"Without a doubt," it was written in the seminal Study Of The Swordplay Film, "Hsu Cheng-hung is one of the key figures in the Mandarin new style." And this is both one of his key films and one of his last for Shaw Brothers. The lovely Ching Li and handsome Chang I star as star-and-sword-crossed comrades who take on the vicious Black Tigers gang in a quest for hidden wealth. There’s action galore, until the final, fiery fight in a temple of treasure.
Ching Li, Chang I, Shu Pei-pei, Lin Ching, Tien Feng
In 1975, Ho Meng-hua, master of the "esoteric weapon" kung-fu thriller, started an international sensation with The Flying Guillotine. But while he went on to direct such further "crazy cutlery" hits as The Dragon Missile, popular demand insisted upon a sequel to the original decapitator-on-a-chain. So, first, they got a script by a trio of writers, featuring a new, improved "Ring-Chain Flying Guillotine" and the only weapon that can stop it, the "Toothed Wheel". Next they matched Cheng Kang, the director of their popular true crime thriller The Criminals, with Hua Shan, the director of their superheroes Super Inframan, to double-team the project. Then they cast some of the best martial arts actors in their repertory - all ably choreographed by the often unsung, but universally respected Tang Chia. Finally they filmed Ti Lung as a fugitive from the emperor’s cruelty, against the whole F.G. gang in a blade-on-blade battle to the headless death!
A bandit became a warlord in the northern China by helping Russia fight against Japan. Because of his ignorance and silly behaviour, he was seen as a joke to the people. The warlord was finally killed by the daughter of a troupe master whom he had killed for no reason.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon could be called "Swordswomen Two." Three decades earlier, Shen Yi, Essie Lin Chia, and Pan Ying-tzu took on Shaw's first international superstar, Lo Lieh for the Han Family Sword - making this a four-star treat for action fans.
Shen Yi, Essie Lin, Pan Ying-tzu, Chang I, Lo Lieh
After several years of marriage, Prof. Wu Te-sheng (Alex Man Chi-leung) and his wife Wan Chun (Patricia Ha Man-jik) decide to have children. Then a medical examination shows Wu is the cause of the couple's infertility, and Wu reluctantly adopts his doctor's advice to have his wife artificially inseminated in Hawaii.
Chi will inherit his dying grandfather’s fortune with one condition – he has to be married in a month, otherwise the money goes to his uncle, Robert. Chi falls in love with Siu Siu, but Robert intends to stop them by sending Moraine to seduce Chi. When Moraine decides to marry Chi for money, Robert stops her and reveals their plot.
The Han Emperor dies and his Empress Lu seizes the ruling power. She plots to kill the heir to the throne, Liu Heng, but the masked warrior discovers her plot and tips off Liu. Liu sends his princess to Chang An to ask for help. The masked warrior protects the princess from attackers along the way and supports Liu to become the new Emperor.
This time around, newcomer Shih Chung-tien steps into the legendary shoes of Kwan Tak-hing to portray the famous Po Chih Lin healer. He ends up matching both his wits and fists with a number of thugs, including long-time nemesis Huang Fei-hung baddie, Shek Kien! The plot is classic Huang: jealous rival kung-fu schools try to sabotage Fei-hung’s superior Pao Chih Lin clinic until the chivalrous philanthropist shows them the error of their ways with wisdom, intelligence, and fabulous kung-fu -- supplied by both an action choreographer as well as a special Hung Style expert.
Third Master is a renowned swordsman in the martial arts world. The constant challenges and myriad enemies compel him to fake his death and pursue a quiet life. However, his peace cannot last long as other swordsmen keep challenging him and he can only fight his way till the end. Derek’s role as the Third Master launched his career at the age of 19.
Wong Jing, who is now considered one of the leading lights in Hong Kong cinema, wrote, directed, and co-starred in this Asian-accented Cinderella story starring the glorious Maggie Cheung Man-yuk as a TV actress who inadvertently buys a shoe with a stolen diamond secreted in it. That makes her the target of the two bumbling thieves, as well as a bunch of greedy killers. After action, laughs, and romance, it, of course, turns out that she lives happily ever after…!
Wang Jing, Chan Pak-cheung, Maggie Cheung, Wang Yu
Notorious assassin Nieh Cheng has retired into hiding. However, when Premier Yen's family is massacred, he seeks out the reclusive swordsman & coaxes him into a final revenge mission in this epic story set in the Six Kingdom era.
Wang Yu, Chiao Chiao, Li Hsiang-chun, Tien Feng, Huang Chung-shun
The lovely Li Hsiang-chun stars as a poor beauty who has been drugged, ravished, lied to, locked in a burning store room, left to drown, and chased by sword-wielding ruffians. Her only hope is her betrayer's new wife, played by the strong and sensual Ivy Ling Po. Dawn may come, but the question is: will it be too late?
This intriguing effort has more than a touch of both westerns and detective films in the martial arts mix. It lives up to its title as a noble guard is both attacked by bandits as well as betrayed by a relative. Then it's nephew against uncle, daughter against father, concubine against hero, and the law vs. vigilante justice before the last plot is exposed and the lovers are able to ride off into the sunset...
An amusing insider's look at the Hong Kong film industry; this is auteur Li Han-hsiang's version of Truffaut's Day for Night and Fellini's 8. It is a homage paid to Li, with a 30-year landmark in this business. Based on the director's highly popular newspaper column, this is a potboiler of some of his funniest and most surreal film gossips of the era. Filled with fictional plots and hardcore facts, this is definitely a must-see for any Hong Kong cinema aficionado!
