The venerated Sun Chung made many different kinds of films for Shaw Brothers, including popular and renowned satirical comedies, contemporary action dramas, and magnificent martial arts movies. This is one of his last of the latter for the studio, so he wanted to have fun... and let the audience share it. Toward that end he cast international favorite Alexander Fu Sheng as the title character who keeps testing the patience (and kung-fu skills) of his father, a small town bonesetter and herbal healer played by award-winning character actor Ku Feng. But when a local dignitary not only smuggles drugs but plans to give a Chinese treasure away to evil outsiders, the father and son unite to take on foreign fighters and even Japanese ninja in a non-stop display of comic action prowess.
Film lovers and critics went out of their way to praise this Liu Chia-liang version of the Shaolin destruction and revenge epic. Many called it the preeminent kung-fu director's best and certainly his greatest on the theme of history, martial arts, and family. Little wonder, since, beyond the Shaolin story, it also shows how Liu's own family style of kung-fu, Hung Fist, was created. There are unforgettable sequences throughout, highlighted by Hung Hsi-kuan (the mighty Chen Kuan-tai) and Fang Yung-chun's (the wonderful Lily Li) wedding night... where the lovers inexorably test their Tiger and Crane kung-fu styles in a symbolic treatment of a couple's power struggles. Almost equally unforgettable are the training sequences and a full three titanic confrontations with the White-Browed Hermit (the impressive Lo Lieh), betrayer of the Temple. The critics were right: Liu has out-done himself...as usual!
Prominent kung-fu actor David Chiang teams up with Chang Cheh's award winning screenwriter Ni Kuang to create a visual masterpiece full of exotic martial arts skills and fights in Shaolin Hand Lock. Chiang, who learned the secret 'Shaolin Handlock' technique from his father, is on a mission to avenge his father's death, which was ordered by the evil Ling Hao, played by Shaw Brothers' penultimate bad guy, kung-fu star, Lo Lieh. Adding to the great success of this film was the glamorous yet outlandishly inventive action sequences staged by acclaimed martial arts choreographer Tang Chia and an imposing visual edge and meticulously stylish directing by the brilliant director Ho Meng-hua who was responsible for giving early film breaks to Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung.
Jimmy Wang Yu had become a star in 1965's TEMPLE OF THE RED LOTUS. He became a superstar in 1967's ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN and 1968's GOLDEN SWALLOW. But this was his first fully realized personal kung-fu vision. Jimmy Wang Yu wrote, directed and starred in this classic favorite as the Chinese kung-fu superman, years before Bruce Lee would become famous for the same themes. He plays the famous Lei Ming, a noble young martial arts student who doesn't know the meaning of giving up. He faces a treacherous, blood-thirsty Japanese karate expert, played, of all people, by Lo Lieh (who was to become The Shaws' first international star in THE KING BOXER just months later). Featuring unforgettable training sequences and many fights, this box office smash would lead to a career unparalleled in its eccentricity and excitement.
Wang Yu, Lo Lieh, Wang Ping, Chao Hsiung, Cheng Lei
In the days before Bruce Lee became a superstar, the greatest heroes in Hong Kong cinema were not just one man, but two: the majestic Ti Lung and the charismatic David Chiang, who were made stars by Chang Cheh. The year after they exploded into superstardom in the director's landmark teen rebellion action film, Vengeance, they returned in this mano-a-mano classic which contained many of themes that made them famous. A wealthy man is murdered. An adopted son struggles with familial fears. A mysterious, charming, streetwise knight-errant named "Rambler" always turns up in the nick of time. The two protagonists distrust each other until they survive a trial by fire (and fists). Then, side by side, they must face dozens of duplicitous killers from without and within. With the support of action choreographer Liu Chia-liang, this "Iron Triangle" of a director and his two stars creates another winner.
After moving to Hong Kong from China, illegal immigrant Mang (Cherie Chung) has no choice but to live in cramped quarters with male migrant workers who take advantage of her. In order to attain the chance for Hong Kong residency and a better life, she agrees to marry a lonely old carpenter (Kwan Hoi-shan). Soon after settling into her new life, Mang crosses paths again with Kong (Alex Man), a Thai-Chinese boxer, and the two develop a passionate affair.
Months before Bruce Lee burst into the international scene with ENTER THE DRAGON, this powerful story of tragedy, torture, redemption, and revenge premiered across America under the unforgettable title FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH. And, under that title, it went on to become the first international martial arts movie hit, and a perennial best-selling video. It made a continent-spanning star of Lo Lieh, and established the Shaw Brothers as the preeminent studio for high quality action and adventure. Now, finally, after more than thirty years, the original KING BOXER takes its rightful place as the film that started it all for the Western world. Not surprisingly, the tale of an honorable fighter's retraining in the "Iron Palm" style after corrupt invaders crush his hands remains as potent and exciting as when it premiered.
An Iron Bodyguard (head of a security firm) called Wang Wu (Chen Kuan Tai) meets a scholar (Yueh Hua) and forms a strong friendship with him after fighting some villains together. The scholar is a member of the reformists – a group of scholars pressing for social reform in China towards the end of the Qing dynasty. The Emperor is actually all for reforms, and appoints this group to run the country. This doesn’t suit the Empress Dowager though, as she has no intention of losing her power. She orders the reformists to be arrested, and Wang Wu gets drawn into
the politics despite having no real political views himself.
A girl, Marble, witnesses a murder case and reports to the police. However after the investigation, the police can only figure out the complicated relationships between Rita, a rich merchant's mistress (Cherie Chung), a postman, a shop owner Mr. Wang and his wife, but find no clue as to who the murderer is. Therefore, Marble decides to carry out her own investigation…
Cherie Chung, Ku Feng, Chin Yen-ling, Tang Chen-yeh
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.
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
Wang Yu plays a young guy, Wu, who heads off to Dragon Valley to meet his childhood friend, Lian Chu (Chin Ping), who was promised to be his bride. When he gets there, he finds out that the family of his bride might not be an entirely honest bunch of people. Wu wishes to take Lian Chu with him, so he has no choice but to fight against her family…
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.
