Jump to content

Fistful of Talons (1983)


jiujitsu77

Recommended Posts

  • Member

eastwestdvd.com, a budget company that puts out MANY kung fu, spaghetti westerns, blaxploitation films, and other public domain films, has done it again.

picked up fistful of talons with billy chong, along with snuff bottle connection on the same disc.

Iv'e always loved billy chong. about 10 years ago, a video store in cal city illinois had a huge selection of kf movies. "kung fu zombie" caught my eye (for obvious reasons. its as if it said "andy...what two things do you like most? HUZAAH!") and i watched it over and over. great Taiwanese film.

anyways...ive watched quite a few since, and he has NEVER been in a bad movie IMO. picking up fistful of talons for only $1 was a steal, and this movie is very very good. Chong has great skill (in and out of the ring so ive seen) and am looking forward to getting more of his films. ive heard his career in hong kong was cut short due to a "conan lee" syndrome, but he still maintains much work in indonesia.

so guys...share some info with me. how do you rate him among the others? any sweet gossip? did he once kill 20 men with his bare hands? haven't been able to find out alot about him and was wondering if anyone felt he was as good as i do.

by the way....eastwestdvd.com is a cheap company mainly dealing in old ocean shores vhs transfers, but so what? Great $1 impulse buy and shit ton o titles.

are there any delux editions of any of his films out there. im sure there are german releases, but how about region 1? id like to see fistful with a better transfer. classic film

also looking forward to seeing the carl scott film with him in it

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

I also love this movie!! I have an old VHS copy of this movie down in my basement. One of the reasons I will never get rid of my VCR ever at least until it stops working.......:angel:

That's being wrote I'll check out eastwestdvd as it would be nice to have a copy of DVD to last that much longer.

I don't know of any deluxe DVD editions, but I would be interested in any for sure as well.

I always viewed Billy Chong as a more serious Jackie Chan. Very all around great screen fighter for sure.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

yeah bro try your local dollar store or wal-mart. they have alot of titles

and for having a vcr...jesus bro if you could only see how many vhs tapes i have...i run a video store and started buying every catalog title when the dvd takeover started. payed a buck a piece (got a lot of out of print stuff too that i have still that are actually worth something as well) and came out smelling like roses. i totally sympathize with you on that one.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
kungfusamurai

It's a good movie, but the ending really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I wonder if anyone has ever asked Whang Ing Sik if he regretted killing that poor animal?

KFS

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator
KUNG FU BOB

Billy Chong is like a 50-50 mixture of Sonny Chiba and Jackie Chan. And you know what that means? He f***ing rocks!

FISTFUL OF TALONS -what a nutty title- was my intro to Billy as well, and I've enjoyed every one of his films. I'm a big fan, and even have one of his Indonesian films. No subs, but my buddy that sent it said it was still great. Recently a wonderful, generous friend sent me the original theatrical poster for Billy's film SUPERPOWER! Oh yes... it is in a frame and on the wall. Awesome. Thanks again- you know who you are! :D

Carl Scott is great, and vastly underrated. He made a great partner in fu for Billy. JJ77 you should definitely see all of the films of both of these guys.

I'm going to start a thread asking if anyone has a copy of FISTFUL in widescreen.

However... Kungfusamurai- I have to agree with you about the animal cruelty- truly terrible. Had they faked it, the idea of what happened made sense and was cool. But knowing they really did that was the one low point of the film for me.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator
KUNG FU BOB

Dragon, your presence reminded me... Let me ammend my statement to: Billy Chong is like a 40-40 mixture of Sonny Chiba and Jackie Chan, and a 20 of Bruce!

As for personal information on him, I heard he was a pop singer before he started acting. Kind of like the Andy Lau of Indonesia.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

I hated what happened to the bird aswell.One minute it was an obvious fake and the next...He's ripping a real bird apart.I remember watching that movie as a teen in the late '80's,and how disturbed I felt after watching it.

But dammit,the bird had it comin' to him!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
thundered mantis

Billy Chong is one of the best! He´s got the whole package going for him. Charisma and acting skills, plus he´s fast, he´s accurate, he´s acrobatic, he´s got the rhythm and very flexible legs also.

But Fistful I´ve never been a fan of. It builds and builds for the grand finale, and when it comes it´s a bit on the slopy side. No fast and complex movements, just easy blocks and some basic stuff. It looks like 73´ speed.

For Billy Chong I prefer Super Power, Crystal Fist, KF from Beyond the Grave, etc.

BTW, maybe I´m not partial to Fistful for the horrible fullscreen presentation. Is that edition letterbox by chance?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

sadly it is not...it is the ocean shore's print. but still...well worth it for a buck. some of their titles are widescreen, however (eastwestdvd)

i was kind of taken aback by the ending as well, but i figured, hell...if they eat it, well...can't be all that bad (i LIVE off of chicken, however do not condone animal cruelty in the slightest, so im perplexed..kinda like watching the unedited cannibal holocaust)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

I too would be interested in a widescreen version of this movie!! It must be around somewhere!!

I've had limited exposure to Billy Chong but what I've seen I've loved!! He was a total package, good hand to hand skills, crisp kicks, and weapons work!!

I need to catch Superpower!!!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

superpower is my favourite billy chong film loved his nature fist technique , would love to see the kickboxing move Rio he did in indonesia only seen the trailer

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

When I saw Wang In Sik tear up the bird at the end, I thought I was in heaven. What a great way to top off a great movie.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
Hey Bus! :D Welcome back. How was touring?

I've been having a lot of fun, but also doing a crazy amount of work. You been ok, bro? Gonna have to pay ya to do that drawing for me soon. Hit me up with a PM.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
Tantheman

Does anyone know a good cheap website to get Billy Chong films on dvd? I've been hearing about them for years but the only one I've been able to find was Kung Fu Zombie, which I enjoyed. Love Chan Lau in it too!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
butcher wing

I like the whole anti Ching theme, and the bad guy is awesome. But I feel really bad for the bird at the end of the movie, I hope it wasn't alive before it was torn apart.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
superpower is my favourite billy chong film loved his nature fist technique , would love to see the kickboxing move Rio he did in indonesia only seen the trailer

I believe Rio Sang Suara is a boxing movie, not kickboxing. I'd love to get a hold of that one also. I'm a huge Billy Chong fan and appreciate just about all of his films and indonesian tv work like Sapu Jagad (2000). He had great chemistry with the super talented Carl Scott, wish the made more films together. I would've enjoyed seeing Billy Chong in more Hong Kong movies (I heard lots of rumours about his pompous attitude, threats by triads, too rich to care about being successful in HK, etc). He still looks great today. The late Sifu Linn told me his big hit 1995 TV Series, Deru Debu (Son of the Dust) was some of his best work. That's what I really want to get my hands on.

Billy Chong had "IT", the complete package, the look, great hands and great bootwork, charisma up the yin yang and choreography. He was very popular in NYC movie theatres and Drive In Movie tv on Saturday afternoons.

I always watched his films whenever they played on 42nd St and Brooklyn's Williamsburg and Commodore theatres. Rio sang juara or Deru Debu anyone? Anyone? ;)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
butcher wing

heres a movie for you invincible monkey fist. Chen Kwan Tai and Billy Chong. i believe it was filmed in indonesia and there are these pirates who have rad palm techniques. it might be silat or one of the other indo styles.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
ThunderScore

Years ago, I saw the Ocean Shores VHS of KUNG FU ZOMBIE for rent in a video store. Wish I'd picked it up since all other versions I've seen aren't as nice...

picture.php?albumid=169&pictureid=5022picture.php?albumid=169&pictureid=5024picture.php?albumid=169&pictureid=5023

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator
KUNG FU BOB
heres a movie for you invincible monkey fist. Chen Kwan Tai and Billy Chong. i believe it was filmed in indonesia and there are these pirates who have rad palm techniques. it might be silat or one of the other indo styles.

Whoa! I have INVINCIBLE MONKEY FIST- I didn't realize Billy Chong was in it or I would have watched it right away!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use

Please Sign In or Sign Up