The Best Shaw Film You've Seen Recently Is...

[KenHashibe]

Ken, that six word review of House of Traps is hilarious, haha. It isn't that I don't like acrobatics at all, I just don't like it when it gets to the point where it seems like theyre jumping around more than attacking!

Totally understandable. The finale to Magnificent Ruffians in particular is very showy, but I think it looks spectacular (haven't seen the whole movie, but I have seen the finale).

With that said, the Daredevils does interest me because I believe it is set in modern day.

Really? That's awesome! I gotta check this one out. I always thought it looked like a fun movie.

I'd like to check out Legend of the Fox, along with the other few Venoms flicks I haven't seen. From your description Jmung, it sounds like it may resemble the late 60s-early 70s period of Shaw wuxia (that I love.)

I haven't heard a lot of good things about Legend of the Fox, but I'll still check it out for the sake of being a completist. I believe Chiang Sheng is the villain in this one.

I think I will make that venoms ranking thread tomorrow.. I'm too tired and want to get a movie in before I hit the sack.. If someone else wants to start it off first that's cool too!

I guess I can try and get that done today. Enjoy your movie!

BTW Just saw Treasure Hunters earlier today. It was half comedy filler and half fantastic fight scenes. The comedic setups weren't bad, but there are several action highlights throughout (including some terrific slapstick). There are some good performances, but Fu Sheng stands out because I have a bias for anything with Fu Sheng in it.

[thegoldenstate]

, Sword Stained is a little confusing, and iirc House of Traps had unnecessary gay chest exposing costumes... Lol.

Sheesh, the homophobia on here at times...

Not to pick on you, but how do you deal with going to the beach, or being in a locker room, or seeing a boxing match on television, etc.

If it bothers you that much, then maybe that says more about you than it does the costume design per se.

Again, not to pick on you, but it bothers me to read comments like that.

[Tex Killer]

Sword Stained is a little confusing

It`s made from novel, may explain it. Director/scriptwriter needed to cut plot.

There is another adaption starring yuen biao and tv series too.

[Cold Bishop]

Re: Daredevils: "Modern" is stretching it... it's a Republican Era film, same as Vengeance, Duel or Anonymous Heroes (which it resembles). And no, there's not much action in the film: the first half emphasizes Acrobatic street performances, the second turning into something like a caper film. It's squarely a b-side, but worth a look for the final fight, which plays almost like a Cantonese style affair (Chan, Sammo, Yuens, etc.) more than your typical studio stuff. It's set in a warehouse (and what looks like a real one, or at least a more accurate set) with the Venoms taking full advantage of all the props and architectural features available. And those who think they get too mannered in their choreography should enjoy Wong Lik, who truly gives the impression of a desperate man defending himself on all sides. It gives a small glimpse of what the Venoms might have looked like if they developed with the times. Plus Lu Feng as a hero.

Very inessential but worth it to the completists.

[paimeifist]

Sheesh, the homophobia on here at times...

Not to pick on you, but how do you deal with going to the beach, or being in a locker room, or seeing a boxing match on television, etc.

If it bothers you that much, then maybe that says more about you than it does the costume design per se.

Again, not to pick on you, but it bothers me to read comments like that.

Ah you are taking what I said wrong. If the characters were shirtless, it would have been fine. But a bright gold costume with a hole cut just in the chest is just silly looking to me, and doesn't make sense, lol. Not that everything I these movies has to make sense... I just don't like those silly costumes.

To put it in perspective for you, I don't like the costumes in this movie and they add to my dislike for the movie overall, but I don't mind and just laugh at the scene where they kick women out of the bath and play with each other in Magnificent Ruffians.

Assuming homophobia for calling some goofy looking costumes gay was jumping the gun a bit!

Calling it gay was just joking going with the old assumption on Chang Cheh, which I actually don't agree with...and let's face it, the label probably does fit these particular costumes, haha.

Thanks for the review on Daredevils Bishop. Sounds like it's probably worth a watch.

[Cold Bishop]

And for the record, I enjoy Cheh because of his homoerotic imagery and themes. Certainly, it's not like there's a surplus of flamboyantly queer action auteurs. Plus it counterbalances the more conservative, reactionary and at times proto-fascist predilections in his work.

[paimeifist]

And for the record, I enjoy Cheh because of his homoerotic imagery and themes. Certainly, it's not like there's a surplus of flamboyantly queer action auteurs. Plus it counterbalances the more conservative, reactionary and at times proto-fascist predilections in his work.

Were his THEMES really homoerotic though? I feel they were more based on a brotherly love and honor. Homoerotic imagery and subtleties/scenes? For sure!

Not arguing with you, it really is a question. You're like our resident Shaw historian as far as I'm concerned

Funny, it's easy to forget these things were unique, because so many of the movies we watch were made by him. Lol

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Were his THEMES really homoerotic though? I feel they were more based on a brotherly love and honor. Homoerotic imagery and subtleties/scenes? ...

I like the term homosocial when dealing with the themes of Chang Cheh. Stephen Teo uses this term and goes further on this subject. I'm now looking at his section on Cheh in Hong Kong The Extra Dimensions he does go further: "Zhang Che was, in his time, the most prominent director to deal with the homosexual undertones in the 'brotherhood' code of yi."

[Secret Executioner]

Am I the only one (since we're on homoerotic undertones in Chang Cheh's films) that got bugged watching Invincible Shaolin that a guy demanded another takes his shirt off before fighting ? Someone mentionned the Mantis master asking his student to undress (to check his build), but that part also seemed a bit strange to me - especially when I was still new to this director and I had read (already) of "gay/homoerotic undertones" in his movies

But I never really felt his movies were overly homoerotic - there are undertones here and there that may be funny to catch (and some weird stuff - like the fascination for someone's groin in Shaolin Martial Arts), but nothing too "in your face".

[paimeifist]

But I never really felt his movies were overly homoerotic - there are undertones here and there that may be funny to catch (and some weird stuff - like the fascination for someone's groin in Shaolin Martial Arts), but nothing too "in your face".

That's pretty much how I feel about it as well GHW. I don't remember being put off by that scene in Invincible Shaolin, but I don't remember much of that movie anyway.

I agree that homosocial is probably a better word to use in describing Chang Chehs themes.

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Now I do think of the Ti Lung quote in the documentary Yang and Yin when this topic comes up:

Men relate to each other much as they relate to women. I agree with Chang Cheh about this. Men have their own charisma, their own way of moving, that can be attractive, too.

So of course there is going to be a homoerotic content to it (or perceived) since Chang was quite often pushing the glorification of the male image.

[paimeifist]

I saw that quote somewhere else very recently. Not sure if I was researching or if it was mentioned here.

I revisited Masked Avengers. It had a lot less action than I remembered, there isn't much fighting at all til the last half an hour, but the fighting is top class when it comes. The story is interesting enough and there is good acting throughout so even though it isn't action packed, it's not boring either. I forgot how awesome the end fight was with the trident passing and what not. The dark tone, and the idea of the crazed Masked Avengers cult is still cool.

Still wouldn't considerate a favorite of mine, but a very good movie with a great finale.

[KenHashibe]

Re: Daredevils: "Modern" is stretching it... it's a Republican Era film, same as Vengeance, Duel or Anonymous Heroes (which it resembles). And no, there's not much action in the film: the first half emphasizes Acrobatic street performances, the second turning into something like a caper film. It's squarely a b-side, but worth a look for the final fight, which plays almost like a Cantonese style affair (Chan, Sammo, Yuens, etc.) more than your typical studio stuff. It's set in a warehouse (and what looks like a real one, or at least a more accurate set) with the Venoms taking full advantage of all the props and architectural features available. And those who think they get too mannered in their choreography should enjoy Wong Lik, who truly gives the impression of a desperate man defending himself on all sides. It gives a small glimpse of what the Venoms might have looked like if they developed with the times. Plus Lu Feng as a hero.

Very inessential but worth it to the completists.

If anything, you're review only made me want to watch The Daredevils more. Sounds like a fun movie.

And for the record, I enjoy Cheh because of his homoerotic imagery and themes. Certainly, it's not like there's a surplus of flamboyantly queer action auteurs. Plus it counterbalances the more conservative, reactionary and at times proto-fascist predilections in his work.

Our heroes' white costumes in Five Element Ninjas got a laugh when I saw it at the New Beverly (so did the gold ninja costumes). This shouldn't be a big surprise.

I revisited Masked Avengers. It had a lot less action than I remembered, there isn't much fighting at all til the last half an hour, but the fighting is top class when it comes. The story is interesting enough and there is good acting throughout so even though it isn't action packed, it's not boring either. I forgot how awesome the end fight was with the trident passing and what not. The dark tone, and the idea of the crazed Masked Avengers cult is still cool.

Still wouldn't considerate a favorite of mine, but a very good movie with a great finale.

I thought Masked Avengers was an exciting and interesting movie. I thought the story was intriguing with some great action. I like the mystery/suspense element in Masked Avengers much more than Five Venoms. The scene where Chin Siu Hou one by one reveals the leaders is my favorite scene because it combines both mystery/suspense and terrific fight choreography. There's also that wonderfully dark atmosphere throughout. Easily one of my favorites of the Venoms films.

[thegoldenstate]

Ah you are taking what I said wrong. If the characters were shirtless, it would have been fine. But a bright gold costume with a hole cut just in the chest is just silly looking to me, and doesn't make sense, lol. Not that everything I these movies has to make sense... I just don't like those silly costumes.

To put it in perspective for you, I don't like the costumes in this movie and they add to my dislike for the movie overall, but I don't mind and just laugh at the scene where they kick women out of the bath and play with each other in Magnificent Ruffians.

Assuming homophobia for calling some goofy looking costumes gay was jumping the gun a bit!

Calling it gay was just joking going with the old assumption on Chang Cheh, which I actually don't agree with...and let's face it, the label probably does fit these particular costumes, haha.

I apologize, I guess it was just the phrasing you used. Obviously when you're just reading words on a screen it's easy to misinterpret.

Anyway, maybe I was just miffed because you dissed SSwRB and HoT, which I think are both really fun movies!

[Cold Bishop]

Were his THEMES really homoerotic though? I feel they were more based on a brotherly love and honor. Homoerotic imagery and subtleties/scenes? For sure!

Certianly some people bang that drum a bit too hard and sometimes for the wrong reason (I feel like a lot of those '70s Chinese critics who initially broach the topic were trying to get in homophobic cheapshots, not explore a fascinating dimension to the work). Surely, I'm guilty of sometimes overstating the topic, just to tweak the nose of those who still blanch at the possibility that the godfather of kung-fu cinema might be gay. Also, I would say "homosocial" can diplomatically be used for a lot of those moments. With that said, regardless of what Chang was or thought he was, the films speaks for themselves.

And it's not like it's just a bunch of friendship and camaraderie. It's the way he clings to that topic to the exclusion of everything else and alongside other mitigating material. Certainly, he had little interest in female characters or hetero-romances, which are always either disinterestedly done or completely chaste and sexless. But really, I feel he increasingly had little interest for anything outside his tiny bubble of instinctual warrior-types. I find his films to have a deep unease for the modern world and really all society, his heroes often yearning to break free and stand apart. There's his increasing love for artifice and blatant performance; not gay in and of itself, but certainly closely aligned with queer aesthetics since at least the 19th century. There's his unceasing idealization of the male form and physique, which exceeds even the norm for such a physical and macho genre. Then there's his admiration for violence, as masochistic as sadistic in their depictions, something which his characters pursue often for its own sake.

Above all, it's the way this always comes together: his beautiful males reaching the height of their glory, and their transcendence from the common and lowly world, through feats of suicidal violence. It's a structure that always strikes me as sexual, just as it does when it pops up in the work of hetero-filmmakers (Peckinpah, Schrader, etc.), of untapped erotic-energies being sublimated into eruptions of bloodshed. Taken alongside the rest of his material, it rings familiar with the linking of beauty and violence that is common among queer artists (Mishima, Genet, Bataille): the apotheosis of beauty being found precisely in the object of beauty's destruction.

Above even that is the way he returns to this same model, this same structure, these same themes over and over, like some ritual that constantly needs to be performed anew. It's obviously not just him trying to stay abreast of the box-office: the fact that Chang continued to make these films, in fact pushed them into more extreme territory, after the box-office left him behind disproves that. Nor is it just him being a workaholic: he could have just as easily, if not more easily, tried a bigger variety of film if that's what he wanted. No, there was something else about this ideal model of violent heroism, something that strikes me as vaguely but also deeply personal, which constantly drew him back to it again and again.

[paimeifist]

Ken, I mostly agree with you on Masked Avengers, It just isn't among my very favorite Venoms films. I'm not sure if I liked the suspense more in this or the original.

Goldenstate, no worries! I dont think either are terrible or unwatchable films, I just didn't enjoy them as much as any other venoms movie I have seen! Haha. As I said I'd like to give SSwRB another shot anyway. Maybe sometime soon, you guys got me on another venoms kick now.

Bishop, good post with a lot to take in. I see what you're getting at though, these consistent trends had to point to something.

[KenHashibe]

Ken, I mostly agree with you on Masked Avengers, It just isn't among my very favorite Venoms films. I'm not sure if I liked the suspense more in this or the original.

The Five Venoms was the first Venoms movie I ever saw (which is appropriate). The first time I saw it, I was still able to predict who was going to be who. Lo Mang, Lu Feng, and Wei Pai all expose who they are way too earlier. That leaves only Phillip Kwok and Sun Chien and it wasn't hard guessing who would be who. This is almost a nitpick though because I still like the story and the movie is still very interesting and intriguing. The suspense is there, but I thought it was more effective in Masked Avengers. Our main characters are always in danger, they don't know who to trust, and even the people in their own team might be evil. Both are terrific, but I personally prefer Masked Avengers. Both probably deserve a rewatch too.

[Secret Executioner]

Certianly some people bang that drum a bit too hard and sometimes for the wrong reason (I feel like a lot of those '70s Chinese critics who initially broach the topic were trying to get in homophobic cheapshots, not explore a fascinating dimension to the work). Surely, I'm guilty of sometimes overstating the topic, just to tweak the nose of those who still blanch at the possibility that the godfather of kung-fu cinema might be gay. Also, I would say "homosocial" can diplomatically be used for a lot of those moments. With that said, regardless of what Chang was or thought he was, the films speaks for themselves.

And it's not like it's just a bunch of friendship and camaraderie. It's the way he clings to that topic to the exclusion of everything else and alongside other mitigating material. Certainly, he had little interest in female characters or hetero-romances, which are always either disinterestedly done or completely chaste and sexless. But really, I feel he increasingly had little interest for anything outside his tiny bubble of instinctual warrior-types. I find his films to have a deep unease for the modern world and really all society, his heroes often yearning to break free and stand apart. There's his increasing love for artifice and blatant performance; not gay in and of itself, but certainly closely aligned with queer aesthetics since at least the 19th century. There's his unceasing idealization of the male form and physique, which exceeds even the norm for such a physical and macho genre. Then there's his admiration for violence, as masochistic as sadistic in their depictions, something which his characters pursue often for its own sake.

Above all, it's the way this always comes together: his beautiful males reaching the height of their glory, and their transcendence from the common and lowly world, through feats of suicidal violence. It's a structure that always strikes me as sexual, just as it does when it pops up in the work of hetero-filmmakers (Peckinpah, Schrader, etc.), of untapped erotic-energies being sublimated into eruptions of bloodshed. Taken alongside the rest of his material, it rings familiar with the linking of beauty and violence that is common among queer artists (Mishima, Genet, Bataille): the apotheosis of beauty being found precisely in the object of beauty's destruction.

Above even that is the way he returns to this same model, this same structure, these same themes over and over, like some ritual that constantly needs to be performed anew. It's obviously not just him trying to stay abreast of the box-office: the fact that Chang continued to make these films, in fact pushed them into more extreme territory, after the box-office left him behind disproves that. Nor is it just him being a workaholic: he could have just as easily, if not more easily, tried a bigger variety of film if that's what he wanted. No, there was something else about this ideal model of violent heroism, something that strikes me as vaguely but also deeply personal, which constantly drew him back to it again and again.

Great post here, with very interesting points.

[Secret Executioner]

The Heroic Ones (1970)

Not sure if it's because I saw it at night instead of the usual evening, but I found this one a bit complicated. The backstory at the beginning isn't very clear, I was a bit confused as to who was who among the 13 brothers - I wasn't even sure whether that lord and his 13 sons were good or bad guys until about halfway through (I blame casting Ku Feng, as I see him as a baddie - but still, very strong acting here on his part and possibly his best performance I've seen, even better than his performance as the main baddie in The New One-Armed Swordsman) - and the story itself seems more like a Chor Yuen plot than the usual Chang Cheh plot leading up to big battles and/or bloodshed.

Speaking of battles, this movie has nice action and the battle parts are really nice to watch. Kudos to those blue Ninja-like fighters, though they got disposed of fairly easily IMO (okay, they still ripped someone's belly open).

The final act after Ti Lung's character dies came totally unexpected as I expected a massive final battle between Ku Feng's army and the troops of Chan Sing that would end in one gigantic bloodshed. But there was blood, and more than I could ask for - David Chiang gets one of the most gruesome death scenes I've seen in a SB movie.

I mentionned Ku Feng's performance being really great here, but I was quite please with David Chiang's performance too - I'm not even sure which of his performances is my favorite of his between this movie and The New One-Armed Swordsman. For sure, it's one of my favorite performances of his. Ti Lung is also pretty damn good once he gets focus, and he has a great action scene towards the 3/4 of the film - needless to say I enjoyed him here way more than I did in Have Sword, Will Travel, but his character kinda lacks development and I'll say this performance of his is slightly inferior to his performance in The New One-Armed Swordsman.

Overall, I enjoyed the first half hour with the party scene (man Ku Feng's laugh is great and that party sure seemed like a lot of fun), the battles and the unexpected final part - what came in between felt a bit more hit and miss, though the movie is nowhere near bad in spite of those "lesser moments". The plot and amount of characters were a bit complicated (though I didn't have the character issue in The 14 Amazons and I could deal with it in The Water Margin as the story was focused on a few people). But with two hours of running time and an elaborated story, all of this can be forgiven.

On a sidenote, am I the only one who got bugged that the different forts in this film seemed to be using the exact same set piece ? It really felt as such, though I still liked the sets nonetheless - very typical Shaw Bros palace halls, inn and countryside sets I must say and the fort sets look really nice too.

[paimeifist]

Shaolin Martial Arts

So, I thought I had seen this before, but now that I've watched it today, I am pretty sure I hadn't. I believe I was getting this film mixed up with Shaolin Avengers. I realized I was mistaken when I found that Pai Mei was no where to be seen here.

Anyway, this is a great movie, and I think one of the strongest of the cycle. The story is simple, but the way it plays out was awesome. The split in the middle and variation of the training scenes was a nice touch. I also thought the sub-plot with the women worked fairly well. There were some absolutely beautiful sets and locations in this, some of the best of Shaws, which we all know is really saying something! I loved the references to the Pai Mei history and such, and also the fact that it was basically the same styles/story but the disciples of those historical figures.

The characters here were very good, Fu Sheng had intensity in both his expressions and especially his fighting that he often lacked, and Chi Kuan Chun was great as well. Kong Do, (not)Beardy, and Wang Lung Wei were good as always as the villains, and the characterization was good throughout (even for these two characters who hardly uttered a word.) The minor characters were great and deserve mention as well in Bruce Tong, and Gordon Liu as the leads' brothers(classmates), and Simon Yuen was great as a master as he always is.

The fighting was fantastic in this, and Lau Kar Leung brings some intensity and explosiveness out of Fu Sheng. Every fight in the movie is solid, if I had to name some stand out's it would probably be some sparring between Chi Kuan Chun and Fu Sheng, and then naturally the fights at the end. Fu Sheng was probably the stand-out performer in this category for me.. I'm not sure if its because he truly was the best here (probably not), or if it's because I am generally underwhelmed by his unarmed fighting.

I still like Heroes Two the most out of the cycle.. But ranking 2-4 between this, Shaolin Temple, and 5 Masters would take some thought.

I know I really enjoyed Shaolin Avengers(and felt the same way about Fu Shengs performance as I did with this!), but don't remember much about it, so now I really need to see that again!

[Secret Executioner]

SMA isn't really my fav' from the Shaolin Cycle (could be my least fav' out of the few I've seen, but seeing they all make my Top 10 Shaw Bros films it's not saying much).

I too caught the references to Pai Mei and Fong Sai-yuk, which I found was a nice nod.

I agree that the subplot about the Eagle Claw styles with Gordon Liu and another actor I'm not sure the name of (guess it's Bruce Tong ?) was kinda cool, and the villains were very developped and quite interesting - Kong Do is as slimy and psycho as ever (seriously, he could be one of my fav' bad guys in those films) and the two killers are indeed pretty interesting for people who never talk (and they are great fighters too).

I had no idea John Liang was that "Beardy" guy I keep hearing about - gotta say he is probably my favorite character in this film (though I kinda like Gordon Liu too), probably due to a badass fighting style (immune to hits + great kicker ?! Holy smoke !!).

[Cold Bishop]

I've already mentioned my admiration for Shaolin Martial Arts (the first proper Shapes Film), but if I can find one flaw, or at least suggestion: as much as I like Gordon Liu and Bruce Tong, think how much more effective the bait-and-switch narrative structure would be if Chang had instead cast Ti Lung and David Chiang in those roles. It would have been a truly surprising and shocking twist, much more akin to what would be accomplished later in Executioners from Shaolin and Five Element Ninja, coupled with a nice passing of the torch between Chang's leading men.

Also, how cool is it that this film is, for all intents and purposes, the debut of Gordon Liu AND Wang Lung-Wei AND Beardy?

Didn't you already see Leung Kar-Yan as a Mongol in Marco Polo? He also has a nice outing in Boxer Rebellion, where he's a gwailo-killing machine, but he really shined after leaving Shaw Brothers: as cool as he is as an "immovable" villain, he's truly great once he started doing the more acrobatic and aerobic choreography that Yuen Woo-Ping and Sammo Hung gave him. There's a beautiful contrast between his hulking physique and his impossibly swift elegance in those films. Also, his truly magnificent beard.

Although I like to imagine there's an alternate dimension '70s where Leung Kar-Yan and Lee Yi-Min were members of the Venoms.

[paimeifist]

Damn I wish I was as much a thinker as you when it came to these movies, lol. I love that idea of Ti Lung and David Chiang playing Gordon and Tongs places! That would have been great! I didn't know it was the debut of Gordon, Wang Lung Wei and Beardy, cool bit of info.

Id say it's probably universally agreed upo that Beardys post Shaw days were what made him great. Hell, he wouldn't be who he is if it wasn't for his YWP flicks and such! Not only the beard itself, but his fighting style, and how charismatic he is in later roles. He is awesome as a mute menacing tough guy villain in the Shaolin movies he's in and such, but as someone who was introduced to him through knockabout, it almost seems like a different person, lol. I guess that also speaks for his acting ability.

Hell I would have loved to see a movie pitting the venoms against Leung-Kar Yan, Yuen Biao, and Sammo, maybe even throw Corey and Sonny Yuen in there to match up with Sun Chien and Lo Mang!

GHW, you probably think it's insane that I called Beardy charismatic from what you've seen of him!?

[KenHashibe]

The most recent Shaw Brothers movie I've seen was Hong Kong Playboys for the fourth or fifth time. It's probably Fu Sheng's performance that keeps bringing me back to it. I never get tired of it. His character is such a terrible person, but he's somehow the best part of the movie. It's actually quite intriguing. If you don't like Fu Sheng, this is definitely not for you.

It may seem like I'm praising this movie, but this movie is no classic. It's a fun movie at best, but Fu Sheng steals the show. I'll watch anything that he's in and he's so over-the-top in this one. This movie has nothing going for it (which is expected from director, Wong Jing) and the ending sucks, but I thought it was funny. Sue me.

If you're not totally annoyed by the trailer, you'll like the movie (and vice versa):

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The Heroic Ones (1970)

I liked the Heroic Ones. I certainly think that it's a bit slow in parts, but I really like the characters and the battle scenes. The last half-hour of the movie is definitely my favorite part. It's interesting to see how far our characters will go for loyalty or power. I didn't like it much the first time I saw it, but I liked it much more after a rewatch.

For those of you who haven't seen the movie yet, don't watch the original Chinese trailer because there are a lot of spoilers.

Shaolin Martial Arts

I haven't seen this one, but you had an interesting review for it. I'll have to check this one out too.

Id say it's probably universally agreed upo that Beardys post Shaw days were what made him great. Hell, he wouldn't be who he is if it wasn't for his YWP flicks and such! Not only the beard itself, but his fighting style, and how charismatic he is in later roles. He is awesome as a mute menacing tough guy villain in the Shaolin movies he's in and such, but as someone who was introduced to him through knockabout, it almost seems like a different person, lol. I guess that also speaks for his acting ability.

Beardy is terrific. I loved him in Legend of a Fighter and The Victim especially. No one has looked so mad in a movie before. He's very talented and I sometimes feel like he's underused in some of his supporting roles for Shaw Brothers.

[Idiot]

Only a tad over 3 years since my op. Good to see this thread has some legs.

Let's talk about Legendary Weapons Of China for a bit. Hailed by many as one of the best martial arts films ever made, I 'd like to get your take on it. While it has some of the best fight scenes in an old school flick that I've ever seen (especially the last exchange), I think as a movie overall, it fails a little for me. Maybe it's trying to be immune to bullets or the voodoo doll kung fu, but the over the top silliness prevents this movie from being top tier. Doesn't mean I don;t enjoy but this is a movie I feel I want to like a lot more than I actually do.

Your thoughts...?