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on Looking for love? New Featurette for Ke Huy Quan’s actioner ‘Love Hurts’ from ‘John Wick’ producer David LeitchI love Short round as much as anyone else. I think I was the same as him when…
on Is Keanu Reeves going John Wick-sploitation? Keanu Reeves to star and produce an adaptation of ‘Kill Current’Was hoping this was going to be a sequel to Kill Line. :-)
on HEAD’d your way! Jimmy Wang Yu’s ‘Master of the Flying Guillotine’ arriving on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-rayShaloin Soccer was already with uncut version years ago, so was SPL and Ong B…
on HEAD’d your way! Jimmy Wang Yu’s ‘Master of the Flying Guillotine’ arriving on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-rayI've been waiting for this one a long time! YES!
on This collection is FAT! Details and Trailers for Shout’s ‘Chow Yun-fat Collection’ on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-rayI'm impressed you can tell the difference - unfortunately like most Americans…
on Back-to-back action! Watch the Trailers for the microbudget martial arts thrillers ‘Five By Five’ and ‘Echo 8 Beyond’Watched the OG Echo 8 and yoooo this is lit.
on Chen Kuan-tai, martial artist and Shaw Brothers star of ‘Boxer from Shantung’ and ‘Flying Guillotine’, passes away at 80Bruce Lee wasn’t ignored in HK because he wasn’t perusing a film career there…
on THE PERFECT WEAPON IS BACK! Martial arts star Jeff Speakman talks about his comeback film ‘Lost Echoes’Time for these old men to go to retirement homes and make room for the new fe…
on Back-to-back action! Watch the Trailers for the microbudget martial arts thrillers ‘Five By Five’ and ‘Echo 8 Beyond’Finally some female-led action! We need way more of this energy. Less men,, m…
on THESE GIRLS GOT BALLS! Watch the New Trailer for Stephen Chow’s ‘Kung Fu Soccer’The biggest hit for the summer in China, according to Variety. https://variet…
on THE PERFECT WEAPON IS BACK! Martial arts star Jeff Speakman talks about his comeback film ‘Lost Echoes’Jeff Speakman is undoubtedly one of the best martial artists of my lifetime.…
Category Archives: Ninja
Leopard Fist Ninja | aka The Return of Twin Dragons (1982) Review
AKA: The Return of Twin Dragons Director: Nam Gi-nam Cast: Im Ja-Ho, Baek Hwang-Gi, Kim Yoo-Haeng, Jo Choon, Im Hae-Rim, Chia Kai, Kim Ki-Beom, Jo Hak-Ja, Park Jong-Seol, Choe Jong-Sook, Kang Cheol Running Time: 83 min. By Paul Bramhall By the 1980’s the popularity of the taekwon-action genre was starting to wane in its native Korea, a decline brought on by the hugely popular release of Drunken Master, which saw … Continue reading
Lucky Seven | aka 7 Ninja Kids (1986) Review
Director: Chao Chen-Kuo Cast: Chiao Pei, Yang Wei-De, Lin Tung-An, Wang Chi-Cheng, Cheng Wei-Pai, Chang Chai-Ming, Hsu Yu-Ta, Hsiao Hung-Me, Eugene Thomas, Chang Yi-Teng Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall Spend long enough in the niche genre that is kung-fu cinema, and you’ll eventually find yourself exploring some of the more obscure corners of what’s on offer. One such corner is that of the Taiwanese kids kung-fu movie, a … Continue reading
Ninja in the Dragon’s Den (1982) Review
Director: Corey Yuen Cast: Conan Lee, Hiroyuki Sanada (Henry Sanada), Tanaka Hiroshi, Tai Bo, Hwang Jang Lee, Kaname Tsushima, Someno Yukio, Chin Lung, Tien Feng, Ma Chin-Ku, Best Kwon Yeong-Moon, Paul Wei Ping Ao Running Time: 95 min. By Ian Whittle In memory of Corey Yuen Kwai, whose death in 2022 was recently made public. The early 80s saw an explosion of ninja-mania, instigated by Eric Van Lustbader’s novel The … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Ninja, Reviews, Top 4 Featured
Tagged Conan Lee, Corey Yuen, Hiroyuki Sanada (Henry Sanada), Hwang Jang Lee, Paul Wei Ping Ao, Tien Feng
Haunted Samurai (1970) Review
Director: Keiichi Ozawa Cast: Hideki Takahashi, Masako Izumi, Isao Natsuyagi, Seiichiro Kameishi, Shoki Fukae, Yûji Odaka, Eiji Go, Masaya Oka, Utako Shibusawa, Maya Kitajima Running Time: 83 min. By Will McGuire Haunted Samurai is the perfect companion to a Lone Wolf and Cub movie marathon. This 1970 saga of evil Yagyu ninjas and noble samurai straining between the rigors of their code and the needs of their conscience feels like … Continue reading
Super Ninja, The | aka Killers Untouchable (1984) Review
Director: James Wu Cast: Alexander Lo Rei, Eugene Thomas, Jack Long Shi-Chia, William Yen, Bruce Lai (Chang Il-do), Tong Lung, Yang Hsiung, Yu Kam-Po, Kim Gi-Jong, Lo Mei Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall Amongst the many ninja flicks that Taiwan cranked out in the 1980’s, perhaps none stand out more than director James Wu’s unintended ninja trilogy. Kicking off with his directorial debut in 1984 with The Super … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Ninja, Reviews
Tagged Alexander Lo Rei, Bruce Lai (Chang Il-do), Eugene Thomas, Jack Long, James Wu
Ninja in the Claws of the CIA | aka Kung Fu Emanuelle (1981) Review
AKA: Made in China Director: John Liu Cast: John Liu, Casanova Wong, Danny Lee, John Ladalski, Roger Paschy, Mirta Miller, Cheng Bik-Lin, Gam Biu, Raquel Evans, Jose Maria Blanco Running Time: 77 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s always interesting when kung fu stars decide to step into the director’s chair and helm their own starring vehicles, from the globe-trotting adventures of Bruce Le in the likes of Challenge of the Tiger … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Ninja, Reviews
Tagged Casanova Wong (Ka Sa Fa), Danny Lee Sau Yin, John Ladalski, John Liu, Roger Paschy
Ninja Condors (1987) Review
Director: James Wu Cast: Alexander Lo Rei, Stuart Hugh, Richard Phillips, Mick Murray, Eugene Thomas, Lu Feng, Jack Long Shi-Chia, Li Hai-Hsing, Wang Te-Sheng Running Time: 89 min. By Paul Bramhall When it comes to 1980’s kung fu cinema, there were 2 areas that Taiwan excelled at – the kids kung fu flick, and ninjas! The latter became synonymous with the talented Alexander Lo Rei, who came to headline the … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Ninja, Reviews
Tagged Alexander Lo Rei, Eugene Thomas, Jack Long, James Wu, Lu Feng (Centipede)
Ninja Champion | aka Poisonous Rose Stripping the Night (1986) Review
Director: Kim Si-hyun Co-director: Godfrey Ho Cast: Choe Eun-hye, Im Ja-ho, Dragon Lee (Mun Kyong-sok), Baek Hwang-ki, Richard Harrison, Bruce Baron, Pierre Tremblay, Yoon Yang-Ha, Park Se-bum Running Time: 87 min. By Paul Bramhall There are only 2 types of people in the world who’d want to watch Ninja Champion – those who enjoy cut ‘n’ paste Godfrey Ho ninja flicks, and those who want to check out an obscure … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, Korean, News, Ninja, Reviews
Tagged Bruce Barron, Dragon Lee (Mun Kyong-sok), Godfrey Ho, Pierre Tremblay
Ninja Over the Great Wall (1987) Review
AKA: Fire on the Great Wall Director: Bruce Le Cast: Bruce Le (Huang Kin Long), Li Ning, Yu Hai, Leung Yim, Shikamura Yasuyoshi, Cheng Yuen Man, Xue Bai, Gao Jian-Hua, Ma Zheng, Yang Li-Xin Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall After spending 10 years playing various incarnations of Bruce Lee within the infamous Bruceploitation genre, Huang Kin-Lung (or Bruce Le as he’s more commonly known) directed what could be … Continue reading
Posted in All, Bruceploitation, Chinese, News, Ninja, Reviews
Tagged Bruce Le (Huang Kin Long)
Silent Assassins (1988) Review
Director: Lee Doo-Yong Cast: Sam Jones, Linda Blair, Jun Chong, Phillip Rhee, Mako, Bill Erwin, Gustav Vintas, Rebecca Ferratti, Bill Wallace, Alexis Rhee, Simon Rhee, Joanna Chong Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall Let’s be clear, there are only two kinds of people who should be checking out Silent Assassins. The first is the demographic that feels inexplicably drawn to a movie which would team up Flash Gordon with Regan from … Continue reading
Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Ninja, Reviews
Tagged Bill Wallace, Jun Chong, Mako, Phillip Rhee, Sam J. Jones, Simon Rhee
South Shaolin vs. North Shaolin (1983) Review
Director: Wu Chia Chun Co-director: Casanova Wong Cast: Casanova Wong, Eagle Han Ying, Ma Chin Ku, Wang Kuan Hsiung, Chiang Cheng Running Time: 87 min. By Paul Bramhall In 1982, a year prior to the release of South Shaolin vs. North Shaolin, the movie that launched Jet Li into stardom, and triggered a wave of wushu influenced Shaolin movies, captured the imagination of Asian audiences in the form of Shaolin Temple. Made … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, Korean, News, Ninja, Reviews
Tagged Casanova Wong (Ka Sa Fa), Eagle Han Ying, Wu Chia Chun
City Ninja | aka Ninja Holocaust (1985) Review
AKA: Rocky’s Love Affairs Director: Choi Young-chul Cast: Michael Chan Wai-Man, Casanova Wong, Andy Chworowsky, Chae Eun-hui, Eagle Han Ying, Park Yun-geun, John Ladalski, Mabel Kwong Mei-Bo Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall Let’s just get it out of the way upfront – City Ninja is such a muddled production, the very prospect of reviewing it and providing some kind of background of how it came to be is an intimidating one. Almost every source … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Ninja, Reviews
Tagged Casanova Wong (Ka Sa Fa), Eagle Han Ying, John Ladalski, Michael Chan Wai Man
Challenge of the Lady Ninja (1983) Review
AKA: Chinese Super Ninja 2 Director: Lee Tso Nam Cast: Elsa Yeung Wai San, Chen Kuan Tai, Cho Kin, Kam Yin Fei, Kon Tak Mun, Peng Kang, Sit Hon, Sun Jung Chi, Robert Tai Chi Hsien, Yin Su Li Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall For many, 1983 will be the year that Taiwanese director Lee Tso Nam is associated with creating the kung fu masterpiece Shaolin Vs Lama, a slice … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Ninja, Reviews
Tagged Chen Kuan-tai, Elsa Yeung Wai San, Lee Tso Nam
Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972) Review
Director: Kenji Misumi Producer: Shintaro Katsu Cast: Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Tomoko Mayama, Fumio Watanabe, Keiko Fujita, Reiko Kasahara, Yunosuke Ito, Shun’ya Wazaki Running Time: 83 min. By Martin Sandison In February of this year, I attended a drinks function for the Edinburgh Film Festival, which takes place in June. I bumped into an acquaintance I’d known for many years, an actor and senior programmer called Niall Fulton, who the previous … Continue reading
Ghost Warrior | aka Swordkill (1984) Review
AKA: Swordkill Director: J. Larry Carroll Cast: Hiroshi Fujioka, John Calvin, Janet Julian, Charles Lampkin, Frank Schuller, Bill Morey, Andy Wood, Robert Kino, Joan Foley, Peter Liapis, Mieko Kobayashi, Toshishiro Obata Running Time: 81 min. By Kelly Warner One of Ghost Warrior’s poster taglines was, ‘100 Years Ago, He Was a Living Legend… Today, He’s a Living Hell.’ You can almost hear the trailer voice guy reading that, can’t you? … Continue reading
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