News

Considering the iconic status of Enter the Dragon, it's not easy to find a suitable follow-up that doesn't involve Bruce Lee, but Heroes of the East is one film that can fill that void. Easily the most famous of the five movies that Bruce Lee starred in, Enter the Dragon is credited with helping shape the martial arts genre into what it is today. Its decision to follow three fighters of different backgrounds helped provide the setup for one of the greatest martial arts tournament movies ever made, if not the best kung fu film of all time.

Another film that explores that particular martial arts subgenre is Heroes of the East, a lesser-known release from 1978. Heroes of the East was made by Shaw Brothers, the biggest kung fu movie studio in Hong Kong as well as the main rival of Golden Harvest, the company behind all of Bruce Lee's movies.

Though his acting career was cut short following his untimely death, Alexander Fu Sheng is still remembered for the memorable kung fu films he appeared in. As a teenager, Fu Sheng applied to the Shaw Brothers Drama School and signed a 3-5 year contract with the production studio, soon becoming one of the many reoccurring actors to appear in Shaw Brothers films. Frequent collaborators throughout Fu Sheng's career include director Chang Cheh, the Shaw Brothers, and martial arts choreographer Lau Kar-leung.

Each person helped Fu Sheng foster his skills as an actor and a martial artist. The best of Fu Sheng's kung fu films demonstrate the quality of his skill and the potential he had to build a career comparable to someone like Jackie Chan. Fu Sheng was never able to reach the career heights of movie martial artists like Bruce Lee. Still, film critics and directors have made comparisons...

Drunken Master had a great sequel long before Jackie Chan's return to the lead role of Wong Fei-hung in 1994. Released in 1978, the Golden Harvest martial arts classic has received a lot of credit for Jackie Chan's rise to stardom. After starring in both Drunken Master and Snake in the Eagle's Shadow in 1978, the actor quickly turned into Hong Kong's most prominent kung fu movie star at the time. Some of Jackie Chan's movies were successful enough to justify becoming franchises, with Drunken Master being among them.

In 1994, Chan famously returned to the character that helped make him a martial arts icon. Alongside former Shaw Brothers star Ti Lung and fellow martial arts legend Lau Kar-leung, Jackie Chan reprised his role as Wong Fei-hung in Drunken Master II, which went on to become a martial arts gem in its own right. But while it took 20 years for Chan to finally play Wong Fei-hung again,...

Gordon Liu's iconic roles in kung fu epics showcase his traditional kung fu styles and choreography. The variety of fight scenes in Legendary Weapons of China makes it a standout film for Liu. Kill Bill Vol. 2 ties back to Liu's previous projects, showcasing his kung fu skills on a larger scale.

Gordon Liu has one of the most impressive filmographies of any kung fu movie star, with multiple iconic titles to his name. A Chinese actor and martial artist, Gordon Liu studied real kung fu from a young age, eventually getting his big break in the film industry thanks to a production company owned by the famous Shaw brothers. While Liu doesn't quite have the same level of acclaim as breakout stars like Jackie Chan or Jet Li, his career spans some standout kung fu epics.

Gordon Liu's movies tend to be period pieces for the most part,...

Ma Hsin Yi was an eminent officer and a military general of the late Qing Dynasty who, together with other prominent officers, formed the Green Standard Army to fight against the rebels during the Taiping Rebellion. Chang Cheh's “The Blood Brothers” is an epic historical drama retelling his assassination by his officer and sworn brother Chang Wein Hsiang, played by David Chiang. Ti Lung's incredible portrayal of Ma won him the Special Award for Outstanding Performance at the 11th Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan and Best Actor Award at the Asia Pacific Film Festival.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

The detailed written confession of Chang in the courthouse after his capture also serves as the narrative of the film and it works well with the engrossing script thanks to Ni Kuang and Chang Cheh which keeps the audience invested in the characters'...

Shaw Brothers Studio left an indelible mark on the landscape of Kung Fu cinema. Founded in 1925 by the Shaw brothers, Runje, Runme, and Run Run, the studio became synonymous with high-quality martial arts films during the 1960s and 1970s. Their meticulous attention to choreography, intricate fight scenes, and dramatic storytelling revolutionized the genre, setting new standards for action-packed entertainment. Through iconic films like “The One-Armed Swordsman” and “Come Drink with Me,” Shaw Brothers Studio not only popularized Kung Fu cinema globally but also shaped the artistic direction of future martial arts films. Their legacy continues to inspire filmmakers and enthusiasts, underscoring their enduring impact on the world of cinema. In this list, we present 50 of the most iconic titles the company produced, in alphabetical order.

1. Bloody Parrot (1981) by Hua Shan

One of the better elements found here is the fact that the film manages to work in plenty of fun from its two main components.

Bruce Lee's impact in bringing Kung Fu to the West and influencing subsequent movies cannot be overstated. Snake in the Eagle's Shadow set the stage for Jackie Chan's signature comedy Kung Fu style. King Boxer and Crippled Avengers were international successes that showcased the best of Kung Fu cinema.

The 1970s was an incredible time for Kung Fu movies, as it was the heyday of the world’s biggest martial arts stars and there were so many great films to check out. From incredible historical epics to slapstick comedy movies, Kung Fu cinema during the 1970s was vast and varied as some truly unique films were being made, and the genre was being discovered by an international audience. With fast-paced fight sequences, expertly choreographed battles, and intense martial arts showdowns, Kung Fu movies were truly at their peak during this decade.

The success of Kung Fu movies during...

The trio of Chang Cheh, Ti Lung and David Chiang have given us a number of the most iconic Hk movies, with titles like “Have Sword, Will Travel” , “Dynasty of Blood” and the “One Armed-Swordsman” entries being among the most memorable. “The Heroic Ones” is another movie that feature the three, in a title that is entertaining, but does not reach the levels of the aforementioned titles.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

The story is set in ancient China and is based on historical events, although it moves quite far from historical truth. In the 880s, the Tang dynasty did not have full control of its empire, with Huang Chao and his vast rebel army posing a significant problem, even sizing the national capital Chang'an. Li Keyong, a Shatuo chieftain loyal to the Tang cause, decides to task his 13 generals, essentially all his adopted sons,...

By the early 1980s, the Shaw Brothers Studio had been eclipsed as Hong Kong’s most popular genre film studio by Golden Harvest and their more comedic take on martial arts cinema with stars like Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. Plagued by lower theatrical returns, which was exacerbated by the explosion of piracy in Southeast Asia with the advent of home video, the studio would—barring the occasional efforts in later years—cease film production in 1986 and pivot to making TV. As such, Shout! Factory’s fourth box set of Shaw Brothers films, all of which were released between 1980 and 1984, presents a cross-section of the studio’s last great burst of filmmaking.

In terms of directorial variety, this set has the least of any of these collections to date: Of the dozen films on offer, seven are helmed by Chang Cheh and feature all or some of his Venom Mob...

One of the great thrills of old school kung fu flicks is the juxtaposition between the dance-like choreography and bone-crunching violence. Bright splashes of blood are made more shocking by the balletic quality of the fights themselves. This is the contradiction at the core of almost all classic martial arts films; the spirituality inherent in Shaolin Kung Fu coexists with its potential to cause serious bodily harm. Many of the best releases of the 70s and 80s golden age understood how to blend Zen-like philosophy with animalistic anger, and revenge storylines allowed for especially potent drama. Here are five of the most down-and-dirty payback plots from the heyday of Hong Kong action.

5. The Duel

Chang Cheh's Ti Lung and David Chiang team-up from the year before, “Vengeance,” might be the obvious choice, but “The Duel” is an underrated slice of Triad grittiness. Lung and Chiang are two of the coolest...

Mubi has unveiled their December 2023 lineup, featuring notable new releases such as Rodrigo Moreno’s The Delinquents, Argentina’s Oscar this year; the Lily Gladstone-led drama The Unknown Country; Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s The Beasts; and the José González documentary A Tiger in Paradise. Additional highlights include films from Olivier Assayas, Takeshi Kitano, Jean-Luc Godard, Kelly Reichardt, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, the Shaw Browers, Lars von Trier, Arnaud Desplechin, and more.

Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.

December 1st

The House that Jack Built, directed by Lars von Trier | Chaos Reigns: The Films of Lars von Trier

Breaking the Waves, directed by Lars von Trier | Chaos Reigns: The Films of Lars von Trier

The Element of Crime, directed by Lars von Trier | Chaos Reigns: The Films of Lars von Trier

Europa, directed by Lars von Trier | Chaos Reigns: The Films of Lars von Trier

Epidemic, directed...

Shout! Factory’s Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 3, covering the years 1976 to 1980, coincides with Shaw Brothers Studio’s creative zenith, when a decade’s worth of honed techniques and emergent competition at the Hong Kong box office propelled the studio to new artistic heights. That, though, means that this is the period that’s been most thoroughly mined by specialty home video labels looking to preserve the legacy of the studio’s work and Hong Kong genre movies in general. Most of the classics of these years, such as Lau Kar-leung’s The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Chang Cheh’s Shaolin Temple, have already been released on home video. Notably, Cheh’s work, the usual highlight of these Shout! collections, is somewhat underrepresented here due to a smaller selection pool of titles.

This collection, though, still represents a stellar opportunity to discover some of the less-heralded gems of the Shaw Brothers Studio’s golden era,...

Revenge is a common motivator for main characters in martial arts films, often triggered by the killing of a family member or mentor. The Chinese Boxer (1970) is considered the first true martial arts film, setting the template for future movies by focusing on hand-to-hand combat and featuring revenge as a central theme. Martial arts movies like Kill Bill (2003/200 and Revenger (2019) showcase epic showdowns and intense fight scenes as characters seek revenge for past wrongs.

Revenge movies are among the most popular entries in the martial arts genre. Martial arts films often involve many different themes, from personal growth and romance to comedy and crime, interweaving each in their stories, whether it's in an ancient or modern setting. However, one of the themes most closely linked to martial arts films is revenge, which is arguably the most common motivator for a main character in the genre.

Martial arts heroes often embark...

Before he became one of Shaw Brothers’ foremost fight choreographers, Lau Kar Leung used to work as an extra besides choreographing the old black and white Wong Fei Hung series. Together with fellow choreographer Tang Chia, he would spend many years working for director Chang Cheh until they had a fallout while doing “Marco Polo”. So it was only natural that he would eventually evolve into a director during the early 70s when the martial arts films were in full swing. Furthermore, after Shaw Brothers Studio stopped making films, he would continue to choreograph, direct and even act in films like “Drunken Master II” with Jackie Chan and Tsui Hark’s “Seven Swords” in 2005.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

Filmed during the time when Chang Cheh was in Taiwan making films under his own Long Bow studio, “The Spiritual Boxer”, a comedy with kung...

Through martial arts cinema Fighting Spirit Film Festival aims to entertain and inspire people, promote martial arts culture, and support those who have chosen it as a career. The Festival is back in London this year with a two day action packed programme, including films, two free seminars, demonstrations, and more.

Tickets for Fsff 2023 are now available! click Here to view the schedule and purchase tickets.

Events And Free Seminars:

Capoeira workshop with Michael Nelson-cole

This workshop will take place at the Tottenham Community Sports Centre Boxing gym from 6-8pm and is open to all ages. Michael Nelson-Cole will teach the basics of Capoeira and explain it's origin and background. Come and move, jump, kick, and see what you're capable of! Entry is just £5.

Free seminar: Martial arts in fiction with Goran Powell and Chris Bradford

Authors Goran Powell and Chris Bradford discuss the importance of storytelling/narrative in martial arts fiction.

Back in 1974, Shaw Brothers director Chang Cheh together with a crew of around fifty people including his favorites David Chiang, Ti Lung and Fu Sheng, left Hong Kong and started producing films in Taiwan. His newfound team under the name of Long Bow Company would continue to produce films till 1976. Although Chang was making films independently, he was still related to Shaw Brothers which gave his full support.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

As it turns out, one of those Long Bow's early films “Five Shaolin Masters” was the one which eventually became their highest box office hit in Hong Kong, followed by “Heroes Two”, “Disciples of Shaolin”, “Shaolin Martial Arts”, “Marco Polo” and “Boxer Rebellion”. Among all of their Taiwanese productions, these six films made over one million dollars in Hong Kong but “The Fantastic Magic Boy” (1975) was their worst performer.

Set during the Great Qing,...

The story of Wong Fei Hung can best be summed up by the adage taken from John Ford's “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”. g”. For modern audiences this would apply to the seemingly endless variations on the life of Ip Man. Yet before him we had generations of audiences growing up to the feats of the master of the “No Shadow Kick” and member of the Ten Tigers of Canton, Wong Fei Hung. Over the years there have been numerous incarnations representing him at various aspects of his life. In addition, we have gained a supporting cast of familiar sidekicks, mentors, and comic relief. All alongside the familiar sound of the “General Marching Under Orders” theme that has become so associated with the character. It's not often we get to see a character grow up on screen and so here we present the life of Wong Fei Hung in several cinematic chapters.

In spite of the Drunken Master movies being some of Jackie Chan’s most beloved films, the actor never made a third installment. Drunken Master III does exist, but it has no connection to the actor. To this day, Chan has yet to revisit the series.

The Drunken Master movies hold a special place in Chan’s legacy as a martial arts star. After headlining his first box office hit, Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, Chan followed it up with Drunken Master, which solidified his status as a star in the Hong Kong movie industry. Additionally, Drunken Master acted as a stepping stone to more roles and did its part to help Chan build the image he has today. Thanks to its continued popularity, Chan returned to play his Drunken Master character in a direct sequel. Also known as Drunken Master II, Legend of the Drunken Master paired Chan with...

Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung, a kung fu master of the Hung Ga style himself was better known as a physician who practiced acupuncture at his medical clinic Po Chi Lam in Canton, South China. After “Challenge of the Masters” (1976) directed by Lau Kar Leung and starring Gordon Liu Chia Hui as Master Wong, and as we approached the early 80s, the pair was back with another version which was fundamentally a comedy at its core but peppered with plenty of amazingly choreographed action and some equally awesome display of lion dancing.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

This time around, the theme is not about revenge, there is hardly any blood during the fights and above all, no one gets killed. Even though Lau touches on the conflicts between rivaling martial arts schools, he is more interested in the honor and respect of...

Passionately acknowledged for his traditional kung fu flicks, this was Lau Kar Leung’s Hong Kong’s version of the popular Hollywood buddy-cop action comedy genre of the 80s which borrowed heavily from Peter Hyams’s “Running Scared” (1986) to Richard Donner’s “Lethal Weapon” from 1987. Due to its success, a sequel soon followed in 1990 starring Danny Lee but only Conan Lee reprised his role. It was nominated for the Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 1989 but “Police Story 2” was the winner.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

In a total contrast to his heroic character in “A Better Tomorrow” (1986), Chow Yun Fat portrays the womanizing and cowardly police Sergeant Francis Li mostly for laughs. Incidentally, this is the kind of clowning role his Asian audiences preferred and were fond of instead of the tough action hero type favored by the West.

The Shaw Brothers Studio and Ho Meng Hua unleashed their deadly decapitating flying machine film “The Flying Guillotine” in 1975 and it was a hit. However released in 1978 due to several actors dropping out and rewritten during production, their problematic official follow-up almost died a horrible death. Meanwhile, Jimmy Wang Yu was quick to let loose his action packed but outrageous flying guillotine related version “One Armed Boxer Vs the Flying Guillotine” which was in fact a sequel to his “One Armed Boxer” (1971). Acknowledged in the West as “Master of the Flying Guillotine” it went on to become a cult favorite with fans.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

Again set in the Qing Dynasty, besides having his own guillotine team in the palace, Emperor Yung Cheng also sends out his trusted flying guillotine wielding assassin Fung Sheng Wu Ji (Kam Kang) to kill off any remaining rebels.

The London Action Fest’s weekend events kicked off on Saturday at Picturehouse Central with a screening of Chia-Liang Liu’s phenomenal The Legend of Drunken Master (Aka Drunken Master 2), a highly sought action classic that’s overdue a remastered Blu ray release.

Following this was the first panel event: The World in Action- Celebrating Asian Action Cinema with Joey Ansah, Mike Fury (journalist and author) and Jude Poyer.

The guests talked about what drew them to Asian cinema, citing early exposure to ninja films on VHS, a martial artist Pe teacher, and sneaking into late night screenings of Hong Kong films, in Soho.

A sequence from Sammo Hung’s Dragons Forever, starring Jackie Chan, was then presented, and the panel discussed why the film is so special, citing hand-to-hand combat and frenetic editing. They also talked about how Hong Kong cinema was better than American action films of the time,...

Wong Fei-hung (1847-1925) was a real person, but through the many interpretations of him and his life, played by actors like Kwan Tak-hing, Jackie Chan (Drunken Master), Jet Li (Once Upon a Time in China and Last Hero in China) and, briefly, Sammo Hung (Around the World in 80 Days), he has become something of a mythic figure. Gordon Liu first played the role in Challenge of the Masters, and reprises it here.

Though he’s the central figure, Martial Club is more of an ensemble piece than one focused purely on Wong Fei-hung. Broadly, the film is about an outwardly friendly, but escalating, rivalry between three Kung Fu schools: Wu Guan, Jeng and Luk. Eventually Wong Fei-hung, his friend Yan-lam (Robert Mak) and Yan-lam‘s sister (Kara Hui) are put in a position where they have to fight back.

The first half of the film focuses almost entirely on...

Terracotta Blu-ray & Dvd Store

Hong Kong neon-noir police action, On The Run, is out in September via 88Films. This gritty, and sometimes brutal film, features Yuen Biao in a full-on action and dramatic role, a change from the comedy-action films he is known for. Yuen Biao plays a police officer, trying to solve the case of his wife’s murder, and slowly unravels the layers of who he can and can’t trust in his circle. Pre-order now at a special discounted price on the Terracotta store Here

Might as well go for the Yuen Biao double. Also released in September, Righting Wrongs is some straight up beat ’em up Hong Kong 80’s action cinema. Starring Yuen Biao and Cynthia Rothrock, this release comes packed full of extras and special features, again via 88Films Here

July Blu-ray Releases

Summer Time Machine Blues – hilarious Japanese time-travel comedy featuring student high-jinks and a broken air-conditioner.

Coming from 88 Films USA Label in partnership with Mvd on February 8th is another cult classic from the Shaw Brothers Studio. The Flag of Iron is a quintessential Hong Kong tale of rivals, betrayal and family feuds. When the master of the Iron Flag clan is killed by a mysterious assassin known only as Spearman, it sets off an explosive chain of events which pits two brothers against each other in an action-packed adventure of fist flying fury.

Directed by Chan Cheh, this kinetic and highly influential Kung Fu picture, mixes traditional storytelling with more modern presentation techniques, layering acrobatics, the use exotic weaponry and quick as lightening fight sequences to produce a sure fire entertaining hit, which no serious collector of martial arts movies can be without.Included in the package are a Limited Edition Slipcase with brand-new artwork from R.P. “Kung Fu Bob” O’Brien, Double-Sided A3 Foldout Poster,...

August can be a miserable time to go to the movies, and it’s almost always a miserable time to be in New York City. But, for at least one glorious weekend this month, neither of those time-honored facts will be true. Beginning on Friday, August 18, Subway Cinema’s Old School Kung Fu Fest returns to The Metrograph theater in lower Manhattan for another incredible weekend of flying courtesans, iconic sword fights, and even a little pistol action for people who like their body-chops and dropkicks with some bullets on the side.

Capping off a female-driven summer movie season that kicked off with “Wonder Woman” back in early June, the seventh edition of this deeply beloved fest is devoted to the “Wonder Women of the Martial Arts,” and it boasts some of the fiercest ladies to ever leap over an unsuspecting henchman. The seven films in this year’s program...

Yuhang Ho was trained as an engineer but went into film-making due to his love for vintage films. He began his career by shooting commercials in the mid 1990’s. In 2000, he co-directed a Malaysian documentary “Semangat Insan: Masters of Tradition” highlighting the need to preserve Malaysia’s traditional art forms. He then made his feature film directorial debut in the 2003 film “Min”.He went to receive international recognition for his film “Rain Dogs”, won the New Talent Award at the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival 2006 and also named best director at the Festival of the Three Continents in 2006.

His 2009 revenge drama “At The End of Daybreak” revived the career of the veteran actress Kara Hui, who was an action star of the Shaw Brothers era. “Daybreak” earned her seven best actress awards. She has since gone on to star in “Wu Xia,” “Rigor Mortis,” and “The Midnight After.”

On the...

  By David Kozlowski   |   7 July 2017

Welcome to Issue #3 of The Lrm Weekend, a weekly column highlighting cool and unique videos about film, TV, comics, Star Wars, Marvel, DC, animation, and anime. We also want to hear from you, our awesome Lrm community! Share your favorite videos to: @LRM_Weekend and we'll post your Tweets below!

Last Issue: 6.30.17

Why do we love superheroes, martial arts, fantasy, and sci-fi? The big fight scenes, of course. Every week we'll bring you an epic brawl from the recent or distant past -- we want to hear from you, share your favorite fights with us!

Jackie Chan's The Legend of Drunken Master (1994) Bonus: Jackie Chan Talks About Bringing Film To America

The original Chinese language movie poster from 1978!

What Is It?

Drunken Master II is a 1994 Hong Kong kung fu film directed by Lau Kar-leung and Jackie Chan, who stars as Chinese folk hero, Wong Fei-hung.

Although only sparsely released theatrically in the United States, the recently deceased director Liu Chia-Liang’s 1978 Hong Kong kung fu epic is widely considered a highpoint in the evolution of the genre. Its official mainstream release came on dvd in 2000 under the title Shaolin Master Killer.

Craig Lines Feb 9, 2017

Cynthia Rothrock, Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung and more feature, as we salute the female stars of martial arts movies...

It’s arguably a rare sight when female characters lead a major genre film, and last year’s online Ghostbusters drama proves it’s still, depressingly, a controversial choice if they do. Too often, female characters are reduced to sidekicks, damsels, sex objects and caricatures. It sometimes feels like every day there’s a new statistic about women being under-represented in Hollywood and while, to some extent, things are looking brighter and more diverse by the day, it’s an uphill struggle. Still, as we wait for Hollywood to get its act together, I thought I’d celebrate a genre where awesome, strong, multi-faceted female characters have led casts as a regular occurrence for decades - martial arts!

See related Netflix's Stranger Things: Shawn Levy interview Netflix's...

Beyond Fest must have their check in the mail, because ol' Jack Burton himself is coming to the festival for a 30th anniversary screening of Big Trouble in Little China. Filmmaker James Gunn will be on hand to discuss the cult John Carpenter movie with the beloved actor, and that's only one of many events fans will want to mark on their fall calendars.

Taking place September 30th–October 11th at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles, Beyond Fest 2016 will also feature screenings of Phantasm: Ravager, Phantasm: Remastered, George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead in 3-D, Martin, In a Valley of Violence, The Wolf Man (1941), The Bad Batch, Raw, and City of the Living Dead.

A 4K restoration screening of Romero's The Crazies will also take place, as well as a live performance by composer Fabio Frizzi and his orchestra during a showing of The Beyond: Composer's Cut.

Fantastic Fest has already revealed an amazing lineup over the past month, but their newly announced final wave of programming should cause even more fans to make room on their calendars between September 22nd–29th.

Fantastic Fest's final wave of programming has several big treats in store for horror comedy fans, as Bruce Campbell will be in attendance for screenings of the first two episodes of Ash vs Evil Dead Season 2 (ahead of the first season's October 2nd premiere on Starz).

Another WolfCop, the sequel to 2014's WolfCop, will make its world premiere, and a special screening of the first episode of HBO's Westworld series will also take place.

The creature feature Colossal will be shown as the festival's closing film, and A Monster Calls and The Autopsy of Jane Doe are also scheduled to screen. For full details, we have the official press release below. Which film are you...

Sammo Hung's 'My Beloved Bodyguard' - A Huge Disappointment !Action45%Story43%2016-05-2744%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (2 Votes)69%

Right, let me first prefix this by saying that I am and always will be a big fan of Sammo Hung.

But I’m also a fan of quality movies and If I come across a movie that really leaves a bad taste in the mouth then there is no way I can sugar-coat how bad it is ! ( I did the same with Jackie Chan’s incredibly poor ‘Chinese Zodiac’ ) , and let me tell you this My Beloved Bodyguard is bad. !

My Beloved Bodyguard aka ‘The Bodyguard’ is the latest film from one of the most pivotal figures in Martial Arts / Action Cinema.

The film features an all star cast including Andy Lau ( Infernal Affairs, House of Flying Daggers , Shaolin ) , Eddie Peng (Rise of the Legend ), Tsui Hark , Jun Hu ( Let The...

facebook

twitter

google+

The Five Deadly Venoms is a martial arts classic, that comes with one of the best opening sequences we've seen...

You don't need to do much more than whisper "I had five pupils..." to send shivers up the spines of most martial arts fans. It's a line that kicks off one of the most dazzling opening sequences in the history of cinema, as the dying Master of the Poison Clan explains to his sixth and final pupil that there were five more before him, each trained in a unique fighting style.

The Five Deadly Venoms wear masks that hide their identity and represent their particular style. There's the Centipede, the Snake, the Scorpion, the Lizard and the Toad, and the ways in which they fight draw from each animal's characteristics. As the Master explains, Centipede and Snake know one another's identity, as do Lizard and Toad. None of the others know Scorpion.

facebook

twitter

google+

The Five Deadly Venoms is a martial arts classic, that comes with one of the best opening sequences we've seen...

You don't need to do much more than whisper "I had five pupils..." to send shivers up the spines of most martial arts fans. It's a line that kicks off one of the most dazzling opening sequences in the history of cinema, as the dying Master of the Poison Clan explains to his sixth and final pupil that there were five more before him, each trained in a unique fighting style.

The Five Deadly Venoms wear masks that hide their identity and represent their particular style. There's the Centipede, the Snake, the Scorpion, the Lizard and the Toad, and the ways in which they fight draw from each animal's characteristics. As the Master explains, Centipede and Snake know one another's identity, as do Lizard and Toad. None of the others know Scorpion.

Sammo Hung is regarded as one of the greatest Kung Fu performers of his generation. His high tempo, hard htting fight sequences have captured audiences all over the world. Future generations will look back and watch in amazement, witnessing one of the very best in world cinema.

Peking Opera Days

The Peking Opera school was run from a small theatre by Master Yu Jim Yuen, this was where Sammo Hung would begin his journey. In them days, the stundents would normally enroll for around 10 years, each day performing gruelling tasks for up to 18 hours a day which included training in the Martial Arts, weapons training, acrobatics, acting and singing. The Peking opera of course brought together Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, Corey Yuen, Yuen Tak and Yuen Mo, who would eventually be known as the 7 Little Fortunes. They took the first name “Yuen” in a sign of...

http://asianmoviepulse.com/2016/01/40-ti-lung-movies-enjoy-part-12/2/ – Part 1

Ti Lung is known for his awesome catalogue of movies, over the years he was a leading star at The Shaw Brothers Studio and appeared in well over a 100 movies. I have put together a list of movies, which i have enjoyed over the years. *This is not a Top 40 list.

21.Anonymous Heroes (1971)

Cast:David Chiang, Cheng Li, Cheng Miu, Wong Chung

Director:Chang Cheh

Fight Choreographer:Lau Kar Leung, Tong Gaai

22.All Men Are Brothers (1975)

Cast:Chen Kuan Tai, David Chiang, Wong Chung, Bolo Yeung, Danny Lee, Ku Feng

Director:Chang Cheh, Wu Ma

Fight Choreographer:Tong Gaai, Lau Kar Leung, Lau Kar Wing, Chan Chuen

23.Clans Of Intrigue (1977)

Cast:Yueh Hua, Li Ching, Nora Miao, Ku Feng

Director:Chu Yuan

Fight Choreographer:Wong Pau Gei, Tong Gaai

24.Heroic Ones (1970)

Cast:David Chiang, Lily Li, Chan Sing, Chan Chuen, Ku Feng, Bolo Yeung

Director:Chang Cheh

Fight Choreographer:Lau Kar Wing,...

Ti Lung is known for his awesome catalogue of movies, over the years he was a leading star at The Shaw Brothers Studio and appeared in well over a 100 movies. I have put together a list of movies, which i have enjoyed over the years. *This is not a Top 40 list.

1.Have Sword, Will Travel (1969)

Cast:David Chiang, Li Ching, Ku Feng, Cheng Miu,

Director:Chang Cheh

Fight Choreographer:Tong Gaai, Yuen Cheung Yan

 

2.The Duel (1971)

Cast:David Chiang, Yeung Chi Hing, Yue Wai, Ku Feng

Director:Chang Cheh

Fight Choreographer:Tong Gaai, Yuen Cheung Yan

 

3.Blood Brothers (1973)

Cast:Chen Kuan Tai, David Chiang, Cheng Li, Cheng Miu, Tin Ching

Director:Chang Cheh

Fight Choreographer:Lau Kar Leung, Tong Gaai

 

4.The Sentimental Swordsman (1977)

Cast:Cheng Li, Yueh Hua, Derek Yee, Ku Feng, Fan Mei Sheng

Director:Chu Yuan

Fight Choreographer:Tong Gaai, Wong Pau Gei

 

5.The Retuen of The Sentimental Swordsman (1981)

Cast:Fu Sheng, Derek Yee,...

When it comes to listing Kung Fu/Martial Art performers in a certain order, i have to say its very difficult. Everyone mentioned below are my personal top 30 of all time, i do understand everyone will have a different take and have their own personal list, so please don’t hate me (Lol). The ones i have chosen are those who i enjoyed watching the most since I got into Kung Fu/Martial Art cinema in the early 1990’s.

So please enjoy my personal favorite top 30, those i enjoy watching the most and hope you enjoy the list.

30.Casanova Wong

29.Lee Hoi San

28.Chang Yi

27.Kwan Tak Hing

26.Chin Siu Ho

25.Yukari Oshima

24.Jean Claude Van Damme

23.Kara Hui

22.Fung Hak On

21.Ku Feng

20.Cynthia Rothrock

19.Moon Lee

18.Fu Sheng

17.Lam Ching Ying

16.Yuen Wah

15.Hwang Jang Lee

14.Johnny Wang

13.David Chiang

12.Angela Mao

11.Leung Kar Yan

10.Bruce Lee

9.Lau Kar Leung...

John Kreng is one of the most hard working actors/stuntman/fight and stunt corrdinators working in the industry today. Through his time working in the movie industry, John has worked with some of the very best which includes Jet Li, Yuen Wah, Tsui Hark, David Carradine, Steven Spielburg and many more outstanding talents.

John Kreng is also the author of the in depth book on screen fighting called Fight Choreography: The Art Of Non Verbal Dialogue, he was a cast member of The Jade Trader which went on to win the most outstanding cast performance award at the 10th Action on film, International film festival. John, also has years of Martial Arts experience behind him, dedicating his time learning many different styles and been taught by some of the very best masters from around the world (Which he will speak about in this interview).

John also worked on the...

When I think of Wu Xia movies, I immediately think of Shaw Brothers and the many classic they have made over the years. What I love about this genre is many things, the Swordplay, The Characters, Story lines, Setting, Costumes and much more.

Wu Xia, traditionally is a form of literature. But after high demand over the years it’s become involoved in many art forms such as Movies, Opera, Video Games and beyond. This list of 30 Wu Xia movies listed, i hope you’ll like and want to thank my friend Richard Robinson for contributing to the list. If we missed any classics out, its most probably because we honestly forgot at that time or maybe we haven’t seen all the classic Wu Xia movies so far, anyway enjoy the list and let us know what you thought in the commen box at the bottom.

1.Have Sword Will Travel (1969)

Cast: David Chiang,...

One thing I love, that is apparent from this wave announcement, is that Fantastic Fest not only celebrates new genre cinema but relishes in repertory genre cinema! We have some awesome martial arts films and a 35mm screening of Evilspeak to coincide with Kier-La Jannise & Paul Corupe’s Satanic Panic: Pop-Cultural Paranoia in the 1980’s. We are also getting the new horror anthology from V/H/S alumni (Producer Roxanne Benjamin, director David Bruckner and directing team Radio Silence) with Southbound! Read on fiends, read on.

Fantastic Fest announces its final wave of highly anticipated features and epic events for the annual celebration of all things genre. With signature smackdown Fantastic Debates and Comedy Central’s The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, this year’s Fantastic Fest promises more thrills than ever before as it rages through Austin from September 24 – October 1st. Joining Fantastic Fest for the first time, Charlie Kaufman...

Austin, TX – Wednesday, September 9, 2015 – Fantastic Fest announces its final wave of highly anticipated features and epic events for the annual celebration of all things genre. With signature smackdown Fantastic Debates and Comedy Central’s The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, this year’s Fantastic Fest promises more thrills than ever before as it rages through Austin from September 24 – October 1st. Joining Fantastic Fest for the first time, Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson will be in attendance to share their wildly inventive world of stop motion animation Anomalisa, Cannes Grand Prix winner Son Of Saul is screening in glorious 35mm, the stunning adult fairytale from Gomorrah director Matteo Garrone Tale Of Tales will unfurl, Jerusalem Film Festival’s top prize winner Tikkun, and we welcome the World Premiere of the action-thriller Camino with Zoe Bell and Fantastic Fest veteran / mayor Nacho Vigalondo as a religious psychopath — a prospect that should fill...

The final wave of Fantastic Fest 2015 has finally been announced and it features a crop of festival darlings along with Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson’s highly anticipated stop-motion animation film Anomalisa. The Cannes Grand Prix winner Son of Saul joins the list as well as the new film from director Matteo Garrone, Tale of Tales. PopOptiq will be present once again this year so be sure to check out our coverage in the upcoming weeks. Check out the full list below.

****

Anomalisa

United States, 2015

Regional Premiere, 90 min

Directors – Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson

Charlie Kaufman’s newest story, a revolutionary and emotional stop-motion animation, follows an unhappy customer service guru looking for an escape from the monotony of his life.

The Assassin

Taiwan, 2015

Us Premiere, 104 min

Director – Hou Hsiao-hsien

After failing to dispatch a corrupt government official, an assassin is disciplined by her master with a mission to...

Fantastic Fest announced its final wave of features and events for the annual celebration of all things genre.

Taking place in Austin, Texas, from September 24-October 1, the festival will include Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson’s Anomalisa and Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin.

“I love the diversity and breadth of programming that the team delivered this year,” said Tim League, Fantastic Fest and Alamo Drafthouse founder.

“In particular I’d like to highlight Anomalisa, Tikkun and Son Of Saul. These utterly-unique, auteur-driven, genre-defying masterpieces are exactly the type of groundbreaking cinema I want to share with the discerning Fantastic Fest audience.”

The films are:

Anomalsia (Us), Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson

The Assassin (Taiwan, pictured), Hou Hsiao-hsien

The Boy And The Beast (Japan), Mamoru Hosoda

Camino (Us), Josh C Waller

Come Drink With Me (Hong Kong), King Hu

Dag (Norway), Oystein Karlsen

Daniel’s World (Czech Republic), Veronika Lišková

The Devil’s Candy (Us), Sean Byrne...

When it comes to making features like this one, i love the idea of coming up with my own personal “100 Great Kung Fu Movies” of all time. It is tough choosing just 100 because you know there are many more great Kung Fu movies that are not on the list.

I understand everyone will have their own personal favorites and some may not agree with my list and that’s fine because it’s nice to have different opinions on this genre which keeps it fresh and alive when having good debates.

Anyway, thank you for taking time to have a look at my 100 Great Kung Fu movie list and feel free to add any movies in the comment box if they don’t make my list (I have probably forgotten many movies).

Number 1 is based on the choreography and overall movie which to me is a prime example of of...

My original plan was to publish a list of my ten most anticipated films screening at the Fantasia Film Festival but considering the incredible line-up this year, I find it near impossible to narrow it down to only ten. So instead I’ve decided to select one movie a day, or better yet, the movie that you should choose if you only had time for one.

Day 1. Tangerine

Christmas Eve in Tinseltown!

If you’re not familiar with director Sean Baker start taking notes. The man is a genius and one of the best indie American filmmakers working today. In Starlet, Baker spun an unlikely friendship between a young porn actress and an old lady in the San Fernando Valley. In Prince of Broadway, he chronicled the struggles of a hustler balancing fatherhood while working in New York’s wholesale district. Baker’s work avoids labels by refusing to adhere...

When it comes to making features like this one, i love the idea of coming up with my own personal “100 Great Kung Fu Movies” of all time. It is tough choosing just 100 because you know there are many more great Kung Fu movies that are not on the list.

I have decided that to make the list, a movie must have a few hand to hand moments during fight scenes in the movies chosen. If for example its mainly sword play with one fight scene hand to hand it won’t make the list. Its old school “style” Kung Fu movies, not modern day settings.

I understand everyone will have their own personal favorites and some may not agree with my list and that’s fine because it’s nice to have different opinions on this genre which keeps it fresh and alive when having good debates.

Anyway, thank you...

When it comes to making features like this one, i love the idea of coming up with my own personal “100 Great Kung Fu Movies” of all time. It is tough choosing just 100 because you know there are many more great Kung Fu movies that are not on the list.

I have decided that to make the list, a movie must have a few hand to hand moments during fight scenes in the movies chosen. If for example its mainly sword play with one fight scene hand to hand it won’t make the list. Its old school “style” Kung Fu movies, not modern day settings.

I understand everyone will have their own personal favorites and some may not agree with my list and that’s fine because it’s nice to have different opinions on this genre which keeps it fresh and alive when having good debates.

Anyway, thank you...

When it comes to making features like this one, i love the idea of coming up with my own personal “100 Great Kung Fu Movies” of all time. It is tough choosing just 100 because you know there are many more great Kung Fu movies that are not on the list.

I have decided that to make the list, a movie must have a few hand to hand moments during fight scenes in the movies chosen. If for example its mainly sword play with one fight scene hand to hand it won’t make the list. Its old school “style” Kung Fu movies, not modern day settings.

I understand everyone will have their own personal favorites and some may not agree with my list and that’s fine because it’s nice to have different opinions on this genre which keeps it fresh and alive when having good debates.

Anyway, thank you...