Guest SunChien2004 Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 I preferred part 2 over this one, as it had more action and less of "Master of the Jump Punch" Wong Tao, lol, jk. Part 1 was ok, but I have to fast forward through all the slow parts, don't watch this one very often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chen Zhen Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 i agree with mark, this film didnt do it for me. its ok...i thought 2 was better in almost every way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest morgoth Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 I thought part 2 was OK but I would never watch it again. Just didn't do anythign for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest falkor Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 I count 4 people who agree with me--makes 5 in total--that Secret Rivals is a classic, but about 7 fans reckon it's average and the sequel better!? This is quite surprising, as most people I've met in my circle during the last 13 years of collecting rated it very highly indeed. As Linn and others have pointed out, Secret Rivals is one of the first superkicker films of the shapes era, produced in 1975. Therefore, it's also one of the earliest shapes films, which is why the choreography is not as good as Invincible Armour etc. However, if you compare it to any other shapes film from the same time, it should rank quite high. I'll try and explain the reasons why I think it's classic... The Korean style locations are a real eye opener. There is good character development between Wong Tao, John Liu, the woman and the boy. The film contains romantic scenes between Wong Tao and the woman accompanied by a moody soundtrack (also used in Heroic Ones). Hwang Jang Lee plays his trademark Silver Fox character. All this helps create a certain type of unique atmosphere and escapism in Secret Rivals. Secret Rivals also features everything you'd expect from a true martial arts film about martial arts, ie. training scenes and a tournament. It also features styles: Southern Fist and Northern Leg vs. Crane and Taekwondo. The choreography is the best you can get for a 1975 film, and I recall no dull moments whatsoever throughout the 90 odd minutes of top entertainment. Secret Rivals 2--made 2 years later--contains longer, improved fight scenes, including interesting weapons. However, the fight scenes are not paced very well, and everything geared towards the end fight, leaving the first 2 thirds of the film rather dull and boring without the same romance, character development and atmosphere as part 1; in my opinion, Secret Rivals 2 has superior fight scenes compared to part 1, but is inferior as an overall film. Of those who feel Secret Rivals is merely average, how many of you watched the English dubbed version and how many watched the subtitled version? Again, I'm quite shocked by all this somewhat negative feedback to tell you the truth, but everyone is entitled their opinion and everyone's opinion is different... I suppose that what makes the world interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SunChien2004 Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, I don't care if I watched it in subs, I'd still not be too crazy about part 1. Hell, the subtitles would probably put me away from the film. Still preferred part 2 over it, that's my view on those 2 films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest morgoth Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 Agreed Falkor, but just to add a little bit. I liked 1 a lot more than 2 because it did have that new type of style which was the first of it's kind, but it also had feeling and emotion. Part 2 was one of the most mindless movies I have ever seen. It seemed to be made for a 3 year old. I almost it off the movie off when Liu and Tino Wong fought the leg and fist specialists. And I love cheesy movies but part 2 wasn't even fun for me. When they are fighting the leg and fist guys and Liu tells him and Tino to switch, I couldn't even crack a smile. 1 final note, I promise so sorry falkor:b I didn't find anythign superior in part 2. The spinning knife things were kind of cool but I got tired of them early. Took way to long for Hwang to finally lose them in the last fight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest falkor Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 I liked 1 a lot more than 2 because it did have that new type of style which was the first of it's kind, but it also had feeling and emotion. That's a more better description of what I was partly trying to get across when I said "atmosphere and escapism" (I'm never good at finding the right words). Part 2 was one of the most mindless movies I have ever seen. It seemed like the movie was made for a 3 year old. Well said again... your interpretation and explanation is spot on with how I feel about part 2 in terms of it's story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dager in the cotton Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 I agree with Faklor in part , the charaters were good, esp fox , the locals were great , althought hey had been seen in countless Chinese films even before this. they made better use of them i this film, johns leg trainig was unique, although his kicks could not match Bruce liangs kicks in Call me Dragon & Little Superman which were filmed a year or so before Secret. Hwang was the real driving force behind this film, yes pt 2 was better for crisper fights and loads of them . but for me the best of the bunch was Death Duel of kung fu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HAZ74 Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 Hi, I checked out King Hu's Raining In The Mountain this weekend & that was really great. I couldn't help thinking that if the dudes from secret rivals would have been in it that it would have been perfect, provided that they could act a little. That movie was gorgeous. Serect Rivals was like a home movie in comparison. The locations are not given much room to shine. There was a romantic rivalry that didn't help forward the plot. I liked the kid, but the bad guys were pretty generic & the guy who's parents were killed didn't seem very tortured. As far as films go, this was a very amatuer effort. And I wouldn't say this because it contains martial arts cliches. I LOVE those. Give me a tournament, give me training scenes, give me revenge. Give me craftsmanship, though, too: Acting, direction, shot composition. And I don't need a film to be complex. A simple plot can do me just as well. There are no doubt documentaries & training films that I could watch if all I wanted to see was excellent kung fu. I don't think I'd watch Secret Rivals again. Maybe it was well regarded for its nostalgia factor or because it was rare once upon a time. Five stars for some of the action. one star for everything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tosh Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 Well, I liked the first one better, I think Falkor summed it up pretty well why, it's just an all around better movie, that last fight in the 2nd one is great though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Squid Lips Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 Saw this on Ebay.... Death Duel LD.... my.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MyeBay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lei Kung Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 I agree with falkor assessment of part 2. It seemed like a ripoff of the first one with more fights thrown in, typical bad sequel, but not awful. Part 1 is the only movie I have ever lost, ever. I opened it one day and the disc was gone and I have no idea who I lent it to. Looks like I'll be getting the Soulblade release from what everyone says. I had the Crash version before. I'll never forget the scene where Silver Fox makes his grand entrance to the theme of 007. Is the Soulblade release subbed or dubbed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jadebadger Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 Again, anywhere in the States to buy Soulblade releases, or is it cheaper just to buy from the UK? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Linn1 Posted February 26, 2007 Member Share Posted February 26, 2007 they have it for around $20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jadebadger Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 Rats, they only got SR II, for $24. Thanks though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Senor Quack Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 Jadebadger...try blahdvd.com where I got mine: Secret Rivals - Soulblade DVD Price is 12.99 pounds sterling, with free shipping. At current exchange rates that's about $25.50 U.S. (not too much more than the CDWow rate quoted). I didn't realize the exchange rate was so poor at the moment! I bought this disc for the same price (12.99 pounds) several months ago but at that time it came out to only $19.00!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jadebadger Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 Thanks for the info. Yikes! Maybe I'll wait til right when the tax return hits and try to sneak that one past the wife. not that her haircuts don't cost twice as much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chen Zhen Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 falkor has some great points. i guess SR1 didnt do it for me cuz at the time i was watching too many late 70s/early 80s shapes films. the action in 2 was quite superior, but i agree that the story and heart and all that in part 1 was better. i just couldnt get into the action, save for the nunchaku fight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chinatown Kid Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Chen you need to see Slaughter in San francisco, Wong Tao does a Bruce Lee(kinda) and gets to kick Chuck Norris's ass! Good early 70's cheese.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member The Dragon Posted July 15, 2009 Member Share Posted July 15, 2009 One of the first films to focus on the 'Two against one' formula and set a new standard with choreography geared toward an unconquerable villain. Hwang Cheng Li worked in this role and made John Liu and Don Wong look great. All three were superb onscreen fighters and the formula was copied hundreds of times. ...Rarely exceeded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Killer Meteor Posted October 25, 2011 Member Share Posted October 25, 2011 I love the opening to SECRET RIVALS 2 where the villians are writing a poem for Golden Fox. Then Hsu Hsia turns up with a steel claw which he uses...to show off his calligraphy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member instant noodles Posted January 19, 2012 Member Share Posted January 19, 2012 I didn't like Invincible Armour near as much. It was very good and was a bigger production, but hwang was not right for that role. Still, the whitehaired mutants fight with Phllip Ko is one of the coolest things ever and the music is the sh!t. I did not like IA either that much. Story is OK and fights too but I am not so much into films where bad guy is "invulnerable" except one weak area so ending was kinda lame. It`s still good flick but I prefer secret rivals 2 over 1st one..I have yet to see part 3 but will check it out soon. Someone told me there is lot comedy in#3 but I hope I got wrong info:p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Rascue Posted February 21, 2012 Member Share Posted February 21, 2012 Just watched the Crash DVD of this and felt sorry for the kid! First, he gets shaken up by the messenger at the start, then he gets picked on for saving his uncle from being punched and then, he gets picked up and about to be thrown around by the Russian. To make up for this, John Liu's character promises to teach him kung fu, only to forget this promise and promptly leave at the end of the movie! Does the kid get a break in the sequel?? lol Superb main villain though in The Silver Fox.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member popsjnr Posted February 22, 2012 Member Share Posted February 22, 2012 Always thought Invincible Armour was WAY better than either Secret Rivals movies, in my opinion Ng See Yuen's best directed film, with far better fight choreography-some of Woo Ping's finest-and John Liu and Wong Jan Lee giving out there finest bootwork ever...and the Gunlaw/Days of Anger music is one of the best "borrowed" scores...only Snuffbottle is on the same level. As for Secret Rivals 3, I think you mean the flik with John Liu and Lo Rei versus Gangly, New North Kicks and South Blows/Challenge of the Masters-the English video version's title-which got retitled by Vengeance as Rivals 3-that's a wicked piece of Taiwanese shapes work, but nothing like the other Rivals fliks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member The Silver Fox Posted February 22, 2012 Member Share Posted February 22, 2012 I agree about Invincible Armour, it is the best as far as the John Liu/Hwang Jang Lee/ Ng See Yuen films. It just has all the right ingredients and I think it is probably one of the most influential kung fu films of all time. Anyway,does anybody know where exactly Invincible Armour was filmed? I always kind of assumed it was Taiwan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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