Julie Yeh Feng gets to perform on a melodramatic platform to showcase her versatility in this poignant tearjerker. Yeh plays socialite Pai Li-lan, whose life is disrupted when she contracts severe tuberculosis. It is under harsh, trying circumstances that love unexpectedly blossoms between Li-lan and Chang Chih-ping (Ling Yun), the music teacher of her daughter Chin Shiao-lan (Fung Bo-bo). Unfortunately, the odds are stacked sky-high against their love. Can love essentially be enough to see them through?
Rarely has a title been more accurate, but considering the action which fills this film, it also could have been called THE BRUTAL FIVE or THE CRUEL FIVE or THE VICIOUS FIVE.... if the title referred to the villains, that is. In any case, the heroes are certainly outnumbered as gang after gang of robbing rapists invade this poor town. At first the fiends just want a village locksmith to help them open a stolen safe, but soon the entire community is being held hostage, threatened, and tortured. Although reminiscent of THE SEVEN SAMURAI, the director and his revered action choreographers, Liu Chia-liang and Tang Chia, design each of the many struggles with gritty depravity and desperate power. The result is an especially realistic, even grueling, exercise in suspense.
David Chiang, Ti Lung, Wang Chung, Chen Kuan-tai, Danny Lee
Two of Hong Kong's finest stars, Maggie Cheung and Jacky Cheung, are so versatile and capable in virtually any genre that it is cause for celebration for this production, Mother VS Mother. What is more, these 2 talents are combined with the magnificent 40-year veteran actress Teng Pi-yun and hilarious comedian Lydia Shum; a comedy triumph is presented to all who appreciates great acting.
Sun Chung had been recognized as an expert comedy and crime thriller director, but he was to gain even greater acclaim for his soulful, powerful, intelligent, and beautifully-made martial arts epics. This stands alongside The Deadly Breaking Sword and The Kung-fu Instructor as one of his very best. It's not so much the plot - a master swordsman protects a treasure chest on a dangerous journey - that makes this great, but what Sun does with it, inspiring the cast and crew to some of their finest work.
The "godfather of the kung-fu film", Chang Cheh, hit upon a winning formula when he combined three Taiwanese Opera artists with a muscular Chinese and a Korean kicker. Their first "official" film as stars, THE FIVE VENOMS was a hit, so the director/co-writer decided to launch a series with the same actors in different roles. Supporting this beloved sequel was real-life kung-fu champion Chen Kuan-tai, who Chang Cheh had already made a star. He plays a martial arts master (driven insane by his wife's death and his son's dismemberment), who replaces his child's missing hands with metal versions, then proceeds to blind, deafen, render retarded, and chop off the feet of anyone who even mildly annoys him. The abused bystanders band together and brilliantly train to take their revenge. The result is a totally unbelievable, but totally awesome, super heroic delight.
Chan Kuan-tai, Lu Feng, Kuo Chue, Lo Meng, Sun Chien, Pan Ping-chang
Fresh from his smashing directorial debut comedy Let's Make Laugh, Alfred Cheung Kin-ting returns to the screen with this seriocomic look at the clash of cultures which result when a Mainland Chinese peasant brings his family to Hong Kong. Family Light Affair, whose Chinese title literally translates as "City Lights", is the director/writer's warm-hearted memoir of street life back in the early 1980s, featuring an eclectic cast of pop music and kung fu stars who shine in their poignant roles.
A rare directorial foray for acclaimed martial arts choreographer Tang Chia, Shaolin Intruders is an entertaining amalgamation of eye-popping martial arts and thrilling detective story. On a routine courier mission, the prestigious Chin Hu Chief was murdered by four mysterious monks. When all evidence pointed to Ching Hua (Liu Yu-po) his friend Lei Hsin (Derek Yee) was determined to clear his name by barging in the Shaolin Temple thrice. When Lei thought justice was served for the culprits, he soon realized the table had turned and the monks stroke again. What followed is a series of intense pursuit for the ultimate villain﹗The film is filled with jaw-dropping action sequences developed by Tang and six leading choreographers of the era. Scenes including the "Blade Array", "Twelve Vajrayana Array" and the acclaimed "Stool Array" are all lauded as the defining Chinese screen gems, for their insane complexity and lightning speed.
Acclaimed director Ho Meng-hua tackles fantasy in The Human Goddess, a genre bending film that features a love story between an alluring female fairy, played by the real life sexy goddess Li Ching, who seeks love in the world of mortal men and finds it in a man who takes care of an orphanage. Ho was one of the first directors to give Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung their first breaks as extras in his early martial arts films.
Lo Lieh plays a dedicated chief constable named Wu-ching for Tsang Chou village, who falls in love with the blind daughter Kuei Ku (Li Ching) of a bandit who is wreaking havoc. Joining him in all the action and emotion are such exceptional stars as award-winning actor Ku Feng, future superstar David Chiang, and powerful real-life martial artist Chen Hsing.
Fatherless as a child, Hsiang (David Chiang) supports his mother, but gangsters kill his mother, so he starts killing in revenge. Unlike his swordplay heroes, Hsiang admits guilt, expresses sorrow and is imprisoned. Directed and played by Ti Lung, the film features great fights by Yuan Hsio-tieng (The Matrix's fight choreographer Yuen Woo-ping's father).
In the finale of this action-packed trilogy, Liu Chia-hui reprises his famous role, Monk San Te, as he tries to support Shaolin hero Fang Shih-yu who purposely attacks corrupt Ching officials.
German-Chinese superstar Jenny Hu, heads up this tale of suspense and lust. Hsiu Mei (Diana Chung) works hard, but can't keep clear of old lover, Chen (Paul Chang). Spurned, Chen tries it on with Hsiu's spoilt daughter Li Lien (Hu), who eventually falls for him. When Chen turns up at Li Lien's birthday party that fateful night, he meets his death, but who killed him?
Diana Chang Chung-wen, Lo Wei, Paul Chang Chung, Jenny Hu
The aggressive and dangerous Chin Empire conquers the hard-put Chao kingdom while the Wei empire is drained of its heroes and paralyzed by an indecisive ruler. Adventure, intrigue, death and tragedy reigns before the triumphant clash of the armies.
This number one hit is considered by some to be one of Asia's best gambling films. It is about a hero who helps a young student vanquish a cunning, malicious gambling tycoon who is determined to take over the family business.
