Years before he was to become famous for directing Bruce Lee in FIST OF FURY and Jackie Chan in NEW FIST OF FURY, Lo Wei was a popular actor and filmmaker. He had already directed many successful films when he joined Shaw Brothers in 1965. It was there that he directed his first major martial arts movie, but this was one of his last for the studio. It was also one of the last times he teamed with superstar swordswoman Cheng Pei-pei (who is even more famous now for her role in CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON). Here she stars as Yen Lai, the one woman who can reunite the Kao brothers to rid the Teng Lung Manor of attacking killers as well as take revenge for the murder of their father. Aided by Shaw Brothers' first international star, Lo Lieh, and award-winning actor Ku Feng, Lo and Cheng collaborate for another high-action winner of brotherly love…and death.
Cheng Pei-pei, Chin Han, Yueh Hua, Chang I, Lo Lieh
Ambitious Prince Four (Liu Yung) attempts to kill the potential heir Prince Fourteen (Mok Siu-chung), but the latter is rescued by his aide Tseng Tsing (Hsu Shao-chiang). After an unsuccessful attempt to buy Tseng Tsing, Prince Four tries to murder him, but fails. He eventually hires Nien Keng-yao (Pai Piao), an outstanding martial artist, as his aide.
David Chiang plays the all-new-one-armed hero - a man who chops off his right arm rather than live with dishonor. But when the love of his life is kidnapped and his best friend is murdered at a gang's stronghold on Tiger Mountain, it's time to battle.
The most prolific kung-fu director in Hong Kong martial arts cinema, Chang Cheh, ushered in a new phase of his career and a new generation of action stars with THE FIVE VENOMS. The setting is ancient China's School of Five Venoms, so named for its five types of kung-fu based on five venomous animals: centipede, scorpion, serpent, toad, and lizard. The school is notorious for the evil deeds of its disciples, leading to another classic battle between righteousness and depravity. THIS INTERNATIONAL HIT, LAUDED IN RIC MEYERS' PREMIERE, GROUNDBREAKING BOOK MARTIAL ARTS MOVIES AS ONE OF THE GREATEST, SPAWNED A SERIES FEATURING THE SAME ACTORS IN NEW ROLES WHICH WAS ALSO ENJOYED FROM AMERICA TO ASIA.
Kuo Chue, Sun Chien, Chiang Sheng, Lo Meng, Lu Feng
Based on a famous Chinese opera, this period drama stars the beloved screen pairing of the wildly popular Ivy Ling Po (Vermillion Door) and Li Ching, one of Hong Kong’s most famous on-screen couples. Ling Po was renowned for playing male Cantonese opera roles while the child star Li, plays the enchanting female lead. While visiting a temple, a young impoverished scholar, Zhang Sheng, is enchanted by the daughter of an influential family, Hong Niang. When the safety of Hong Niang is threatened by revolutionaries, Zhang does all he can to keep her from harm. Seeing the love between the young couple, Hong’s maid (Fang Ying) helps bringing the young couple together, who secretly have their rendezvous in the West Chamber, in spite of her family's objections! It is romance, tears and classic melodrama as the couple fight for love.
Although King Cat was one of Chang I’s earliest films, the young actor already showed promise that made him the star of countless Shaw Brothers' martial arts movies till today. Chang plays Chan Chao, a knight of justice, who thwarts the plans of Minister Peng to assassinate the revered Judge Pao Cheng over and over again. Lo Lieh gives Chang a good run for his money as the evil and sinister henchman of Minister Peng.
Pat Ting Hung, Chiao Chuang, Ching Li, Chin Feng, Chang Yi
One great movie deserves another, and this is one of those rare sequels that many feel is superior to the original. The audience certainly seemed to think so, making this one of Shaw Studio's highest grossing movies ever. And why not? Ti Lung is back as Li Chin Huan, the renowned, charming, elegant, majestic, and yes, sentimental swordsman who must face the Chief of the Money Clan and his legion of assassins for the fate of the "Martial Arts World".
In the same year, director/writer Chang Cheh and star Jimmy Wang Yu revolutionized Hong Kong kung-fu cinema with One-Armed Swordsman, they also collaborated on this epic of the Six Kingdoms era. Here, Yu is a two-armed swordsman who is also a Wei Empire patriot. Inside the Han Empire, Han Kuei who comes from the royal family, is actually assumed full power and he wants to eliminate loyal officer Yen Sui. Later, our main character is betrayed by a jealous rival and becomes a village butcher. When he meets Yen Sui accidentally, he is sent back on the road of vengeance. Chiao Chiao, the lovely and talented costar of One-Armed Swordsman, here plays Hsia Ying, the love of the hero's life, and the strong woman who survives to protect their child.
Wang Yu, Chiao Chiao, Li Hsiang-chun, Tien Feng, Huang Chung-shun
Three of the most famous Miss Hong Kong contestants, Maggie Cheung, Chingmy Yau and Elizabeth Lee star in this wacky Wong Jing-directed comedy about love and amusement in 1980s Hong Kong. Wong Jing himself plays Xin, a hapless loser in love. Xin calls in to radio DJ Tsang (Eric Tsang) the "Love Pain Killer", for desperate help. Tsang, a self-proclaimed love expert takes it upon himself to make sure Xin meets girls, and leads him on a series of loopy excursions into the wild and dangerous world of modern love.
The "godfather of the kung-fu film," Chang Cheh created this sweeping, all-action adventure of undercover, traveling patriots battling corrupt Mongol chieftains and their bloodthirsty henchmen. Choreographers Hsieh Hsing and Chen Hsin-yi guides a spectacular all-star kung-fu cast, led by international favorites Alexander Fu Sheng, David Chiang, Chi Kuan-chi and even Li Yi-min. With all of them fighting, plus more, there's hardly a moment to spare as stolen gold, hostage villagers, raging soldiers, corrupt courts, and an ammo dump complicate matters until both exceptional martial arts and explosions fill the screen.
Lo Lieh was famous as Shaw Studio's first international kung-fu film star. He was famous throughout Asia for dozens of superlative performances in everything from horror to modern thrillers to martial arts. But it was the rare saga Lo also directed, and this was one of those special events. Following his huge success starring as the infamous Shaolin Temple traitor in preeminent kung-fu filmmaker Liu Chia-liang's Executioners From Shaolin, he returned to the role in this, a combination sequel and remake. Liu stayed on as choreographer, while his famed adoptive brother, Gordon Liu Chia-hui, and his discovery, Hui Ying-hung, stepped into the starring roles. The result is a lighter-hearted entertainment, as our hero learns "Embroidery Fist" and acupuncture to counter the evil White Lotus leader's deadly "Weightless Boxing" and "Nerve Centre Shutdown" techniques. The permutations of their fights are delightful to behold.
While director Chu Yuan is known for his high-flying tales of the "Martial Arts World," inspired by the great novelist Ku Lung, he is also famous for introducing elements of murder mysteries, detective tales, and emotional melodrama into kung-fu films. This is one of those moody, character-driven thrillers, complete with the atmospheric sets and costumes audiences had come to expect. He uses two editors and three martial arts choreographers to tell the tale of two unique detectives following strange omens to prevent the death of a fiancée. The kung-fu takes on a macabre, horrific flair as kidnapping, murder, frame-ups, and even being buried alive fill this stunning story of swordsmen and women struggling to save their true loves... and their sanity.
Applauded director Li Han-Hsiang was one of few directors that made soft porn acceptable by mainstream audiences; using the thematic device of "sex on a mission" cynicism, suggesting that sex was the ultimate power. In the sex comedy The Scandalous Warlord, the true power that drove the country's many warlords were the prostitutes that these men would routinely visit. Therefore, the power in this film lies in the hands of the sassy Shirley Yu and the titillating Shaw Yin-Yin.
Avid international kung-fu films fans have a special place in their hearts for this outstanding martial arts drama, which marked the ascension of director Sun Chung and action choreographer Tang Chia to legendary status. Tang also appeared as the "Chief Security Officer" in this powerful tale of the Thirteen Eagles Assassination Sect of the infamous Iron Boat Clan. Ku Feng is excellent as the poisonously patriarchal leader of the killers, but conflicted "son" Ti Lung and vengeful victim Alexander Fu Sheng command the screen as consummate warriors united in tragedy. Everything is exceptional in this endlessly entertaining production: from the cinematography of Lan Nei-tsai, to the script by Shaw Brothers' writing wizard Ni Kuang, to the editing of Chiang Hsing-loong and Yu Hsiao-feng, which deservedly won the Golden Horse Award.
