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195 - Disciples of the 36th Chamber
(Opening scenes; Hsiao Hou vs. Lee Hoi-San, Yuen Qiu, & ?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OUbJHNOoCc
(End fight; featuring Hsiao Hou, Gordon Liu, Lily Li, Pai Piao, Lau Kar-Leung, etc.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do92I...eature=related
This is possibly the last film in which Hsiao Hou got star billing. The end fight is another great example of the large-scale choreography of Lau Kar-Leung; and this was one of the last kung fu epics he made for Shaw Brothers Studios.
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196 - Shaolin Drunkards
(End fight; Yuen Yat-Chor & Yuen Cheung-Yan vs. Yuen Shun-Yee)
*End fight begins @ approx. 4:50*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTOPBIOdfAs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxL34...eature=related
Yuen Woo-Ping directed this film, which is basically a Yuen Family project. It followed on the success of Yuen's The Miracle Fighters (#155). It's a great example of the creativity of the Yuen Family, esp. at a time when new and unique ideas were really flowing for them.
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197 - The Boxer's Omen
(Kickboxing match; Bolo Yeung vs. Wang Lung-Wei)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANmHr_8fqTk
(Kickboxing match, short clip of fight; Phillip Ko vs. Bolo Yeung)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKUL6J2nSPw
(White magic vs. black magic finale. Phillip Ko vs. sorcerer. **Not recommended for those who are easily grossed out)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9Cxwm99Hnk
The Boxer's Omen was one of those strange Shaw Brothers horror films that dealt with the supernatural and black magic. It was possibly the best of its sub-genre. Although it contains kickboxing scenes, the main thrust of the film were the graphic rituals and pre-CGI "magical" effects. Starring Phillip Ko in one of his few leading roles. He was better known as one of the best kung fu villains of the golden era, as is evident by how many clips he's appeared in, in this thread.
Wang Lung-Wei, another prolific, top-notch movie villain, here departs from his usual roles and becomes the "victim." And Bolo Yeung's role seems reminiscent of his role in Van Damme's Bloodsport, which was made a few years later.
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198 - Millionaire's Express (a.k.a., Shanghai Express)
(End fight; featuring Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung, D!ck Wei, Meng Hai, Hsiao Hou, Wang Lung-Wei, Hwang Jang-Lee, Yasuaki Kurata, Yukari Oshima, Richard Norton, Cynthia Rothrock, Chung Fa, Phillip Ko, Lau Kar-Wing, Fan Mei-Sheng, Corey Yuen, etc., etc.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbpylD1PsUs
This movie contained some pretty good fights and some great, nasty stunts, but the fights may have suffered from director Sammo Hung trying to fit too many stars into one movie...then again, it was clearly intended to be an epic ensemble film. An example of 1980s excess, perhaps? Although beautifully shot, none of the fight scenes really stood out too much, for that era (1986). Most of the talent couldn't show off to their full potential. However, the choreography is still better than probably 98% of American or current Chinese MA movie fight scenes. Still, it's a bit of a shame; the one time that Hwang Jang-Lee and Wang Lung-Wei appeared in the same film, they weren't matched against each other.
There were a number of stars (MA and non-MA) in the film who either were not in the end fight scene, or weren't apparent in this clip, including Jimmy Wang Yu, Shek Kin, Chin Siu-Ho, Yuen Wah, Wu Ma, Richard Ng, Bolo Yeung, Yuen Tak, Kenny Bee, Chin Kar-Lok, Rosamund Kwan, Emily Chu, Eric Tsang, Lam Ching-Ying, James Tien, etc., etc.
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Hi Jimbo,
The Millionaire's Express borrowed a page from what the Shaw Brothers used to do. They would have these nonsensical movies where the real plot was to show off their stable of stars. Non martial and martial actors would do walk ons, utter a few lines and then walk off-- never to return (I am sure you have seen one of those). Sammo Hung achieved that with a fighting movie. The eighties were a darkening time for the kung fu film industry and it was movies like this one as well as Shaolin Plot, Hand of Death where we saw MA actors from different studios banding together to keep their vocation alive. It appeared to be a desperate time; yet, it showed what brotherhood is really about-- putting aside differences and working toward a common goal.
The fight scene from Boxer's Omen is still pretty contemporary. The hilarious thing about the scene is the guy who rings the bell. His body posture and facial expression does not change one bit.
mickey
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Greetings, mickey.
Agreed about the Millionaire's Express being an extension of earlier Shaw (and Golden Harvest) ensemble films. That type of film really took off in HK following the Aces Go Places movies, and Sammo's own Winners and Sinners and the Lucky Stars series. During the early period that I lived in Taiwan, they were releasing tons of HK films with a lot of comedic non-MA actors, teaming with one or two MA actors (usually Sammo and a co-star). There was always one attractive woman (usually a detective) in the group, and they'd all play creepy but harmless frat-house pranks to try to spy her boobs or something. Not much plot if any, but there would usually be a decent to good end fight scene with the villain(s). I actually don't consider these 'MA' movies, but comedies with a little MA in them.
Interesting how, as the '80s progressed after the Shaw era, that some former lead MA stars (like Hsiao Hou, Meng Hai, Yuen Tak, etc.) were demoted onscreen to non-MA support players, or back to being stunt extras. Yes, although the '80s was a good time for HK action films, it marked a deterioration in the careers of many veterans of old-school period KF films. People wanted to see contemporary stories and comedies, and some couldn't make the adjustment very well.
In the Boxer's Omen kickboxing scenes, I dare say that Bolo Yeung looks way better there than in his most famous roles (in the West); Enter the Dragon and Bloodsport.
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Greetings Jimbo,
I agree with you about Bolo. He is known for his no look kung fu. It is refreshing to see him do something different.
199- Water Margin (1990's) : Choreographed by Yuen Woo Ping.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x79289SL9gU
I have never seen this version; but, from the clips shown in the above link, it appears that Yuen Woo Ping still has a lot of wonderful ideas in his head. The period pieces tend serve his talents well.
I took time to look at this thread and, you know what? It is pretty darn good.
200- Kung Fu (Pilot) Temple training sequence. Ark Wong, Kam Yuen Philip Ahn, Keye Luke + others. This happens to be my favorite part of the pilot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmQNBSQmXCE
mickey
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I think that training scene was the best part of the Kung Fu pilot and series. It was a surprisingly good scene for American TV at that time.
201 - Incredible Kung Fu Master
(Sammo Hung vs. Austin Wai @ approx. 5:10. End fight begins @ approx. 11:20. Meng Hai, Chan Lung, Wong Ha, Huang Hsing-Hsiu & Tung Wai vs. Phillip Ko. Tung Wai and Sammo Hung vs. Lee Hoi-San)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrOfm...eature=related
Tung Wai had only a few starring roles; he's most familiar to Western audiences as Bruce Lee's student at the beginning of Enter the Dragon, and for a supporting role in Hard Boiled. Although he appeared in a number of old-school KF movies, playing both good guys and villains. He still works behind the scenes as an action choreographer.
Austin Wai still appears in movies, most recently in small, non-fighting roles in Donnie Yen's Kill Zone (a.k.a., SPL) and Flash Point.
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If anyone tried the links to #'s 133, 134, and 140, (Lucky Stars Go Places, Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars, and Legendary Weapons of China) and found they had been removed, I found them up again on youtube and restored them today. If you want to see them, best to do so ASAP, before they are removed again. And they will be. A lot of clips, esp. from Golden Harvest and Shaw Brothers movies, get taken off of youtube on a regular basis.
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Links #'s 133, 134, and 140 are sooo 1980.
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lol! Yeah, the fashions, the music, the hair, the...everything. One thing that still impresses me a lot is the clarity of the cinematography of the '80s-era HK movies (and many from the '70s as well). Much clearer than a lot of the stuff today.
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Shaolin Drunkards
Oh that's a gem, how come I've never heard of this one??? Truly terrible yet entertaining at the same time. I wonder why there aren't more bucked tooth, pot bellied, drunken hero's in our action films?
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Restored # 10 (Wheels on Meals).
202 - The Men From the Monastery
(End fight; featuring Chen Kuan-Tai, Fu Sheng, Chi Kuan-Chun, Tang Yen-Tsan, Chiang Tao, etc.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io7YTOVDCe4
Although the movie itself was uneven, the end fight was very well-done. These types of fight scenes are now a lost art. In addition, this was one of director Chang Cheh's Shaolin series of movies in which the screen, during part(s) of the end fight, would switch to black-and-white, with flashes of blood-red, to symbolize imminent death for characters. Of course, this technique was copied by Quentin Tarantino for parts of the end fight in Kill Bill vol. 1. Though the effect might look a bit dated, it does enhance the mood of certain scenes a bit more than full-color throughout might have done.
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203 - The Daredevils (a.k.a., The Magnificent Acrobats)
(Some training and end fight; Kuo Chui, Lu Feng, & Chiang Sheng vs. Wang Li; Sun Chien vs. Chan Shen)
*End fight begins @ approximately 6:45*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnI-xFid5W8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk7-r...eature=related
This was one of the more rarely seen of the "Venoms" films. Kuo, Lu, Chiang, and Wang all trained in the same Peking/Beijing Opera school in Taiwan. The Daredevils is unusual in that Lu Feng teams with Kuo Chui and Chiang Sheng as a good guy. Also, Wang Li was normally cast in supporting roles as a good guy or a villain...usually a villain...and this may have been his only time playing the arch-villain. The action is somewhat less refined than in many other "Venoms" films, yet it still has its moments.
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Greetings Jimbo,
I remember Wang Li as the guy who could handle weapons very well, sort of in the tradition of Ku Feng. He looks out of place bare handed.
204- "Killing of the Villains" Shek Kin, Kwan, Tak Hing, others. Though unseen by me, this clip recently popped up on youtube. It is interesting to see how the Northern styles are represented; especially with regard to the kicks. The principles looked relieved to be doing something different from a Wong Fei hung movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7VnQXF19xM
mickey
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Hey, mickey, it's interesting how the fight scenes in those old HK movies are the Peking/Beijing Opera style adapted to the screen.
205 - The Hot, the Cool, & the Vicious
(Opening credits)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-D9NarRjEI
(End fight; Wong Tao & Tan-Tao-Liang vs. Tommy Lee)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4IsJ...eature=related
206 - Fatal Needles vs. Fatal Fists
(End fight; Wong Tao vs. Chang Yi)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmNsq...eature=related
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207 - Lau Brothers Kung Fu Demo
This demo film was made in the late '70s/early '80s. Featuring Gordon Liu (a.k.a., Lau Kar-Fai), Lau Kar-Leung, and Lau Kar-Yung (not to be confused with Lau Kar-Leung's brother, Lau Kar-Wing/Liu Chia-Yung).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PhV4...eature=related
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208 - Zatoichi #9: The Adventures of Zatoichi
(End fight; starring Shintaro Katsu)
*begins @ approx. 4:10*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXA12...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6deN96jxLk
A few years ago, there was an update of the Zatoichi character starring Takeshi Kitano (a.k.a., "Beat Takeshi), but there was only one actor who could truly epitomize the blind swordsman: Shintaro Katsu.
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209 - Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold (1964)
(Opening: starring Shintaro Katsu)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlrfY8qozuw
(End fight; Shintaro Katsu vs. Tomisaburo Wakayama)
*Begins @ approx. 8:35*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_qq2pTML7Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12bUd1i4I8g
Bruce Lee was a fan of samurai films as well as Zatoichi movies (which are technically period Yakuza films, not samurai films). It's clear that these movies had a strong influence on BL in his own style of movie choreography, esp. when he staged himself fighting multiple opponents. Besides that, it's also clear that the Zatoichi character, a humble, wandering master swordsman (although blind), served as BL's inspiration when he originally conceived the wandering Shaolin monk that eventually became Kwai Chang Caine in the Kung Fu TV series.
In this movie's opening title sequence, one can see the influence this also had on director Chang Cheh. Starting in the latter 1960s, Chang would often incorporate opening title sequences with his main actors in a lighted studio (sometimes black with a spotlight, sometimes lit red or another color) to showcase the actors' skills to be shown in the movie. Sometimes fighting multiple opponents, as in this example, or doing a kung fu form. Later on, many other directors (including Lau Kar-Leung) and independent HK/Taiwan studios would themselves be influenced by Chang Cheh's use of the technique for their own kung fu movies. Many Shaw Brothers films of the late '60s/early '70s also lifted soundtrack music used in the Zatoichi films, among many others.
Zatoichi's main opponent in this film is played by Tomisaburo Wakayama, Katsu's older brother in real-life. Wakayama would later go on to portray the wandering anti-hero of the Lone Wolf and Cub movie series.
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210 - Hard-Boiled
This is a continuous, one-take sequence during the final shootout in a hospital. Note: It's only a portion of the long end battle. This one-shot sequence lasts from about 8 seconds in until approx. 2:50. Other movies have used difficult one-take sequences (most notably Tony Jaa's The Protector, a.k.a., Tom Yum Goong), but the difficulty/complexity of the stunts/explosions, etc., in this scene, interspersed with the convincing acting, puts this sequence on a whole other level. I was unable to locate the entire end battle on youtube. Hard-Boilded was probably the finest 'shoot-em-up' of director John Woo's career. Although it still shows Woo's penchant for guns that (almost) never seem to run out of bullets.
(Choy Yun-Fat & Tony Leung vs. Kuo Chui & others)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OPyoJgV_YY
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211 - The Kung Fu Instructor
(End fight; Ti Lung & Wong Yue vs. Ku Feng)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc8uyoTmo8g
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212 - Shaolin Mantis
(Training sequence and end fight; David Chiang vs. John Cheung, Tang Wei-Cheng, Hsu Shao-Chiang, & Lau Kar-Wing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06jVws45soc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n79eP...eature=related
This movie changed the story of Tanglang quan (Praying Mantis fist) into one of a pro-Ching/Qing spy infiltrating a stronghold of anti-Ching rebels. Thus, the villain is the hero and vice-versa. Obviously, the style demo'd is movie-Mantis, more than an accurate representation of Tanglang quan. David Chiang isn't always convincing as a man developing the abnormal strength levels shown, due to his diminutive stature, but Lau Kar-Leung's direction helped him to play the role well.
John Cheung, the opponent with the tiger fork who faces David Chiang first in the end fights, acted in many Shaw Brothers and independent films in the '70s and '80s. He was also in a few of Jackie Chan's Golden Harvest films (Project A parts 1 & 2, Police Story 2, etc.). He may be most familiar in the West as the long-haired, jacked-up enemy who fought Jason Scott Lee in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story.
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213 - Iron-Fisted Eagle's Claw
(Training scene; Bruce Leung vs. Chi Kuan-Chun. This scene is mostly the two of them doing forms, and Bruce Leung's character goofing off while doing so. They have a 'match' @ about 2:45)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l1ZQ...eature=related
(In this fight scene, Bruce Leung's natural physical speed and precision enhances his comedy. Of course, Chi Kuan-Chun plays it straight, compared to Leung's goofball antics)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtUmIMke9Bk
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214 - Dragon Fight
(End fight; Jet Li vs. D!ck Wei and others). This was the first time Jet Li filmed a movie in the U.S. (though it's a Chinese movie). It was filmed in 1988.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0zyR...eature=related
215 - The Master (Jet Li)
Not to be confused with the Shaw Brothers movie of the same title. This is another of Jet Li's early movies, filmed in L.A. Although it's often listed as 1992, it was actually filmed in 1989, pre-dating the first Once Upon a Time in China (and the rejuvenation of Jet Li's career) by two years. Like the first three OUATIC movies, The Master was also directed by Tsui Hark.
The villain, played by Jerry Trimble, was a PKA kickboxer. He incorporated kung fu-like movements in the choreo, which was highly unusual for a professional kickboxer. Trimble, along with Benny Urquidez, Pete Cunningham, Billy Chow, Cung Le, etc., was among the few professional full-contact fighters who adapted well to screen fighting.
(Jet Li vs. Jerry Trimble; Yuen Wah vs. kung fu students. Unfortunately, the end of the fight is cut off. Action begins @ 2:25)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEdggglVjs8
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216 - Iron Dragon Strikes Back
(End fight; Ho Chung-Tao {a.k.a., Bruce Li} vs. Phillip Ko)
This was arguably Ho Chung-Tao's best screen fight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1vg2qTas-o
217 - Where's Officer Tuba?
(End fight; Sammo Hung vs. Hwang Jang-Lee; Jackie Cheung vs. Chang Yi)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AJJy...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AUVH...eature=related
David Chiang's character is a ghost who is helping Sammo fight Hwang.
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218 - King of the Kickboxers
(End fight; Loren Avedon vs. Billy Blanks)
This was another of Hong Kong's Seasonal Film Corp's attempts to bring HK-style action into the American market, which began with the No Retreat No Surrender films (see entry #'s 157 and 158). These movies featured especially corny, bad acting, but at that time few people in the West had seen fight choreo like them...whether good or bad. Listed as a 1991 production, but it may have been filmed earlier. It featured a pre-Tae Bo Billy Blanks as the villain, and was filmed in Thailand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jna8FblC3dA
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219 - American Shaolin
Sometimes titled King of the Kickboxers II, this was another of Seasonal Films' American movies featuring new wave-style HK MA action. Like No Retreat No Surrender, King of the Kickboxers, etc., American Shaolin also contained a lot of the unintentional comedy that made these Seasonal outings such great guilty pleasures. One thing you can say is these films were entertaining.
During the course of the movie, Reese Madigan actually brought some pretty good acting to his role, esp. compared to the acting in most of Seasonal's other movies aimed at the U.S. market. American Shaolin also featured a young Daniel Dae Kim as one of the Shaolin monks.
(This clip contains both the beginning and end fights. Beginning fight; Reese Madigan vs. Trent Bushey. End fight; Trent Bushey vs. Daniel Dae Kim; Reese Madigan vs. Trent Bushey. The end fight begins @ approx. 3:25)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO3k52AN1iA
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What a horrible Karate Kid rip off.
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I like the villain's name. Trevor Gotitall.
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Well, I have to confess that I found American Shaolin more fun than the original Karate Kid. Once again, it's the cornball aspect that makes it fun.
Yeah, Trevor Gotitall had to be one of the great awful names in MA film history. :P
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220 - The Five Deadly Venoms (a.k.a., The Five Venoms)
This probably should have been entered in earlier. Although all the actors had appeared in minor roles in earlier Chang Cheh-directed films, this was the movie that propelled Kuo Chui, Lu Feng, Chiang Sheng, Lo Meng, Sun Chien, and to a lesser extent, Wei Pai, into stardom. It's not as off-the-wall as many of their later efforts, and Venoms came and went throughout the following years. It's also unusual because, like Daredevils, it emphasized empty-hand fighting. With the exception of Lo Meng and Sun Chien, the Venoms were generally known for acrobatics and weapons play.
(Opening Scene: includes Lu Feng as "centipede," Wei Pai as "snake," Kuo Chui as "lizard," Sun Chien as "scorpion," and Lo Meng as "toad")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX6EHqcvqyo
(End fight; Chiang Sheng, Wei Pai, Kuo Chui, Lu Feng, and Sun Chien)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2GH-OBg4o0
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221 - A Fistful of Talons
Billy Chong (a.k.a., Willy Dozan) was an Indonesian star who starred in only a few movies in HK/Taiwan from 1979 to 1983, though he starred/appeared in many films in Indonesia/Malaysia before and after this period. This was his last starring role in HK/Taiwan, although he did make a brief appearance in a later Aces Go Places film around 1989. He remains a star in Indonesia/Malaysia, or at least still was until fairly recently. He had loads of talent and charisma, and it's a shame he wasn't in more HK films. Reportedly, he had tried out for the Wong Fei-Hung role for the first Once Upon A Time in China film, which ultimately went to Jet Li.
The first link is actually a collection of various scenes from the movie. Unfortunately, there are no full clips of the final fight, etc., on youtube yet. I will only say that the lead villain, Hwang In-Shik, did not look as sharp in this film as he did against Jackie Chan in The Young Master and Dragon Lord (see entry #'s 78 and 88). But to be fair, Billy Chong doesn't look as technically sharp as he normally did either, so it's probably Sun Chung's direction. Although it's a much slicker production than Billy's other films were, he wasn't able to show off as many of his skills.
Many in the West would know Hwang In-Shik as the 'karate guy' who both Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee beat down in Way of the Dragon, and as Angela Mao's ally in Hapkido. This was probably Hwang In-Shik's last movie, or at least his last Chinese film. He lives in Toronto and has taught Hapkido there for decades.
If this movie has a Shaw Brothers look and feel to it, it's probably because the director is Sun Chung, and parts of it appear to have been filmed at Shaw Studios, though the bulk of of it was filmed in Taiwan.
(Scene collection: With Billy Chong, Hwang In-Shik, Pai Ying, Liu Hao-Yi, Chiang Tao, Chang Shan, Ma Chin-Ku, Cheng Ki-Ying, Tien Feng, Yang Hsiung, etc.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIF7gPj1kj8
(Here is a bit more to the very end of the final fight. Billy Chong, Liu Hao-Yi...and an eagle...vs. Hwang In-Shik)
http://youtu.be/TS7QcvpWdUg
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222 - The Tigress of Shaolin
Starring Lau Ka-Yung and Kara Hui. Lau Ka-Yung is the nephew of Lau Kar-Leung and Lau Kar-Wing.
(Training sequences and end fight; Lau Ka-Yung & Kara Hui vs. Chan Dik-Hak & Tong Kam-Tong)
**end fight begins @ approx. 24:25**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwxrxjkmQSU
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223- The Invincible Super Chan: Forced to Fight
This flick was an unwelcome introduction to the fantasmagoric aspects of kung fu films to the 42nd audiences in NYC., most of whom were looking for something hardcore serious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3d1JDpaZkE
224- The Chinese Mechanic (aka Chinese Dragon), Barry Chan
The promotions that went along with this movie tried to promote Barry Chan as the next Bruce Lee. I remember the marquee saying "Step aside Bruce Lee..." Barry Chan appears more comfortable with the aristocratic sword fighting flicks than he does with unarmed fighting movies. The only exception would be Dragon's Vengeance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpkKk...eature=related
225- Three The Hard Way, Jim Kelly
While on the technical level this scene is not epic, people would still be talking about this scene if this music had originally accompanied it. It takes the viewer into a different zone, pulling the viewer into the protagonist's oppressed reality.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wtS4APtAS4
226- Hero with 9 Dragon Tattoos, Chen Kuan Tai
Chen Kuan Tai portrays one of the characters from Outlaws of the Marsh (Water Margin). This film may have been his first attempt at "comedy" kung fu. Here it is used to portray the immaturity of the character. The original dialect used was a little distracting for me because Chen's character was called Shihtalong and I did not hear the soft "h" sound in Shih. One thing that was unusual appeared to be Chen Kuan Tai's ability to do a lot of independent films. He did not appear to be locked in to one company by contract.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpFtv...eature=related
mickey
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227 - Buddha's Palm and Dragon Fist (a.k.a., The Roving Heroes)
(End fight; Chi Kuan-Chun & Li Yi-Min vs. Suen Shu-Pao. End fight begins @ approx. 15:00. But there are so many fights in this last third of the movie alone, the entire clip is worth seeing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_PY5p-YslM
This movie was one of those independent Taiwan productions that featured even more fighting than the normal old-school KF movie. During Chi Kuan-Chun's post-Shaw Brothers/Chang Cheh period, the movies he was in featured him doing less and less pure Hung Gar-style in his films. Yet he handled it very well indeed. Of course, Li Yi-Min starred in several Taiwan productions after leaving Shaw Bros/Chang Cheh, and seemed to do better in the independent films.
The arch-villain, played by Suen Shu-Pao, was most familiarly seen in movies as the weaselly right-hand lackey to arch-villains, or as a betrayer to heroes, often in non-fighting roles, but got a few chances to play the main bad guy, this being his best. During the golden age of kung fu cinema, it seemed that almost anyone, even those who were usually bit-parters, extras or stuntmen, had an opportunity to have at least one turn in a movie as a leading star, a co-star, or an arch-villain, because the talent pool was so deep at the time.
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228 - The Crazy Couple
(End fight; Lau Ka-Yung & Dean Shek vs. Lily Li; Lau Ka-Yung & Dean Shek vs. Fung Hark-On)
*end fighting begins @ approx. 15:50)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq497UEaRRs
The lanky Dean Shek acted in HK movies at least since the early '70s, but gained the most fame as the incompetent senior student who bullied Jackie Chan in Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master. Afterwards, he was cast in many kung fu comedies when they were popular (late '70s/early '80s), often reprising the same types of characters. Though here is one example where he got to be a co-star. His character here can be seen as annoying or funny; I tend to feel the latter, at least in the final fight.
Fung Hark-On (Mandarin: Feng Ke-An) was a veteran of countless KF movies. This was one of those movies where he showed once again that he was indeed arch-villain material, although he usually played lesser roles. In the West and among younger KF movie fans, he may be most recognizable as one of the hired killers in Kung Fu Hustle, and as the Bagua stylist who loses to Donnie Yen in Ip Man 2.
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I have posted a new link to The Kid From Kwangtung (see entry # 12). This is the entire movie, but I have also listed the points that contain important fight scenes. This was one of, if not the, finest showcases for Hwang Jang-Lee. Hwang is considered by many to be the best kicker in MA cinema history. Not the flashiest, but simply the best, and for good reason. They definitely don't make onscreen KF choreography like these types of movies had anymore.
Yen Shi-Kwan, who plays the monkey/chin na specialist who teaches Wang Yue, may be more recognizable to many in the West as the arch-villains in Jackie Chan's Fearless Hyena (entry #43), The Master Strikes (entry # 26), Iron Monkey with Donnie Yen, and the first Once Upon a Time in China. Although he appeared in a number of old-school movies, starting out as a stunt extra, at least since the early '70s. When he played arch-villains, he was on a level comparable to Hwang Jang-Lee in the movies.
The late Wang Yue, a.k.a., Huang Yu/Wang Yu (not to be confused with Jimmy Wang Yu) first gained fame in Spiritual Boxer (1975), which was probably the first full 'kung fu comedy,' predating Jackie Chan's kung fu comedies by 3 years. He is sometimes criticized as being annoying, or not being skillful enough, but most of the movies he either starred or appeared in were good to very good. I suspect some of the criticism stems from his boyish face, and the fact he was often cast as ne'er-do-wells or conmen. IMO, he displayed a lot more onscreen skills than he was given credit for.
Also, kung fu COMEDY is a very tricky thing. Sometimes it works, and a lot of times it doesn't. Some actors and directors can pull it off better/more consistently than others. For example, this movie has some good comic moments, but it could have done without the hopping corpses scene. And the very last image in the film is downright bizarre, probably one of the weirdest ever, in an era when sudden odd endings were common. Some get angered by it as disrespectful, but just take it for what it is: an oddity probably added for light shock value.
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229 - Promising Young Boy
(End fight; Collin Chou, {a.k.a., Ngai Sing} vs. Alexander Lo Rei. Also featuring Wong Tao)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNSZCOZlrnw
This Taiwanese film was Collin Chou's first(?) movie. He is probably familiar to Western viewers in many movies, including the last two Matrix movies, Jet Li's Fearless, Donnie Yen's Flash Point, The Forbidden Kingdom, and DOA: Dead or Alive.
Alexander Lo Rei's most famous role was the lead in Shaolin vs. Lama, along with several other Taiwanese Shaolin and ninja films of the '80s.
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230 - The Crane Fighter
(End fight; Judy Lee {a.k.a., Chia Ling} & Raymond Lui vs. Kam Kong)
*Whole movie; end fight begins @ approx. 121:40*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVYLjPZALoM
231 - Shaolin Chastity Kung Fu (Shaolin Tong Zi Gong)
(End fight; Alexander Lo Rei & others vs. Tang Lung. Also featuring William Yen, Liu Hao-Yi, etc.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO5CgSa5SiU
This was one of the more unusual Taiwanese KF films. The makers chose a large group of kids who were acrobats or Peking/Beijing Opera students to play the orphans. During the course of the movie, there were some scenes where the monks were teaching the kids Tong Zi Gong that some people (mostly Westerners) found morally questionable, but there was no ill intent involed. A lot of the training sequences were designed to look like some old illustrated manuals.
An image from the poster of this film is visible in a scene from the movie Desperately Seeking Susan, which shows Liu Hao-Yi in a pose.
The villain (Tang Lung) is made to seem almost ridiculously invincible.
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232 - Shaolin Temple Against Lama
Not to be confused with Shaolin vs. Lama, also starring Alexander Lo Rei. This movie clearly had a lower budget. There is under-cranking that speeds up the action, and the shaky camera in the slow-mo shots seemed to have been done intentionally.
The arch-villain, Alan Hsu (a.k.a., Hsu Chung-Hsin) was a veteran of countless KF films, beginning his career as a stunt extra. As an extra, he was visible very briefly in Enter the Dragon as one of Bruce Lee's attackers in the underground caverns, then later as one of 3 guys (with Phillip Ko and Chan Lung) who escorted John Saxon to the 'killing field' to face Bolo. He was originally a Peking/Beijing Opera performer. KF movie fans in the West probably remember him most as the arch-villains in The 7 Grand Masters, Shaolin Ex-Monk (a.k.a., Renegade Monk), and Last Hero in China.
(End fight; Alexander Lo Rei vs. Li Hsiao-Hua; Alexander Lo Rei vs. Alan Hsu)
*fights begin @ approx. 1:35*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-CAX...eature=related