An amusing insider's look at the Hong Kong film industry from Li Han Hsiang, recreating some of the era's funniest and most surreal stories ripped straight from the gossip columns.
Following the lives of three downtrodden but resilient outcasts in the big city, they learn that life is tough but money can’t buy happiness either. John Lo Mar's gritty social drama paints a sense of realism rarely seen in Hon Kong movies of the era.
This is one of writer/director Shen Chiang's last films, but it's an incredible action-packed adventure of a female Lone Ranger, decades before Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon made feminist-empowerment kung-fu films an international phenomenon. The wonderful Shih Szu is the title character, with Shaw Brothers' first international star, Lo Lieh, joining her as an adoring associate.
This refreshing musical comedy about teenage life stars a young Leslie Cheung & fresh-faced newcomer Chou Hsiu-lan. It earned a number of Golden Horse & HK Film Award nominations.
Young Lin Hsiao-hung (Shih Szu) is a poor orphan. She seeks the help of her wealthy uncle, Fang Chen-chuan (Ching Miao) and his sons, Fang Cheng (Yueh Hua) who is brave and honest, and Fang Feng (Chen Hung-lieh), a playboy. Strangely, Fang Chen-chuan favors only Fang Feng. When Fang Feng refuses to pay a gambling debt, his father pays up. Later, Fang Feng is prevented from molesting a girl by Fang Cheng who explains she is their cousin, Lin Hsiao-hung. But soon the same thing happens again and Fang Cheng intervenes once more, causing enmity between the brothers. Fang Feng seriously wounds the Magistrate's son, Li Teng-yao in a fight but Fang Chen-chuan exerts his authority to protect his son from the law. Fang Cheng is banished from the house after a fierce argument with his father over Fang Feng's uncontrolled behavior. To avenge himself, Li Teng-yao ambushes and wounds Fang Feng, and while she dresses his wounds, he rapes Lin Hsiao-hung. Fang Chen-chuan is furious to discover that Lin Hsiao-hung is pregnant, and refuses to believe her true explanation. A servant, Ta Shan Ken intervenes, taking the blame for her condition, and Fang Chen-chuan drives them both from the house. Fang Feng discovers their whereabouts, and beats Ta Shan Ken to death. This forces him to become an outlaw. His acts of robbery and subsequent murder of Li Teng-yao, make him a hunted criminal. Fang Cheng, now a lawman, is sent to capture Fang Feng. The brothers and Lin meet in a final confrontation. Though wounded by her, Fang Feng kills Lin before dying himself from her fatal bullet wound.
Hong Kong rhapsody is a musical extravaganza full of song and dance! Peter Chen-Ho stars as a playboy magician who changes his ways after he becomes the guardian of a young singer (Li Ching), the daughter of a deceased magician friend.
Malay Chinatown's Yu Yi restaurant was helding Mr. Shek's wedding banquet, Chinese Mr. Lui attended with wealthy merchant Mr. Hung. With the banquet begins, Mr. Lui begins a special religious ceremony, like the gods appeasement ceremonies in ancient China. In the midst of the cereomny, assassin Wa only has three and a half minutes to aim at the groom Mr. Shek. Gunshots ring out, but the person shot is actually Mr. Hung. As Wah is shocked by this occurrence, he notices another assassin leaving nearby, the two begin to go head to head. Later, Wah suddenly becomes the assassin who killed Mr. Hung and a fugitive from the Malay police...
The authentic Eastern response to America's The World of Suzie Wong, about the story of a young woman rising to fame as a popular bargirl. Stunningly played by Patricia Ha in her most famous and audacious role, she was nominated for Best Actress in the 1986 Hong Kong Film Awards, while her acclaimed co-star Deanie Ip won Best Supporting Actress. Featuring a young Anthony Wong, future multiple award-winning actor as a Chinese-American looking for his father.
The Water Margin, Journey To The West and Romance Of The Three Kingdoms are China's most famous literary classics. After director Chang Cheh's film adaptations of the first two classics wowed audiences, Chang completed the circle with The Weird Man, a bizarre variation of Romance Of The Three Kingdoms. Besides Cheng Tien-chi, who starred in Jackie Chan's Fearless Hyena, Chang uses a cast of unknowns and gives the story a ghostly-horror edge. Chang is known for his lone swordsman and hero movies and strangely The Weird Man still reflects this. Cheng plays a righteous, beheaded priest with supernatural powers that returns from the dead to wreak havoc against one of the corrupt kingdoms, making Cheng a heroic "swords-ghost." It's insane sanity to the hilt, a must see film.
The team behind the fantasy epic The Monkey Goes West visualizes a new chapter of the popular classic literature. This time the Monkey King and his gang are confronted by the evil Princess Iron Fan, Madam White Bone and her two sexy sisters (Lily Ho and Cheng Pei-pei), plus loads of fanciful characters like the Princess Jade Face, Ox Demon, and Golden Toad. The outcome is a non-stop fantasy action galore for fans of this genre.
Pat Ting-hung, Cheng Pei-pei, Ho Fan, Yueh Hua, Peng Peng
Made at the peak of the martial arts film craze, BLOOD BROTHERS stands out against the run-of-the-mill kung-fu flicks that flooded the market in the 1970s. It would be hard to find more legendary names in front of and behind the camera: director Chang Cheh, who virtually reinvented the genre; the brilliant martial arts choreography by Liu Chia-liang, before he himself embarked on a directorial career; and the number one buddy team in kung-fu, Ti Lung and David Chiang, joined by Shaw Brothers newest superstar, Chen Kuan-tai. Set in the waning years of the Ching Dynasty, Blood Brothers tells of one of the most sensational scandals in Chinese history, the assassination of a provincial governor (Ti Lung) by his lieutenant and sworn brother (David Chiang). Ti Lung, in a complex role that allowed him to flex his thespian muscles, was honored with Golden Horse Award of Outstanding Performance.
Lo Wei's reputation was cemented by his being credited as director on both Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan's first major starring roles. But before The Big Boss and New Fist Of Fury, Lo Wei was acting, writing, and directing at Shaw Studios. This, however, was his very last Shaw Brothers film - the fabulous tale of a frostbitten swordswoman out to get her parents' murderers. An audience can only marvel at Li Ching's talent as she struggles to cure her hypothermia in time for the final "snow-down."
Li Ching, Yueh Hua, Chang Chung, Tien Feng, Chiao Chiao, Ku Feng
Cora Miao plays Liang Pao-erh, a woman whose life is shattered when she discovers her husband (Hollywood star Chow Yun-fat) is keeping a mistress (Cherie Chung Cho-hung). When her repentant husband begs forgiveness, Liang is forced to decide on what she truly wants.
Thirty year film veteran Yueh Feng cast almost equally experienced heroine Li Li-hua as a swordswoman out to reclaim her murdered husband's "Green Sword" the sharpest blade in the world. Li Ching, a lovely new star, plays the role of Li Li-hua's student, who must take up the fight when her teacher falters. Action fans and art film lovers alike will appreciate this "woman warrior" epic, which premiered more than thirty years before the Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon resurrected the same themes.
Li Li-hua, Li Ching, Chiao Chuang, Wu Ma, Chen Hung-lieh
