Big Boss, The | aka Fists of Fury (1971) Review

Posted on January 27, 2011 by JJ Bona
"The Big Boss" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The Big Boss” Chinese Theatrical Poster

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 James H.

There are movies with low production values and then there are movies with Lo Wei production values. This movie was made for $100,000, and it looks like it was made for $50,000. It is about a country bumpkin (Bruce Lee), who leaves the farm to pursue work in an ice factory. It is then revealed the boss of the factory is a drug lord. As you may have guessed, fights and carnage ensue.

The film itself looks very cheap. The direction is lacking, the editing is choppy and it looks like a home movie. Despite these elements, it’s still a fun, entertaining movie. It is not the groundbreaking film Bruce Lee fanatics make it out to be. The reason it has been touted as the unprecedented event in cinema is because it was so violent. It may have been groundbreaking by HK standards, but North America already witnessed Sam Peckinpah?s “The Wild Bunch”, a film that broke more rules than “The Big Boss”.

The American version is titled “Fists of Fury”, which just happens to be the version I saw. The print looks tired and faded, the music is terrible and the dubbing is about as bad as you can get. But still, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the campiness of it all. Let’s face it, the fights are not that good, and they are incredibly hokey and unbelievable.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fun movie for a Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. It just doesn’t have all the right elements to become a true classic, but it is definitely a cult classic.

James H’s Rating: 6/10

By Tyler

The plot is your basic chop-sockey story line. Cheng Chao An is brought to Thailand by his Uncle. Upon arrival he meets his relatives, and a cute girl (Maria Yi). The next day he starts work at an ice factory where he accidentally breaks a large piece of ice containing a white pouch. The two workers that see the package disappear, killed by a rich womanizing boss. After two other workers disappear the workers refuse to work until the find their friends. This causes a Kung Fu brawl which leads Chenge Chao An (Bruce Lee) to beating the crap out of the thugs. This causes (inadvertainly) his whole family getting killed, and the cute girl getting kidnapped. Cheng Chao An rather then calling the police takes the appropriate action in getting revenge on the Big Boss.

Your basic Kung Fu plot which kinder to downtrodden Cantonese people. For an amateur in working with film, Bruce Lee does well in portraying a strange hero in a different country. He lets humor,confusion, anger, and humility to his fight choreography. His acting is not as up to par as it was in Fist of Fury, but his presence is demanding.

My favorite scene in this film is when Bruce Lee goes to kill the big boss. When Lee meets his henchmen first and resorts to beating them with unparalleled grace. The campiness of the 70’s did take it’s toll on the film, but Bruce obviously had some input in the film. One scene when Bruce sticks his fingers in the main villains stomach, causing him to bleed feverishly is just too laughable. Another weird scene is when Bruce kicks the a knife into a villains chest.

Big Boss was Bruce Lee’s first film, and brought him into the main stream The filmmakers original director Wu Chia Hsiang quit because of the films low budget, which Lo Wei was allowed to finish the film. Big Boss was the second Bruce Lee film I saw. This film is what also got me interested in Bruce Lee. I always loved this film for it’s campiness, and raw ridiculous action. The film reflects a downtrodden Cantonese man who retaliates against his corrupt employer. One of the greatest macho fantasies ever. Beating up your boss.

Tyler’s Rating: 7/10

By Alvin George

Fists of Fury, also known as The Big Boss, is a pretty good martial arts movie. Bruce Lee is awesome, even though he’s dubbed and he doesn’t make all those animal-like fighting sounds he made in Enter the Dragon. Without Bruce Lee, no one would probably have ever of Jackie Chan or Samo Hung, not to mention any of those various fake stand-ins (Bruce Li, Bruce Leung, Bruce Le, etc.) I also liked the Lalo Schifrin-like music score, which made me think that Clint Eastwood was gonna come out any second with his .44 Magnum.

If you need to get an English-dubbed verson, get the Fox Video copy. I bought the film in a two-pack along with The Chinese Connection (aka Fist of Fury), one made by Madacy (I think). The characters in that copy (naturally an EP dub) all look skinny (like Paula Abdul in her Promise of a New Day music video), and it’s not just during the opening credits. (For those of you who don’t know, many of the ’70s films shot using such widescreen formats like Panavision got squished during the opening credits so that the credits could all be on the screen when shown on TV. This was true of the edited-for-TV version of Dirty Harry, among others.)

Alvin George’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in Chinese, Golden Harvest, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , |

Way of the Dragon | aka Return of the Dragon (1972) Review

Posted on January 27, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Way of the Dragon" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Way of the Dragon” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Bruce Lee
Producer: Raymond Chow
Cast: Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Gam Dai, Unicorn Chan, Tony Liu, Nora Miao, Wang In Sik, Paul Wei, Bob Wall, Jon Benn, Anders Nelsson, Riccardo Billi, Alexander Grand, Malisa Longo, Andre Morgan, Russell Cawthorne
Running Time: 96 min.

By Jesse

Bruce Lee’s 1973 film Return of the Dragon (which was also written and directed by Lee) tells the tale of a young farmboy from Hong Kong who travels to Rome in order to help rid his uncle’s restaurant of the local thugs who aim to make it their own by any means possible. Dragon is filled with cheesy acting, has a poorly-written script, and isn’t very well told… but what it does have is Bruce Lee kicking a lot of ass in it. Which is really the only reason why you would watch a Lee film to begin with. Though Bruce isn’t the greatest actor, he does have a certain charm and charisma that can clearly be seen while watching any one of his movies.

One of the most unrealistic aspects of the film though is how Lee’s character Tang Lung transitions from a naive and somewhat innocent countryman to an all-out beast full of rage in fury in no time. But like I said, the reason why we watch Bruce Lee movies is for the exciting and rip-roaring fights featured, not for the technical aspects. And watching Lee in action is certainly a marvel to behold. In Return of the Dragon, we get to witness the typical Lee with double nunchuks vs. a whole gang of guys action sequence, as well as the always watchable one on one fight scenes where Lee shows the audience how fast and furious (2 fast… haha, sorry) he really is.

The highlight of the film occurs at the end when Lee is forced to do battle with his real-life friend and protege Bob Wall (in which he quietly defeats him by giving him a quick punch in the nuts), and the soon to be famous Chuck Norris. The Lee vs. Norris fight is certainly something unique as we watch Lee’s ancient style of Chinese Kung Fu clash with Norris’ extremely harsh and robotic forum of Japanese Karate. I won’t tell you what the outcome of the fight is, but if you’ve ever seen a Bruce Lee movie or have an ounce of intelligence in your head I’m sure you can figure out what it is.

Nora Miao also stars as a friend of the family who provides shelter for Lung as he helps his uncle out, and while her character (and the actress herself) is a bit-one dimensional, she provides a nice piece of eye candy that’s sure to keep the men in the audience pleased. So if you’re looking for a brainless actioner with plenty of heart-pounding action, look no further.

Jesse’s Rating: 7.5/10

By James H.

The Good: Bruce Lee (obviously). His directing, acting, fights. You name it, he’s good at it. Nora Miao is also good, and just beautiful too. As I said, the fights are good, but they are more than that. The last 30 minutes or so are incredible. The finale with Norris is breath-taking.

The Bad: Flamboyantly gay bad guys aren’t too threatening, even if they have guns. Also, the acting, besides Bruce and Nora, is just atrocious. Of course, I had to see the American release with the very irritating dubbing (when you dub a movie, it would be wise to get voice actors with voices that aren’st grating). Also, the sound effects are exaggerated and out of synch. The plot is also pretty damn thin, but hey, this is a martial arts movie.

Bottom Line: Chuck Norris is one hairy dude.

James H’s Rating: 7.5/10

By S!DM

Lee’s first full-fledged film-making effort, Way of the Dragon sees Bruce writing, directing, and starring in what I consider his crowning achievement. Bruce absolutely took charge of this film; The burden of film perfection rested squarely on his own shoulders. At the time of pre-production, Golden Harvest had a tailor-made script prepared for Lee, called The Yellow-Faced Tiger, which Bruce was sincerely thinking about making, but he felt that with Way of the Dragon, he could have full control. From casting the characters to playing percussion!

Working 14 hours a day, Bruce and his crew worked tirelessly in both Hong Kong and Rome, to bring you the tale of Tang Lung, a country bumpkin sent to Italy to help his Uncle’s ailing restaurant business. Little does he know that a gang of mobsters want the restaurant for their own reasons, setting the pace for incredible fighting scenes. Excellent battles ensue between Lee and super-kicking Whang In-Sik, and champs Bob Wall and Chuck Norris, in an incredible finale fight, arguably Lee’s best (and with good reason; Lee had 20 pages of notes prepared for his duel with Norris). Lee’s best film is definitely Way of the Dragon.

S!DM’s Rating: 10/10

Posted in Chinese, Golden Harvest, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Clan of the White Lotus | aka Fist of the White Lotus (1980) Review

Posted on January 27, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Clan of the White Lotus" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Clan of the White Lotus” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Lo Lieh
Cast: Gordon Liu, Lo Lieh, Kara Hui, Johnny Wang Lung Wei, Hsiao Ho, Yeung Jing Jing, Cheng Miu, Ching Chu, Lam Fai Wong, Wilson Tong, Cham Siu Hung, Ho Kei Cheong, Lin Ke Ming, Ng Git Keung, San Sin
Running Time: 95 mins.

By Mighty Peking Man

Let’s get one thing straight: Fist of the White Lotus isn’t a remake or a sequel to 1977’s Executioners From Shaolin. I could see why they’d call it a remake, but sequel? No way.

I’m not sure what the director (Lo Lei) was trying to do, but I think of Fist of the White Lotus as more of a re-mixed, re-invention of the Liu Chia-Liang’s 1977 film. It has enough similarities in its skeleton, but its insides are a different story.

In Fist of the White Lotus, Lo Lei isn’t reprising his role as Pai Mei, he’s now playing his brother, White Lotus. The real Pai Mei (played by Wilson Tong) appears at the beginning of the film, but is killed off by Hung Wei-Ting (Gordon Liu Chia-Hui) and his partner. But hold on, wasn’t Pai Mei already killed in Executioners From Shaolin? You bet. Like I said, NOT a sequel.

I think the public wanted to see more of Lo Lei’s performance, in any variation of that evil white-eyebrowed kung fu maniac, so the Shaw Brothers gave it to them. Whatever the case may be, in either movies, you wouldn’t be wrong calling Lo Lieh’s character “White Eyebrows” or “Pai Mei” (or “Pak Mei”, both words mean White Eyebrows). It doesn’t matter.

What does matter is, like Executioners From Shaolin, Fist of the White Lotus is a really solid kung fu movie.

Once again, the action choreography is done by Liu Chia-Liang, so expect pure greatness. And this time, he’s not directing, so his primary focus is on the fight scenes alone; which may explain why his arrangements are a tad more polished this time around – well, that, and the fact that it was made a few years after.

Fist of the White Lotus is less dark, with more humor and fun. Because of this, the film’s natural pace is easier to sit through than Executioners From Shaolin. However, the seriousness in the latter reveals more integrity, especially when Fist of the White Lotus gets a little too corny: at one point, White Lotus is fighting while trying to cover up his nude body, and in pure embarrassment, he says to the attacker: “Why must you peak at an old man?”

We all love Chen Kuan-Tai, but having Gordon Liu as the main man is a nice change of pace. The inclusion of Johnny Wang and ESPECIALLY Kara Hui, makes this one enjoyable ride. I’ve seen her before here and there, but this is the first time she made me a fan.

Overall, a great directing job from Lo Lei, who never fails to impress me. I’m just so used to seeing him in random kung fu movies (sometimes in crappy flicks, like Chinese Connection II), that I never knew his direction was this slick. I guess it’s kind of hard to screw things up when you have a talented cast; a great fight choreographer; and the backing of a Shaw Brothers presentation.

I apologize for this review being more like a comparison between two similar movies, than an actual review about one. The best thing to do is watch both of them, back to back, starting with Executioners From Shaolin.

You can’t go wrong with either of them.

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 9/10

By The Lawgiver

More of a remake than a sequel of Shaolin Executioners (aka Executioners of Death ) Fists of the White Lotus stars two of the all-time greats: Gordon Liu, of Master Killer fame, and Lo Lieh (who doubles as the film’s director), who helped start it all in America with Five Fingers of Death. It contains the basic ingredients of a revenge plot, fun training sequences, and great fighting choreography, but it is Lo Lieh’s portrayal of the white-haired (almost) invulnerable head of the White Lotus Clan that raises this film above the standard fare. Lo Lieh steals every scene that he’s in, which is no small feat, considering he stars alongside Gordon Liu. The action starts immediately, with a fight sequence happening as the opening credits roll that is worthy of a film’s final battle.

This was one of my favorite films growing up and still holds up for me today. I love the fact that our villain can not only kill with a single blow to the chest, but determine how many steps you will take before you die. And our poor hero not only has to contend with finding his opponent’s one vulnerable point, he has to train to land a hit when it is realized that a fast and aggressive attack will cause his foe to literally blow away like a feather.

A must-see, one of the Shaw Brothers’ best.

The Lawgiver’s Rating: 9/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , , |

Hong Kong Playboys (1983) Review

Posted on January 27, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Hong Kong Playboys" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"Hong Kong Playboys" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Wong Jing
Writer: Wong Jing
Producer: Lawrence Wong
Cast: Alexander Fu Sheng, Patrick Tse Yin, Nat Chan (Pak Cheung), Cherie Chung (Cho Hung), Lau Suet Wa (Liu Hsueh-Hua), Lee Heung Kam, Fong Ping, Chan Laap Ban, Lam Fai Wong, Lau Yat Fan, Sek Kin, Tam Tin Nam, To Siu Ming, Chin Wai Yee
Time: 94 min

By Mighty Peking Man

Hong Kong Playboys stars the late Alexander Fu Sheng as Romantic Sheng, a free-spirited lady’s man who enjoys exotic cars and hi-tech gadgetry in his one-of-a-kind bachelor’s pad (you have to see his place to believe it – it’s a single guy’s dream!). His romantic situations are compromised when his mother and her caretaker (Cherie Chung) unexpectedly show up. Despite Sheng’s unwanted guests, he still manages to take part in a series of bizarre “who can get the women” competitions between him and Valentine (Patrick Tse), a middle-aged tycoon. Along the way, Sheng must choose between remaining a playboy or settling down with his one true love.

First off, let me get to the point: this movie is a letdown. I don’t mind movies that are pure camp, but this one is so convoluted that the necessary cheese-factors become pointless. The film starts off on the right track by introducing Sheng’s player-lifestyle and his ease with picking up on the ladies. In fact, one of the best scenes in the film, which lasts only minutes, is where Sheng teaches his chubby friend the “do’s and don’ts” of courting women. From this point on, the film’s entertainment factor goes up and down – but mostly down. There are a few moments of comedic magic but they seem to get lost in the film’s cluster of tiresome gags involving a number of beautiful women, dorky sidekicks, and unexplainable situations.

Am I being over critical? Sure I am. After all, this is an early Wong Jing flick and those who know his films know that most of them aren’t exactly classic material. One thing’s for sure: Alexander Fu Sheng is as charismatic as Chow Yun-Fat and Jackie Chan combined, and I’m talking in their best years; I’m not just saying this because the guy is dead (he lost his life in an accident where his car smashed into a wall at a very high speed, shortly after this film). There’s no doubt in my mind, even after his successful kung-fu career in 1970s (this film, however, is kung fu-less), that Fu Sheng could go head-to-head with Jackie Chan as far as overall success. After all, he’s been called the “James Dean of Hong Kong”…

Hong Kong Playboys also marks an early appearance by Cherie Chung who is mostly known for her work in Sammo Hung’s Winners and Sinners, Tsui Hark’s Peking Opera Blues, and John Woo’s Once A Thief. Other familiar faces include Patrick Tse (Shaolin Soccer) and the late Shih Kien (Han from Enter the Dragon).

Visually, the film has a great deal of iconic value. Since the film was made in the colorful year of 1983, it’s a possible treat for fans of retro-pop culture. Most of this takes place in Sheng’s pad where he shows off an array of hi-tech gadgetry including a radio controlled wine-server; a clap-on/clap-off switch for lights, music and stereo; an answering machine that displays which girlfriend is calling in the most 1980ish way; dozens of Member’s Only jackets; bad perms on the women; and classic sports cars that signify the film’s year, like the Lamborghini Countach. It may sound funny, but all these things add some much-needed charm to the film.

Overall, Hong Kong Playboys is a must for fans of Fu Sheng. Not only was it one of his last films, but it’s also the only one that shows a more animated and comedic side to him. Kudos to Celestial Pictures, they digitally remastered this for it’s DVD release and they did such a fantastic job that it looks as if it were filmed last year.

Like I said, a must for Fu Sheng fans. As a whole? Skip it.

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 6.5/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , , |

Mighty Peking Man | aka Colossus of Congo (1977) Review

Posted on January 27, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Mighty Peking Man" International Theatrical Poster

“Mighty Peking Man” International Theatrical Poster

AKA: Goliathon
Director: Ho Meng-Hua
Cast: Danny Lee, Evelyne Kraft, Hang-Sheng Wu, Hsu Shao-Chiang, Ku Feng, Lin Wei-Tu, Chen Cheng-Feng, Alexander Grand, Lee Sau Kei, Wong Pau Gei
Running Time: 86 min.

By Gwailo

It’s a must-see oddity from the Shaw Brothers, starring a young Danny Lee, made around the same time as his equally campy Ultraman. A direct rip-off of the King Kong/Godzilla genre gone totally berserk. Now that it’s widely available on Quentin Tarantino’s Rolling Thunder label, this should grace every HK cinema collection.

If you need a no subtitle flick to wind down a drunken evening, this is it. Special effects are just that…special. These and the hokey props and locales are beautifully realized, expected, and more than welcome. Listen to the sound a boulder makes as it bounces of The Mighty Peking Man’s chest. Hilarious. See a leopard’s huge scrotum hang over an always scantily clad Evelyn Kraft’s shoulder as she spins (!?) around with him on her back!!! Laugh till you cry at the thought of a 5 passenger plane flying over the Himalayans!

I saw this gem of a movie on the revival circuit a few years back. The hands down best time I have ever had in a movie theater. In a word… wonderful!

Gwailo’s Rating: 9/10

By Alvin George

A Hong KoIn 1977, a year after Paramount released their critically-reviled remake of the classic “King Kong” (featuring a scraggly-looking Jeff Bridges and a young Jessica Lange), the Shaw Brothers put out their own version of the legend, calling the beast “Mighty Peking Man.” Sure, the dubbing is bad. Sure, the special effects are bad. (You can tell it’s a guy in an ape suit, and that the cars Mighty Peking Man stomps on are obviously models.) However, this film is a lot more fun to watch than all those stupid “serious” flicks Jackie Chan made with Lo Wei. Heck, it’s even more fun than “Godzilla 1985,” the movie where a model-animated Godzilla moved a lot more stiffly than the beast in this movie.

How can you go wrong with a movie that prominently features a lovely Daryl Hannah lookalike who runs around wearing nothing but animal skin? The extended scene where she makes out with Danny Lee (complete with a sappy sitar-driven song on the soundtrack) is the most ’70s love-making scene I have seen since Jimmy Wang Yu made love to an Australian cutie pie in “The Man From Hong Kong.” Too bad both the girl and the ape get exploited by some stupid idiot. I got mad when the bastard tried to rape the girl. (She may be a dumb blonde, but she’s not THAT dumb!) Like King Kong, Mighty Peking Man isn’t really an evil creature; he’s just trying to protect the girl, obeying her every command. If you are in the mood for something that won’t tax your brain cells much, then you’ll go ape over “Mighty Peking Man.”

Alvin George’s Rating: 7.5/10

By Mighty Peking Man

Fun. That’s what this movie is. Pure fun. A really, and I mean REALLY, obvious rip-off of “King Kong,” only better. A very young Danny Lee (yep, the same guy from “The Killer”) ventures into the jungle to track down a big ass ape. He captures and befriends it with the help of a sexy amazon chick (Evelyne Kraft). They fall in love (Lee and Kraft that is!) and both return to Hong Kong where all hell breaks loose as the ape runs wild!

This is the only PG-13 (that’s what it’s rated on Quentin Tarantino’s Rolling Thunder label) film I’ve ever seen where a female nipple is flashed every 15-minutes or so, not to mention a few butt shots; So kids, this IS the PG-13 film to see if you want some fast nudity!

The most hilarious moment comes during a slow-motion, romantic scene accompanied by a silly love song. I’ll watch this over any “King Kong” or “Godzilla” flick any day!

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 8/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , , |

Legend of the Fox (1980) Review

Posted on January 27, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Legend of the Fox" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Legend of the Fox” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Cheh
Cast: Philip Kwok, Chin Siu Ho, Chiang Sheng, Helen Poon, Choh Seung Wan, Wong Lik, Chui Tai Ping, Wang Han Chen, Lau Fong Sai, Chan Hon Kwong, Chan Hung, Chan Shu Kei, Choi Kwok Keung, Chow Kin Ping, Ha Kwok Wing, Hung Fung, Hung San Nam
Running Time: 122 min.

By Joe909

When the kung-fu boom was on the wane, the Venoms and Chang Cheh began experimenting with different types of films. In particular, they made three swordplay movies between 1980 and 1981 that were based on novels: Ode to Gallantry, Sword Stained with Royal Blood, and this movie, Legend of the Fox. Ode to Gallantry is the only Venoms movie I haven’t seen, so I can’t say anything about it. But I can say that Legend and Sword are about as non-Venoms as you can get. In fact, they aren’t even that good.

Since the source material is heavy on character reversals and revelations, these movies seem more like the films of Chor Yuen (i.e. Clans of Intrigue, Magic Blade, etc). The Venoms were never as good actors as they were fighters, so these movies suffer. On top of that, the Venoms just didn’t have the presence of Ti Lung or Fu Sheng. I mean, am I the only one who has difficulty telling Kuo Choi and Chiang Sheng apart, when they’re both outfitted in Ming Dynasty garb and wearing fake moustaches? These guys all pretty much looked alike (and, to quote the oft-repeated story, critics always asked Chang why his Venoms crew was so “ugly”); their forte was action, not drama. Dialog and plot-heavy films did not suit them.

To make matters worse, the Venoms aren’t even the main stars. Chien Hsao-Hao, the naïve-looking “Baby Venom” who had major roles in Masked Avengers and Two Champions of Shaolin, here takes the main role as a young man seeking revenge for the murder of his father, Lu Feng. The opening of the movie features Chien and his dying master encountering all of the major principals of the story in a chance meeting of astronomic proportions. It’s raining out, and apparently this inn provides the only roof in town. So basically EVERYONE gathers under it, including Kuo Choi, whom Chien believes killed his dad, and sinister-looking Chiang Sheng, who we soon learn is the true instigator.

Through flashback we discover that Kuo was duped into challenging Lu Feng; as Kuo himself was out seeking revenge. Really, wasn’t everyone seeking revenge in ancient China? Anyway, Kuo and Lu hit it off, and their sword match lasts days instead of hours. As their bond grows stronger, Chiang Sheng realizes he’ll need to sabotage things so one of them dies. Chiang’s the villain in this movie, and let me tell you, he should’ve stuck to playing comic-relief heroes. Chiang looks about as uncomfortable in this role as he did playing the no-nonsense inspector in Masked Avengers.

If you think it’s strange enough that Chiang Sheng’s a villain, consider it even more strange that Lu Feng is a hero. In fact, Kuo Choi comes off as the villain in their match, but only because he’s been tricked into believing Lu Feng murdered his father. Regardless, Chiang secretly poisons Kuo’s sword, which results in Kuo accidentally killing Lu Feng. Earlier Lu had asked Kuo to raise his infant son should he die in their match, but before Kuo can get the child, a servant grabs him and takes off. This is the old man we see with Chien Hsao-Hao in the opening, who has raised him and taught him kung-fu.

The old man finally tells Chien the truth about his father’s death, before kicking the bucket himself. Now Chien, alone, hunts down Kuo Choi. He manages to save him from assassins, sent by Chiang Sheng, who nonetheless succeed in blinding Kuo. Next Chien goes about finding a way to cure Kuo, and once he has, the two finally take on Chiang Sheng. But the story’s so thick with characters you don’t know doing things you can’t understand, you’ve stopped caring by the final confrontation.

Legend of the Fox is one of the few Venoms movies that wasn’t imported to the West or dubbed in English. Therefore, you can only find it on the underground market, in Mandarin, with English subtitles. Is it worth the search? Depends on your level of Venoms enthusiasm. Once Celestial gets around to remastering and releasing the movie, I’m sure it will be an improvement; the tiny subs on the bootleg print sometimes make it hard to figure out what’s going on.

But even disregarding the poor subtitles, the movie just isn’t compelling. Just like Sword Stained with Royal Blood was a Kuo Choi vehicle, Legend of the Fox is a Chien Hsao-Hao vehicle. But who the hell cares about him? Venoms Lo Meng and Sun Chien are absent from this movie, and either one of them would have been preferable.

The action scenes are few and far between, and when they do come, the Venoms style of acrobatic kung-fu doesn’t mesh well with swordplay. Weapons are relegated to basic swords, and the carnage isn’t as prevalent as usual. Even the final battle is lackluster, although we do get to see a dude chopped in half. Lu Feng only appears in the first fifteen or so minutes, Chiang Sheng basically remains on the fringes of the action, sneering at everyone, and Kuo Choi himself provides more of a supporting, mentor-type role to Chien Hsao-Hao. So those hoping for the usual Venoms camaraderie will be severely disappointed.

Final word: this is my least favorite Venoms movie. Find it only if you need to complete your collection.

Joe909’s Rating: 5/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , , , , |

Flying Guillotine, The (1975) Review

Posted on January 27, 2011 by JJ Bona
"The Flying Guillotine" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"The Flying Guillotine" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Ho Meng Hua
Producer: Runme Shaw
Cast: Chen Kuan Tai, Ku Feng, Wai Wang, Kong Yeung, Liu Wu Chi, Ai Ti, Lin Wei-Tu, Wang Yu, Li Peng-Fei, Li Shou-Chi, Lu Wei, Lin Feng, Shen Lao, Chiang Ling, Wu Chin-Chin, Hsu Kuan-Ying, Lei Lung, Ho Han-Chou
Running Time: 101 min.

By Joe909

Flying Guillotine is not a kung fu movie. Tell yourself that before watching it, and you might not be let down, because those expecting an old-school basher are going to be disappointed. Flying Guillotine is more of a historical epic with horror and kung fu overtones. The producers take the campy material and for the most part play it straight; therefore, this movie is about as far as you can get from a Chang Cheh piece.

Chen Kuan-Tai is among a squad of elite commandos chosen by the emperor to master the flying guillotine, a new killing device, which was created by the emperor’s adjutant, Ku Feng. The movie almost takes on aspects of a war film, as we see the men in a boot camp environment, going through drills. Here friendships and rivalries bloom; particularly, a nasty feud develops between Chen, the top soldier, and Frankie Wai, who unbeknownst to the others is a spy for the emperor.

Eventually the squad is sent out on a few assassination missions, each of which take place in the dead of night, the commandos in their cool black uniforms running silently across rooftops. Kuan-Tai soon realizes that the men they’re killing are all high-ranking, respected officials who have dared to speak out against the emperor. The bastard is using the squad to quietly rub out all those who disrespect him. When a fellow squad member figures this out, and also how omniscient the emperor seems to be, he freaks out, and it’s only a matter of time until he becomes a squad target. Frankie Wai meanwhile sets Chen up to be the next victim of the squad, intimating to the emperor that he’s a traitor. Chen is informed of this by a fellow squad member still smart enough to question his superiors, and so Chen gets the hell out of town.

While on the run, he encounters a young, attractive street performer, who helps him evade his cronies, who are now in pursuit. In one of those life-changing decisions characters make without a second’s thought in old-school movies, Chen decides to marry this girl and run off into the woods with her, to live out a life of anonymity. Crazy thing is, it actually works, and they get several months of peace. We catch up with them, living in a small farming community, on the night Chen’s wife is about to give birth. In a great dramatic twist, a few of Chen’s former teammates finally locate him, and launch an attack while his wife’s giving birth. Chen takes them on in fury, barely escaping their guillotines.

Chen and his wife and new son move off again, and this time they actually get two whole years of respite. The squad continues to hunt him, more determined than ever. In particular, Frankie Wai wants him dead. The squad member who warned him earlier is the first to find Chen, and tells him all that’s happened in the past two years. While they’re talking, Frankie Wai sneaks up, tears the dude’s head off with his guillotine, and gets in a quick fight with Chen before running away.

Sending his family off, Chen goes to a blacksmith and devises a weapon to counteract the guillotine. Basically, it’s a metal umbrella. Mere moments after a couple prototypes are created, Chen’s attacked by a few squad members. The umbrella proves effective, but he’s able to get hold of a guillotine himself, and proves fatally to his former mates that he’s just as deadly with them as ever. Now the stage is set for a final standoff between Chen and Frankie Wai, the last squad member standing.

The Flying Guillotine pays more attention to plot, character interaction, and drama than your normal old-school movie. In many ways, this film resembles something from director Liu Chia-Liang, except that whereas Liu generally avoided having carbon cut-out villains in his film, director Hoh Mung-Wa makes Frankie Wai and the emperor pure evil. You love to hate both of these guys, and they both pull off their roles well. Chen Kuan-Tai is the emotional heart of the movie, and it’s refreshing to see a kung fu film with a hero who’s more concerned about his wife and child than his honor. Lau Ng-Kei, who plays Chen’s wife, is also great throughout, able to provide spunk, as in the scene in which she sidetracks the squad members searching for Chen, as well as scenes of heartbreaking emotion. Ku Feng is, as always, great in his role, making his nervous character worthy of both hate and pity.

The violence level is high, although there isn’t that much blood. Tons of people are beheaded, and usually all we see is the corpse flopping around afterwards, legs kicking spasmodically. It’s pure camp fun. Costuming is impeccable, but instead of the Chang Cheh-type kung fu garb, everyone wears more traditional and historically-accurate Ching-era wardrobe. The sets are the usual Shaw Brothers impressive, especially the outdoor scenes of the city during the nighttime raids. What little kung fu that’s featured unfortunately isn’t that great, falling squarely into the “clumsy” category.

Flying Guillotine was a huge success, and plans were instantly formed for a sequel. However, problems arose between Hoh Mung-Wa and the Shaws, which resulted in him leaving the project, as well as the majority of the actors in this film. Ti Lung stepped in to take over Chen Kuan-Tai’s role, and Ku Feng took over the role of the emperor. But that’s a story for another review.

Joe909’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , , , |

Dirty Ho | aka Rotten Head Ho (1979) Review

Posted on January 27, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Dirty Ho" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Dirty Ho” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Lau Kar-leung
Cast: Gordon Liu Chia Hui, Wong Yu, Lo Lieh, Kara Hui Ying Hung, Johnny Wang Lung Wei, Hsiao Ho, Wilson Tong Wai Shing, Chan Si Gaai, Yeung Chi Hing, Wai Wang, Shum Lo, Peter Chan Lung, Cheng Miu, Ching Chu, Fung Ming
Running Time: 99 min.

By Numskull

All right, folks…I’m gonna TRY to do this without laughing. No promises, though.

“Dirty…….Ho…..” is a kung fu comedy from Liu Chia Liang (Lau Kar Leung) in which the law-breaking Ho (*snort*) starts giving away money in a tavern…but his generosity is outmatched by Mr. Wang, and the two quickly become rivals (I guess Hos don’t like it when the competition is looser than they are). Later on, during a fight with a lute-playing girl whose body is manipulated by Mr. Wang (guess Wong Yue doesn’t play the only Ho in this movie), Ho RECEIVES a big, festering sore on the shiny bald head (how’s that for role reversal?) and finds out that only Mr. Wang can prepare a cure. Ho grudgingly becomes Wang’s pupil and starts to learn some more kung fu while being dragged around to get-togethers with Wang’s wealthy friends who share his interests in wine, antiques, and art. This is quite a change of pace from the thrusting and gyrating involved in their more physical student-teacher moments.

It turns out, Wang is the 11th son of the Emperor, so plenty of sex forms a major part of the back story to “Dirty Ho” (*snicker*). He wants no part of being a royal and lives his life away from the court, but nevertheless, the 4th son tries to have him killed by sending assassins pretending to share his passions after him. Thus, a wine-tasting session and a visit to an antique dealer become fights in which both participants pretend not to be fighting; I guess Wang doesn’t want the neighbors in “Dirty Ho” to overhear what he’s doing. Eventually he gets stabbed in the leg and takes his Ho to a secret location where they can continue to develop their relationship in private.

When the time comes for Wang to travel to the palace and confront his conniving brother, Ho must help him to travel there, and they meet some pugnacious Mongols on the way (no cops from the vice squad, though…how odd). Then, in the palace, they fight three other guys. Watch the one in red and white…he just sort of dances around while the other two do most of the work.

Finally, Wang shows up to confront his brother…and, believe it or not, that’s where the movie ends. No closure of any kind. So, after spending some money and getting a few cheap thrills, “Dirty Ho” (*wheeeeeeze*) leaves you feeling empty and unfulfilled…maybe even a little tainted.

Oh yeah, and the general played by Lo Lieh sounds like a guy doing a girl’s voice in the English dubbed version. Make up your own joke about transsexuals and men in uniform.

Numskull’s Rating: 6/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , |

Men from the Monastery | aka Disciples of Death (1974) Review

Posted on January 27, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Men from the Monastery" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"Men from the Monastery" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Cheh
Writer: Chang Cheh, Ni Kuang
Cast: Chen Kuan Tai, Alexander Fu Sheng, Kong Do, Lo Dik, Jamie Luk Kim Ming, Dang Tak Cheung, Feng Yi, Fung Hak On, Gam Gwan, Ho Pak Kwong, Hsu Hsia
Running Time: 92 min.

By Joe909

One of Chang Cheh’s “Shaolin Cycle” of movies made in Taiwan in the mid-1970s, Men from the Monastery features a unique storytelling approach, an impressive cast, and choreography from master Liu Chia-Liang. It’s not nearly as good as Chang’s Five Shaolin Masters, but it’s worth tracking down.

The film is separated into four mini-movies, the first three concentrating on the three main characters, the last featuring the three of them united as the titular heroes. This storytelling format is one of the main things that drew me to the movie. Chang even increases the artsy quotient by introducing the actors before each mini-movie, and then finally displaying the title in the fourth and final mini-film. More artiness is on show throughout the movie, as in Chang’s other Shaolin movies: namely the occasional use of black and white and colored lens gels. All of this proves that Chang was still putting solid work into his films at this time, before retiring to the quickly-produced Venoms movies of later years.

The first mini-movie (the first three are about fifteen minutes long each) concerns Fu Sheng as Fong Sai-Yuk, who decides it’s time to leave Shaolin. Unfortunately, you can’t just walk out, but instead must pass through the “alley of death.” This is a maze of various traps Fong must avoid. In all honesty, this whole alley of death sequence comes off pretty hokey and low-budget. In fact, there is a definite low-budget feel to this movie, as most scenes take place outdoors, and those sets that are used, such as the alley, are minimal and inferior to the usual Shaws set design. Of course, Fong is able to leave Shaolin. He goes back to his hometown, only to find that it’s been taken over by a Ching bastard who fights men to the death while standing on poles. Fong takes the guy on, each of them standing on poles, a bed of spikes beneath them. This fight is equal to the finale of a regular movie, but here it’s just the end of Fong’s story, which leads directly into the next mini-movie.

The next “chapter” introduces Chi Kuan-Chun, who plays Hu Wei-Chien. He’s having trouble with a local gang of Ching bullies. They beat the shit out of Hu every chance they get, but he keeps coming back for more, regardless of his woman’s pleading. Finally Fong Sai-Yuk shows up and tells him to go to Shaolin Temple, where he can learn how to fight these guys. Hu goes, and we get a super fast-forward as he instantly returns, three years later, ready to kick ass. What Fong’s been doing all this time isn’t mentioned, but he’s there, ready to help his pal get revenge.

The third mini-film is all about Hung Sze-Kwan, as played by Chen Kuan-Tai. Hung’s running a guerrilla war against the Chings, but realizes he’s just one man, and can’t kill them all. Eventually he hooks up with Fong Sai-Yuk and Hu Wei-Chien, and the three of them manage to get rid of some Ching spies. It’s at this point the trio discovers that Shaolin has been burned to the ground. It’s payback time!

The burning of Shaolin leads into the fourth and final mini-movie. The three heroes hole up with several comrades and train themselves, knowing a Ching assault is soon to come. Sure enough it does, and this last half of the movie is wall-to-wall action. At many points it gets very gory, with men getting impaled by swords and spears and bleeding profusely, but all of this is filmed in black and white, to obscure the gore. Apparently this isn’t just US censorship; the Asian prints are supposedly the same. I guess we’ll find out for sure whenever Celestial gets around to releasing a remastered print. Two of the three heroes give their lives for the cause, one of them dying in a particularly-disturbing manner. This finale isn’t as thrilling as I would’ve wished, as the film lacks any memorable villains to root against.

Acting is uniformly strong, though Fu Sheng’s martial abilities aren’t as believable this early in his career. He’s also not nearly as comedic as in other films, instead playing Fong Sai-Yuk as a grimly determined hell raiser. Chi Kuan-Chun however was always a capable martial artist, and it’s hard buying it when he gets his ass handed to him repetitively throughout the first half of his story. Chen Kuan-Tai turns in the solid performance one would expect. And unusually for a Chang movie, a handful of women have important roles in the film, none of them cardboard cutouts.

Currently this film is available as a very low-grade Panmedia DVD. Only get it if you’ve got a jones to see the movie. Otherwise, wait for the Celestial remaster. I’m sure seeing this movie in remastered widescreen will improve the experience greatly. I’ll miss the English dub, though. Whereas most old-school movies feature English dubbing by guys with British or Kiwi accents, Men from the Monastery features actors with SEVERE British accents, which adds to the fun factor. I kept expecting someone to say: “Roit, luv, drop ’em!” or something to that effect. Several Shaw Brothers movies, such as Liu Chia-Liang’s Executioners from Shaolin, Lo Lieh’s Clan of the White Lotus, or Chang Cheh’s Venoms flick Shaolin Rescuers could serve as direct sequels to this film, so seek those out if you want to know “the rest of the story.”

Joe909’s Rating: 7.5/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , , , , |

Chinese Boxer, The | aka Hammer of God (1970) Review

Posted on January 27, 2011 by JJ Bona
"The Chinese Boxer" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The Chinese Boxer” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Jimmy Wang Yu
Cast: Jimmy Wang Yu, Lo Lieh, Wong Ping, Chiu Hung, Cheng Lui, Fong Min, Chan Sing, Yuen Wo Ping, Wong Chung, Wong Ching, Jason Pai Piao
Running Time: 85 min.

By Mighty Peking Man

Jesus. Bruce Lee sure screwed Jimmy Wang Yu over.

Fact #1: The Chinese Boxer was the first martial arts movie to embrace the “I must avenge my teacher” theme.

Fact #2: The Chinese Boxer was the first martial arts movie to feature bare-handed kung fu choreography. Before this, they were all wushu style action sequences.

Fact #3: The Chinese Boxer was the first martial arts movie to feature a scene where one Chinese guy walks into a room full of “Jap bastards” and wipes their asses all over the floor.

These are some pretty crucial evolutions in kung fu cinema, folks. Yet, it’s Bruce Lee who usually gets the credit for them.

But really, you can’t blame anyone for wrongly giving Bruce the credit for this stuff. The thing with Wang Yu is: no matter how many one-armed films he makes; how many eyeball sockets he pokes out; and how many times he co-stars with George Lazenby, he’ll never ever match Bruce Lee’s striking presence and intense physical skill.

It gets worse for Wang Yu. Even though he created highly influential kung fu films, he’s still often called a “has-been” and is usually put in the same category as Bruce Le or Bolo; especially by those who are unaware of his important role in the industry. Even his Master of the Flying Guillotine (which he also wrote and directed) is one of the first martial arts “death tournament” films. Yet, few people connect his name to this accomplishment.

Interestingly, Wang Yu went on to be a bad ass in his own right. While Bruce Lee was busy swallowing poisonous aspirin (planted in Betty Ting Pei’s one-night-stand-purse by ninjas), Wang Yu went on to become a real life, high ranked triad member. There are even stories of how he single-handedly defeated a pack of rival gangsters during a bloody knife fight. He also supposedly saved Jackie from getting killed by Lo Wei’s organization (but that’s another story). I mean, how cool is that?

The Chinese Boxer (also known as Hammer of God) is pure entertainment, especially if you’re in it just just for the action. It’s colorful, corny (for example, Wang Yu kicking ass while wearing a surgical mask and rice-sack mittens on his fists) and filled with more quick cuts and extreme zooms than any chopsocky I’ve ever seen.

The brutality is all over the place. It’s hard hitting and savagely bloody. The fight choreography by Tong Gaai is of early 1970s basher quality, but nonetheless, it’s interesting and doesn’t bore.

The production is solid. Some of the wide angle shots were obviously influenced by Japanese samurai films and are stunning to look at.

The villains are cartoonish, charismatic and have Mortal Kombat-like abilities. At one point, a Japanese baddie (Lo Wei) jumps up and breaks through a ceiling – then lands – for no apparant reason. The main villain’s right hand man (Wang Chung) sports a sinister white-powdered face and his kung fu technique is plucking out people’s eyeballs.

DVD NOTE: Celestial hardly fails when it comes to their re-mastered Shaw Brothers DVDs. However, their release of The Chinese Boxer is seriously f-cked up. During some very crucial parts of the film, the original soundtrack score was omitted for whatever reason. In turn, Celestial worked in new synthesized music and it sounds downright terrible. It’s very noticable and very annoying. I wouldn’t be surprised if some no-talent schmuck was hired to orchestrate the new synth music using an old Casio keyboard.

Don’t worry, though. It will, in no way, ruin your overall appreciation for this milestone kung fu classic.

Mighty Peking Man: 8/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , |

Drunken Monkey (2003) Review

Posted on January 27, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Drunken Monkey" DVD Cover

“Drunken Monkey” DVD Cover

Director: Lau Kar-Leung
Cast: Wu Jing, Lau Kar Leung, Shannon Yao Yao, Chi Kuan Chun, Gordon Liu, Li Hai Tao, Chun Hoi Liu, Sammy Lau Wing Kin, Lau Kar Wing, Lau Kar Yung
Running Time: 97 min.

By Numskull

The first Shaw Brothers film since 1985. Lau Kar-Leung’s return to the director’s chair after eight years. The first old school, damn the torpedoes, honest-to-God Hong Kong martial arts flick of the new millennium, after a long string of crapfests starring pop music stars who have no business being in front of a movie camera. Just cause for fans of the genre to shriek with delight. The conditions surrounding Drunken Monkey, I’m afraid, are of considerably more significance than the film itself.

I’m not going to pretend that the production of this movie was a Great Big Deal for me. Unlike a lot of you folks, I’m not an especially devoted follower of the martial arts genre and I didn’t grow up on Saturday morning Kung Fu Theater on TV. My reaction to the news that the legendary Shaw Brothers studio was returning to active filmmaking and that one of its most esteemed directors was going to christen the comeback was a casual “hey, cool” as opposed to the fervent joy that a lot of the die-hards probably felt. So, it is with only moderate disappointment that I, with my limited expertise in this area, consider Drunken Monkey a largely unremarkable effort.

It starts out promisingly enough, with the principal actors doing a martial arts demo during the opening credits, like in many kung fu films of yesteryear. We are then introduced to Man Pao (Chiang Chun Wan) and Bill Chun-Yuen (Lau Kar-Leung), two brothers who run a delivery company for those extra-special, bandit-drawing packages. Man Pao uses the business to facilitate an opium smuggling operation, and when Bill finds out about this, he is marked for death by Yu Hoi-Yeung, Man Pao’s partner in crime. After a grueling battle with Yu and his henchmen, Bill is left for dead but found by a young woman named Mandy (Shannon Yao, who is welcome to come and kick my ass anytime she likes).

The film then jumps ahead by a year, and there is a drastic change in tone and focus. It now follows the exploits of Chan Ka-Yip (Lau Wing Kin) and his “grand-uncle” Tak (Jason Wu Jing), who is actually of comparable age. Ka-Yip is an artist who wants to illustrate a monkey style kung fu handbook and finds himself unable to finish the project in a satisfactory manner. Who better to resolve this problem than renowned monkey kung fu master Bill Chun-Yuen?

A. Nobody
B. A dead dog
C. King Kong
D. The gorilla from that phony “Ghostbusters” cartoon show that had nothing to do with the movie

Okay, let’s assume you selected “A” and move along. Ka-Yip and Tak fuck around for a while to pad the length of the film and then go looking for Bill. There’s a lot of irksome, buffoonish comedy in this phase of the movie. Ka-Yip has a high-spirited mother and a dour father, somewhat reminiscent of Wong Fei Hung’s dad and aunt in Drunken Master 2, which Lau Kar-Leung also directed until Jackie Chan got tired of having to use real kung fu and sacked him. I hoped that things would progress more steadily after these two dolts met Mandy and Hung Yat-fu (the one and only Gordon Liu), a detective who meets the Chun-Yuen brothers in the first part of the film. Alas, more lagging ensues. I don’t mind forty fightless minutes in a martial arts movie, as long as those forty minutes are filled with worthwhile stuff. But, The Tak & Ka-Yip Show wears out its welcome pretty quickly.

Things do heat up eventually, and after Ka-Yip and Tak get whipped into fighting shape by Bill (Mandy is already taken care of), there’s a big battle involving pretty much every surviving character, with Tak getting a bit more spotlight than the rest. Good stuff, but getting there was a chore.

Don’t get the idea that Drunken Monkey is a bad kung fu movie. I’ve seen worse. MUCH worse. But it’s not quite the Second Coming that some folks would expect from the circumstances surrounding its release.

Numskull’s Rating: 6/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , , , |

Organized Crime and Triad Bureau | aka OCTB (1993) Review

Posted on January 26, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Organized Crime & Triad Bureau" DVD Cover

“Organized Crime & Triad Bureau” DVD Cover

Director: Kirk Wong
Cast: Danny Lee, Anthony Wong, Cecilia Yip, Roy Cheung, Parkman Wong, Ricky Yi, Fan Siu Wong, Lee Fai, Louis Koo, Stephen Chan, Eric Kee
Running Time: 100 min.

By Woody

It’s been months since I’ve watched a Hong Kong film. After discovering the intelligent cinema of countries like Japan and Korea, it’s hard for me to go back to simple minded action films and lame-brained humor. Save a few choice directors and stars (Wong Kar-wai, Leung Chui Wai, Fruit Chan), Hong Kong cinema is all but dead to me. But there was a point in time when great films were made in Hong Kong. That point, for the most part, has passed. The talent well, as far as directors are concerned, has dried up. The Asian economic crisis has really taken it’s toll on the films in another way. People don’t want to go to the movies to think. That’s always been a problem with Hong Kong movies…or a good thing, depending on why you watch them. People in Hong kong want escapist entertainment. When they are asked to think about something in a film, they will often do it subconsciously, as open discussion of politics in an unspoken no-no in the world of HK film. And after the said crisis, it’s gotten even worse. Whatever complexity or intelligence was once in the movies has all but given way to Wong Jingery and sub-Hollywood crap.

So I wasn’t too enthusiastic when I bought “Organized Crime and Triad Bureau”. No, it’s not a recent Hong Kong film, but my impression of Hong Kong movies has been at an all time low. I want films that are challenging. That make you think. That don’t supply easy answers. OCTB, as it will be referred to throughout the remainder of this review, is one such film.

Inspector San (Danny Lee) is a man obsessed. Head of a squad within the Organized Crime Bureau, San is your typical Dirty Harry, a man who will get justice, no matter what the cost. San and his squad repeatedly beat and torture suspects, and are always on the look out for the CAPO, who are there to make sure such things do not happen. At the present moment, San is obsessing over the capture of Tung (Anthony Wong), a gun-running gangster on the run with with gun-toting mistress (Cecilia Yip). Tung is not your typical gangster. A violent gangster on the outside, inside Tung is a caring father, and deeply loves his mistress, whom he has promised to protect when she was violently raped years earlier.

The scene that I think shows the greatness of this film comes later on. Tung has escaped the clutches of San and his men in a hospital, and is trapped in an operating room, where a young boy is being operated on. There is a stand-off. The doctors are unable to operate. Tung looks at the boy’s mother and then at the boy, who is covered in burnt flesh. He gives himself up, telling to the doctors to finish operating. This comes only minutes after a scene in which we are shown the graphic details of Tung’s crimes, including cutting off one ma’s arms, legs, and genitals. There are no easy answers in this film. Tung and San are both in that grey area. You root for Tung to escape, but know he is a ruthless killer. You want San to lose, but know he is fighting for justice.

What is different here than most Hong Kong films is that this film has characters and not characters. Tung and San are both humanized. We feel empathy for both of them. We feel for Tung and his mistress, you deeply love eachother. We feel for San, whose ex-wife is cruelly used against him. Who cares about victim’s rights over the rights of a killer. Very few films, Hong Kong or otherwise, get that deep, and that alone makes this worth checking out.

On the action front, as this is an action movie, you will not be disappointed. Kirk Wong brings his usual flair to the action scenes, which, though often intricate or unlogical, feel realistic due to the depth of the proceedings. There is some great guerrilla filmmaking on display here, with a gunfight taking place in Kowloon towards the end that just had to have been shot without permits.

The performances are what make this film great. Danny Lee essentially reprises his character in Woo’s “The Killer” here, only making him less honorable and noble. Lee plays San as a man who could care less about Miranda Rights. A man obsessed with justice, no matter what the cost. Cecilia Yip is haunting as Tung’s mistress. After being rescued years before by Tung following a brutal rape, she devotes her life to the troubled man, even when he repeatedly cheats on her.

But more than anything, this film belongs to Anthony Wong. It’s astounding to see him go from the previous year’s over-the-top performance in “The Untold Story” to a restained and stoic one here. Wong plays Tung as a man of contradictions. He’s a honorable, loyal friend…who kills people. He loves his mistress…but sleeps with other women. He is a devoted father…but has no problem with killing the fathers of others. He is a good man…and an evil one. Wong shows that Tung is an bad man who wants to do the right things. He doesn’t want to do wrong, but it’s in his nature.

This is the best Hong Kong film I have seen in a long, long while. It is action packed, but intelligent. It doesn’t give you any easy answers. You have to make up your own mind about what is right and wrong. It does something the average Hong Kong film wouldn’t dream of doing. It makes you think.

Woody’s Rating: 9/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , |

Friends (1973) Review

Posted on January 26, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Friends" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Friends” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Cheh
Writer: I Kuang, Chang Cheh
Producer: Run Run Shaw
Cast: David Chiang, Alexander Fu Sheng, Lily Li Li-Li, Lo Dik, Wai Wang, Wong Kwong Yue, Bruce Tong, Chow Yun Gin, Lee Yung Git, Tino Wong Cheung, Yen Shi-Kwan, Fung Hak On, Alan Chan, Yuen Shun-Yi, Huang Ha, Got Dik Wa, Leung Gwing Wan, Fung Ging Man, Chen Wo-Fu
Running Time: 104 min.

By Mighty Peking Man

Unlike Chang Cheh’s usual recipe for films like “The Young Rebel,” “Chinatown Kid” and “The Delinquent,” “Friends” is not another story revolving around a troubled teen who gets mixed with up all sorts of gangster shit. Instead, we get seven troubled teenagers who get mixed up with all sorts of gangster shit. However, the movie mainly centers around the two characters played by David Chiang and Alexander Fu Sheng. The rest of the guys are thrown in for backstory (so don’t worry about about a convoluted character-heavy plot).

“Friends” starts out 10 years after the events of the movie. All seven friends are getting together for a reunion and are talking about the “good old days” of partying and causing trouble in night clubs. Following this quick opening scene, the rest of the movie is one long flashback.

Jiaji (Alexander Fu Sheng) is the son of a strict billionaire. Hua Heng (David Chiang) is a starving artist trying to make a living. One day, Jiaji bumps into Hua Heng during a brawl. After the two successfully outdo their opponents, the two become friends. Hua Heng introduces Jiaji to the rest of his buddies and they all form an unbreakable friendship. Thrilled with his new peers and bored of his lavish and sheltered lifestyle, Jiaji decides to run away from home to hang out with his new mates.

It’s only when Hua Heng’s girlfriend, Gao Xin (Lily Li), fails to to pay off some debts owed to local gangsters that serious trouble starts to brew. To help pay off the debt, Jiaji decides to trick his father into giving up some money. However, this sneaky move ignites a series of events that puts them all into a deadly situation.

Watching the late Alexander Fu Sheng in “Friends” makes me realize how much he makes David Chiang look like Bruce Lee’s cardboard cut-out performance in “Game of Death.” Well, maybe not that bad, but who WOULDN’T lose 50% of their charisma standing next to Fu Sheng?

And speaking of Alexander Fu Sheng, what a waste of talent. Sharp looks. Charming personality. Natural screen presence. In fact, if Jackie Chan hadn’t proved that he could routinely defy death, Fu Sheng would have been the man (imagine Fu Sheng in “The Tuxedo” instead of Chan). He’s known around the world as “The James Dean of Hong Kong.” (Come to think of it, why do Asians always have to take their legendary stars and equate them with iconic American talent? Anita Mui, the “Madonna of Hong Kong”; Chow Yun Fat, the “Cary Grant of Hong Kong.” I mean, you don’t see Americans saying things like “Steven Spielberg, the Tsui Hark of America.”

Anyway, for more on Alexander Fu Sheng, be sure to check out the documentary that’s included as an extra with the Celestial DVD. It’s short but sweet. It also could have been more informative, but it still offers a quick and easy way to get to know this great talent.

Choreography greats Lau Kar Leung and Tong Gaai do their thing. Whatever. Typical mid-1970s Shaw shit. If it’s not interesting, it’s boring. I mean, seriously, who the fuck watches a tale of scrawny little bad-asses in a Chang Cheh flick for the fluid action? For me, it’s story time!

“Friends” has a great soundtrack, especially if you’re into the funkiest of obscure ’70s music. Other songs contain original music with lyics written by Chang Cheh (like he did with “Singing Killer”). Also, it’s nice to see that Chang Cheh “borrowed” Ennio Morricone’s theme from “Death Rides A Horse,” which was recently resurrected in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill Vol. 1.”

If you’re expecting lots of blood and a high bodycount, then you might be disappointed in “Friends.” I wasn’t, however. (And believe me, I live for Chang Cheh bloodfests.) Though it’s lighthearted, it still has lots of action and the plot is very entertaining, enjoyable and refreshing. It’s also nice to see the rare pair up of David Chiang and the late Alexander Fu Sheng.

Highly recommended.

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 8/10

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Savage Five, The (1974) Review

Posted on January 26, 2011 by JJ Bona
"The Savage Five" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The Savage Five” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Cheh
Producer: Sir Run Run Shaw
Cast: David Chiang, Ti Lung, Chen Kuan Tai, Danny Lee, Wong Chung, Wai Wang, Wang Ping-Ping, Lu Ti, Kong Do, Wong Ching, Jamie Luk, Ngaai Fei, Yen Shi Kwan
Running Time: 91 min.

By Mighty Peking Man

A gang of bandits take refuge in a small town, where they force a locksmith to open a stolen safe containing cash and gold. During their stay, the men decide to have a little fun by beating, raping and murdering innocent people. Amongst the town folk, five guys (David Chiang, Ti Lung, Chen Kuan Tai, Danny Lee and Wang Chung) decide to man-up and take the evil bastards on — hence, the “Savage Five.”

Most of the time, The Savage Five feels more like a Spaghetti Western than a kung fu flick, which is probably intentional. It doesn’t help that a lot of the “borrowed” soundtrack contains snippets of Ennio Morricone’s score from Giulio Petroni’s 1968 flick “Death Rides A Horse.” Plus, you got the whole Western themes going on: small peaceful town disrupted, a locked safe, and a main bad guy, whose weapons of death is not his hands, feet, knife or sword, but a pair of pistols. Also, gun power plays an explosive part of the film’s climax.

For the most part, The Savage Five is pretty straight forward as far as the plot goes. Nothing unusual or no real surprises are uncovered. One thing that is refreshing about the film is none of the five men are good at kung fu; this is why courage, from more or less average men, is probably the main focus of the film.

As far as the action, those who are familiar with Chang Cheh’s work will get what they expect: lots of bloody violence and heroic deaths. Lau Kar-Leung’s choreography is solid, and is not the typical “swinging arm” bullshit we get with most pre-1975 martial arts flicks. Of course, this is what makes most Shaw Brothers projects so special: the ease of creating an all-round quality piece of entertainment.

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 8/10

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Police Force (1973) Review

Posted on January 26, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Police Force" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Police Force” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Cheh
Co-director: Tsai Yang-Ming
Cast: Wong Chung (Wang Chung), Lily Li Li-Li, Wong Hap (Wang Hsia), Alexander Fu Sheng, Got Dik Wa, Wong Kwong Yue, Tino Wong Cheung, Fung Hak On, Bruce Tong, Lau Kar Wing, Yen Shi-Kwan, Hsu Hsia, Yuen Shun-Yi, Brandy Yuen
Running Time: 101 min.

By Joe909

Police Force is a nicely-done early 1970s action vehicle that sports not just kung-fu shenanigans, but also lots of shootouts that prefigure the Heroic Bloodshed of the 1980s. The only problem is, Police Force takes quite a while to get going. Chang Cheh apparently had the resources of the Hong Kong police force at his disposal; unfortunately he used them to sometimes ill effect.

Many old school movies fill up the running time with pointless fights or having the main character go through several forms to show off his skill. Police Force instead fills up a good portion of the first hour with boring, unending parade drills. That’s right, parade drills. Lots of static shots of HK police marching around, presenting arms, and the like. It doesn’t make for riveting cinema.

Thankfully, about an hour into the movie the story kicks up a notch. The film concerns Wang Chung’s character, who joins the police when his buddy Fu Sheng is murdered. The murder itself is strange. It’s supposed to be just a random mugging that goes awry, but for some reason Chang Cheh has the murderer appear earlier in the movie, watching Fu Sheng and Wang Chung compete in a karate tournament. This makes it seem that the murderer has targeted Fu Sheng, or that it’s a conspiracy of some sort.

Anyway, Wang Chung joins the police force so he can find the murderer and get revenge. This seems to be an elaborate plan; any other sane guy would just dress up like a bat and stalk the streets at night, doling out his own form of justice. Regardless, Wang Chung basically flies through training. Most Shaw Brothers movies have that fun factor whereby time passes swiftly. Police Force reigns supreme in that category, however; five years pass in just a few minutes of screen time.

Training and duty have subverted Wang’s original intent; now he no longer seeks to kill Fu Sheng’s murderer. The blood lust that instilled his early career on the force has dissipated. This really provokes the ire of Fu Sheng’s girlfriend, who continuously harasses Wang Chung to get with it, find the killer, and do him in. Wang happens to be working on a case in which an unidentified body holds the key to solving; it turns out that Fu Sheng’s murderer is involved in the case.

Instead of turning the movie into another revenge vehicle, Chang Cheh takes several twists and turns, all of them unexpected and pleasing. The ordinary Chang hero would avenge his brother’s death, while bleeding onto his white outfit from multiple horrendous wounds, but Wang Chung is a staid policeman through and through. The crux of his development comes in a great scene in which he finally comes upon Fu Sheng’s murderer, while Sheng’s ex watches on. And this doesn’t even come at the film’s climax.

The finale features a one-man raid on a criminal boss’ yacht, as Wang Chung (awkwardly) drops onto it from a helicopter and kills countless men before reloading his pistol. I should mention that the production values on this movie are very high. The end sequence is more like something you’d expect from a 1980s action movie, rather than an early 1970s “chop sockey.” I’m really surprised this movie wasn’t picked up for distribution in the West.

There are of course occasional missteps in the plot, but that’s to be expected. Also, I couldn’t help but get sidetracked by the music. Lots of old school movies are infamous for stealing music cues, but Police Force takes the cake. A large portion of the music is taken from Marvin Gaye’s soundtrack to the movie Trouble Man, the main theme in particular. The music editor even proves himself to be an early DJ, by mixing the opening breakbeat from “Trouble Man” into an acid guitar riff by some unknown group.

To sum up, this movie holds a lot of surprises for viewers who figure if they’ve seen one Chang Cheh movie, they’ve seen them all. I do wish some of the parade drill stuff had been tightened up, but once you get past that, you’re rewarded with a nice police procedural/drama/action flick. And on another unfortunate side note, since this movie was made in the early 1970s, you don’t get much of that funky garb the decade would become known for. In other words, not much “bell bottom fury.”

Joe909’s Rating: 8/10

By Mighty Peking Man

When a Karate stud (Alexander Fu Sheng) is murdered, his best friend, Guodung (played by Wang Chung, no relation to the 1980s music group), decides to join the police force to avenge his death. Guodung makes a vow to himself and to his deceased friend’s girlfriend, Shen Yan (Lily Li Li-Li), to catch and kill the murderer. 5 years pass, Guodung, now a senior inspector, discovers deadly new clues that lead to his friend’s killer. The closer he gets, the more his superiors warn him that he’ll be a disgrace to the force if he goes on with a personal vendetta. At the same time, Shen Yan, who is still obsessed with finding the killer, reminds Guodung the reason he joined the force to begin with. Guodung finds himself in the middle of pleasing either the force or Shen Yan; he also realizes the consequences that follow no matter which option he chooses.

Knowing it was directed by Shaw great, Chang Cheh, I was expecting Police Force to be good, but not this good. It never lags and is paced just perfectly. Thanks to the time it was made, it has the colorful 1970’s written all over it. Don’t let the bad polyester clothing and the mini-Datsuns fool you into thinking it’s a typical modern-day chopsocky flick (“Slaughter in San Francisco” and “Rumble in Hong Kong” come to mind — how dare I compare this to that shit, but you get my point.). One thing’s for sure, director Chang Cheh is truly the equivalent of Sam Peckinpah and is obviously the forerunner to John Woo and Ringo Lam.

Police Force marks the first appearance by a young Alexander Fu Sheng. However, he is not the star. He has a small, but crucial role that even Fu Sheng purists should see. Fu Sheng or not, Police Force is a more-than-worthy addition to your Celestial Shaw Brothers DVD collection. Pick it up and Wang Chung tonight.

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 9/10

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