Jump to content

Ming Dynasty Martial Arts Movies.


Iron_Leopard

Recommended Posts

  • Member

Like the title says I'm looking for some great (or just good) martial arts movies that take place during the Ming Dynasty. From Shaw Brothers to today will do. I love the period movies but Im starting to get burnt out on late Qing Dynasty films.

Thanks in advance.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
TheFlyingPanda

I'm doing some research for a Project and was wondering if anyone knows of a list or can direct me to a hand full of Good MA Action flicks that take place in the Late Ming Dynasty, around the burning of Shaolin and after, to early Qing Dynasty after 1644 to early 1700's. Any Martial Arts Movies in this era would help me for research. I already have some Shaw Flix like Executioners from Shaolin and found a few other of my movies like...

Touch Of Zen

Ming Patriots

Sword Stained with Royal Blood.

Much thanks!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

How about The Blazing Temple (1976) - Cater Wong and Shaolin Brothers (1977) also with Carter Wong

Here's another possibility:

Bloody Mask (1969) - It's a fusian release.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
TheFlyingPanda

Great! I have The Blazing Temple. I think I have Shaolin Brothers too, i just haven't opened it. haven't seen Bloody Mask in years, gotta get it. Thanks for the sugestions.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
Morgoth Bauglir

You’ll have to do your own research on these because I don’t know my Chinese history very well, but I’m pretty sure these are all movies about Mings-

Rebellious Reign

Shaolin Mantis

36th Chamber of Shaolin

And if 14 Blades is a Ming movie, then I assume Secret Service of the Imperial Court is too.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
BlackLamaFaction

Slice of Death

Revenge of the Patriots (That might be the same film as Ming Patriots)

The Traitorous

Iron Monkey 77

Cantonen Iron Kung Fu

10 Tigers Kwangtung

Two Champions of Shaolin

Two Great Cavaliers

Avenging Warriors of Shaolin

The Heroes

That's only a few, it seems that era is very popular for Martial Arts films because of the overall turbulence and the obvious overtones of Chinese nationalism and patriotism.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

The Royal Tramp films, which comedies, are set in the Ming Dynasty. Actually, that brings to mind that anything based on the same novel (Deer and the Cauldron by Louis Cha) is set in the Ming Dynasty so that includes Tales of a Eunuch with Wong Yue and Gordon Liu. Off the top of my head, I'd think 8 Diagram Pole Fighter and the three Swordsman films are Ming, too.

Now, I am pretty sure that even the earliest dating of the Temple's burning is firmly in the Qing.

As legendary survivors of the burning of the Temple, anything with Ng Mui or Bak Mei should be in the right time. So should Fong Sai Yuk stuff...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
I believe Flying Guilotine

Actually I think that was supposed to take place in the Qing Dynasty.

This is a great resource though guys, thanks. I've been considering writing a screenplay that takes place at the end of the Ming Dynasty and wanted some good movies for reference.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

My favorite period in Chinese history.

Please let me know if any of these aren't Ming Dynasty era movies.

Order of release.

1. Come Drink With Me (1966)

2.. A Touch of Zen (1971)

3. New Dragon Inn (1992)

4. Tai Chi Master (1993)

5. Moon Warriors (1993)

6. Musa (2001)

7. Reign of Assassins (2010)

8. 14 Blades (2010)

9. Brotherhood of Blades (2014)

10. God of War (2017)

I've yet to see King Hu's Dragon Inn.

What do you think of this list? What would yours look like?

Edited by Iron_Leopard
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
Secret Executioner

You know, this thread makes me realize I usually don't really pay attention to the era the MA movies I watch take place in - I get an idea of the time period in some movies, but overall... Not so much. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
19 hours ago, Iron_Leopard said:

4. Tai Chi Master (1993)

 

Forgive my being pedantic, but that particular film is set in the last days of the Song Dynasty (960 AD - 1279 AD). The legend of Chang Sanfeng is that he lived for almost 150 years or so, and that he was born in the Song Dynasty, lived through the entirety of the Yuen Dynasty, and died in the early days of the Ming Dynasty. By that measure, The Tai Chi Master, which is set in his younger years, would've occurred in the Song Dynasty. Kung Fu Cult Master, which is set in the Yuen Dynasty, feature Chang Sanfeng already as an old man (played by Sammo Hung).

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
28 minutes ago, DrNgor said:

Forgive my being pedantic, but that particular film is set in the last days of the Song Dynasty (960 AD - 1279 AD). The legend of Chang Sanfeng is that he lived for almost 150 years or so, and that he was born in the Song Dynasty, lived through the entirety of the Yuen Dynasty, and died in the early days of the Ming Dynasty. By that measure, The Tai Chi Master, which is set in his younger years, would've occurred in the Song Dynasty. Kung Fu Cult Master, which is set in the Yuen Dynasty, feature Chang Sanfeng already as an old man (played by Sammo Hung).

Oh okay. I wasn't for sure cause it's been awhile since I've seen this movie. Thinking back on it I thought the military uniforms were from Ming Dynasty. 

Thank you for the correction. Now I've got to decide which movie I want to replace it with.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

In no particular order:

Invincible Armour
Heroes of Shaolin
Butterfly and Sword
Swordsman (1990)
Five Deadly Venoms
Ninja in the Deadly Trap (more of a sentimental favorite than an actual favorite)
Knife of Devil's Roaring and Soul Missing
Duel to the Death
Reign of Assassins
14 Blades

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
8 hours ago, DrNgor said:

In no particular order:

Invincible Armour
Heroes of Shaolin
Butterfly and Sword
Swordsman (1990)
Five Deadly Venoms
Ninja in the Deadly Trap (more of a sentimental favorite than an actual favorite)
Knife of Devil's Roaring and Soul Missing
Duel to the Death
Reign of Assassins
14 Blades

What about Brothers Five? 

I've never seen it. Is it good?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
Chu Liu Hsiang
On 2/3/2020 at 9:43 PM, Iron_Leopard said:

What about Brothers Five? 

I've never seen it. Is it good?

Yes it's really good, it has some lengths but great cast, lots of action and beautiful scenery. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

The following list is of Ming Dynasty era films in general:

Tang Bohu's Seduction of Qiuxiang (1950)
The Scholar Tang Bohu and the Maid Qiuxiang (1953)
How the Scholar Tong Pak-Fu Won the Maid Chau-Heung (1954)
Tang Bohu's Seduction of Qiuxiang, Part Two (1954)
How the Scholar Tang Bohu Won the Maid Qiuxiang (1957)
Come Drink with Me (1966)
Dragon Inn (1967)
A Touch of Zen (1970)
The Valley of the Fangs (1970)
Beach of the War Gods (1973)
Heroes of the Late Ming Dynasty (1975)
The Valiant Ones (1975)
The Last Battle of Yang Chao (1976)
Killer Clans (1976)
Green Dragon Inn (1977)
Dynasty (1977)
Invincible Iron Armour (1977)
Mysterious Heroes (1977) - aka Wu Tang Swordsman
The Proud Youth (1978)
Lord Chuang, Li Tzu Cheng (1980) - aka The Snake, the Tiger and the Crane [1]
Sword Stained with Royal Blood (1981)
Black Eagle's Blade (1981)
Ninja in the Deadly Trap (1983)
Duel to the Death (1983)
Wheel of Life (1983) - King Hu segment
Secret Service of the Imperial Court (1984)
Yu Pui Tsuen II (1987)
Swordsman (1990)
Sex and Zen (1991)
New Dragon Inn (1992)
Swordsman II (1992)
The East is Red (1993)
Butterfly and Sword (1993)
Flirting Scholar (1993)
Sword Stained with Royal Blood (1993)
Kung Fu Scholar (1994)
Sex & Zen II (1996)
Sex & Zen III (1998)
Flying Dragon, Leaping Tiger (2002)
14 Blades (2010)
Reign of Assassins (2010)
3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy (2011)
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011)
Brotherhood of Blades (2014)
Iceman (2014)
Brotherhood of Blades 2 (2017)
God of War (2017)
Iceman 2 (2017)
Kung Fu Monster (2019)

[1] - This is actually set in the little-known Shun Dynasty, which was a peasant rebellion in which the leader installed himself briefly as the emperor during the transition between the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Edited by DrNgor
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
On 11/27/2010 at 10:38 AM, Michael L. said:

I'd think 8 Diagram Pole Fighter

That is mid-Song Dynasty

On 11/28/2010 at 2:14 PM, daTOAD said:

Flying Guilotine and Fistful of Talons.

On 2/22/2010 at 9:48 AM, BlackLamaFaction said:

Slice of Death

Revenge of the Patriots (That might be the same film as Ming Patriots)

Iron Monkey 77

Cantonen Iron Kung Fu

10 Tigers Kwangtung

Two Champions of Shaolin

Avenging Warriors of Shaolin

The Heroes

On 2/22/2010 at 1:49 AM, Morgoth Bauglir said:

Rebellious Reign

Shaolin Mantis

36th Chamber of Shaolin

These are set in the Qing Dynasty.

Edited by DrNgor
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
On 2/2/2020 at 1:37 AM, Iron_Leopard said:

Oh okay. I wasn't for sure cause it's been awhile since I've seen this movie. Thinking back on it I thought the military uniforms were from Ming Dynasty. 

The more I think about it, the more I think that The Tai Chi Master was indeed set in the early Ming Dynasty. There are several legends about Zhang Sanfeng, probably one of which posits his life solely in that particular dynasty. And you're right, the military outfits are Ming Dynasty and Tianbao (Chin Siu-Ho) dresses like a member of the Jinyiwei.

  • Like 2
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