Category Archives: Chinese

Jade Raksha, The (1968) Review

Director: Ho Meng-Hua Cast: Cheng Pei-pei, Tang Ching, Wong Ching Wan, Ku Feng, Yeung Chi Hing, Fan Mei Sheng Running Time: 91 min. By Will McGuire In the midst of the current avalanche of Shaw Brothers titles getting top-shelf physical releases in America, it’s only natural that fans will look for hidden gems in the enormous Shaw catalog. As publishers get deeper into the backlog, and more obscure films begin … Continue reading

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Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms (2023) Review

Director: Wu Ershan Cast: Kris Phillips, Narana Eryeneeva, Huang Bo, Yafan Wu, Ci Sha, Yu Shi, Li Xuejian, Chen Muchi Running Time: 148 min. By Paul Bramhall  There was a time in the mid-2010’s when the Mainland Chinese film industry seemed to be obsessed with producing big budget CGI driven fantasy spectacles, with what felt like a new title being announced with alarming frequency. One such example was 2016’s League … Continue reading

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Ride On (2023) Review

Director: Larry Yang Cast: Jackie Chan, Xing Yu, Andy On, Yu Rongguang, Wu Jing, Stanley Tong, Aarif Rahman, Liu Haocun Running Time: 126 min. By Paul Bramhall For fans of Jackie Chan, on paper Ride On is the movie we’ve (yes, I count myself amongst them!) been waiting for him to make for at least the last 10 years. Since Mainland China became a box office juggernaut in the 2010’s … Continue reading

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Eye for an Eye: The Blind Swordsman (2022) Review

Director: Bingjia Yang Cast: Xie Miao, Gao Wei Wan, Hao Xiang, Zhang Di, Liu Ben, Zhang Haosen, Kang Xuan Running Time: 78 min.  By Paul Bramhall  The character of the blind swordsman is one that can be found in almost every countries output that’s dabbled in the martial arts genre. It’s arguably Shintaro Katsu’s portrayal of Zatoichi in Japanese cinema whose shadow is cast over all of them, a character who, … Continue reading

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Shaolin Kung Fu (1974) Review

Director: Joseph Kuo Cast: Chiang-Long, Yi Yuan, Liao Shou Yun, Liu Ping, Yee Hung, Tsang Chiu, Yu Chung Chiu, Yuen Sam, Choi Wang, Woo Chau Ping, Chan San Yat, Yim Chung Running Time: 92 min. By Paul Bramhall The early 70’s was a changing time for kung-fu cinema both in Hong Kong and Taiwan. While the 60’s had been dominated by the wuxia genre, the 70’s kicked off with Jimmy … Continue reading

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Old Master, The (1979) Review

Director: Joseph Kuo Cast: Yu Jim-Yuen, Bill Louie, David Pedernera, Wang Yung-Sheng, Starr Hester, Ng Siu-Nam, Pau Ga-Chung, Hui Man-Yui, Chi Fu-Chiang, Yuen Hung Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall  After the success of 1978’s double whammy of Snake in the Eagles Shadow and Drunken Master, filmmakers were falling over themselves to find the next Jackie Chan and replicate the kung-fu comedy formula. In 1979 the onslaught was already … Continue reading

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36 Deadly Styles, The (1979) Review

Director: Joseph Kuo Cast: Nick Cheung Lik, Chan Lau, Mark Long, Jack Long, Max Lee Chiu-Chun, Fan Mei-Sheng, Jeanie Chang, Yeung Chak-Lam, Hwang Jang Lee, Bolo Yeung Running Time: 92 min.  By Paul Bramhall When it comes to the old-school kung-fu genre, the year 1979 almost comes with the equivalent of a “satisfaction guaranteed or your money back” kind of deal, as an almost unlimited deluge of quality releases graced the … Continue reading

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Bravest Revenge, The (1970) Review

Director: Chien Lung Cast: Polly Shang-Kuan, Tien Peng, Yi Yuan, Wan Chung Shan, Hsueh Han, Chen Bao-Liang Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall Many fans of kung-fu cinema regard the 70’s as the genres golden decade, and rightfully so, with the countless classics cranked out from the likes of the Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest leaving a lasting legacy. In 1970 itself the genre was in an interesting place. Bruce … Continue reading

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Manhattan Chase (2000) Review

Director: Godfrey Ho Cast: Loren Avedon, Cynthia Rothrock, Brendan Kelly, Steve Tartalia, Nicol Zanzarella, Roberto Gutierrez, Robin Berry, Chris Grall, Robinlynn Sweeney Running Time: 97 min. By Paul Bramhall When it comes to Hong Kong cinema, there are a handful of directors whose reputation precedes them, and arguably Godfrey Ho is one of them. For better or worse, Ho pioneered a business model that involved cutting corners in increasingly imaginative ways … Continue reading

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Fist of Fury (1972) Review

AKA: Chinese Connection Director: Lo Wei Cast: Bruce Lee, Nora Miao, Tien Feng, Robert Baker, Paul Wei Ping Ao, Lo Wei, Riki Hashimoto, Lee Kwan, Feng Yi, Wong Chung Shun, Alexander Grand Running Time: 108 min. By Henry McKeand You can’t take your eyes off of Bruce Lee.  This is by design, of course. At the funeral that opens Fist of Fury, he’s the only one in a small sea … Continue reading

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Master and the Kid (1978) Review

AKA Shaolin Master and the Kid Director: Lin Fu Ti Cast: Yueh Hua, Man Kong Lung, Violet Pan Yingzi, Philip Ko Fei, Chan Sing, Weng Hsiao Hu, Ho Wai Hung, Shaw Luo Hui, Ngok Yeung, Hu Chin, Leung Kar Yan Running Time: 91 min.  By Martin Sandison Lone Wolf and Cub remains one of the most well-regarded comic books and film series to come from Japan. My own love for … Continue reading

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Big Boss: Mandarin Cut, The (1971) Review

Director: Lo Wei Producer: Raymond Chow Cast: Bruce Lee, Maria Yi, James Tien Chun, Han Ying Chieh, Nora Miao, Lee Kwan, Anthony Lau, Lam Ching Ying, Billy Chan Wui Ngai, Peter Yang Kwan Running Time: 115 min. By Ian Whittle The Big Boss remains a rather intriguing oddity. Golden Harvest’s first contemporary martial arts movie, it was released the same month as Shaw’s also Thailand filmed Duel of Fists. But … Continue reading

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Hidden Blade (2023) Review

Director: Cheng Er Cast: Tony Leung, Wang Yibo, Chengpeng Dong, Zhou Xun, Eric Wang, Huang Lei, Hiroyuki Mori Running Time: 130 min.  By Paul Bramhall Spy thrillers set in the 30’s and 40’s have become something of a genre unto themselves in the Chinese film industry during the last decade or so, with titles likes Alan Mak and Felix Chong’s The Silent War, Ann Hui’s Our Time Will Come, and Chen … Continue reading

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Unleashed (2020) Review

Director: Ambrose Kwok Co-director: Ka Hei Kwok Cast: Sun Zhen-Feng, Ken Lo, Zheng Zi-Ping, Venus Wong, Sam Lee, Raymond Chiu Running Time: 84 min.  By Henry McKeand There’s something quaint about Unleashed, the 2020 kickboxing film from Kwok Ka-Hei and Ambrose Kwok Yat-Choi. Then again, in a modern action climate dominated by assassins and digital blood spray, maybe there’s something quaint about all movies concerned mainly with competitions and training … Continue reading

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Born Invincible (1978) Review

Director: Joseph Kuo Cast: Mark Long, Jack Long, Carter Wong, Lo Lieh, Nancy Yen, Corey Yuen, Yuen Shun Yee, Lung Fei, Alan Chui, Yuen Sam, Chen Chiu, Chu Siu Wa, Yuen Woo Ping Running Time: 83 min. By Ian Whittle My immediate reaction to Born Invincible is that someone must have put all the actor’s names in a hat before assigning roles… we’ve got regular villain Lung Fei playing the master … Continue reading

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