Imagine pint-sized Godzillas fighting the DC Comic superhero "IRONMAN", have Shaw Brothers improve on this outrageous mix by adding kung-fu choreography, and then you have SUPER INFRAMAN, one of the most far-out, fantastical films ever made. Starring the up and coming Danny Lee (who achieved international superstardom in John Woo's THE KILLER), the film pits Lee as the thunderbolt-fisted Inframan battling maniacal monsters from the Earth's center lead by the evil Demon Princess (Terry Liu). Adding to the psychosis is the fast paced fights choreographed by the acclaimed action director Tang Chia, beautiful camera work by He Lan-shan (Bruce Lee's cinematographer in THE WAY OF THE DRAGON), and fights that feature an actor who later starred in kung-fu flicks under the moniker of Bruce Lee.
Shaw Brothers fans have known and loved Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon villain Cheng Pei-pei for decades as one of the sweetest, most attractive, most heroic stars ever in Asian cinema. She was only 20 years-old, and just three years into her remarkable career, when she took the lead in this fascinating martial arts murder mystery which combines battles with bullets. This kung-fu Nancy Drew must face a secret serial killer with too much blood on his hands to let her live…!
The ship of pirate Chang Pao-Chai (Ti Lung) springs a leak after an otherwise successful raid on a foreign ship. He goes ashore to get materials to patch his ship up, where he encounters corrupt Qing officials and poor, oppressed peasants. Being a good man at heart, he decides to help out and becomes an even bigger outlaw in the process.
Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Ching Dynasty, this grand Shaw Bros action thriller follows two young Shaolin rebels, engaged in a deadly mission to bring down the empire.
Lo Meng, Wang Li, Sun Chien, Chiang Sheng, Wen Hsueh-erh
Acknowledged as one of the greatest Hong Kong musicals, this lavish movie starring Linda Lin, who won Best Actress for her performance, infuses its wispy plot with style and wit, and the results are pure pleasure.
This martial arts spectacular showcases 20-year-old Derek Yee. Variety noted "Yee's charismatic screen presence should take him to superstardom like his older brother, David Chiang". The prediction proved correct, and his performance as ace swordsman Third Master is just what any producer would want. He fights evil, saves damsels in distress (including a kindhearted prostitute played by Yu An-an), and duels with rival swordsmen to the end.
Director Chu Yuan has been hailed as the premiere screen interpreter of famed author Ku Lung's martial arts novels, and this is one of their best. This is an exciting tale of two rival swordsmen in imperial China vying with a power-hungry villain for possession of the dangerous "Peacock Dart"It showcases brilliantly choreographed fights, glorious settings, superb cinematography, exceptional scenes, and a strong cast. It all leads to a final showdown that stands out as a highpoint in kung-fu cinema.
Only the Shaw Brothers Studio could conceive and produce such a spectacular clash of esoteric weapons. Fans of the internationally popular "FLYING GUILLOTINE" films will appreciate the continuous kung-fu confrontations with some of the most intriguing and exciting martial arts machinery ever seen on screen. The studio's first international action star, Lo Lieh (who burst upon the scene before even Bruce Lee in KING BOXER) leads the charge as holder of the title tool -- an ultra-cool flying boomerang with blades. He must take on the terrible Iron Ball Chain, Golden Net, and other deadly devices to gain control of a special elixir which will cure an all-too-treacherous royal official. Tang Chia and Yuen Cheung-yan, the underrated giants of kung-fu choreography, stage some of the best sword on shield action ever in this fun and unusual fight-fest. There are double crosses and ambushes galore before the culminating clash of sizzling steel that has to be seen to be believed.
While international favorite David Chiang was best known for his role as a grinning, streetwise fighter in many Chang Cheh-directed classics, he rarely played a noble warrior monk. In this movie, he portrays the great Chih Shim, the monk who saved the Southern Shaolin Temple. Other notable stars in this martial arts epic include Lo Lieh (playing Shaolin renegade Pai Mei) and Lily Li (“first lady of Shaw kung-fu”) as one of Monk Chih Shim’s best allies.
Pao Hseuh-li started his film career as a cinematographer, beautifully lensing such important films as Golden Swallow. This was one of his films as director. Lo Lieh, soon to be Shaw Brothers' first international star, stars as Sung Dynasty patriot Chin Liang, who runs afoul of a corrupt and ambitious ex-friend. To avenge the villains' treachery, he must make an oath of death, purposely maiming himself to accomplish his ultimate triumph.
Liu Chia-liang is arguably the best martial arts film director of traditional style kung-fu action and was a pioneer in focusing on authentic martial arts techniques and training procedures in his films. This is the why stars in his movies looked more like kung-fu experts rather than actors simply going through the motions. So although David Chiang had starred in over 40 films as a martial arts hero, in Shaolin Mantis, where he plays a man who learns martial arts from a praying mantis then seeks revenge for his wife's death, the movie contains some of Chiang's best fight scenes ever. By casting his brothers Liu Chia-yung and Gordon Liu Chia-hui into the mix, Liu further ensures that the pugilistic mayhem will be even more outstanding.
David Chiang, Liu Chia-hui, Lily Li, Huang Hsing-hsiu
In the mid-1980's Chu Yuan became internationally famous for starring as the nasty villain in Jackie Chan's groundbreaking worldwide hit, POLICE STORY. But for more than twenty-five years, he was famous as one of Hong Kong’s most respected directors of "Martial-art World" epics — often conceived by his remarkable collaborator, novelist Ku Lung. This was one of their last together for the Shaw Brothers Studio, but it's another revenge and mystery-tinged winner. Liu Yung and Sun Chien (the Korean kicking THE FIVE VENOM from Chang Cheh's internationally popular series) team to investigate the martial-art murders of a supposedly mortally wounded swordsman, only to find deception, double-dealings, imposters, and one deadly duel after another. No less than three choreographers are on hand to handle the multitude of martial arts, making this one of Chu Yuan's most involving and exciting efforts ever.
Liang Jia-jen delivers an awesome display of screen presence and martial art prowess in Secret Service Of The Imperial Court where he plays secret service agent Chao Pu-fun, who must rise up above the odds to protect the innocent against a power-crazy Eunuch (Liu Yung).
