"Godfather of the kung-fu film" Chang Cheh, is famous for introducing the revolutionary concept of "yanggang" (macho) martial arts movies – paving the way for Bruce Lee, among many others. Until then, female stars (often in male swordsmen roles) ruled the screens. So collaboration between writer/director Chang and swordswoman supreme Cheng Pei-pei (now famous for CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON) is exceptional indeed. Here she plays a righteous woman warrior who incurs the wrath of a "flying knife" master after she kills his rapist son. Lucky for her that an honorable dagger master played by Lo Lieh (the star of Shaw Brothers' first international kung-fu hit KING BOXER) is on her side. Although extremely attractive when she only played heroes, Cheng could hold her own with any man, freeing Chang to create the best of all possible martial arts worlds.
During World War II, a singer and her lover face invaders, insurgents, and a warlord's beautiful daughter. Released two years after Linda Lin Dai's suicide, the sequel to the original box office hit becomes all the more moving because of it.
Ti Lung, plays Tieh Chiao-san, head of the Ten Kwangtung Tigers, who falls victim to opium. The tragedies and drama that ensue are as stunning as the kung-fu, created by a superlative team of six martial artists. It leads to a truly unforgettable climax, as a trembling Tieh, still weak from going cold turkey, must face the gangsters who have ruined his town while he was addicted.
In Pale Passion, Chin Ping-hsing's only directed film, the gorgeous Chiang Li-ping plays a scorned wife Ah Hsia in an unsettling tale about cheating, adultery and blatant abuse, which develops into a deadly love triangle. The vivacious Elaine Chin Yen-ling plays the other woman Ah Hsing, who teaches the hypocritical husband Ah Fa (Ai Ti) that what goes around comes around! Unknown to him, karma returns in a much more damaging way...
The seminal Huangmei Opera adaptation from Shaw, The Crimson Palm features the unforgettable film song “Country Road” by Ivy Ling Po. The story evolves around Lin Shao-teh, a poor student who was engaged to Chien-king (Chin Ping), the daughter of billionaire Wang Chun (Yu Kuan-chao). To support her lover for the exam, Chien-king offered gold as Lin’s traveling expenses and asked to meet him at midnight. When Lin arrived as scheduled, all he could find was the bloody corpse of Chien-king’s maid (Li Ching)!
From its evocative title to its gritty filming to its gutsy plot, this sizzling crime thriller struck a chord with international audiences. The robberies, ambushes, double-crosses, and murders multiply as a hitman, a robber gang, and two obsessed cops clash with increasing deadliness and danger. The director really hit his stride with this film, leading to a unique filmography which includes such other cult classics as The Seventh Curse and Story Of Ricky.
The crazy bumpkins return for the third time! Ah Niu is minding his own business when a bag of jewels falls from the sky. And that's just the beginning of a series of misadventures!
This heroic tale of the Sung Dynasty patriots was one of top three films of 1970, and winner of "Outstanding Drama" at the 9th Golden Horse Awards. The evil minister uses the twelve golden medallions, the highest imperial decree, to summon war hero Yueh Fei back from the frontline and execute him. A group of wandering warriors, led by Yueh Hua and Chin Ping, try everything they can to stop the medallion couriers.
Chin Ping, Chiao Chiao, Yueh Hua, Wang Hsieh, Yang Chih-ching
Director Hsu Cheng-hung, much credited with the revolution of wuxia cinema in the 1960s returns to offer up another genre-bending take on the martial arts movie. This time it's Romeo and Juliet in the Chinese underworld! When Grand Master student Yu Chien-wen (Chang Yi) falls for Chiao Chiao (the dazzling and energetic Cheng Pei-pei), the daughter of arch enemy, the Poison Master, we know they are in for trouble. And when Chiao Chiao kills another clan in Yu's name, the Grand Master's clan is unable to stand by. But Yu is too much in love to obey orders...
Best Picture, Best Director, Best Music, Best Editing, Best Actress and special awards for outstanding performance, this sumptuous adaptation of a Chinese folk tale won them all. Glorious Betty Loh Ti stars as a beauty that disguises herself as a boy to get forbidden education. This sort of pre-Yentl gender-bender role-playing is traditional when it comes to Chinese opera, yet there is nothing old fashioned about the superlative screen treatment given to this all-time classic.
Director Lo Chen brings you It's All In The Family, a drama starring Ivy Ling Po and Danny Lee! Released in 1984, this film centres on the life of Hsu Chih-yuan (Danny Lee), a rash young man who desperately tries to free himself from his family obligations. However, Chih-yuan soon discovers that finding his way in life is far more difficult than he could possibly have imagined.
This "bloody good" film is generally considered the second last 'Venoms' film... and what a penultimate adventure it is! Kuo Chue takes on an amazing dual role that comes along with complications and kung-fu that are wonderful to watch. Judging by exceptional 'Venom' film standards, Ode To Gallantry stands out.
Co-director Lo Chen wrote this often dazzling tale of mistaken identities caused by monogrammed handkerchiefs. Pat Ting Hung, Carrie Ku Mei, and Li Hsiang-chun are just three of the lovelies on view in this "alls well that ends well" marital mixup.
Pat Ting Hung, Li Hsiang-chun, Carrie Ku Mei, King Feng, Fung Chiang
This is one of writer/director Shen Chiang's last films, but it's an incredible action-packed adventure of a female Lone Ranger, decades before Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon made feminist-empowerment kung-fu films an international phenomenon. The wonderful Shih Szu is the title character, with Shaw Brothers' first international star, Lo Lieh, joining her as an adoring associate. Together they track down the dirty deeds and duplicity of a raping and robbing masked bandit, before, literally, riding off toward their next adventure!
