recent purchases

[Jimbo]

I got the Dragon Dynasty release of Last Hurrah for Chivalry, even though I already own the original Fortune Star release, simply because I wanted to see the Fung Hark-On and Lee Hoi-San (Li Hai-Sheng) interviews. I know it's been a lot of years since the old-school kung fu movie era, but I was a bit surprised how old especially Fung Hark-On appears in the interview. IMO, this movie is the best wuxia flick, and definitely John Woo's best movie, though it lacks a Hollywood budget.

I have not yet bought the new release of Drunken Monkey, but that's way up on my list.

Non-martial arts-wise, I picked up the original Halloween. Mainly because it reminds me of my high school years, as it was originally released when I was in 10th grade.

[Jimbo]

Oh, BTW, the Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy; I remember seeing that as a kid. It's actually a patchwork film, and as I remember, the mummy footage was lifted from another old Mexican film, Attack of the Mayan Mummy.

[jethro]

You got a gem right there with MAgnificent Butcher Kungpowmaster. Story isn't that great, but the fights are some of the best I have ever seen.

[kungpowmaster]

Hi all,

Well, I got a haul this weekend.

Of martial arts interest, I got:

Drunken Dragon(Rarescope).
The Lost Swordship(Rarescope).
The Octagon(Trinity).
A Force of One(Trinity).
9 Deaths of the Ninja/Kill Point(BCI).
Mr. X/Ninja Connection(BCI).
Ninja Thunderbolt/Invincible Hero(BCI).
Bionic Ninja(Alpha VHS).

You know I love those Tang/Lai Ninja flicks.

Non MA is:

When Worlds Collide(Paramount).
IT! The Terror From Beyond Space(MGM).
Screaming Skull/The Giant Leeches(Elite).
Black Candles/Evil Eye(Deimos).
Terror of Frankenstein(Image).
Frankenstein '90(Anchor Bay).
It's Alive/It Lives Again/It's Alive 3(Warner Bros).
Bronx Executioner(Dollar).

I love sci-fi and horror, esp Euro.

Not a bad haul. All found on sale, averaging about $6 each release.

The Chosen One

[jethro]

LOst Swordship is an awesome movie. Check out Elimination Pursuit if you get a chance. Dark swordplay madness. Do not take any hard drugs before watchign Elimination Pursuit, you will probably die. LOve and Sword is another GREAT movie. Roc Tien Peng is the man.

You will probably like Drunken Dragon more than Lost Swordship. Rarescope is the way too go if you want some really wacky stuff with your martial arts flicks. And I just remembered where I have seen the hero from Drunken Dragon. He is in Shaolin Blood Mission. He is a very good performer and he does a really painful looking stunt in Drunken Dragon.



Yesterday I picked up Kid From Tibet. I remember an interview with Yuen Biao where he said he thinks this is the best action he has ever done. I can't wait to see it.

[Jimbo]

Yesterday I picked up The City of Violence.
At first I almost felt buyer's remorse, which did not abate after the first couple of fights. But as the movie progressed, I found myself liking it more and more. The cinematography is excellent. The story, not completely original, but with interesting enough characters.

It's pretty clear there are aspects of this film that were inspired by Kill Bill Vol. 1, Tony Jaa's The Protector, and possibly some Jackie Chan movies. Even so, this film was able to separate itself enough, and IMO, the final fight was far better than that in Kill Bill. The two main stars clearly were doing their own fights/stunts. The first half I thought, "How many ways and times can you do a spin kick, anyway?" The finale, alas, includes more brutal surprises.

This is only the second of the new wave of Korean films that I really liked (the other being The Host). Most of the rest I personally haven't found as great as advertised.

[kungpowmaster]

Hi all,

I recently viewed some of the newer stuff I got.

Bionic Ninja was great. A Filmark Production. It was well done, and very happy with that. I don't care what anyone says, no one can do Ninjas better than IFD and Filmark.

The Octagon/A Force of One. These were very good too. Very enjoyable. Old school Chuck at his best. The red hooded Ninja in the Octagon reminded me of Darth Vader in a way, his character/role. Story was similar to American Samurai.

9 Deaths of The Ninja. Uh, this movie at 1st watch was very bad. I sat through it about an hour. I'll try and give it another shot sometime. But this movie seemed really bad, and not at all like I was hoping, as I really did like Revenge of the Ninja with Kosugi also.

Mr. X. This was great, in a wacked out way. Some say this is a Godfrey Ho movie, and he does have an acting role in it. It has Joe Lewis starring, whom I am not familiar with, I guess he was a Karate world champ. The movie is newer Lewis and Ho parts mixed in with a shoot em up blood bath Chinese mafia story. I liked it.

Drunken Dragon. This was a blast. Crazy action, and crazy gizmos. But it made me think this was a part of something bigger? But it was very enjoyable just for it's craziness.


Chosen One

[Jimbo]

kungpowmaster:
Drunken Dragon was its own movie. (I saw it in Taiwan when it was first released in '85). It is a really fun film. Its basic style was inspired by an earlier Golden Harvest-released film that was directed by Yuen Woo-Ping, The Miracle Fighters and its various spinoffs.

I liked A Force of One when it came out. I'm familiar with a lot of the locations, because it was filmed in the city I live/grew up in. Chuck was more fun then. As for the big ninja henchman in The Octagon, he was played by Richard Norton, a very good martial artist in his own right (who also played the Australian henchman in the same film).

[Jimbo]

Oh, and I recently bought another DVD, Dragon Heat. a Dragon Dynasty-released title. It stars Sammo Hung, Michael Biehn (Terminator, The Abyss), and Maggie Q. Or that's who are advertised.

Personally, it was a big disappointment. The real lead characters are a group of Interpol agents played by young actors who look more like pop idols. I dunno, but I wasn't impressed with the slow-mo spinning/prancing/gun posing of the idols. Sammo Hung has a couple of fights, but they are not choreographed or filmed well at all. Nothing at all like his fights in SPL, which was shot the same year. Michael Biehn has a sizeable role, but Maggie Q, billed as a major player in the film, has barely anything to do as a villain/sniper. Chin Kar-Lok was the martial arts choreographed, but it would have been better if they'd used Sammo Hung himself. Sammo's two fights against the Korean leader of the terrorists would have been much better, but instead, the fights seem flat. I think the film tries too hard to be stylish.

[jethro]

Don't forget about Bronson Lee (I can't remember his JApanese name). He was WAY underused in Octagon, but he did show some nice sickle skills. And I have to say I personally think A Force of One is one of Chuck's worst movies. It's not like any of his movies are great or anything, but some are decent. I thought Forced Veneance was a little above average. Lots of good cheesy lines in that one. "Never let your girl handle your piece."


And I saw Sammo's fight from Dragon Heat where he uses a big chopper on youtube and I think the editor was on crack. totally unwatchable. I will never ever watch that movie. Not even if someone payed me.

[Jimbo]

I think the editor was high on something. This is one of those movies where, if you watched it in a theater, it would make you queasy from motion sickness. And a lot did NOT make any sense at all; for one, there is a shooting near a dragon dancing demo, and yet after the chase leads away from the demo, the dragon dancers and audinece continue on as if nothing happened!?! Also, the very end of the movie is retarded and is nonsensical.

I actually liked A Force of One simply because it was so d0rky. Even back then, I thought it was hilarious. The fact that the settings were familiar yet the movie so serious seemed to add to that. It was obvious who the "karate killer" was; Bill Wallace threw a kick in disguise with his right leg at the beginning to try to "throw off" moviegoers who were familiar with him (he mostly kicked left leg). No one was fooled. The silly acting and dialogue were classic camp.

[doug maverick]

Oh, and I recently bought another DVD, Dragon Heat. a Dragon Dynasty-released title. It stars Sammo Hung, Michael Biehn (Terminator, The Abyss), and Maggie Q. Or that's who are advertised.

Personally, it was a big disappointment. The real lead characters are a group of Interpol agents played by young actors who look more like pop idols. I dunno, but I wasn't impressed with the slow-mo spinning/prancing/gun posing of the idols. Sammo Hung has a couple of fights, but they are not choreographed or filmed well at all. Nothing at all like his fights in SPL, which was shot the same year. Michael Biehn has a sizeable role, but Maggie Q, billed as a major player in the film, has barely anything to do as a villain/sniper. Chin Kar-Lok was the martial arts choreographed, but it would have been better if they'd used Sammo Hung himself. Sammo's two fights against the Korean leader of the terrorists would have been much better, but instead, the fights seem flat. I think the film tries too hard to be stylish.

i currently have a hit out on danniel lee for putting this crud out.

[jethro]

He should at least have his eyes gouged out. Or maybe he films his movies and doesn't look at the finished product. I remember the final fight of his Chen Zhen series with Vincent Zhao. It was like a 10 minute fight and I don't think there was any actual fighting. Not a single second! He would probably make better movies if he was blind.

[kungpowmaster]

Hi,

I finally got this set I'd been wantin'. I had read it was super crappy, and on Videoasia, but it had some Ninja movies I wanted. I've been looking for this for about a year, but all I saw was it for 10 or more bucks, and I didn't wanna pay that, from the reviews I read.

Well, I finally found it for 6.49 total. Well, the actual mechanical product is really crap. Some of the discs didn't even play, or play well, I'll try them on another player.

But anyway, it's the Martial Arts 10 Pack. It is 3 discs, just stacked on top of each other, with some clamp thing holding them down. I got it new, and sealed, but the discs did come loose, though they didn't get damaged, except one had a slight scratch, but that one seemed to play fine.

The line up is:

Cotton Mill
The rarest kung-fu movie ever has been found. Thought to be lost forever, this unseen classic is finally here. Superstarring Shaw Bros. Legend Chi Kuan Chuan and leg fighter Tan Tao Liang.

Tiger Over Wall
King of leg combat Hwang Jang Lee in his greatest role since drunken master. An absolute classic!

Ninja and Dragon(I think this actually Ninja Destroyer, which I already had)
Two agents must join forces to catch the tiger connection heroin gang. One agent is a secret ninja, the other a dragon on fire!

Hunt for Ninja(Ninja Hunt)
The CIA battle terrorists villains with their super weapon - the ninja master. Heads roll and bodies fly!

Ninja Challenge(Challenge the Ninja)
The red devils are a brutal gang that kill a mans entire family. He seeks revenge by training with the deadliest gang alive - the ninja. His new powers even the odds. Let the vengeance begin!

Knight and Warrior( called Ninja in the Imperial Court onscreen)
A ninja from Japan, a warrior from China and a villain from hell clash to the death and beyond! The greatest ninja action ever shown in the world!

Black Belt Fury
The jungle just got deadlier. The fiercest beast is man, and this kung fu spectacular proves it!

Burger Cop
Kung fu superstar Sammo Hung is the cop with the appetite of a fat dragon. Joining him is fellow superstar Yuen Biao (Prodigal Son) in this action-packed comedy thriller!

Deaf Mute Heroine
Her senses may be impaired, but her sword hand is not! The greatest sword since Zatoichi! Her blade is as dangerous as her fury!

Shaolin Lady
Mega star Cynthia Rothrock is the lady with the Shaolin Skills. She takes on all comers, Her best action role ever!

So, for what I paid, I'm good with it, as Ninja Hunt, and Challenge the Ninja play fine, and that's why I wanted it.
I'm not familiar with the other titles. I saw Burger Cop looked decent and has Sammo Hung in it.

Chosen One

[jethro]

Sorry you had to experience that 10 pack kungpowmaster. All of those movies have had good widescreen releases, except tiger Over wall. Seek out the Groundzero version of Tiger over Wall (pretty good picture quality). It comes with Goose Boxer which is a movie you would love. And best of all it is really cheap. Tiger Over Wall is in my opinion Hwang Jang Lee's greatest kicking performance, which is saying a hell of a lot. NInjas in the Dragon's den is on there. One of my top 20 favorite movies of all time. Corey Yuen really took the genre to a new level with that movie. The 10 pack has a REALLY crappy full screen version of Ninja in the dragon's Den. Very sad, because it has been beautifully remastered. And you may think I am joking when I say this, but I suggest just throwing that 10 pack in the trash can. after you try and watch the movies you may be more inclined to smash it with a rock before you throw it away. Also, Burger Cop (real name is 'Don't give a dam') has 2 audio tracks running at the same time. Without a doubt that is the worst 10 pack that any company has ever put out.

Also, Rarescope released Showdown at the Cottonmill. Not very good picture quality, but it is perfectly widescreened. The 10 pack you have cuts off about 70% of the picture, no joke. I would go over the other movies but talking about this 10 pack really makes me sick to my stomach.