The documentary starts off with a statement that Lee, like so many stars, had a fatal flaw, which ultimately lead to his demise. We revisit his childhood film career, with highlights that bring us up to date on his adult career. When this begins we're treated to re-enactments from our old friend Bruce Li's shipshod, imitation filmclips. My guess here is with all the unauthorized information, licensing for authentic Lee film material was likely denied. We're given instead interviews with distant friends, co-stars, and for the first time, the very physicians who revived Lee after his near fatal May '73 collapse. Quite surprisingly these men were never interviewed prior to this documentary. Lee's use of cannabis, specificly hashish, autopsy reports, and final hours, even after he expired, are chronologized.

Another highlight of this gem is interviews, on cam, with Brandon, his son, prior to his death. Brandon appears to have a charismatic appeal maybe his dad never had, and is a truly tragic figure in his own right. Many hardcore Lee fans may not take to DBM:COTD. However, keep in mind there's more truth here that leaves a bad taste simply because the information wasn't released in '73, when time could have eventually smoothed the edges; and likely, the " King Of Kung Fu's " legacy may have been judged slightly differently. For content only, poor production values...

Lo Lieh is absolutely insane as the warped, swordsman making lamps from human flesh. The plot is a bit overloaded with revenge against revenge, however, Lui Yung, the supposed hero, keeps the audience guessing as to what his swordsman's true intentions are. We are further treated to a strong, charismatic performance by Chen Kuai Tai, whose character here is somewhat reminiscent of the one he portrayed in "Crippled Avengers". The real treat is a cameo by Lo Mang, as a bearded, double sickle wielding, fighter. This Mantis Fist fighter hardly ever used any weapons, noted for his powerful physique.

Lo's lantern maker runs around murdering his enemies' sisters, women, and anyone who's curious about his little shop of horrors. He's like a Chinese Norman Bates, exacting his displeasure on his enemies' all the while, relishing in the brutal torture of his victims. Directed by Sun Chung, noted for "A Fistful of Talons", and the classic "Avenging Eagle", this film balances the multiple genres quite well. Some directors couldn't make a decent Martial Arts film, let alone one with the Horror angle. Sun brought the usage of Steadycam to Hong Kong film, and his vision shows in his work.

The kung fu action in the film is quite good, choreographed by Tang Chai and Huang Pei Chi, and you can notice the early wirework, which became so popular later by Tsui Hark. Lots of the film takes place at night, setting the mood for it's eeriness, and there is an unusual amount of gore, however, I like it. The set pieces, as usual with Shaws, are great. Two stars for horror, two for action, a great cult classic.

Again, China, circa 1900, is under attack by the invading Japanese. This time the Ping Pai Boxing Institute is raided by the Judo experts from Japan. The violence depicted in this film is merciless, and the villain, James Nam, is depicted as most treacherous, looting, raping, killing, and all for the most eagerly awaited show down that carries on far too long.

Director Chang Yi Hu sets this film as somewhat a companion piece to Cheng Chang Ho's King Boxer, and most of the actors are in both films. The Shaw Studios once again provide nice set pieces, and the camera work is pretty above average. The fight choreography, by Liang Shao Sung, is a bit sub-Shaw standard. The production could have benefited from Tang Chai's excellent work or even Liu Chia Liang. Thunderbolt Fist's title is a bit misleading also, seeing the hero train with this deadly technique, only to defeat the enemy with a death move that has to be seen to be believed! Upon my initial viewing of this film, I found myself rewinding just to make certain I did see what has to be the most violent come-uppance a Japanese villain has ever met!

If you enjoy The Chinese vs Japanese theme in Kung Fu lore, check out Thunderbolt Fist, you'll get quite a 'KICK' out of it!!!!

The plot takes us to Thailand as Master Wong with his apprentice, Sammo, visiting relatives for a birthday. We are given the usual stable of baddies suppressing workers, and raping women, and terrorizing an entire community, and they even manage to recruit non other than Wong In Sik, as their champion fighter. He is all to eager to test Master Wong's reputation.

What i enjoyed most about this film is the way fights and the martial arts in general are portrayed. Instead of sensless fights, the heroic characters display a considerable amount of restraint, according to Wong's teachings. Director Huang Feng has always been an underated handler of the kung fu film. Most of his films are manageable even if you're not a fan of the genre. The pacing camerawork and scenario for conflicts are usually enough to allow fans to enjoy the scrap-ups when they take place.

Kwan Tak Hing was an amazing martial artist, performing well into his seventies, and displaying an on-screen presence which allows anyone to understand he was truly a master.

Sammo, the choreographer for most early GH productions teases with Hung style mixed in with typical 70's "swingy arm" style. Wong In Sik's kicks look as deadly as i've heard they actually are.

The only drawback performance, by Carter Wong, exists simply because i do not believe the company actually was aware of his fighting skills. His early work with GH always seemed to be limited, and he never really got down to serious fighting until he left for independant work.

The Skyhawk is a typical kung fu film, and it doesn't come packed with bells and whistles, but true enthusiasts will appreciate Sammo's early work. Three and a half for decent action.

On the heals of the Boxer From Shangtung, he has a brooding, hidden energy, that streams when his fists and feet "kick" into action.

Veteran Lau Kar Yung, who would go on to classics such as, Shaolin Mantis, and The Odd Couple, keeps the action very simple, with each encounter more street-like.

Shih Szu, the female lead, carries a real volunerablility, as the damsel, rescued by Kuai Tai's character. Her portrayal here is with such subtle innocence, it's dificult to think of her as an on-screen fighter, which in fact she was.

Kuai Tai's a member of a gang of bandits, which have lost their leader, and the next in charge, played by veteran Yueh Hua, seems to forget the "code" bandits live by. When Hua attempts to kidnap and rape Szu, Kuai Tai's moralistic hero helps her escape and he leaves the gang to turn over a new leaf. He soon finds shelter and work in a nearby town, discovering living the straight life is not so bad. Only after finding out Hua has placed a bounty on him does he elect to return and dust up his old foe.

This is definetly a formula film and Chen Kuai Tai is one of the few Shaw stars who could pull this off. He sort of reprised this role years later with The Big Boss of Shanghai. An ok film, by a director who would become more respected in the years to come.

When i was a kid and saw the star, Cheung Lik, i considered him somewhat a live action cartoon character, performing imposible feats of endurance, agility, and will. How this man, he with the wooden acting skills, wound up with lead roles, boggles the mind.

The movie features the stars of the previous film, Super Kung Fu Kid, and even uses Bolo Yeung. There's outrageous dubbing, 15min. fight scenes, about every 10 min., and no comprehensible plot whatsoever.

I usually attempt to give some productions credit for something, however, all i will say here is thank God for Jimmy Wang Yu, Ti Lung, David Chang, Lo Lieh, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Angela Mao, Wang Tao, John Liu, and so forth...

The only reason i own this is i've tried to complete my library with as much material dating back to the day as possible.

Shaolin Martial Arts is a Chang Cheh classic which not only bridges the cross over from one stable of action stars, but introduces new stars, who will go on to make kung fu in the 70's and 80's the stuff of legend.

The cast reads like a roster of who's who: Fu Sheng, Chi Kuan Chun, Wang Lung Wei, Gordon Lui, Tino Wong, Lui Kar Yung, and the introduction of my personal favorite, Liang Jia Ren, in his debut.

This is another tale of Shaolin kung fu experts under attack by the Manchu warlords and the film basically sets up it's forthcoming action by having the schools perform at a ritual with Manchus belittling Shaolin only as an excuse to attack them.

When they enlist the assistance of Wang Lung Wei and Liang Jia Ren as "invincible armour" fighters, the Shaolin brothers don't stand a chance. Chi and Fu Sheng are sent to learn Hung fist and Tiger Crane in seclusion, bringing about some of the best training sequences, pre Jackie Chan in Snake in Eagles Shadow, and Drunken Master. Their training takes about a third of the film, and when they finally do get down to the finale, ooh boy!!!

Chang Cheh knew exactly how to convey the spirit of the fighters, and the seriousness about their art. Drama depicted when Kuan Chun finally masters his skill leaves the audience more ready for him to take revenge than his own character!

This is one great Kung Fu film, from an era still being shaped by what was to come. Enjoy it for the first time, and you may well be hooked on Chang's co-horts!!!

Four and one half!!!

The fight choreography, by Sammo, depicts a slight shift fromm "swingy armed" styles, seen during this era.

The film is another take on the bullying Japanese, occupying an early 1900 China, and we are treated to the lovely Angela Mao Ying as the heroine. Carter Wong, and Sammo Hung as her assistant instructors, provide a nice contrast in their characters, Sammo being the more assertive, while Wong is more calculating.

The best treat in this film is the early appearance of master Chi Hon Ji, at the time a 7th degree Grandmaster of the art this film is named after.

The camera work, choreography, and overall stunt action, is a notch above the average film from '72. Thumbs up for great kung fu action! For old schoolers who love, fights, fights, and more fights!!

There's an opening fight scene between Ti Lung and Chan Wai Man that is so good, it should have been the final fight instead of the intro.

Fu Sheng once again portrays a young, gifted, expert, and his background is really never fleshed out. We do understand he is upright, and filled with chivalry, but how is he able to compete with Ti Lung, the master of the Deadly Breaking Sword technique, a special technique , when he stabs an assailant, he breaks a tip of his sword off imbedding the tip inside his enemies' flesh? I love that technique though.

Ku Feng is back as another antagonist, filled with deceptions, lies, and betrayals. Was there ever a better villain in the Shaw company?

Directed by Sun Chung, Deadly Breaking Sword is a very good, entertaining, kung fu film, and as I said before, the choreography, by Tang Chai, is great, however, he should have upped the ante just a tad at the finale. This is still a very good film.

For starters, I'm a lifelong admirer of the Martial Arts film, my dad introducing my brothers and I to these films when we were all 5, 8,& 9 years old. We were enchanted with the eastern way of fighting, even if most films incorrectly depicted real kung fu.

Jet Li's performance in Fearless is an example of an artist expanding his horizons with him having a few western films under his belt, and having worked with a few A-list stars has really paid off for him. In my opinion, if he had not made, Danny the Dog, his performance here might have suffered.

Hua Yuan Cha, the founder of Ching Wu Boxing school of Martial Arts, was a man with a unique vision, at a time when the Chinese were downtrodden, and viewed as a weak race of mankind. With his physical skill, he managed to inspire his fellow countrymen to hone their bodies and use their fighting prowess to protect their country against hostile aggressors, as well as maintaining great physical health and exercise, combining all of the known combative arts of the Chinese people, and teaching his people to not make aggression toward fellow men. The true meaning of Martial Arts.

Jet Li, who is now the same age as master Hua when the master died, delivers an acting performance by a Kung Fu film star that hasn't been seen before now, and will probably not be credited for it, however, Fearless is now at the top of my list as the best Martial Arts film ever. Ever, period. It's not about the choreography, by the great Yuen Wo Ping, production values, or settings, which are all very nice. It's the spirit of the story, and the film itself. If he were to never make another MA epic, this is the one film I've waited on since the promise of what may come died years ago with Bruce Lee.

I choose not to write an in depth commentary on the film, however, take note I try to be as sincere with my take on these films as possible. As much as I enjoy these films, I do not give 5 star reviews often, and as I've stated earlier, this is a film that represents the BEST of this genre and all it has to offer.

Hats off to Ronny Yu, Jet Li, Yuen Wo Ping, and all who contributed to this fine production. Fearless is a film that anyone with even the slightest interests in Martial Arts and MA films in particular, should check out and enjoy it for the spirit of a man known as Hua Yuan Cha.

Chang Cheh, the leading director of the Shaw studios' action fare, made this as a part of his Shaolin trilogy. His focus on the two diverse personalities--Fu Sheng's eager young prodigy, and Chi Kuan Chun's older, more reposed, and experienced expert--provide a perfect contrast as the story builds around deception, greed, and morality.

Chang's male characters always seem to reflect a homoerotic attraction/devotion. Women are usually throwaways, hookers or stepovers to the action that follows.

Liu Chai Liang's choreography is paced much faster than Tang Chia's, and the result is more realistic forms featuring the Hung's Fist, and Tiger/Crane.

Fu Sheng was a very charasmatic star, and I would have really loved to see him in an all out serious kung fu film. He seemed to always perform exactly as his director instructed.

The ending of this film is very emotional given the era, and is a classic in terms of performance and action direction. For some reason we do not see enough of Chi Kuan Chun's fighting prowess, however, when he does, it's on!

I rate Disciples of Shaolin a 4 star classic.

There was something about Wang Yu--no fighting skills, same arrogant attitude each film, no personality--but I dig the dude's movies. In this one he kicks arse!!!!!

The production values are very low budget, and the settings come directly from "The One Armed Boxer", most likely filmed back to back.

The low values set the stage for more fist to fist combat, featuring knives, furniture, lime, and the abuse of a kid that sets the culture back a century or two...

A lot of the same actors from OAB turn up as well.

We get the feeling that Yung Cheng was a badass, and started fights because he loved fighting, and fighting for those who couldn't or wouldn't. This leads to his famous encounters with axes!

The soundtrack plays in my head long after viewing this film every time, because it plays every time a fight takes place, which is about every five minutes.

Hey, I don't know why I like his films, but Wang Yu was cool--I guess in the same way Charles Bronsan was cool, and we don't know why we like his films either, right? Right??

First, "The Legend" is a documentary put together by Golden Harvest studios, and was originally planned as an in-depth background on "Game Of Death", by Russell Cawthorn. It expands to tell Lee's life story with snippets of photos, archival footage from his childhood career, and starring roles up to his death. Interviews with family, friends and time line following the Dragon's career stretch things out allowing the viewer to grasp the general idea of what it was like at the time for Lee's overnight success as an action star in the Far East. We are pretty much given this as an international overview, heavily influenced by the U.K., and it's serviceable.

"The Man And The Legend" is a meatier piece, with a more eastern flavor, still produced by Golden Harvest, however, containing funeral coverage, and private photos, transcripst, and audio that was available to eastern followers primarily. I really enjoyed the countless photos of Bruce, taken at his home, and even the footage of his home, office, and his ideas about future projects.

Betty Ting Pei also lent her cooperation to this production, and I'm certain the Lee family resented her role.

I found M&L to be the one documentary that has more feeling to it, probably because of the fact it was produced so soon after Lee's death. There is a home movie like feel to what you are viewing. After this was made, a great majority of the footage here was not to be seen again.

Try this out if only you want to see the contrasting interpretation of the life of the King of Kung Fu from an Eastern point of view, and the International.

Chang's stable of action stars fit their roles perfectly:

The lead villian, comes to town sporting a sign reading "the repairman of bad Kung Fu".

Of couse this starts fights galore for the offended schools and masters of the town, and it's not long before our young heroes and their master get their heads handed to them. This leads to shame for the master, and the students decide they will seek out new masters to learn additional styles and return in six months to gain revenge, and restore their teacher's faith. Even the master, not privey to the students plan, learns a new drunken technique, and is also better when the finale takes place.

This film seems as if it were written for the Venoms, and the guys here perform admiralbly. I feel it could have been better with the Venoms, however, the fights were still top Shaw quality.

Check out "Five Superfighters": 3.5 stars and good Bad Kung Fu.