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
Based on a famous Chinese opera, this period drama stars the beloved screen pairing of the wildly popular Ivy Ling Po (Vermillion Door) and Li Ching, one of Hong Kong’s most famous on-screen couples. Ling Po was renowned for playing male Cantonese opera roles while the child star Li, plays the enchanting female lead. While visiting a temple, a young impoverished scholar, Zhang Sheng, is enchanted by the daughter of an influential family, Hong Niang. When the safety of Hong Niang is threatened by revolutionaries, Zhang does all he can to keep her from harm. Seeing the love between the young couple, Hong’s maid (Fang Ying) helps bringing the young couple together, who secretly have their rendezvous in the West Chamber, in spite of her family's objections! It is romance, tears and classic melodrama as the couple fight for love.
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.
A gritty, realistic Chinatown tale about the life of an illegal immigrant who went through a sham marriage is indebted to thugs in this critically-acclaimed film.
The story is about the legendary Monkey King (Liu Chung-chun) teams up with Goddess of Mercy (Chao Li-chuan) and the Dragon Girl (Lung Nu) to battle the child god Hung Hai-erh (Ting Hua-chung),son of the Ox Demon (Hung Hai-erh) to rescue Tang Tseng, the Holy Pilgrim (Teng Chio-jen).
When reputable fight choreographer Liu Chia-liang debuted as a director with THE SPIRITUAL BOXER, it not only established him as a superb director, but it also encouraged other martial arts instructors to turn to directing. Plus, it was the first film to introduce comedy into kung-fu so it made sense for Liu to return to that foundation with the same bumbling idiot Wang Yu still not quite getting it when it comes to the affair of ghost control in THE SHADOW BOXING. Liu also brings in both of his brothers Liu Chia-yung and Gordon Liu Chia-hui, which guaranteed that the fights would be an extra notch above magnificent further ensuring that the audience had never seen anything like it before. THE SHADOW BOXING was twice as successful as THE SPIRITUAL BOXER.
Jet Lee stars in this action-packed martial arts drama where two officials were framed by Lord He Sue in the Qin Dynasty. Many years later, their sons sharpen their martial skill in the two Shaolin temples and seek revenge.
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!
When super director Chang Cheh found new talent and blood with "The Five Venoms" actors, most of which were trained in the highly acrobatic Chinese opera and well versed with exotic martial arts weapons, this created a new spark for his use of bizarre weapons in his films. The Flag Of Iron is one of 20 movies that he directed featuring the utterly flabbergasting and physically exhausting action bits created by these five dudes. You have the good guys from the righteous clan versus the bad guys from the villainous clan and it's so filled with "don't-blink-or-you-will-miss-something" gags, you will need to watch it over and over again so you can see the things you missed.
Kuo Chui , Chang Sheng , Wang Li , Lu Feng , Lung Tien-chiang
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?
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
Director Taylor Wong gathers a great cast for this politically charged romantic thriller. Dodo Cheng is a conscience-stricken lawyer defending a rapist. Renowned leading man Alex Man Chi-leung is her cop boyfriend. The glorious Joey Wang Jo-yin, the beautiful star of A Chinese Ghost Story, plays the villain's first victim. It's all capped off by the surprise guest appearance of the majestic Shaw Studio perennial, Ti Lung, as the man brought in to make sure that justice is done. Lawyer Yip Wing-man (Dodo Cheng) and Senior Inspector Fong Wai (Alex Man Chi-leung) are a pair of steady lovers who often clash officially. Good-looking photographer Dick-man Tien (Wilson Lam Chun-yin) appears in Court for raping model Joey Ling (Joey Wang Jo-yin), but is acquitted through the artful defence of lawyer Yip. Knowing Tien is guilty, Fong sympathizes with Joey and rather despises his girlfriend for her lack of justice. Joey's sister Ling Shan-shan (Prudence Liew), a delinquent, has a chance meeting with Tien in a bar. Seized by a mad desire to avenge her sister, she puts LSD into his drink, but ends up being caught and raped by him as well. Tien appears in Court again and Wing-man acts as his defence counsel in spite of Fong's objections. Shan-shan's past misbehaviour coupled with Wing-man's crafty defence puts her in a rather unfavourable position. As the chance of testifying against Tien is getting slim, the Prosecutor seeks the help of his brother John Lung (Ti Lung) to take up the case. The case takes a dramatic twist, as the relationship of the two lovers is put to the test.
Carol Cheng, Alex Man, Joey Wang, Prudence Liew, Wilson Lam
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
Betty Loh Ti displays an ethereal loveliness that earns her the nickname "Classical Beauty" in this classic tale that combines a very contemporary comic sense with traditional Mandarin opera tunes. Add on a score by celebrated composer Yao Min and a script by future super director King Hu (a.k.a. Hu King-chuan) and you have a perfect showcase for subtle humor and legendary beauty - one of the Hong Kong's most legendary screen personalities. Betty is a perky maid who helps manage the love life of her young mistress (Ting Ning). The task isn't as easy as it sounds, with gender-bender twists such as a young scholar masquerading as a woman (Chiao Chuang), and a bandit's voluptuous sister (Chang Chung-wen) disguised as a man.
