Kuo Ching-chung (Ling Yun), an office worker, his wife, Chen Mei-chuan (Terry Liu) and his sister, Carrie (Chiang San), are passengers on a ferry bound for an outlying island of Hong Kong. On board the same boat are a group of young hooligans who form the so-called 'speed gang' of motorcyclists. One of them called Michael makes advances to Carrie, but is stopped by his brother Johnny, the ringleader. On the island, the trio goes joy-riding on a car, while Carrie's boyfriend Huang Szu-wei (Danny Lee) goes fishing. The 'speed gang' harasses them by driving their motorbikes around their car at breakneck speed. In the evening the gangs take part in a motorcycle race organized by Johnny. The winners are given the company of girls from the 'speed gang'. Kuo and Huang plan to take Chen Mei-chuan and Carrie back to town to avoid being molested, but the gangs stop them by playing different tricks including the deflating of their car tyres. In an ensuing scuffle, Chen Mei-chuan is assaulted and Carrie is killed. Jumping on a motorbike, Huang races it against the hooligans, knocking them down, but is killed by a stone hurled at his head. Michael again tries to rape Chen Mei-chuan in a forest, but is overpowered by her husband who arrives in the nick of time. He is then tied up and took to Kuo's house. The teddy boys led by Johnny subsequently arrive to storm it and succeed in breaking into it after a series of attempts. However, they meet with stubborn resistance from Kuo and his wife. Fortunately, the Marine Police arrive just in time to arrest the teddy boys.
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.
Chen Kuan Tai heads an impressive ensemble cast in The Big Holdup, a story about five bank robbers being hunted down and killed by the police, who in turn are tipped off by the man that masterminded the robbery. Filled with some amazing Sam Peckinpah-ish gun battles and brutal fight sequences, the film also features a very young Danny Lee as a criminal rather than the dashing police inspector that won him critical acclaim in John Woo's The Killer.
Whenever director Chang Cheh teamed up with Five Venoms, film plots were probably decided by flipping a coin - which of the fab five will play the good or bad guys, who lives or dies and which ones will do the fight. The Daredevils was just another example of Shaw Brothers’ sure fire formula to success: Venoms + Chang Cheh = maniacal frenzy x infinity. Of note, the only venom to make it in Hollywood was Kuo Chue, who choreographed the French film Brotherhood Of The Wolf and Michelle Yeoh's The Touch.
There is no Chinese novel more famous than Journey To The West; and while there have been many movie adaptations, this memorable version presents a unique interpretation with humour, action, and fantasy galore. Ho Fan (who later became a celebrated erotic film director) plays the monk who undertakes a journey for Buddhist scriptures, encountering Monkey, Pigsy, and a damsel in distress (played by the actress named "The Most Beautiful Creature In China"), among many fun and fascinating others.
It's a no-holds-barred battle to the death for possession of the invaluable Purple Sword. Assistant director Wang Po-yi also wrote this entertaining and exciting adventure which could have also been called "The Five Tigers" since there's no doubt that this quintet is the highlight of the action. Huang Tsung-shun is "Fierce Tiger," Hung Liu is "Drunk Tiger," Hsu Erh-niu is "Lame Tiger," award-winning actor Ku Feng is "One-eyed Tiger" and respected director/actor Wu Ma is "Sick Tiger" in a tangle of tussles and thrills.
Chang I, Chen Hung-lieh, Shu Pei-pei, Essie Lin Chia
Linda Lin Dai struggles with The Blue forces of freedom, love, the sea and the sky, and The Black, the bottomless pit of evil. Lin’s poignant performance is memorable, however, it is that of newcomer Angela Yu Chien, who was named Best Supporting Actress. Part I ends with a literal cliffhanger, setting the stage for the equally memorable Part II.
The U.S. TV documentary The Art Of Action declared this film as the foundation for a new era in Hong Kong martial arts drama. It created a sensation throughout Southeast Asia due to its unique combination of exciting action scenes and a stellar cast of established stars and new favorites. It also broke box office records and inspired two equally important sequels: The Twin Swords and The Sword And The Lute.
In this spectacular Chinese variation of The Little Mermaid, a carp transforms into a fairy who resembles our hero's lady love. Their only hope for true love lies with the Goddess of Mercy.
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.
Superstar Linda Lin Dai in one of her most acclaimed roles. The story is about a forbidden love between a country maiden and the emperor. Emperor Cheng-te met Li Feng on a visit to South China. It was love at first sight for the lovely girl and the handsome emperor. Cheng-te left with a promise that Li Feng would be his empress. One year later, when the emperor sent for Li, her weak health cannot stand the arduous journey, she arrived just to die in the arms of her man.
Lin Dai, Chao Lei, Chin Chuan, Yang Chi-ching, Wong Yuen-loong
Wang Chung was a valued actor long before he became a director, but as a filmmaker, he helped create some of the most interesting thrillers Shaw Brothers ever released - including this fascinating crime saga of a Sino-Vietnamese crime gang. Danny Lee stars as a misunderstood refugee while Ray Lui plays a cop struggling against his own conscience to ensure that justice is upheld.
Li Hsiu-hsien, Ray Lui, Cheng Tse-shih, Lin Chung-cheng
The crazy bumpkin returns in a sequel for more bittersweet laughs and heart-wrenching misfortune, as his true love becomes the wife of an abusive husband and his uncle further exploits his naïve nature.
Lute demon Chin Mo (Pai Piao) has reappeared in the world to wreak havoc. Hsiao Feng-ling (Hui Ying-hung) is ordered to help find a special bow and arrows that can counter the demon. Only Chiao Yin (Lung Tien-chiang) knows the whereabouts of the weapon. Hsiao and her classmate Old Naughty (Yuan Te) sets out on an arduous journey to find Chiao. After fighting off many obstacles, they catch Chin Mo's man trying to snatch the bow, and stop him in time...
