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In the late 1980’s into the early 90’s, the short lived D&b Films made a series of kinetic action movies that caught the attention of fans of the genre globally. As Hong Kong action cinema gravitated to a more modern style, the mixture of martial arts and gunplay these films displayed were far in advance of anything the west was producing.

An anti drug squad headed by Brother Lung (Leung Kar Yan) succeeds in taking out most of a drug syndicate in an explosive shoot out and only narrowly failing to capture the main trafficker Swatow Hung (Wong Lung Wei). Lung is about to retire and marry fellow cop Shirley Ho (Carol Cheng). After a party attended by friends and teammates, Fan Chun-yau (Jackie Cheung), Terry (Donnie Yen), and Uncle Tat (Ng Man-tat), Lung is killed by Hung outside his house. Seeking revenge, the rest of...

Craig Lines Nov 1, 2017

Every now and then, martial arts movies go, er, a 'little leftfield', Here are some examples...

There are few feelings I enjoy as much as watching a movie that shakes me out of my complacency, wakes me up from my jaded quasi-slumber and makes me go “I’ve not seen that before!” I watch way too many films and it can take a lot to genuinely shock or surprise me, but there are few genres that manage it as often as martial arts.

Now, I appreciate there’s a lot of base level ‘weirdness’ to the genre if you’re not used to it. There’s curious dubbing, an emphasis on physicality over plotting, some eastern cultural touchpoints that baffle unfamiliar western audiences… but fans get used to all that. I’m talking about something slightly different.

To clarify, it might seem strange to new viewers when...

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...

Like millions of you around the world, i love Kung Fu movies. It is the only real genre that keeps me going back for more and that is why i will always love Kung Fu movies.

I know many of you have probably seen many of the movies i will post about, but this is also for anyone new to the genre of Kung Fu and even Swordplay and looking for other movies to enjoy. I hope you enjoy the movies i have listed and please feel free to comment about any of the movies.

1.Heroes Two (1974)

Director: Chang Cheh

Cast: Fu Sheng, Chen Kuan Tai, Bruce Tong, Wong Ching, Fong Sam, Fung Hak On, Lau Kar Wing

Fight Choreographer(s): Tong Gaai, Lau Kar Leung

Studio: Shaw Brothers

2.Shaolin Plot (1977)

Director: Huang Feng

Cast: James Tien, Chan Sing, Casanova Wong, Sammo Hung

Fight Choreographer(s): Sammo Hung...

Like millions of you around the world, i love Kung Fu movies. It is the only real genre that keeps me going back for more and that is why i will always love Kung Fu movies.

I know many of you have probably seen many of the movies i will post about, but this is also for anyone new to the genre of Kung Fu and even Swordplay and looking for other movies to enjoy. I hope you enjoy the movies i have listed and please feel free to comment about any of the movies.

The Skyhawk (1974)

Studio: Golden Harvest

Director: Jeong Chang Hwa

Cast: Kwan Tak Hing, Sammo Hung, Carter Wong, Wang In Sik, Nora Miao

Action Director(s): Sammo Hung

 

Legendary Weapons of China (1982)

Studio: Shaw Brothers

Director: Lau Kar Leung

Cast: Hsiao Ho, Lau Kar Leung, Kara Hui, Gordon Liu, Lau Kar Wing, Fu Sheng

Action...

Like millions of you around the world, i love Kung Fu movies. It is the only real genre that keeps me going back for more and that is why i will always love Kung Fu movies.

I know many of you have probably seen many of the movies i will post about, but this is also for anyone new to the genre of Kung Fu and even Swordplay and looking for other movies to enjoy. I hope you enjoy the movies i have listed and please feel free to comment about any of the movies.

Avenging Eagle (1978)

Studio: Shaw Brothers

Director: Sun Chung

Cast: Ti Lung, Fu Sheng, Ku Feng, Johnny Wang, Dick Wei

Action Director(s): Tong Gaai, Wong Pau Gei

 

The Magnificent Butcher (1979)

Studio: Golden Harvest

Director: Yuen Woo Ping

Cast: Sammo Hung, Lee Hoi San, Yuen Biao, Fung Hak On, Lam Ching Ying, Chung Fat, Kwan...

There's plenty of ass-kicking in Kick-Ass 2. It's not terrible ass-kicking. In fact it's fairly decent ass-kicking. Speaking as someone with VHS tapes of nothing but dozens of Yuen Clan fight scenes stripped of whatever context they once had and chaotically compiled into their own homemade not-narrative of face-kicks and skull-breakage, my vote is always for more ass-kicking. So good going, Kick-Ass 2. You almost deliver an acceptable amount of grade-b ass-kicking. But then there's this whole movie trying to get in the way of the ass-kicking. That is a problem. In this sequel that behaves like a reboot that behaves like a confused puppy chasing its own tail, Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) has given up his amateur superhero status to focus on high school...

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