The swordsman genre well under way, even directors like the es¬tablished Yueh Feng, who had directed romance stories since 1938, gave it a spin. THE BELLS OF DEATH, a whirlwind story about a man who embarks on a life long journey to learn the sword then find and eliminate the three men who killed his family and abducted his sister, features an appearance of relatively new Shaw Brothers' faces hoping to make the grade and become the next Jimmy Wang Yu, David Chiang or Ti Lung. Amidst fountains of blood and guts, actor Wu Ma rang true as his bells of glory eventually tolled. He went on to star in 180 movies (including several with Jackie Chan and Jet Li) and become one of Hong Kong's premiere, new wave, ghost story film directors.
Cheng Chung (Derek Yee) and May (Liu Hsueh-hua), a pair of lovers working on the police force, camp on an outlying island. Awakened by a strange sound, May goes out onto the beach where a violent frenzy grips her. After her return from leave, May insists Inspector Wang (Yueh Hua) in a bid to rescue some hostages. She shoots the thug under most peculiar circumstances. Then a series of tragedies occur. Her two colleagues die mangled in a lift accident and Inspector Wang is injured at his desk by a snake. Wang's exorcist sister (Hsia Ping), who performs rites for him, also dies in an accident. And so does a fortune-teller who refused to read May's fortune.
Shot on the Shaws' lot in the final years of Hong Kong's greatest studio, The Enchantress tells the story of martial artists who disappear in the night! Intrigued, wanna-be detective/swordsman Feng Chi-wu (Mok Siu-chung) is determined to find out what is happening. But when Feng finds out that an evil vampire spirit (Wei Chiu-hua) is killing swordsmen, he's in for more than he bargains for... It's an outlandish fairy-tale and martial arts fantasy, where your fists and sword aren't nearly enough!
Julie Yeh Feng plays a devoted wife and a mother dying of an incurable illness. Her goal now is to find a new mother for her child and a new wife for her husband before she dies. Because of all her personal tragedies and on-going hard life off-screen, audiences connect with Julie on a personal level, hence making her one of the most beloved actresses of her time.
The traditional lion dance has never looked so good as in Lion VS Lion which captures the most impressive sequences of lion dancing on film. Besides being loaded with enjoyable martial arts chicanery, film historians can revel because it's also the first film that clearly demonstrates the intricacies and differences between the traditional Northern and Southern lion dancing techniques. The Five Venom alumnus and Chang Cheh discovery, Lo Meng, teams up with Liu Chia-liang protege Wang Yu, as they inadvertently turn from vagabond kung-fu school operators into anti-Ching, patriotic fighters.
Wang Yu, Chien Yuen-sheng, Wang Lung-wei, Lo Meng, Yang Pan-pan
Shaw Brothers’ superstar David Chiang displays a unique take on the narcotics racket in his directorial debut, The Drug Addicts. Addicted kung-fu instructor Ti Lung not only kicks the habit but smashes a drug smuggling ring. His fantastic performance befits as that of a martial-arts superstar.
In attempting to rescue some innocent people, swordsman Chiang Tzu-chao (Fang Mien) slays the son of Tsao Kang (Wang Hsia), leader of the ruthless Crimson Charm gang.The enraged father promises vengeance on the day of Chiang's 60th birthday...
Ivy Ling Po, Chang I, Shih Szu, Ku Feng, Wang Ching-ho
Perennial Shaw Brothers hero Ti Lung versus perennial Shaw Brothers villain Lo Lieh. This combination is always enough to make one buckle up for a rousing ride of stylized fun. Based on a story about the famous anti-Ching Hung Hua Society, Chen Chia-lo (Ti Lung) must endure music attacks, great acts of betrayal and loyalty, memorable twists and controlled confusion to capture Ching Emperor, Chien Lung, who turns out to be his brother. Chang Chao-Chung (Lo Lieh) wants Chien Lung back. Besides ultra-extravagant sets, THE EMPEROR AND HIS BROTHER uses cool special effects to embellish Chen's secret "peacock fist" technique. Of particular note, the final action sequence features Jackie Chan's kung-fu buddies, Yuan Te and Yuan Pin, who were both action directors for Sammo Hung's American TV show MARTIAL LAW.
Love and lust, passion and desire, and, man and woman make up Hong Kong Hong Kong. A critically acclaimed drama, Hong Kong Hong Kong sizzles with erotic tension in relating the destruction of three lives involved in a love triangle; a macho Thai-Chinese rogue (Alex Man), a prosperous, middle-aged carpenter (Kwan Hoi-shan), and the sultry, beautiful illegal immigrant whom they both love (Cherie Chung).
The Deadly Breaking Sword elevated director Sun Chung to the martial arts directorial rank of Chang Cheh. Starring the incomparable Ti Lung and Jackie Chan's kung-fu comedic rival Alexander Fu Sheng, acclaimed fight choreographer Tang Chia had a field day increasing the stars' venomous fighting appeal. Armed with the "Deadly Breaking Sword" technique, Tuen Cheng-tsin (Ti Lung) joins forces with thief Ko Mun (Alexander Fu Sheng) to defeat an assassin being "acupuncturingly" controlled by the evil Dr. Kuo.
Yen Chuan plays the weak emperor, whose obsession with his consort, Yang Kwei Fei (Li Li-hua) makes him ignore the running of the country and leave the reins to his Prime Minister Yang Kuo-chung (Yang Chi-ching), who also happens to be Yang Kwei Fei's brother. Unfortunately, the cruel Prime Minister's selfish decisions leave the empire in shambles. The Magnificent Concubine is one exquisite production not to miss!
Famed actor/director Yen Chuan helmed this martial arts melodrama of a lady-warrior who raises the son of the swordsman who scorned her, but arranges to have his sister raised by her sworn enemy, hoping to make the unknowing twins kill each other in a death duel. Essie Lin Chia is the evil lady-warrior while Lily Ho and Kao Yuen reunite after starring together in The Golden Knight for this suspense thriller of familial love gone wrong.
In one of the indomitable Ivy Ling Po's (Vermillion Door) first appearances in her trademark male roles, we are treated to a tale of love, fantasy and music! It took two directors, three assistant directors, and four cinematographers to capture this incredible epic about life in the Heavenly Palace. The Jade Emperor's seventh daughter (Fang Ying) is so naughty that she is banished from heaven and sent to live among humans. There, she meets and becomes enchanted by the young village lad Dong Yong (Ling Po) and asks the God of the Earth and her other fairy sisters to lend a hand. But her meddling among humans can only go so far before the will of heaven is disturbed. How long is it before she gets caught?
Although director Chu Yuan's collaboration with famed novelist Ku Lung is the stuff of legend, what is often missed was his titanic teaming with equally respected, equally inspired author Chin Yung – creator of this unforgettable saga. Set during the Yuan Dynasty, it tells the fascinating story of the "Sacred Fire" sect, the Wu Tang swordsmanship clan, the disciples of the O Mei group, The Book of Chu Yang (which can make the reader immortal), and the destruction of Shaolin. And that's just the start of the fascinating intrigues and ingratiating characters found here. Eminent martial arts instructor Tang Chia led a cast of screen idols, lovely starlets, and such veteran kung-fu artists as Lo Lieh on an incredible adventure that ranks as a favorite from Asia to America. And it's just the beginning. Someone is wiping out all of Shaolin and the seven sects. Can they be stopped? Only the sequel knows for sure...
