The seminal Huangmei Opera adaptation from Shaw, The Crimson Palm features the unforgettable film song “Country Road” by Ivy Ling Po. The story evolves around Lin Shao-teh, a poor student who was engaged to Chien-king (Chin Ping), the daughter of billionaire Wang Chun (Yu Kuan-chao). To support her lover for the exam, Chien-king offered gold as Lin’s traveling expenses and asked to meet him at midnight. When Lin arrived as scheduled, all he could find was the bloody corpse of Chien-king’s maid (Li Ching)!
"Without a doubt," it was written in the seminal Study Of The Swordplay Film, "Hsu Cheng-hung is one of the key figures in the Mandarin new style." And this is both one of his key films and one of his last for Shaw Brothers. The lovely Ching Li and handsome Chang I star as star-and-sword-crossed comrades who take on the vicious Black Tigers gang in a quest for hidden wealth. There’s action galore, until the final, fiery fight in a temple of treasure.
Ching Li, Chang I, Shu Pei-pei, Lin Ching, Tien Feng
Shaw Brothers pulled out all the stops to make this star-studded magnificent drama. Fan Chia-soo (Kwan Shan) is a kind-hearted student who is smitten with Shen(Li Li-hua), a heart-rending love song singer. The General's henchmen are determined to present the songstress to their superior as a gift no matter what. Fan receives aid from an unexpected person just in time to save the woman he loves...
After her father's murder at the hands of the Golden Knight organization, swords-women Yu Fei-hsia (Lily Ho Li Li) is accused of killing clan members in vengeance. To prove her innocence, Yu Fei-hsia attempts to track down the real killer.
Two Con Men is a wonderfully twisted, pseudo-romantic comedy in the vein of "Robin Hood" meets "The Sting". Starring Liang Tien as Clever Chan and Chang Ying (who's done over 400 films) as Tricky Ching, it's the age-old competition between a rookie con artist versus the ultimate, experienced flimflam man. It's a game Chen cannot afford to lose, because people's lives - including his own, hang in the balance of good versus evil.
Cheng Pei-pei, the screen's greatest swordswoman, teams with Lo Lieh, the star of Shaw's first international mega-hit to claim the famous "Jade Dragon Sword" in this fast-paced "Martial Arts World" adventure where everybody wants the famous "Jade Dragon Sword", no matter who they have to kill to get it. They all face death in the title location as the "Roaming Knight" takes on the Master of Dragon Swamp in this family feud which takes place over more than twenty years of attack and vengeance. In addition to many spectacular fights, this production is all the more special for the emotional wallop at the finale.
Stephen Chow is a delight in this supernatural action comedy about a murdered cop returning from beyond the grave to persuade a rookie (Chow) into avenging his death.
Stephen Chow, Tung Piao, Fung Shui-fan, Chan Tak-yong
Sun Chung, an established comedy, romance, and modern crime filmmaker, now breathes mortality into this tale of the 100 Poison Clique's obsessive ambition to destroy all rivals. This is one spectacular martial arts viewing like never before. Kung-fu superstar David Chiang and prominent choreographer Tang Chia lead the cast in a bloody clan clash centered on the trial of an admitted mass murderer and serial rapist.
Acclaimed director Ho Meng-hua tackles fantasy in The Human Goddess, a genre bending film that features a love story between an alluring female fairy, played by the real life sexy goddess Li Ching, who seeks love in the world of mortal men and finds it in a man who takes care of an orphanage. Ho was one of the first directors to give Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung their first breaks as extras in his early martial arts films.
Skilled shadow boxer Ku Ting hides his skills by working as a construction worker. But when the thugs assault his girlfriend, Ku Ting has no choice but to use his teachings to show his enemies what it takes to keep justice in line.
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!
Ask any martial arts movie aficionado for his or her list of all-time action greats, and there's a good chance that Killer Clans ranks somewhere near the top. Based on a popular swordplay novel, Killer Clans (whose Chinese title literally translates into the poetic "Meteor, Butterfly, Sword") has enough conspiracies, stratagems, and sword fights to make even non-action fans happy. They are masterfully staged by Yuen Cheung-yan, brother of Matrix martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping. The cast includes some of Shaw Brothers' leading swordsmen and swordswomen, and they bring to life the novel's epic battles between underground clans, where the line between good and evil is not always so clear-cut or obvious.
Hell may have no fury like a woman scorned, but hell literally, really has no wrath like a lusting ghost scorned! Cult classic director Kuei Chih-hung shoots the works with this amazing horror romance starring muscular "Venom" Lo Meng.
When directors in the late '70s began jumping on the kung-fu comedy bandwagon renowned director Chang Cheh stuck to his guns of traditional brotherhood and moral code films made popular by him in the '60s. So in keeping with the spirit of the venomous success of the cultish THE FIVE VENOMS, Chang reunites the Five Venoms in arguably his second biggest cult hit in the West, THE KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM. As the film's lead martial arts instructor and one of the stars, it's also one of Lo Meng's finest moments on screen playing the righteous villain Golden Arms whose eventual showdown with the drunkard Hai Tao (Kuo Chue, fight choreographer for BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF) is graphically artsy and balletically violent. You won't be disappointed.
