Three of Shaw Brothers' finest martial arts directors, who, between them, had made more than a hundred classics, united for this unique anthology film. Yueh Feng writes and directs a clever love-and-kung-fu triangle, Cheng Kang both writes and directs kung-fu courtesans battling brigands, and the "godfather of the kung-fu film," Chang Cheh, creates a cliff-hanging, swashbuckling mini-movie with maxi-action. It's three times the substance, style, skill, and stars in what truly stands as a motion picture event.
Shih Szu, Yueh Hua, Lily Ho, Lo Lieh, David Chiang, Ti Lung
Director Yueh Fung presents this tragic love story about two star-crossed lovers; Ivy Ling Po is a housewife who is constantly abused by her husband both physically and mentally, and Chin Feng, Ling's adopted brother-in-law, is a mute. When he secretly falls in love with her, and risks everything he has to rescue her, things begin to take a downturn. Chin won the Outstanding Performance Award at the Golden Horse Awards in 1971 for this role.
Toward the end of the Ching Dynasty, the South China Sea was swarming with pirates looking to plunder treasure-rich Portuguese merchant ships. This titanic tale of a daring and heroic "Robin Hood" of the seas took no less than three directors: the "godfather of the kung-fu film," Chang Cheh, his trusted co-director Pao Hsueh-li, and soon-to-be pioneer filmmaker Wu Ma. Adding to its importance is the fact that it is a starring showcase for Ti Lung, who came to prominence just a few years before, teamed with the charismatic David Chiang. Although Chiang guest stars as a suspicious but noble government officer, this is clearly Ti’s show as he swashes and buckles with the best of them - not just to save his pirate pals, but to aid persecuted fisher-folk against a corrupt and evil local ruler. It all adds up to epic entertainment which ranks with the finest seafaring adventures.
Taiwanese singer Lin Chong plays a cool jewel thief who turns over a new leaf as a professional singer in Chang Cheh's first ever musical. A series of new robberies arise and has everyone wondering if the thief hasn't returned to his old ways...
Lily Ho , Jimmy Lin Chong , Lo Lieh , Essie Lin Chia
Director/actor Chan Friend joined award-winning social satirist Alfred Cheung Kin-ting to create and act in this delightful variation on the hugely successful British Carry On! film series. It all takes place at St. Morant Hospital where a harried but lovely administrator (Meg Lam) must deal with lusty interns, chaste (and chased) student nurses, a delirious surgeon, a dissection fiend, a criticizing Commissioner, and gross negligence at regular intervals. This group couldn’t fix anything...but your funny bone.
Sun Chung had been recognized as an expert comedy and crime thriller director, but he was to gain even greater acclaim for his soulful, powerful, intelligent, and beautifully-made martial arts epics. This stands alongside The Deadly Breaking Sword and The Kung-fu Instructor as one of his very best. It's not so much the plot - a master swordsman protects a treasure chest on a dangerous journey - that makes this great, but what Sun does with it, inspiring the cast and crew to some of their finest work.
A benevolent and kind Emperor, Chien Lung (Anthony Lau) sometimes goes incognito to mix with the common folk to understand the wants and needs of his followers. To achieve that goal, Chien Lung turns to gambling and meets high-kicking Li Pao (Wai Ying-hung), who tears her way through casino goons like a true kung-fu princess! The Emperor gets arrested and is nearly beheaded… but there is the fact that he is the Emperor!
Chief of Wu Tang, Ching Chung (Wang Jung) is beaten and wounded by Head of Wu Ti, Tu Ku (Alex Man Chi-leung) in a 10-yearly duel between these remaining two thriving clans. Tu Ku offers to duel with Ching Chung again in two years, hoping to counter his rival clan's Silkworm Skill. Ching Chung's pupilFu Yu-shu (Liu Yung), finds Yun (Hsu Shao-chiang) to be Ching-chung's illegitimate child, and kills Ching-chung, to frame Yun. He then proclaims himself the new Wu Tang Chief and orders the killing of Yun. Meanwhile, Yun learns Silkworm Skill and finally become a No.1 martial artist, she purges the Wu Tang clan and kills Fu to avenge her father's death.
Hsu shao-chiang, Liu Yung, Wan Tzu-liang, liu Hsu-hua
Ling Yun plays a young musician hired by the manager of a popular band when the group's former drummer/leader Charlie, a guy with an ego bigger than his drums, quits to join a rival group. As the new drummer, Ling becomes an immediate hit. But there's trouble brewing. The former drummer is now very jealous of his replacement while the young drummer's mother is dead set against him having a music career.
It is little wonder why Chang Cheh is considered legendary. Not only did he usher in a whole new kind of "yanggang" (macho) cinema, but he was also one of the most prolific and consistent directors in the world. He made more than 70 films in the period between 1960 and 1975, but this was considered one of the most notable. A nominal sequel to the equally acclaimed SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS, this powerful production came a year later and cemented Alexander Fu Sheng's superstardom with a performance many proclaimed the best of the young lead's career. It is also one of the last Chang Cheh films choreographed by Liu Chia-liang, who was becoming a legendary director in his own right. Together, they made this tale of the Shaolin vs. Manchu conflict -- played out at a textile mill -- one of the highlights in kung-fu film history.
Co-director Lo Chen wrote this often dazzling tale of mistaken identities caused by monogrammed handkerchiefs. Pat Ting Hung, Carrie Ku Mei, and Li Hsiang-chun are just three of the lovelies on view in this "alls well that ends well" marital mixup.
Pat Ting Hung, Li Hsiang-chun, Carrie Ku Mei, King Feng, Fung Chiang
This number one hit is considered by some to be one of Asia's best gambling films. It is about a hero who helps a young student vanquish a cunning, malicious gambling tycoon who is determined to take over the family business.
Director Sun Chung was the first Shaw Brothers' director to use the Steadicam and in the mid-70s was one of the most productive directors Shaw Brothers ever had. His action films had strong tension, snappy editing and slow motion, the things that influenced up and coming martial arts director John Woo. Sun Chung joins forces with kung-fu comedienne Wang Yu, a ballistic kid on a mission to clear his father's name, in THE KID WITH A TATTOO which also features plentiful ripsnorting martial arts at the hands of Liu Chia-liang's 10-year, exceptionally creative, choreographer partner Tang Chia. Jackie Chan's long time kung-fu classmates Yuen Hua and Yuan Pin along with best martial arts fighting villain Wang Lung-wei, add wickedly wild altercations to the melees of death.
