Ok, I have tried three times and have never been able to get past 10 minutes of this film. In fact, I came here to let HKFlix know that it is likely I had the wrong disc in this DVD case. Then I...found that another viewer evidently saw what I see when I try to watch this. I ordered this after seeing Mark and Jack Long in "7 Grandmasters" and "The Mystery of Chess Boxing". I loved both of those movies and was excited to find another with both of them in it at such a discount. But byer beware. There is nothing in the cover description to indicate what this movie really is; a fantasy/vampire movie. Black Belt Theatre did not advertise this on the DVD cover as such a movie. If you like these types of movies, this might be right up your alley. As for me, up to a few minutes ago, I was thoroughly convinced I had the wrong disc and was going to send it back. I will add this to my growing collection of old skoolz, but I cannot see myself ever watching this.
Keep away from this if you are looking for an old school martial arts joint! I cannot find Jack Long nor Mark Long in this. This is some supernatural vampire movie starring a bunch of kids. I bought at my own risk, so I cannot return this.
Wheels On Meals (product link) Martial Arts / Comedy I did not like much about this movie at all. I know this famous fight with Benny the Jet was supposed to be all that, but it was not enough to save this movie for me.
Chinese Super Ninja (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure I got this only because my favorite Venom, Lo Meng, is in it. I did not get the original language version. Anyone who is a Venoms fan knows how Lo Meng is treated in too many of their early movies. I thought that he would be at least one of the STARS surrounded by this cast. NOPE. I am happy I did not pay too much. I think I had to start watching this 3 or 4 times to finish it. I think people get this for Ricky Tien. I am just not a fan! This is one of the rare times when I cannot even remember the storyline and I refuse to watch it again to be reminded!
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Suspend your disbelief and just let the great action and performances entertain you. I like Lo Meng also but Ricky Tien and Chun Wai Man were great. This is a very entertaining film!
I'm not sure buyers do so just because of a specific actor. It's the insane action that makes this movie so notoriously watchable. The stars are only a small fraction of the attraction.
The Invincible Killer (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure I bought this movie for one reason: Michael Chan (Wai Man) is on the cover. I love his work in "The Heroes" with Ti Lung and in "The Deadly Breaking Sword", also with Ti Lung and Fu Sheng. However, THIS IS NOT an old school martial arts film like those two are. This is one of those low budget caper films in which a hard working man gets framed for a murder he did not commit then spends the rest of the movie running from the police and thugs who are trying to frame him. I finished the movie just because I wanted to see if it would ever get better! I wanted to see if there would be some serious martial arts in it. Some fights, but not what I was hoping for. For what it was supposed to be, it is ok, but this is not what you want if you are [looking for old school fu].
I actually bought this one by mistake, but with the new Zoke Culture discs, you really cannot pass on the remastered, original language DVDs. Well, I have to say that this movie is actually pretty good for the first half-hour. One of my favorites, Leung Kar Yan, is in it and shows off some neat sword work, but fans beware he is killed off early in the movie. This really starts the uninteresting plot that just has too many "twists" and really odd, un-needed additions to the plot that made this movie a chore to watch. It is sad too because even with the excessive wire fu, the choreography is pretty good. I do not regret buying it but it is not classic. It was good to see Kara Hui have some strong performances, but in the end the writers/directors had her play the pretty typical weeping/wimpy woman role. Odd thing, in one scene she is destroying people, but when in the scenes with the main character she becomes martially inept. That was annoying. Still, if you like sword-play movies (and this has about two really good hand-to-hand scenes) and/or you are a collector, it’s worth having.
Spiritual Kung Fu (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure What makes this movie bad is this concept that Jackie is taught and led by the spirits. Actually, that is not bad, but that we can see them annoyingly prancing around in tights ruins this movie. I guess that was the comedic effect. What is good about this movie is the storyline, the twists, and the fighting. A lot of people do not know just how good Jackie Chan is because they are put off by the comedy. This is one movie where I have to work to not let all the annoying fairy-like spirits get in the way of my enjoyment of the movie. Otherwise, I would rate it higher.
The Shaolin Kids In Hong Kong (product link) Comedy / Martial Arts I bought this because I thought it was an old school Gordon Liu film. It is nothing of the kind. Today, I watched the ending of this film after having it for about 4 years and never giving it a chance. It still isn't what I like to watch. But what it is, is a screwball comedy about two students of Liu's who get into all sorts of trouble after going to Hong Kong without permission. He shows up to save the day. Lots of screwball comedy along with some impressive fighting by the children. Liu does end up fighting Wang Lung Wei, just like in the 70's. The action is sped up, but it works well for the type of movie this is. A good one for kids, if you do not mind the fighting.
The Bare Footed Kid (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure I bought this movie for the sole purpose of seeing Ti Lung. He does not do much fighting, but as usual his acting is great.
I am not much of a wire fu fan, so I did not get a whole lot out of the film. As usual, Ti Lung played the noble upstanding charater, but I kept waiting for the moment when he would cut loose and wield some swords or a staff like back in the old days. It never happens, and his finale, although very intense, depended too much on wire fu for my taste. Granted he was/is older; but for me the anticpated joy was in seeing how good his skills were as an older man.
I think there are many people who would love this movie, and the passion and real skills of the young main character, but for what I was looking for, the movie did not do much for me.
Heroes Two (product link) Action/Adventure / Martial Arts Chen and Fu play the rebel heroes they were famous for playing: Hung Hsi-Kuan and Fang Shih-Yu (Fong Sai-Yuk), respectively. Fang Shih-Yu is remorseful and hell-bent on helping to rescue Hung Hsi-Kuan after he unwittingly helps with his capture because he does not realize who he is. This has never been one of my favorite movies, mostly because I love Chen but am only lukewarm to Fu. It does belong in any old school collection, however.
Grand Master Of Death [Ground Zero] (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure I have to say that it has taken me some time to warm up to Fu Sheng. This is an impulsive-hothead-refusing-to-be-bullied movie, and it costs him and his family. After some training, he comes back for revenge. I watched this movie two years ago and can remember few things about it. I do remember that last fight scene and how incredible I thought it was, along a growing respect for Fu Sheng. Worth the buy!
Five Superfighters (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure There's nothing particularly special about this movie, however it is not a bad movie either. It is one of those movies that you get and are happy if it cost under $10. Not a classic, but definitely worth the buy and watch! And probably much better in the original language.
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This movie is a classic, and I would certainly pay more than $10 for it.
I held off for a long time buying this because I had not read many good reviews about it and I can only rarely appreciate the comedy/martial arts mix.
I believe those who give this movie a bad review miss the point! Yes, this was supposed to be Shaws' last hurrah in the martial genre, and of course critics/fans wanted a major epic perhaps, once again, depicting common martial arts movie themes.
Shaws did some of that, but with a twist. Those of us who are movie collectors know well the stories of Fong Sai Yuk, Hung Hsi Kwan, and Hu Hui Chen. See Men from the Monastery and/or Shaolin Avengers that has pretty much the same cast.
This is another anti-Ching movie, but it takes a look at the conflicts that arise between a group of budding monks and a group of rebels who use Shaolin more so as a place of refuge from the Chings than as a place of practice and worship.
What happens is a movie filled with jovial antics and tricks in which each group tries to one up the other. This is where the comedy occurs and very appropriately so. It is a different less serious take on what training/conflict behind those hallowed walls could have been like.
There is a serious side... Lo Leigh, again plays the evil Ching representative who is trying to get into the Temple to get a golden seal from Hung. This some monks use as a reason to have Hung and the other secular students expelled from the Temple. This is keeping with the history that these rebels brought the Temple under suspicion and therefore brought danger and the eventual burning of it.
Perhaps after decades of showing the training films, and the demise of the Temple, Shaws just went in another direction that showed the internal conflicts, the boyish competition, and the lighter side of sometimes failing in one's effort to be righteous.
The only thing I did not like about this film deals with Lo Leigh. Almost all of his scenes were increased in speed and required acrobatics that he obviously could not do. The use of a double and speed makes the film seem too cheesy at some points.
Lo Leigh had established himself as a great on-screen martial artist and to have much of his fight scenes be fought by someone else did him and the movie a dis-service. Oh and wasn't it great to see Lo Meng in a film where he did not get killed off in the first half hour or so?
The Secret Rivals (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure That aside, this movie has a simple plot and very good fights. A highlight of this film is Wong Tao practicing forms! I would love to know what style(s) he really practiced. Most of his films are very good and quite inexpensive. This is is a classic and a keeper.
The Green Jade Statuette (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This is a very good movie. The most annoying thing about this is the [dubbed version]. Every time I think to watch this again, I think about those corny limey accents that just do not mesh with Asian martial arts, and I watch something else. Otherwise it is a great movie, especially for the price they have it at HKFlix and if you are a fan of Chi Kuan Chun and/or Mei Fei.
Born Invincible [PanMedia] (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Okay, first let me say that generally I am not a Carter Wong fan. Secondly, I have watched a LOT of old school martial arts movies. This is a WINNER! I held off for tthree years and finally bought it. I was pleasantly surprised to find that, aside from C.W., three of my favorites are in this movie: Lo Leih, and Jack and Mark Lung. The fighting is great, the story pretty typical, but very watchable. The only thing I did NOT like about this film is that annoying whistle-like sound effect that is used whenever C.W. gets positioned to fight. Believe me, for this price you cannot go wrong. I even like C.W. as the "invincible" villain in this.
My Life's On The Line (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure I have a poor quality version of this and still LOVE this movie. I am hoping that at some point I can get it in its original language. It has a great story, some twists, and some great fights. Any flaws are redeemed during that last fight scene that goes on for a significant legnth of time. I have to say this whenever I watch this guy, I find it hard to believe that Leung Kar Yan is and was never a martial artist. He has some of the best hand to hand combat I have EVER seen on screen. This is a good movie!
Dirty Ho (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Liu is a prince who is more interested in fine arts than he is in ascending to the throne. One of his more ambitious brothers is trying to have him assassinated.
What makes this such a stand out are all the fight scenes that are done incognito. To hide who he is from his protegee, Liu literally has fights while at art viewings and dinners so inconspicuously that only the people he fights know what is happening. Some scenes were a bit over the top for me, but then again it might play out better in the original language. One of the most creative martial arts movies to be watched.
Invincible Pole Fighter (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Some history for those who say this feels like two movies in one. Fu Sheng, who does a GREAT job of the brother having gone mad after witnessing the execution of his family, was killed during the production of this film and it was halted for about two years. Fu Sheng was a favorite student of the great Lau Kar Leung, and his death nearly devasted Lau. When the director returned to this movie, his half brother Gordon Liu was put into the lead role and the whole movie's tone became very heavy and angry, as is evident in the scene when G.L. first goes to the temple demanding refuge. You will never see a Gordon Liu character so hell bent on killing. That said, he showcases some incredible pole work. His fight with Ko Fei before he leaves the temple to seek revenge is off the charts. That last fight scene will have you covering your mouth and checking for your teeth!
Shaolin Temple [1976] (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure One of the BEST martial arts movies EVER, with an outstanding cast. There is nothing I can say here that has not already been said about this movie, except: get it and watch it with "Five Shaolin Masters". Interestingly, although this came out 4 or 6 years LATER, it is the prequel to "Five Shaolin Masters". Almost all the greats are in this one, including very young Venoms actors, but of course the focus is on Ti Lung, David Chiang, Chi Kuan Chun, and Fu Sheng, all of whom are in the sequel, along with Meng Fei.
Five Shaolin Masters (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Although it came out 4 or 6 years prior, "Five Shaolin Masters" is the sequel to "Shaolin Temple" ("Death Chambers"). The story is historically significant and even touching, the martial arts incredible. Many of the Shaw Brothers heroes and villains are in this one. It is good to see Meng Fei hold his own next to some big names. My favorites are Ti Lung, Johnny Wang, and Chi Kuan Chun, who uses about 10 different styles when he fights Fung Hak On (who, by the way, does mantis fist better than anyone!). Watch this movie, but only AFTER you have watched "Shaolin Temple", which has most of the same cast. It is a bit odd to see a sequel where all the actors are considerably younger, but believe me, you will get more out of the story if you do it this way!
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