What started as masterful kung-fu filmmaker Liu Chia-liang's homage to the heroic Sung Dynasty Yang family became an angry, even savage, rumination on heroic sacrifice when international idol Alexander Fu Sheng died in a car accident midway through production. Fu's death was not only tragic because he was such a close friend, but because the role he was playing was one of only two survivors of an ignominious betrayal by a jealous General. Knowing that he had to immortalize Fu's final, unfinished performance, Liu carried on, having co-star Hui Ying-hung step into the action. The finished film is unique in the director's extraordinary filmography for the intensity and power of its emotions and kung-fu. There are heartbreaking references to the tragedy throughout, but the climax is truly unforgettable as the other family survivor, now a Shaolin-trained warrior faces his betrayers amid a pyramid of coffins. What he, and his Shaolin masters, do then has to be seen to be believed...
Fu Sheng, LiLy Li, Wang Yu, Liu Chia-hui, Mai Tak-lo, Hsiao Hou
Veteran director Lu Chun-ku leads handsome Liu Yung, pretty Liang Yun-hsin, and “Thundering Mantis,” Liang Chia-jen on a madcap mixup filled with cons, double crosses, and triple plots. It’s starts in sickly comic style as the trio’s fathers are poisoned by Lady Wu so she could steal the rare artifact known as the Double-Faced God. Extracting a deathbed promise from their wives to train their children to take back what is rightfully theirs, the siblings grow up to exact a vengeance that is more hilarious than horrific.
Chang Cheh had established himself as the "godfather of kung-fu films" with such historical, costumed classics as ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN, GOLDEN SWALLOW, THE DEADLY DUO, BLOOD BROTHERS, and many others. But his fans also revered him for his superlative modern day martial arts thrillers, such as VENGEANCE and CHINATOWN KID. This prime example takes place in Seoul right after the Korean War, as a kung-fu master, combat instructor, explosives expert, and missile specialist must forgo the city's pleasures to take on a venal, murderous drug smuggling gang. Representing the Book of Revelation's four riders of war, famine, disease, and death as heroes against murder, corruption, jealousy, and greed, it's a brutal battle where the one true winner is the audience. Featuring an international kung-fu cast guided by master choreographers Liu Chia-liang and Tang Chia, it remains a special production in Chang Cheh's filmography.
David Chiang, Ti Lung, Wang Chung, Yasuaki Kurata, Chen Kuan-tai
Asian fans of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon recognized that its director Ang Lee was actually inspired by director Chu Yuan and novelist Ku Lung's wonderful tales of a "martial arts world" where all wushu warriors try to attain the "Deer Sword" and escape from the insidious maze-like "Toy Land." Master kung-fu choreographer Tang Chia leads the king and queen of Shaw - Ti Lung and Lily Li - to engage in a fascinating and entertaining swordplay adventure of consummate swordsmen and sorceresses.
Story about the Han Dynasty, Taishi Dong Zhuo (Lo Wei) autocratic disaster States, princes attacked with one voice. Loyalists Wang Yun (Yang Chi-ching) the use of Diao Chan (Lin Dai) and beauty, drive a wedge between Dong Zhuo and his adopted son Lu Bu (Chao Lei), a father and son eventually make enemies, Lu Bu to kill Dong Zhuo, Lu Bu and Diao Chan to become dependents.
Cantopop king Aaron Kwok shows that he can kick and chop with the best of them. As THE BARE-FOOTED KID, he's an innocent country bumpkin/martial arts whiz in the Ching Dynasty who proves more than equal to the city slickers whose path he crosses. Ably assisted by director Johnnie To and with martial arts choreography by the legendary Liu Chia-liang, Aaron Kwok - generally acknowledged to be the best dancer among the pop idols - proves that he's equally graceful at kung-fu. The ladies in the bare-footed kid's life are impressive as well, with Maggie Cheung Man-yuk an introspective widow and Jacklyn Wu a rambunctious rich girl. Most imposing is Ti Lung, playing a mysterious fugitive, showing that he still possesses the screen presence that first brought him to kung-fu superstardom over twenty years earlier.
Respected veteran director Li Han-hsiang capped it all off with this fascinating period drama of royal intrigue. Li Kun plays the ingenious Lord Liu, whose intelligence is envied by the Emperor (Liu Yung).
When is THE BRAVE ARCHER movie a "Venoms" film? When it is this, the fourth in a series originally starring international favorite Alexander Fu Sheng as master martial artist Kuo Tsing. But Fu only appears here in a cameo as the son of a character played by Lung Tien-chiang (best known as a spear master in the "Venoms" film THE FLAG OF IRON). Kuo Chue is the new hero (as he is in the "Venoms" films as well) who is out to defeat the mass murderer of his martial arts masters. In fact, this fast-moving, action-packed, Venom-filled film is even choreographed by the three core "Venoms", making it a unique combination of grand "Martial Arts World" mayhem and special Venom-style high flying kung-fu.
Kung-fu and drama merge in this unusually poignant and popular action film from the golden age of martial arts. Lo Lieh is given one of his most memorable roles as a tough gas station attendant who plots to kidnap his boss's son, only to find himself and his girlfriend (Hu Chin) enmeshed in a web of greed and murder from which it is impossible to break free.
Lo Lieh, Hu Chin, Liu Wu-chi, Tung Lin, Lin Wei-tu
A bride named Ling Hsi (Brigitte Lin) and her groom Wei Kai (Adam Cheng) angers the Chief Eunuch, who sentences them to death. But before their execution, they manage to narrowly escape, and with the help of Hsiao Lou (Derek Yee), who is also in love with Ling, they look to take the fight back to the Chief Eunuch.
Adam Cheng, Derek Yee, Patrick Woo, Brigitte Lin, Chen Yu Mei
Young love seems off-limits for the compassionate, beautiful daughter of a rich man and a young, penniless musician Yuan Ping (Ling Yun). Actor Nan Kung-hsun co-wrote these three romance tragedies, which had audiences' eyes brimming with tears. Yu-ching (Lily Ho) and Yuan Ping (Ling Yun) are the star-crossed lovers, who suffer untold agony before finally managing to be reunited!
Yeh Yung-tsu only directed a precious few films, making each all the more distinguished. This is one of his first, a sword-filled thriller centering on the title location - an inn where the down and dirty meet to plot nefarious doings. Award winning actor Ku Feng stars as the "Whip Devil," while the luminous and lethal Shih Szu plays "The Lady Hermit" who has a surprise in store for all the double-crossing masters of mayhem.
The Manchu Emperor employs top Manchu boxers to smash up the Shao Lin Institute. Almost all the Shao Lin disciples were killed, but the fortunate survivors gather together to seek revenge…
Fu Sheng , Irene Chen I-ling , Chi Kuan-chun, Liu Chia-hui
Only the Shaw Brothers Studio could conceive and produce such a spectacular clash of esoteric weapons. Fans of the internationally popular "FLYING GUILLOTINE" films will appreciate the continuous kung-fu confrontations with some of the most intriguing and exciting martial arts machinery ever seen on screen. The studio's first international action star, Lo Lieh (who burst upon the scene before even Bruce Lee in KING BOXER) leads the charge as holder of the title tool -- an ultra-cool flying boomerang with blades. He must take on the terrible Iron Ball Chain, Golden Net, and other deadly devices to gain control of a special elixir which will cure an all-too-treacherous royal official. Tang Chia and Yuen Cheung-yan, the underrated giants of kung-fu choreography, stage some of the best sword on shield action ever in this fun and unusual fight-fest. There are double crosses and ambushes galore before the culminating clash of sizzling steel that has to be seen to be believed.
