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Known primarily for their work in The Five Deadly Venoms, a group of five martial arts actors starred in a slew of entertaining kung fu flicks. Martial arts movies have a tendency to recreate actor pairings that studio already know can lead to success. Jackie Chan's Three Dragons movies with Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung are a perfect example of this. Also worth mentioning are the various partnerships between Ti Lung and David Chiang in classic Shaw Brothers movies, as well as the films that boast Jean-Claude Van Damme and Scott Adkins as co-stars.

The vast majority of these actor team-ups are duos and trios, but that's not the case for the Venom Mob. Taking their name from their Five Deadly Venoms movie from 1977, the Venom Mob consisted of five actors, all of whom being talented martial artists. A long list of great kung fu movies managed to pack...

The 1970s represent a supreme period in the context of martial arts movies. Although these films were being released as early as the 1920s, this decade effectively put the genre on the map and brought mainstream popularity with some of the best martial arts movie performances of all time. The love for martial arts cinema continued in the following years, with hit releases like The Karate Kid, which made such an impact it warranted a Karate Kid sequel 40 years later.

Without a doubt, the most legendary figure of this period was Bruce Lee. As a pioneer of cinematic martial arts, Lee's performances were so great they produced a new sub-genre known as Bruceploitation films that were aimed at emulating his style. While he is certainly a household name for this decade and beyond of martial arts movies, there are several more standout performances from the 1970s that majorly affected the genre.

Martial arts movies aren't usually known for their gripping stories, but a rare few of them can break the mold of the genre with genuinely fantastic narratives alongside gripping action. For the most part, martial arts movies are given a lot of leeway when it comes to their stories, with gripping hand-to-hand fight scenes being the primary draw for audiences of the genre. That being said, some of the best fight scenes in martial arts movie history come from films with brilliant narratives that compliment the action.

Martial arts movies with earnestly great stories come in multiple varieties. Often, the period setting of martial arts films allows for some fascinating political and cultural drama sprouting from the relevant movements or historical events of the time they take place in. In other cases, lovingly choreographed action is used as an emotional vessel for two characters to hash out their relationship, mirroring...

Jackie Chan is the kind of guy who crosses generations and is still recognized by everyone today. But it’s crazy to think about how he got to where he is, especially since it’s pretty rare for a martial arts star to blow up worldwide like he did. The truth is, from the very beginning, he knew exactly what he wanted, and he never backed down for anyone.

Jackie Chan in Shanghai Noon (Credits: Touchstone Pictures)

He had the chance to work with the biggest and best Kung Fu studio, but the terms just didn’t line up with what he wanted. It’s surprising he turned it down, especially since he didn’t have much of a name for himself back then. But looking at how far he’s come, it’s a move that deserves respect.

Jackie Chan Always Aimed For International Fame Jackie Chan in Ride On...

Kill Bill's action sequences draw inspiration from classic kung fu movies by Shaw Brothers, with nods to their iconic styling techniques. The iconic yellow tracksuit worn by Uma Thurman pays homage to Bruce Lee's costume in Game of Death, with a strong revenge plot connection. Tarantino's Easter eggs in Kill Bill, such as the Deadly Viper assassins and Pai Mei character, reflect his deep appreciation for kung fu film history.

It's no secret that Quentin Tarantino is a huge fan of martial arts films, and references to famous movies abound in Kill Bill, his epic revenge tale split into two movies. Aside from his non-chronological plots and violent action sequences, pop-culture references are one of Tarantino's most famous trademarks. Kill Bill draws its references from a wide net, but most influential are the classic kung fu movies produced by studios like Shaw Brothers.

These kung fu homages...

Shaolin Temple, like The Expendables, boasts a star-studded cast of kung fu movie legends from the 1970s and 1980s. The 1976 film brought together top actors like David Chiang, Ti Lung, and Alexander Fu Sheng, as well as the iconic Venom Mob. With Chang Cheh directing, Shaolin Temple successfully balanced multiple leading actors in a thrilling story of Shaolin monks preparing for battle.

Released 48 years ago, Shaolin Temple is the kung fu movie equivalent of The Expendables. Created by Sylvester Stallone, The Expendables franchise has a well-earned reputation for featuring the largest casts of action heroes ever assembled on the big screen. But while that's certainly true of Stallone's films, they're not the only movies to bring in impressive ensembles of actors for an action-packed adventure.

Though technically action films themselves, old school kung fu movies belong in sort of their own subgenre, with Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee obviously...

Ip Man 5 with Donnie Yen is confirmed and may rectify Master Law's past defeats in the franchise. Lo Mang, a former martial arts star, deserves a huge win in Ip Man 5 to honor his legacy. The film should pay homage to Lo Mang's Shaw Brothers movies by showcasing his unique fighting style.

An insult to a kung fu movie legend can finally be rectified if one supporting character returns for Ip Man 5. The martial arts movie franchise appeared to reach a conclusion with Ip Man 4: The Finale's ending, but it's since become apparent that even the death of the titular character hasn't killed the series. Somehow, though, Ip Man 5 is happening regardless.

As it stands, very little is known about the plans for Ip Man 5. That said, the project has been confirmed to be in development, with Donnie Yen returning to reprise his...

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...

Shaw Brothers redefined martial arts cinema, blending action with drama and fantasy, leaving a lasting impact on the genre worldwide. Films like Killer Constable and Invincible Shaolin showcase the studio's intricate plots, exhilarating action, and emotional depth. The iconic works of Shaw Brothers, from The 36th Chamber of Shaolin to The Five Deadly Venoms, set a high standard for action cinema.

The Shaw Brothers are synonymous with classic kung fu movies, having produced some of the best martial arts films that continue to stand the test of time. Their influential works, spanning nearly nine decades, have revolutionized the wuxia genre, which masterfully blends martial arts action with Chinese historical drama and elements of fantasy. From the iconic The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and the cult classic The Five Deadly Venoms to the groundbreaking Come Drink with Me, the Shaw Brothers' filmography is a treasure trove of cinematic gems.

These films...

Merian C. Cooper and Ernest Schoedsack's classic monster movie "King Kong" was released in 1933, so the monster turns 91 years old in 2024. That means he's definitely too old for this sh*t.

In Adam Wingard's 2021 film "Godzilla vs. Kong," the 70-year-old nuclear gorilla-whale and the 91-year-old mega-ape, both drawn by an ineffable, in-born monstrous instinct, had to fight. Over the course of many decades, Godzilla movies have taught us that if two kaiju ever appear in the same film, they instantly hate one another and have to start wailing on each other. It won't be until a tertiary monster appears — usually an "evil" one — that the primary and secondary monsters put aside their differences and team up to hang a beatin' on the new guy. This is what happened in "Godzilla vs. Kong." At first, the title monsters were enemies. When Mechagodzilla appeared, however, Kong and Godzilla pounded the interloper into the dirt.

Many popular martial arts actors began their careers playing villains, which served as a springboard for their success. The villains in martial arts movies are often portrayed as strong fighters, sometimes even better than the heroes. Some actors, like Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme, started their careers playing villains before becoming iconic heroes in the genre.

Many iconic martial arts actors got their start by playing villains. While some continued to play villains throughout their careers, others later established themselves as heroes of the genre. Still, starring as a villain was a popular springboard for many martial artists to break into the action movie scene.

The villains of martial arts movies are often portrayed as strong fighters, with some of them being even better in combat than the heroes. Although the heroes tend to emerge victorious, the villains of martial arts films are able to showcase incredible skills. It...

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...

Some martial arts actors have built their careers on playing villains, often stealing the show with their formidable fighting skills. Wang Lung Wei, Lu Feng, Lo Lieh, Collin Chou, Benny Urquidez, Lateef Crowder dos Santos, Darren Shahlavi, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Bolo Yeung, Yayan Ruhian, and Hwang Jang-lee are exemplary martial arts movie villains. These actors have left a lasting impact on the industry, with their villainous performances standing the test of time and making them some of the greatest martial arts movie villains.

Martial arts movie stars often play heroes, but there are also many great martial arts villain actors. One of the most important rules of martial arts movie-making is that the villain has to be as strong and as menacing as possible. Usually, that entails making the villain an extremely formidable fighter, in order to create the highest possible stakes for the hero or heroes to overcome.

Some martial...

Martial arts films with ensemble casts feature an array of heroes and villains, resulting in epic fight scenes and diverse characters. Films like Shaolin Temple and Five Shaolin Masters showcase the talent of established martial arts actors in the genre. John Wick: Chapter 4 boasts an incredible ensemble cast, with Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Marko Zaror joining the franchise, promising a thrilling combination of gun-fu and martial arts.

The martial arts genre is chock full of exciting ensemble movies with large casts of both heroes and villains. In most martial arts films, it's easy to assume there will be one primary protagonist, one major villain, and a handful of supporting characters for each side. However, since martial arts films need as many great fighters on their roster as possible, they are uniquely positioned to expand into big ensembles.

Oftentimes, these can even turn out to be the best kinds of martial arts films,...

There are Kung Fu movies. Then there are Hong Kong Kung Fu movies. Starting in the ’70s, Hong Kong filmmakers dominated the martial arts genre with a unique brand of Hong Kong ballistic action, white-knuckle stunts, and exquisite fight choreography. Towering Hong Kong studios like Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest were the prolific grindhouses that brought us Bruce Lee and so many other action movie stars at an astonishingly bounteous rate.

If you’re already familiar with Bruce Lee’s work in Hong Kong cinema and aren’t sure where to go next on your martial arts movie journey, or which stars’ filmographies you should be checking out, here are five pivotal Hong Kong martial arts films worthy of your attention. Each of these movie either launched or are part of venerated Hong Kong franchises, so you’ll have plenty to watch once you dive in!

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin a.

Hopping for a better life, Tan Tung, a country pumpkin who is also an expert in martial arts, swims from mainland China to Hong Kong to live with his grandpa. He soon learns that finding a job there is a struggle since he doesn’t own a local ID card. Being rather resourceful, he sets up a makeshift illegal stall selling freshly hand squeezed orange juice on the streets. Eventually, he gets involved with a local gang boss Tsui Hao (Wang Lung Wei) who later sets him up by planting heroin on him. With the police also after him he has no choice but to flee Hong Kong. A relative helps him relocate to San Francisco’s Chinatown where he finds a job in a restaurant. Being naïve and longing to get rich quickly he ends up working for a local gang and before long he is indeed living the...

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,...

During the 1970s the Shaw Brothers Studio in Hong Kong produced some of the most iconic action films ever made, revolutionising the genre through the backbreaking work of top-shelf talent. The new Limited Edition Blu-ray box set from Arrow Video presents twelve jewels from the Shaw crown, all released within the 1970s – here’s a look at all the titles included in the lavish release, featuring kickass kung fu killers, crazy kaiju knockoffs and culture clash comedies.

King Boxer (1973)

This is the legendary actioner that set the kung-fu film craze on fire in the UK. With a strong cast led by Shaw Brothers stalwart Lo Lieh, this iconographic martial arts movie has fantastic fight choreography, and beautiful sets which look absolutely stunning on Blu-ray.

Lo plays a kung-fu student eager to please his master and defend the honour of the martial arts school. There are a plethora of wonderful fight sequences,...

Maximiliano Contenti's giallo love letter The Last Matinee leads Arrow's December SVOD lineup and we have an exclusive clip just for Daily Dead readers! Debuting on Arrow on December 1st to subscribers in the US, Canada, the UK, and Ireland, The Last Matinee will kick off Arrow's December releases, which is packed with an eclectic mix of titles that will please any genre fan:

December 1 will see the arrival of The Last Matinee (UK/US/CA/Ire), Santa Sangre (US/CA), All the Colors of the Giallo (UK/US/CA/Ire), King Boxer (UK/US/CA/Ire), The Boxer from Shantung (UK/US/CA/Ire), Five Shaolin Masters (UK/US/CA/Ire), Shaolin Temple (UK/US/CA/Ire), Mighty Peking Man (UK/US/CA/Ire), Challenge of the Masters (UK/US/CA/Ire), Executioners of Shaolin (UK/US/CA/Ire), Dirty Ho (UK/US/CA/Ire), Heroes of...

“Hey listen! Some great news! Chi-Hao’s beat up Chen Lang down at Chen Sun House.”

Shawscope Volume One , a 10-Disc Mega-Box Set with Twelve Movies featuring Hong Kong’s biggest stars will be available December 28th from Arrow Video

After an undisputed reign at the peak of Hong Kong’s film industry in the 1960s, Shaw Brothers (the studio founded by real-life brothers Run Run and Runme Shaw) found their dominance challenged by up-and-coming rivals in the early 1970s. They swiftly responded by producing hundreds of the most iconic action films ever made, revolutionizing the genre through the hard work of top-shelf talent on both sides of the camera as well as unbeatable widescreen production value, much of it shot at ‘Movietown’, their huge, privately-owned studio on the outskirts of Hong Kong.

This inaugural collection by Arrow Video presents twelve jewels from the Shaw crown, all released within the 1970s,...

After finishing “Challenge of the Masters” and “Executioners from Shaolin”, Chen Kuan Tai left Shaw Brothers, but upon his return in 1978, he starred in “Crippled Avengers”. Better known as “The Return of the Five Venoms” in America, this action packed revenge tale also features four actors from “The Five Deadly Venoms”. However, the Chinese title which loosely translates as “Incomplete” is probably more appropriate.

Du Tien Tao (Chen Kuan Tai) is a master of the Black Tiger style of kung fu. While he’s away; his enemies, the Tian Nan Three Tigers, storm his mansion and because they don’t believe in killing women and children, they chop off his wife’s legs but she dies anyway. Seconds after they cut off his son’s arms, Master Du returns and kills all three intruders with his deadly three Black Tiger styles, one for each enemy nonetheless. However,...

Shaw Brothers is a company that needs little introduction to fans of kung fu, responsible as it was for genre-defining films such as “Five Deadly Venoms” (1978), “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin” (1978) and the subject of this review, “Eight Diagram Pole Fighter” (1984). The movie was produced by Mona Fong and the Shaw Brothers. It was directed by Lau Kar-leung, who was also the martial arts choreographer for the film and co-wrote the script with Kuang Ni.

Kar-leung was a long-time collaborator of Gordon Liu, who starred in several notable titles which he directed, including “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin”, “Legendary Weapons of China” (1982) and “Eight Diagram Pole Fighter”. Liu’s co-star in the movie, Alexander Fu Sheng, another prolific Shaw Brothers actor, was sadly killed in a road-accident during filming, which meant his role was partly re-written and consequently Liu is the main protagonist. The film was nominated...

Robert P. O’Brien is an American self-taught artist/illustrator that works in various mediums, creates shirt designs for 36styles.com and helps run the Kung Fu Fandom Forum hosted by that site. Nicknamed “Kung Fu Bob” because of his love of that cinema genre, in recent years he has created a lot of new, original artwork for DVD and Blu-ray film releases, in addition to book and CD cover art. In 2020 he recorded his first audio commentary for 88 Films’ release of Jet Li’s The Master and also joined Hong Kong cinema expert Brandon Bentley for a commentary on 88’s Blu-ray for New Fist Of Fury.

We speak with him about how he begun martial arts, drawing how he combines the two, the procedure he follows every time he deals with an artwork, his work with 88 Films, Midori Implus and Arrow, and many other topics.

How did...

RZA was a kung fu film buff long before he became the hip-hop mastermind behind the Wu-Tang Clan. The fistic fury and sage wisdom of Shaw Brothers classics like “The 36 Chambers of Shaolin” and “Death Duel” held the blueprint to his career as a rapper, director and hip-hop mogul. In May, with the help of Mustafa Shaikh, co-founder of multi-faceted company 36 Chambers, RZA launched movie streaming platform 36 Cinema as a shrine to all the karate movie mastery he holds dear.

The pair designed the platform for fans of kung fu flicks to gather virtually amid the pandemic with a mix of classic and obscure films. They took this a step further by pairing rare 35mm versions of movies like “Five Deadly Venoms” with expert commentary from RZA and special guests along with real-time chat capability for viewers. Five months later, 36 Cinema is now attracting thousands of users around the country...

One of the most venerated titles in their filmography, the Shaw Brothers studios hit a pop-culture high with this engaging kung-fu masterpiece. Featuring director Chang Cheh at the top of his game and introducing several soon-to-be stars from their lauded cache of talent, ‘Five Deadly Venoms’ emerged as one of the most important works in the genre even though it’s a case of the later impact superseding the final product.

About to finally die, the master instructs his final student Yang Tieh to check on the activities of his former pupils, each of whom knows a unique and specific style of kung-fu. Finding each student, the Scorpion-style master Kao Chin, Lizard-style master Meng Tien-hsia, Toad-style master Liang Shen, the Snake-style master Chi Tung and the Centipede-style master Chang Hsiao-tien each living in complete isolation from everyone else, he goes about trying to follow his mission when...

Chang Cheh’s Golden Swallow (aka The Girl With The Thunderbolt Kick- (1968) screens in 35mm at

Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood) Thursday May 23rd, The screening begin at 7:30. Facebook invite can be found Here

Initially released in America under the (more fun) title The Girl with the Thunderbolt Kick, Cheng Pei-Pei here reprises her role as Golden Swallow for director Chang Cheh (Five Deadly Venoms) after first appearing as such in Come Drink with Me (also playing the Wfs in May). Working with cinematographer Lau Kar-leung (36th Chamber of Shaolin), Chang cited Golden Swallow as his personal favorite of his films in his memoirs.

Screening from a 35mm print courtesy of the American Genre Film Archive.

Admission is:

$7 for the general public

$6 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools

$5 for Webster University staff and faculty

Free for Webster students with proper I.D.

The post...

Eureka Entertainment to release Last Hurrah For Chivalry & Hand Of Death: Two Films By John Woo, an essential pair of early films from one of the greatest action directors of all time, presented for the first time ever on Blu-ray in the UK in a 2-disc set taken from brand new 2K restorations. Released as part of the Eureka Classics range from 24 June 2019, the first 2000 copies will feature a Limited Edition Collector’s booklet.

A decade before he would change action filmmaking forever with “A Better Tomorrow” and “The Killer”, director John Woo was directing martial-arts films for the two biggest studios in Hong Kong, Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest. Under the mentorship of the great Chang Cheh (“Five Deadly Venoms”), Woo began to develop his signature style, films that featured slick, stylish and often violent choreography, with dramatic plots that revolved around brotherhood, honour and redemption.

Synopsis

A decade before he would change action filmmaking forever with A Better Tomorrow and The Killer, director John Woo was directing martial-arts films for the two biggest studios in Hong Kong, Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest. Under the mentorship of the great Chang Cheh (Five Deadly Venoms), Woo began to develop his signature style, films that featured slick, stylish and often violent choreography, with dramatic plots that revolved around brotherhood, honour and redemption. Presented here are two of his early works from this period.

In Last Hurrah for Chivalry, two killers (Wei Pai and Damian Lau) agree to help a man exact revenge upon a kung fu master. Woo’s first cinematic masterpiece, Last Hurrah for Chivalry is a dark and violent revenge film, featuring lightning fast swordplay and stylish cinematography.

In Hand of Death, a young Shaolin monk must train to defeat a dangerous Manchu...

GammaRay and Celestial pictures today announced they will stream a Shaw Brothers movie marathon on Twitch from February 4 to February 8, 2019. The marathon will include 44 full-length features from the Shaw Brothers’ extensive library of kung fu titles, including iconic films such as King Boxer, Crippled Avengers, and Five Deadly Venoms. This viewing event will be streamed globally and exclusively on Twitch, the leading service and community for multiplayer entertainment, and marks the first time Twitch has featured kung fu films.

After the marathon airs from February 4-8, there will be double feature movie nights on Thursdays and Fridays at 5:00 pm Pt for four weeks. The marathon is also the first time GammaRay has hosted full-length features on Twitch.

“We’re excited to introduce cult classic movies from the 70s and 80s to our fans on Twitch for the first time,” said GammaRay COO Do Duong. “Kung fu has influenced filmmaking,...

DragonFest is a two-day martial arts expo held every August at the Pickwick Convention Center in Burbank, California. I was fortunate to attend both days of the expo and I met many fabulous vendors and some big name martial arts stars. The one I traveled 3,000 miles to see was my favorite Shaw Brothers Living Legend and Icon, Master Lu Feng!

On Sunday, August 26, 2018, I had the pleasure of watching Master Lu Feng give a seminar on making films in the 1970s and showing his fans his magnificent skills with weaponry. He also answered questions and gave his fans a few pointers before he led them in a skill set.

After this wonderful display of skill, Master Lu Feng was generous with his time and sat with me to do a quick interview. Thank you to Christopher Sin for translating!

Lu Feng, me, Lily Sun(Lu’s wife)

Dionne Hawkins: What...

By the early ‘70s, Hammer films was wheezing and sputtering just to stay alive. Their attempts to stay current with the changing tides of horror were often misbegotten and misdirected (Dracula A.D. 1972, anyone?) as the plots continued to recycle shopworn ideas when audiences were ready for more modern concerns, such as hulking maniacs with chainsaws. In essence, time was passing Hammer by, and they were willing to try anything. Hence we arrive at The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974), a delightful elixir of Dracula and…Kung Fu. This was the last gasp for Hammer’s beloved franchise, and it’s a very worthy burial.

Aka 7 Brothers Versus Dracula, 7 Brothers and a Sister Meet Dracula, 7 Golden Vampires, and Enter The Dracula (no, but who screwed up that marketing?), Legend was a co-production between Hammer and Shaw Brothers, the immortal Chinese martial arts film studio that would crank out 10, sometimes 15 films a year of kinetic,...

Craig Lines Dec 14, 2016

The legendary Venom Mob never became kung fu cinema stars as individuals. But as a group? Let us tell their story...

A film critic, an accountant, an orphan and three opera students take on the martial arts world. It sounds like a plot from a crazy kung fu film in itself but, incredibly, forms the basis for the real life story of the legendary Venom Mob...

In 1970s Hong Kong, the film industry was driven by star power. Most of the big names were at some point contracted to Shaw Brothers and actors like Alexander Fu Sheng, Jimmy Wang Yu, Gordon Liu or Ti Lung could always guarantee a crowd. As daring as certain elements of classic Hong Kong cinema still feel, the studios were rarely willing to take risks when it came to the stars, believing that audiences just wouldn't show up if they didn't recognise the name on the marquee.

Before Hugh Jackman's Wolverine takes one last "hurrah" on the big screen next year, check out his collection of Funko Pop! figures, Dorbz, and keychains. Also: cover art and details on the new graphic novel edition of Officer Downe, a look at Jeaux Janovsky's Inktober cartoons, details on the Stern Pinball digital arcade, info on El Rey's "Way of the Turkey" marathon, and two clips from Maker Studios' revamped Polaris YouTube Channel.

Images and Release Details for Funko's Logan Collectibles: From Collector Corps via Funko: “He’s the best at what he does, but what he does isn’t very nice!

The adamantium-filled, self-healing superhero Wolverine is getting an all-new Funko treatment!

Collect Wolverine and his retractable claws as Pop!s, Dorbz, and a Pocket Pop! Keychain!

Be sure to look for exclusive figures! Collect the Logan tank top.

Pop! and Dorbz only at Hot Topic, and Weapon X Wolverine Pop!

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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.

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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.

The date to set the record button is January 15th, 2016 as Film 4 bring us some classic movies from Shaw Brothers, from the world of Kung Fu and Wu Xia.

It starts with a Classic

The season will kick off with a Gordon Liu classic “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin”, then will continue for a further 3 Friday nights which will include Shaw Brothers classics such as King Boxer (Lo Lieh), Come Drink With Me (Cheng Pei-Pei) and The One Armed Swordsman (Wang Yu).

I have to say, they have chosen some great movies and anyone who is a fan of Kung Fu and Wu Xia cinema need to watch these and record then watch again. The second season (Which stars in April) will include The Five Deadly Venoms and The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter, so far.

Also every movie will play with original language and English Subtitles.

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin...

In today's roundup on events and screenings from coast to coast: Sundance's Next Fest in Los Angeles, Tadanobu Asano in San Francisco, samurai movies in Austin and, in New York, James Szalapski's Heartworn Highways, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's The Red Shoes, Bernardo Bertolucci's Last Tango in Paris, Chang Cheh's Five Deadly Venoms and Bruce Weber's Let’s Get Lost. Back in San Francisco: Robert Montgomery's Ride the Pink Horse, Joseph H. Lewis's So Dark the Night, Seymour Friedman's Chinatown at Midnight, Leigh Jason's Dangerous Blondes and William Castle's Mysterious Intruder. » - David Hudson...

In today's roundup on events and screenings from coast to coast: Sundance's Next Fest in Los Angeles, Tadanobu Asano in San Francisco, samurai movies in Austin and, in New York, James Szalapski's Heartworn Highways, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's The Red Shoes, Bernardo Bertolucci's Last Tango in Paris, Chang Cheh's Five Deadly Venoms and Bruce Weber's Let’s Get Lost. Back in San Francisco: Robert Montgomery's Ride the Pink Horse, Joseph H. Lewis's So Dark the Night, Seymour Friedman's Chinatown at Midnight, Leigh Jason's Dangerous Blondes and William Castle's Mysterious Intruder. » - David Hudson...

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...

El Rey Network will celebrate Father’s Day with a Kung Fu marathon dedicated to the most prolific director Shaw Brothers’ history and the Father of Kung Fu Cinema, Chang Cheh. Starting Saturday, June 20th at 6am Et, El Rey Network will be playing 10 of his most action packed fan favorites including: The Five Deadly Venoms, Disciples of Shaolin, and One-Armed Swordsman. Join El Rey Network in celebrating the unique action-packed style of this master of Kung Fu cinema. Saturday, June 20th (all times Et) “The Assassin” 6:00am and 6:00pm “The Boxer from Shantung” 8:30am and 8:30pm “The Heroic Ones” 11:15am and 11:15pm “Disciples of Shaolin” 1:45pm and 1:45am “The Kid with the Golden Arm” 4:00pm Sunday, June 21th (all times Et) “Masked Avengers” 4:00am and 5:15 “The Kid with the Golden Arm...

Stars: RZA, Dustin Nguyen, Eugenia Yuan, Carl Ng, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Schnitrnunt Busarakamwong, Grace Huang, Pim Bubear, Sahajak Boonthanakit, Andrew Lin, Kowit Wattanakul, Charlie Ruedpokanon, Nophand Boonyai, Simon Yin | Written by John Jarrell, RZA | Directed by Roel Reine

I was a huge fan of the first film in what now looks to be a burgeoning new martial arts film franchise. The Man With the Iron Fists was everything I love about martial arts movie and was obviously a labour of love for its star and Wu_Tang Clan member RZA. Sadly, despite the out-pouring of love from wuxia fans and internet geeks like myself, the film did not perform as well as I’m sure the studio would’ve liked. But that doesn’t stop the franchise from continuing as a direct-to-market series – and so we have The Man With the Iron Fists 2.

This time round Thaddeus (RZA) washes ashore...

Terracotta Distribution is bringing Chang Cheh's 1985 kung fu flick Shanghai 13 to DVD on February 9th to the UK. Chang Cheh was arguably one of the greatest martial arts film directors of his time (all time). He directed classics like The Five Deadly Venoms and One Armed Swordsman was backed by a serious cast of talent this time around as well. Joining a young Andy Lau were kung fu legends like Jimmy Wang Yu, Chen Kuan Tai, and Ti Lung! Throw in Danny Lee (John Woo's The Killer) and you had a potent mix of talent all around that camera during those days of shooting the film. Thirteen deadly warriors versus an entire army.During the Sino-Japanese war, a Chinese patriot steals damning evidence that exposes traitorous intentions within...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

The USC School of Cinematic Arts will partner with Celestial Pictures in December 2014 and January 2015 to present 7 feature films from the Shaw Brothers catalog. They have films available on DigiBeta and DVD, and are interested in finding other venues across the U.S. that might be interested in booking their titles across the next year, and to help them out, I wanted to share some information with everyone:

Celestial Pictures owns the Shaw Brothers film library, the world's largest Chinese film collection, with over 760 feature films originally released over half a century's time frame. The library has inspired countless filmmakers with its vast pool of classics including "Five Deadly Venoms," "Hex," "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin," " One-Armed Swordsman," "King Boxer" and "The Flying Guillotine." These award-winning Shaw Brothers films have been digitally restored frame-by-frame, and distributed in cinemas and on home video, television, and new media markets worldwide.

Celestial Pictures is eagerly looking for the right partners to arrange Shaw Brothers Film Festivals so as to introduce our classic collection to more Us audiences especial to youth markets. In the past few years, we have been partnered up with numerous institutions and organizations including University of Chicago, University of Michigan, Cinefamily and New York Asian Film Festival, and we hope to extend our path further by collaborating with new partners around the States.

To contact Celestial Pictures directly about their library and possible collaborations, please be in touch with Josephine Ng:

josephine.ng[At]celestialpictures.com...

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.Kickboxer 黃飛鴻之鬼腳七 (1993)

Director: Wu Ma

Cast: Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, Yen Shi Kwan, Wu Ma, Shirley Lui, Tai Bo

Fight Choreographer(s): Yuen Biao, Yuen Mao

Studio: Regal Films Co. Ltd.

2.The Rebellious Reign 雍正与年羹尧 (1980)

Director: Fong Cheung

Cast: Norman Chu, Jimmy Lee Fong, Kwan Yung Moon, Chan Wai Lau, Alan Chui

Fight Choreographer...

In 1994, director Quentin Tarantino premiered a instant-classic film, Pulp Fiction. The crime movie did several unexpected things that year: it revitalized the careers of John Travolta, Bruce Willis, and Samuel L Jackson, launched long-standing accolades for Tarantino, and helped cultivate an extended Easter Egg of pop culture references that would appear in not only Tarantino films but also in TV, music and other films alike. As the film celebrates the 20th anniversary of the film’s debut at the Cannes Film Festival, VH1 digs up all the fun facts that fans may have not known about the landmark Tarantino film.

1. Steve Buscemi has an un-credited cameo as the waiter in the diner of the dance scene. He shares a scene with Mia Wallace—played by Uma Thurman—who orders a milkshake.

2. Ellen DeGeneres read for the role of Jody, the wife of Lance (Eric Stoltz), which ultimately went to Rosanna Arquette.

There was indeed a movie planned for this week’s Shaw Brothers column, but in light of the recent sad news regarding Sir Run Run Shaw’s passing, a more tasteful move here is to dedicate this space to the man with a few words about what he meant to fans, kung fu, and film.

There is a plethora of sources to read about Run Run Shaw’s life (his Chinese name is actually Shao Renleng), especially in recent days as most cultural media journalists provided the requisite plot points to the man’s life story (and his rarely mentioned contribution to 1982′s Blade Runner) in the wake of his death. Today’s column shall therefore sidestep the obvious route, preferring to consider his legacy, what it means and how he went about building it sky high.

Like the great Hollywood studio producers such as Jack Warner, Run Run Shaw...

Updated: Sir Run Run Shaw, founder of Shaw Brothers Studios and a pioneer of early Chinese cinema and television, has died aged 106.

Born in 1907, Shaw started his career working with his brothers at their jointly-owned Tianyi Film Company, later moving to Singapore to launch distribution and theatre networks across South-East Asia. He established Shaw Brothers Studios in Hong Kong in 1957.

The studio, which attracted top talent and was renowned for the high technical standards at its Movietown filmmaking base, produced more than 1,000 films, including classics such as The One Armed Swordsman, The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin, Come Drink With Me, The Kingdom And The Beauty and Five Deadly Venoms. Shaw was also a producer on Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner.

The bulk of the Shaw Brothers library was acquired by Hong Kong-based Celestial Pictures in 2000, which digitally remastered and re-released many of the titles. The library continues to be mined by both Western and Asian companies for remake...

The Invincible Fist

Written by Ni Kuang

Directed by Chang Cheh

Hong Kong, 1969

The Invincible Fist (Lo Lieh) is a government-assigned bounty hunter whose latest mission is to track down a quartet of thieves and murderers who collectively have gotten a hold of over 800 golden taels. Not one to venture into danger without help, the Fist, Tieh Wu-Ching being his real name, is aided by his trusty companions, chief among them his brother Tieh Er-Long (David Chiang). The villains Southern Geese (Ku Feng), Golden Abacus (Cheung Pooi-Saan), Iron Bat (Chang Sing) and the leader Ma Wai-Jia (Fang Mian) are traveling the region under the guise of simple merchants. So begins a treacherous pursuit in the typically quaint countryside.

After a stint when it seemed as though the column reviewed movies exclusively from the oft-described master of Shaw Brothers, Chang Cheh, his oeuvre was set aside to award other filmmakers an...

The Crippled Avengers (a.k.a. Return of the Five Deadly Venoms)

Written by Chang Cheh and Ni Kuang

Directed by Chang Cheh

Hong Kong, 1978

By taking a moment to look at Chang Cheh’s career as a director at the Shaw Brothers studio, one might come to notice that several of the stories he shared employed unorthodox protagonists, namely for their physical attributes. In the late 1960s, there was The One Armed Swordsman, which told the exploits of a talented young student whose misfortune in love led to his arm being chopped off. Determination, practice, and spirit proved doubters wrong as he became a great hero, bringing justice back to the land. Then came the many films starring David Chiang. While true that his characters were never hampered by any physical deficiency resulting from an accident or the malfeasance of others, he was by nature short and lean. Upon first glance,...