Fun Poll of Fu Sheng's 1974 films.

[MarsHarmony]

Alexandra and I wanted to post this in her thread, but it will still be fun.

Your favorite Fu Sheng film from 1974 because there are six great classics to choose from.

[Betty Pei Ti]

LOL, you are crazy...! I must say, that's a very tough decision, but I vote for Heroes 2.

[gravedigger666]

sigh I guess this ridiculous fu sheng asslicking never stops.guy had huge nose and below average fighting skill.

of movies listed 5 shaolin masters is supreme but credit goes most to director,ti lung,david chiang and impressive villains.

[TibetanWhiteCrane]

He's not my favourite either, But I don't have to be a giant douche about it!

[Guest Markgway]

Can't make a decision between Heroes Two and Men from the Monastery.

The worst is clearly Na Cha the Great; and I haven't seen Friends yet.

[OldPangYau]

Sadly, from that list, I've only seen Heroes Two... but REALLY want to see Men From The Monastery, due to being the "wraparound film" for HT.

[gorhama]

He's not my favourite either, But I don't have to be a giant douche about it!

Good point!!

[Tosh]

H2 for me, ignore the haters girls, we all have our favorites:wink:

[The Dragon]

He held his own with Chen Kuai Tai in Heroes Two, and performed the Hung Fist style in that mini-film opening very well. Therefore I feel HT is the pick here.

[AbeRudder]

Going to have to go with Heroes Two purely for that end fight, one of my all time favourites.

[kungfusamurai]

I'm a Shaolin Martial Arts person. I've seen all the films, except Friends.

I didn't like the main bad guy in Heroes Two. I can't remember his name, but every time I watch him fighting Fu Sheng, it feels like Fu Sheng's Fong Sai Yuk is holding back, to compensate for the slowness or lack of skills of the bad guy lead. I do snicker, though, whenever I see that final ending when the bad guy gets beat and he's dying, but he swinging his arms like he's getting ready to due a Looney Tunes dash. I also didn't like the misunderstanding plot line that put Chen Kwan Tai's character Hung Sze Kwan(?) into harms way. It didn't feel believable, since there was so many ways he could have proved himself.

5 Shaolin Masters is alright, but I think the part that bothers me is the ending. Each person has trained in a skill that counters a specific skill of one of the enemy fighters, and for whatever reason, they all peel away to fight the corresponding guy! I know that's a weak reason, but it's only one. Plus the focus of the movie is Ti Lung and David Chiang. Fu Sheng is 1/5th of the Masters, but the other two guys presence in the film just overshadows Fu Sheng

Na Cha is just a nice little fantasy. Nothing earth shattering about it.

Men From The Monastery also is interesting, like three or four separate films edited into one, if I'm not mistaken. But again, it doesn't really hold me for some reason.

Shaolin Martial Arts is just badass from beginning to end. Fu Sheng is in his peak form there. And you have guys like Chi Kuan Chun, Leung Kar Yan, Wang Lung Wei, Bruce Tong, all fresh new faces, fighting it out. And there's a bit more depth in the acting, with the men having female relationships that influence their decisions, as opposed to a full out sausage-fest like so many other Chang Cheh films. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it just makes SMA stand out above the rest.

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KFS

[MarsHarmony]

Thank you for posting that great "Shaolin Martial Arts" original trailer. Makes me want to go watch it again.

Good choices everyone, and some very interesting viewpoints. Kungfusamurai is right. Every word about "Shaolin Martial Arts" is spot on. Badass from start to finish, it and "Five Shaolin Masters" are as exciting today as they were when I first saw them, back around when they came out. I think "FSM" does a good job of showcasing five characters in a fairly balanced way that shows the growth of each character in at least their quest to master their style. I would have loved maybe one scene, as they go through their training, to just gather for their simple meal at evening, wouldn't even have to say anything, they would just share a quiet moment. By the way it's Bruce Tong Yim Chan's birthday September 26, he will be 62. He is always great to watch.

I agree with the comment about "Heroes Two" placing Hung Hsi Kuan "in harm's way", it was extra tension, but did provide some good dramatic scenes for character development. Thats Chu Mu, at least looking the part of the villan, and we must forgive him the rest, I'm sure he did the best he could. Chang Cheh seemed to want to tell many tales of Fong Shi Yu and Hung Hsi Kuan, so it spills onto, and from "Men From the Monastery", as I believe I read here in the forum that "Monastery" was started first. Both classic examples of the theme of the needs of the many, the Han people, outweighing the needs of the few, the heroes. They makes a good double feature, as many Shaw classics do.

"Na Cha the Great" gets picked on a lot. If you can forget about CGI for an hour and a half, this is a fun and surprisingly deep layered film. An example of CC's and Fu Sheng's "what choice do you make when confronted with injustice or evil" theme that is played out through many of their films, and perhaps best realized in the later "New Shaolin Boxers" and to a lesser degree in "Disciples of Shaolin". Three years ahead of "Star Wars", "Na Cha" also asks "what do you choose to do when evil turns out to be your father?" Okay, giggle at the dragon puppets, but really they are kind of cool, and I give you the worst effect is the thankfully brief scene's in front of the fish tank, but apart from that it is packed with great action, plenty of fights with various weaponry, and the Battle in the Heavens is a non stop gauntlet of Na Cha vs an army that is beautifully filmed and choreographed.

I am sorry so few people have seen "Friends". It is a rare upbeat good natured, only slightly melodramatic, look at how a group of friends came to be. David Chiang, like him or don't, I do, gets to be cool and have fun, and it is special to see the scenes with him and Fu Sheng, they are nicely done. I humbly offer this video that I made from "Friends" with Fu Sheng working out, and then dropping in to see where David Chiang hangs out, and the music is by Blood, Sweat & Tears. No, I have not figured out how to just embed it.

[Shaolin Patriot]

Hmm, that's a tough one for me

[Iron Boat]

5 Shaolin Masters is the genuine classic but enough with the Fu Sheng worshipping already, or maybe this should be changed from Shaw Brothers Films to Fu Sheng 24/7

[MarsHarmony]

5 Shaolin Masters is the genuine classic but enough with the Fu Sheng worshipping already, or maybe this should be changed from Shaw Brothers Films to Fu Sheng 24/7

Every film Fu Sheng made was a SHAW BROTHERS film.

[David Rees]

Tis post is called "poll of Fu Sheng's films from 1974" so what do you expect iron boat??

[WhiteTiger1]

Heroes Two

Shaolin Martial Arts

Five Shaolin Masters

3 of the lot worth watching

All 3 good but I'd give the edge to Shaolin Martial Arts...Fun Movie!!

[BlackLamaFaction]

I always liked Fu Sheng in Life Gamble he was good as the guy who's kind of a d--k. A bad guy who does good things, your not sure if you like him or not etc... The anti hero is always my favorite guy in the film, and Fu Sheng did it well.For the purpose of this pole however,my favorite film would be Five Shaolin Masters,and my favorite with Fu Sheng in the lead role is Heroes Two.

[MarsHarmony]

Thats a great point in Life Gamble, Black Lama Faction, you don't know whether or not to like Fu's character, it is a good example of his anti hero portrayals.

Five Shaolin Masters, a particular favorite of mine, and one of the few Fu films choreographed by Lau Kar WIng and Lau Kar Lung together credited. I feel each of the five masters is the "main character", maybe Meng Fei got a little less screen time, but still shows his skills just as well, it really is a well balanced "play" for them all. Shaolin Martial Arts is a blast. Despite how sad the core story is, it is such a great "brotherhood" film, and the Shaolin forever theme underlines the training sequences to make them more than just a tale of revenge.

Great input, one and all.

[ironfistedmonk]

I went for Shaolin Martial Arts, the template for all the shapes goodness that was to follow. Debut roles for Beardy and The Mayor and fresh faced guys like Bruce Tong and Gordon Liu alongside the Shaw heavyweights, great movie IMO

[Alexandra]

Hehehe... I know who payed the two cents for Na Cha... hehehe...

Alexandra

[thekfc]

I love them all

5SM for me by half a hair over H2.

[Fang Shih-yu]

Since this poll is still open, I put in my vote for Heroes Two, though I would actually put this in a tie with Men From the Monastery because the movies are connected enough that they are the stuff of (technically speaking) a two-part story, regardless of how both were assembled! Otherwise, I'd rank MFtM at number two by a very small fraction! As has been already stated, Friends is essential viewing! Arguably, it's the best realized of all Cheh's "youth" pictures, with Dead End and the dizzy Young People (Fu Sheng is found in four sequences total!) coming right behind them [in my own ranking]! The rest of the '74 output isn't weak by any means; even so, plenty will still be arguing about Na Cha 'til the end of time!

[Guest Masked Avenger]

I'm gonna vote for 5 Shaolin Masters. After all It's my favourite Fu Sheng movie.

[Athena]

I'm gonna vote for 5 Shaolin Masters. After all It's my favourite Fu Sheng movie.

Same goes for me Masked Avenger !

Best Athena ...