Action auteur Chang Cheh accomplished one of the most memorable historical dramas to come out of Shaw Brothers in the 1960s, and became a pioneer at the golden age of martial arts cinema. Featuring the 20-year-old swimming champion and future action star Wang Yu. Set in the final years of the Ming Dynasty, three brave heroes stand against a power-hungry official, and cross-path with three gorgeous beauties. It's two magnificent trios in one film!
Costume drama auteur Li han-hsiang adapts thee erotic and mystic tales from the Chinese classical literatures and visualizes them on screen into an instant cult classic. Starring the hottest stars Tien Ni, Hu Chin, Chen Ping, Yang Chun, and Yueh Hua, the stories span across time from the Tang to Ming dynasties, filled with exotic characters such as emperors, concubines, monks, and fortune-tellers, intertwined in a world of adultery, lust and greed. Costume drama buffs should not miss it.
Made at the peak of the martial arts film craze, BLOOD BROTHERS stands out against the run-of-the-mill kung-fu flicks that flooded the market in the 1970s. It would be hard to find more legendary names in front of and behind the camera: director Chang Cheh, who virtually reinvented the genre; the brilliant martial arts choreography by Liu Chia-liang, before he himself embarked on a directorial career; and the number one buddy team in kung-fu, Ti Lung and David Chiang, joined by Shaw Brothers newest superstar, Chen Kuan-tai. Set in the waning years of the Ching Dynasty, Blood Brothers tells of one of the most sensational scandals in Chinese history, the assassination of a provincial governor (Ti Lung) by his lieutenant and sworn brother (David Chiang). Ti Lung, in a complex role that allowed him to flex his thespian muscles, was honored with Golden Horse Award of Outstanding Performance.
This is a battle between a brave band of Shaolin boxers and the Qing troops, complete with betrayals, intrigues, and fighting machines such as 108 wooden robots. The conflict grows as monks struggle to stay alive under the Qing ruling.
"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.
Acknowledged as one of the greatest Hong Kong musicals, this lavish movie starring Linda Lin, who won Best Actress for her performance, infuses its wispy plot with style and wit, and the results are pure pleasure.
An aging fighter (Ti Lung) relives his violent past mistakes through a poverty-striken, streetwise kid, who severely injuries his nemesis during a battle to win a girl's heart.
Ti Lung, Cheung Hing Lung, Leung Yuen Ching, Law Yun Ping
Adapted from the novel by Jin Yong, havoc breaks out when a warrior on the run uncovers a sword, training manual, treasure map & a secret message on the body of a deceased martial arts master.
The beautiful phantom Hsiao Chien has haunted readers since her appearance in the classic haunted story collection, Strange Stories From A Chinese Studio. Many film makers have tried to adapt the tales, but none have captured the eerie, horrific beauty as well as this expressive, vivid, ethereal and haunting production. It is given extra significance by its star, the enchanting Betty Loh Ti who committed suicide later.
It's Meng Yuan-wen (star of The Master Strikes) versus Kuan Feng in this wild and wacky wushu saga of a priceless pole with a spectacular secret. A master martial artist's silly disciple struggles to save it from an evil white slaver, the slaver's duplicitous wife, and even his own bone-headed, but greedy, companion. Hsu Hsia choreographs the abundant action, as he had for both Five Superfighters and Drunken Master. The result is both sublime (for its kung-fu) and engagingly ridiculous.
Meng Yuan-wen, Chin Huang, Pan Ping-chang, Kuan Feng
This tale of hidden treasure and a young wushu warrior in the Valley of Villains is considered among the best from director Chu Yuan and celebrated author Gu Long. Making the production even more special is the presence of international favourite Alexander Fu Sheng.
"The Kid"(Wu Yuan-chin), a monk who's education in the aptly named "Crazy Lo Han Fist" sends him running from a Buddhist Temple. In town he confronts a cruel bandit"s son and an abused prostitute. From then on, it's one fight after another as the power of his "Crazy Lo Han Fist" blasts the gangs...
