were fantastic throughout. My one gripe is that I wish CKT would have been in it a little more, as he seemed to be in top form with the fights, as well as having a great acting performance/character. Yuen Tak did a decent job as the leading man, but mainly because of the stellar fighting. I did feel for his character, but I think it was more because everyone else did such a good job being assholes to him, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member NoKUNGFUforYU Posted February 1, 2015 Member Share Posted February 1, 2015 Heroes Two- just a classic. This is the movie that brought shapes kicking and screaming into the 70's, not that horrible Prodigal Boxer movie. CKT and Fu Sheng put in some great performances, and the only flaw is the paunchy, but seemingly invincible villain. Now, the guy is a big dude, but he's a big fat guy, you'd think they would have a big strong guy. Quibbles, anyone who thinks Fu Sheng "learned on the set" or had "no previous training" has rocks in there head. I was doing martial arts at the time, and compared to what people were doing in Dojo's and Kwoons, Sheng was on the level. I realize that he started hitting the sauce later in his life, but that guy ALWAYS opened big in Chinatown, unlike Meng Fei, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member paimeifist Posted February 1, 2015 Member Share Posted February 1, 2015 Agree 100% on Heroes Two. One of my favorite SB flicks and CKTs finest! Sword of Swords. Great movie. Good dark story, nice direct action, sweet mix of sets and locations, and great acting. May be the best acting performance I have seen for Jimmy Wang Yu; as a vulnerable but righteous and powerful swordsman who gos through hell and back. The story is great, with some very dark emotional moments backed by good acting. Whenever you think things can't get worse for ol' Jimmy, they do. Acting was strong across the board, with your usual Shaw character actors of the time. The action isn't fancy, but it is still fluent, powerful, plenty, and full of blood. Tien Fang is the main bad guy, and it is nice to see him as something other than an evil Japanese guy! The finale boasts some great swordplay, and one last emotional part that was pretty twisted! This may be my favorite movie from Cheng Kang, although I'll need to revisit the great 14 Amazons before I determine that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Tex Killer Posted February 2, 2015 Member Share Posted February 2, 2015 Overall, this is a very solid movie and I may have enjoyed it as much if not more than the original. I think they are about equal. Original has superb training scenes but end fight is nothing to praise about. It`s far better in sequel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member paimeifist Posted February 7, 2015 Member Share Posted February 7, 2015 Re-watched Delightful Forest, a movie I instantly considered a top 10 favorite Shaw up first viewing... My initial opinion has not changed, great movie in about every aspect, and a physical prime Ti Lung's best performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member KenHashibe Posted February 7, 2015 Member Share Posted February 7, 2015 The only things I wasn't too fond of was the monk getting diarhea after drinking the tea (poop jokes in a SB movie ?!). I'm typically not a fan of toilet humor, especially in SB movies. If you thought that poop joke was bad, then you should definitely avoid Wits of the Brats which has an absolutely distasteful scene where Cheung Chan Pin craps on a guy's hand. This is actually a movie I've always wanted to review. I'll get around to it someday. Overall, this is a very solid movie and I may have enjoyed it as much if not more than the original. I think I'd say I liked the first one more. I've only seen the sequel once (it was actually the first SB movie I ever saw), so I guess it's about time I rewatch it. Sword of Swords. The finale boasts some great swordplay, and one last emotional part that was pretty twisted! Man, that was one hell of a messed up ending! Very enjoyable film, though I felt that the pacing was a little slow at times. BTW Could you guys leave your thoughts on The Magic Blade and/or Bastard Swordsman? I'm ashamed to say I haven't seen either, but I'd like to know what I'm in for when I see it at the New Bev on the 17th. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Cold Bishop Posted February 7, 2015 Member Share Posted February 7, 2015 Magic Blade is one of Chor Yuen's best films, and somewhat unusual: the story is stripped down and basic, it's atypically solemn and humorless, and the film is essentially just a series of fights which are much more carefully choreographed than some of his film gets. Despite the action emphasis, it manages to be surprisingly poignant concerning the toll of the sword. The Bastard Swordsman is one of the best wire-wuxia fantasies from the early '80s. I've heard it called a Duel to the Death rip-off, and there's some definite resemblances, but it's demented enough in its own way it withstands the comparison. I'm not sure how well the films will play together, but it's a solid pair of films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Tigerstyles Posted February 7, 2015 Member Share Posted February 7, 2015 BOXER FROM THE TEMPLE Claustrophobic film! felt like the staff at Shaws couldn't escape... The end fight was class! Bearable peking opera dance fights throughout 6/10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member paimeifist Posted February 7, 2015 Member Share Posted February 7, 2015 I rewatched Jade Tiger. Great movie, and probably my favorite from Chor Yuen. (Its close between this and Killer Clans.) I actually enjoyed this even more this time than I did before! The plot is not as confusing as most Chor Yuen movies in my opinion. Yes, there are many back stabs and double crosses, but they are easy to keep track of and the characters are generally more than plot devices. The ending was fantastic, and I loved that the protagonist (Ti Lung) actually felt for the deaths in the film at the end, contrary to the mold of the genre. A great quote I must share; "Why must we fight?" to which another character answers "For the sake of the martial arts world, you either kill or be killed, its a rule!", to which another responds with "Man, I hate rules" and than they continue to fight. An example of this movie almost mocking itself in a way! The acting was great all around. Lo Lieh, Ku Feng, and Shi Szu did put on notable performances in this regard though(as they often did). But even the minor characters seemed to have life to them from the likes of Fan Mei Sheng, Norman Chu, and Derek Yee (who seems to be considered a bad actor, he did a good job in a small role here.) The fighting was better than what you usually see in a Chor Yuen wuxia flick. There was some really nice sword play featuring some long takes and large scale fights. A couple standouts are Ti Lung vs Derek Yee, Ti Lung and someone else vs Lo Lieh, and the final fight. I am omitting names in some of these to avoid spoilers. Great story, very good fighting, a stellar cast who all put in solid acting performances, and some awesome sets. These things with a good out of the ordinary ending (for a wuxia flick) make this one great. I don't think there is a single location shot used, but the sets are awesome and still managed to give the movie an adventurous feel at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted February 7, 2015 Member Share Posted February 7, 2015 What you're saying here on The Jade Tiger picks my interest, paimeifist. Guess I'll be watching this little gem soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member paimeifist Posted February 7, 2015 Member Share Posted February 7, 2015 I actually rewatched it due to you mentioning it here. I remembered enjoying it, but not nearly as much as I did this time around. I like it much more than other more oft mentioned Chor Yuen movies...namely Death Duel.. . Which brings me back to Derek Yee. I am not big on him as a leading man, but he has has some of the greatest supporting roles! (Notably Sentimental Swordsman) I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShawAngela Posted February 7, 2015 Member Share Posted February 7, 2015 I remember to have enjoyed this movie a lot when I watched it 2 or 3 years ago. I have to watch it once again !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted February 7, 2015 Member Share Posted February 7, 2015 I actually rewatched it due to you mentioning it here. I remembered enjoying it, but not nearly as much as I did this time around. I like it much more than other more oft mentioned Chor Yuen movies...namely Death Duel.. . Which brings me back to Derek Yee. I am not big on him as a leading man, but he has has some of the greatest supporting roles! (Notably Sentimental Swordsman) I look forward to hearing your thoughts. The only other Chor Yuen films I have seen so far are Legend Of The Bat (1978) and Bat Without Wings (1980). While I was kinda disappointed with the first (nice actions, cool FX but overly convoluted plot), I really liked the second one (must be that killer wearing KISS make-up, I don't know). Jade Tiger seems to have an all-star cast: Ti Lung and Lo Lieh as leads was already good enough for me to blind-buy it, but having the likes of Ku Feng, Fan Mai Sheng (who's one of my fav' SB actors since I saw him in The Water Margin) or Johnny Wang along can't be a bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member paimeifist Posted February 7, 2015 Member Share Posted February 7, 2015 I haven't seen either of the two you mentioned, but I definitely want to see Bat Without Wings. Have you posted a (spoiler-free) review of that one? Lo Lieh isn't necessarily a lead in Jade Tiger, but he has a sizable part, and does a fantastic job with it. It does indeed have a great cast, I failed to mention Yueh Hua above, and he was great in it. I have seen some say Jade Tiger has a more convoluted plot than even most Chor Yuen flicks... But I disagree big time.. There are only two MAJOR twists, and there are two allegiances in the movie - which side each character stands on alone makes for the rest of the many wuxia-like twists.. So to me, looking at in that light, and keeping my mind on the main point of the story kept me from getting confused. There are indeed lots of characters, but as I said above, they are actually somewhat fleshed out and have personalities... In many Chor Yuen flicks the characters seem to just appear from nowhere as nothing more than a plot device, and that is what causes the plots to be too crazy in my opinion. ShawAngela, a second viewing took this one from pretty good to great for me.. So it is definitely worth a re-watch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Drunken Arts Posted February 8, 2015 Member Share Posted February 8, 2015 I went on a Chor Yuen binge approx a year back and cannot wait to watch the likes of Jade Tiger and Magic Blade again. I do remember loving these.. Killer Clans has always been my fave of his films.. Class film. I really enjoyed Bat Without Wings too. Although off the top of my head i cant remeber alot of it, so thats one i'll re-watch soon too. I also really enjoyed Death Duel, Swordsman And The Enchantress & Intimate Confessions of A Chinese Courtesan.. During that binge, i think i made a mistake of also watching Duel of The Century, Enchantress, Emperor & his Brother, Convict Killer, Murder Plot, Spirit Of The Sword, Web of Death, The Lizard, Clan of Amazons, Clans of Intrigue, Full Moon Scimitar, The Black Lizard, Sentimental Swordsman & The Return of all in close proximity, like one film after the other every next day.. Its all a blur lol.. So now typing this, i realise i basically have his entire Filmography i need to re-watch I have Duel For Gold, Roving Swordsman & Heroes Shed No Tears sitting here i need to watch. On topic of Chor Yuen, isn't Legend Of The Bat and Pursuit of Vengenace sequels to his films? [Which i also need for my collection] I need to grab Descendant Of The Sun & The Proud Twins. Oh i also need the Dragon Sabre films, Perils of The Sentimental Swordsman and The Bastard.. Holy Crap he put in the work... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member paimeifist Posted February 8, 2015 Member Share Posted February 8, 2015 Duel for Gold is probably my favorite of his behind Jade Tiger and Killer Clans. It is also MUCH different in feel and theme than his other wuxia flicks. I didn't like Heroes Shed No Tears the first time I watched it, but I don't remember much of it. I think we have all watched too many movies with a similar theme, cast, or feel and end up not remembering much about any individual film. I think that was the case with my first viewing of Jade Tiger to be honest. Your post helped me realize I could stand to see more of his films myself Drunken Arts. From what you've listed, I have seen (and ill rank them favorite to least favorite for fun): Killer Clans = Jade Tiger Duel for Gold Sentimental Swordsman Death Duel Clan of Amazons (dreadfully boring to me, I couldn't finish it) The Lizard* The Magic Blade* Heroes Shed No Tears* Web of Death* The stars mean I don't remember them much at all. Sad how much I have forgotten or watched with half attention. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Drunken Arts Posted February 8, 2015 Member Share Posted February 8, 2015 Im happy you said that about Duel For Gold paimeifist, Im looking forward to watching it.. I had abit of time off my Shaws and now feeling the urge to dive back in. . I think there are a few others on this forum that have spoken highly of it too. And regarding Heroes Shed No Tears, Im not the biggest of Fu Sheng fans and i get the feeling thats what kept me away from it so far.. Despite all those Chor Yuan films i watched so close to one another, i do remember being really let down by Clan Of Amazons too. If by chance you were to ask me what one to recommend that you have not listed/seen, I'd instantly pick Intimate Confessions of A Chinese Courtesan, its not like his other films, its not convoluted, its as straight forward as any of his films i've seen so far, yet i was gripped from start to finish.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted February 8, 2015 Member Share Posted February 8, 2015 I haven't seen either of the two you mentioned, but I definitely want to see Bat Without Wings. Have you posted a (spoiler-free) review of that one? Posted about it (in this very thread) after watching it a few weeks ago: Bat Without Wings (1980) I'll state it right away: seeing it was another wuxia from the same director, I went in low expectations as I didn't enjoy Legend Of The Bat that much (For the record it remains my least favorite SB movie). I figured the best element would be the fact that there's a killer who looks like he dropped in from the local Kiss convention in it... ...And boy was I wrong. The movie is actually great. I really enjoyed the first half, with the weird looking killer that can take on dozens of guys (the movie cuts straight to the chase as it opens with a battle), the supernatural elements and the nice action delivered throughout. But the second half got heavy on twists and turns, which I'm not too fond of. However, the action was still going on great and I loved some of the creative tricks and traps (with even more exotic ways out). And the movie has a strange eerie mood that fits perfectly. Overall, it's a very good SB movie. It seems actually closer to Human Lanterns (masked killers kidnapping and murdering women, swordsmen trying to take him down, horror/supernatural elements), but with the traps and the twists a wuxia like Legend Of The Bat would have. I'd actually rank it on par with HL, maybe a bit lower for the twists and turns that seemed sometimes far-fetched. I tried to avoid spoilers so it may seem a bit vague. But you get a general idea of the movie. Lo Lieh isn't necessarily a lead in Jade Tiger, but he has a sizable part, and does a fantastic job with it. It does indeed have a great cast, I failed to mention Yueh Hua above, and he was great in it. I have seen some say Jade Tiger has a more convoluted plot than even most Chor Yuen flicks... But I disagree big time.. There are only two MAJOR twists, and there are two allegiances in the movie - which side each character stands on alone makes for the rest of the many wuxia-like twists.. So to me, looking at in that light, and keeping my mind on the main point of the story kept me from getting confused. There are indeed lots of characters, but as I said above, they are actually somewhat fleshed out and have personalities... In many Chor Yuen flicks the characters seem to just appear from nowhere as nothing more than a plot device, and that is what causes the plots to be too crazy in my opinion. Even as a more minor character, Lo Lieh is still a great addition to a cast. Agreed about the randomly appearing characters. I don't recall that aspect being very heavy in Bat Without Wings, but some characters do indeed lack development and you're left scratching your head wondering what these people were all about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member paimeifist Posted February 8, 2015 Member Share Posted February 8, 2015 Drunken Arts, I have seen a lot of praise around here for Intimate Confessions, I'll scoop up the R1 version next time I get some movies. GHW, now that I see it, I remember your post on Bat without Wings. It sounds like it is right down my alley (especially with the comparison to Human Lanterns!). I'll have to see this one when I can. (I know its rare). I finally saw Vengeance! today. Very good movie, incredibly brutal, with a revenge crazed David Chiang. Dark movie, and there is nothing "heroic" about the bloodshed here. David Chiang is out for blood and he doesn't care who he has to kill to get it. Awesome movie with some good basher action and knife fights, breakable set pieces were used to great effect here. Ti lung was also amazing in his small amount of screen time. One thing that I found really cool was flashing back to Ti Lungs opera performance as he slaughtered his enemies! Was sad to see Chen Kuan Tai as an extra with no fights, haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted February 8, 2015 Member Share Posted February 8, 2015 Definitely check it out ASAP, paimeifist. Funny I have seen this apparently rare film when there are so many widely available SB classics I still haven't seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member paimeifist Posted February 8, 2015 Member Share Posted February 8, 2015 Definitely check it out ASAP, paimeifist. Funny I have seen this apparently rare film when there are so many widely available SB classics I still haven't seen. I actually just searched it, and apparently there was a R1 release of this! May be getting around to it sooner than I thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member masterofoneinchpunch Posted February 9, 2015 Member Share Posted February 9, 2015 ... BTW Could you guys leave your thoughts on The Magic Blade and/or Bastard Swordsman? I'm ashamed to say I haven't seen either, but I'd like to know what I'm in for when I see it at the New Bev on the 17th. Thank you! Full review of mine on The Magic Blade. I also loved the Bastard Swordsman. Beautiful looking crazy wuxia. Easily worth watching and owning and rewatching. And then get the sequel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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