Kung Fu Espresso!!

[Jimbo]

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

[Jimbo]

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

[Jimbo]

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.

[Jimbo]

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.

[Jimbo]

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

[Jimbo]

211 - The Kung Fu Instructor

(End fight; Ti Lung & Wong Yue vs. Ku Feng)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc8uyoTmo8g

[Jimbo]

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.

[Jimbo]

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

[Jimbo]

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

[Jimbo]

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.

[Jimbo]

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

[Jimbo]

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

[Hebrew Hammer]

What a horrible Karate Kid rip off.

[jethro]

I like the villain's name. Trevor Gotitall.

[Jimbo]

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