Heroes Two | aka Bloody Fists (1974) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Heroes Two" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Heroes Two” Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Kung Fu Invaders
Director: Chang Cheh
Cast: Alexander Fu Sheng, Chen Kuan Tai, Fong Sam, Bruce Tong, Wong Ching, Zhu Mu, Fung Ngai, Chiang Nan, Fung Hak On, Tino Wong Cheung, Wong Shu Tong, Lau Kar Wing, Chan Chuen, Lee Hoi Sang
Running Time: 91 min.

By Joe909

The first of Chang Cheh’s Taiwan-produced, mid-1970s Shaolin cycle, Heroes Two is the low-budget beginning of several films starring Fu Sheng, which culminated with the grand Shaolin Temple in 1976. Fu’s later co-star Chi Kuan-Chun isn’t in this movie, however; instead, Chen Kuan-Tai steps in as Hung Sze-Kwan, providing a supporting role to Sheng’s Fong Sai-Yuk.

The story is so simple it could be a kid’s cartoon. The Manchu have burned Shaolin to the ground, and only Hung Sze-Kwan escapes. Hung kills a whole bunch of the Ching bastards, and try as they might, they can’t capture or kill him. This is especially troublesome for non-threatening main villain Zhu Mu, a Manchu prick given to sneering and not much else. His second in command, the cruel Fung Hak-On, is more of a believable main villain, but oh well.

Meanwhile, Fong Sai-Yuk makes a name for himself in the Chinese countryside, generally doing good deeds. A quick recap shows us his history: leaving Shaolin by the alley of death and defeating a Manchu dog while fighting on poles. These scenes can be seen more fully in two other Chang/Fu Sheng movies that are part of the Shaolin Cycle: Men from the Monastery and Shaolin Avengers. Fong’s a good fighter, but he isn’t very bright; the Manchu (foot soldiers, nonetheless, not even the leaders!) easily fool him into thinking Hung’s a villain who’s been murdering innocent people. Fong attacks Hung (much to Hung’s amazement) and captures him for the Manchu, who promptly cart Hung off to be tortured in a dungeon.

Fong finds that the locals are now pissed at him. Only upon being attacked by fellow Shaolin students does our hero realize his screw-up. The movie provides its most touching moment as Fong breaks into the Manchu base, where Hung is chained to a stone wall. Knowing he’s outnumbered and can’t save Hung by himself, Fong nevertheless dashes into the dungeon as the Manchu attack him, just so he can kneel before Hung and beg forgiveness. Fong escapes, beaten bloody by Zhu Mu’s special technique, and becomes a man possessed, devising a way to free Hung.

He soon gets an idea: he can dig a tunnel to free Hung. Unbelievably, this works, although it takes several days. Upon freeing Hung, the Shaolin fighters team together and wait for the Manchu, who of course follow the tunnel to see where it leads. So begins the final battle, with the Shaolin taking on Zhu Mu and his imported band of Tibetan warriors. Chang spices things up, as he does in the other Shaolin Cycle films, by using colored film gels to obscure the bloodshed. Not that the movie’s very violent, especially when compared to other Chang Cheh films, but it still looks pretty brutal when these guys get impaled and chopped by swords.

Liu Chia-Liang served as fight choreographer, but the martial arts on display fall into the early 1970s “slow and awkward” category. Especially from Fu Sheng, all of 19 years old at the time, who obviously lacks the kung-fu skills he would later acquire. When he defeats Chen Kuan-Tai, it’s hardly believable. I’m not saying the fights are “early Bruce Li” subpar quality, though. It’s just that they aren’t as good as in later Chang Shaolin movies. However, the quality of the fights increases as the film progresses, with the finale being very well done.

A problem also arises with the characterization. Fong Sai-Yuk is portrayed as a simpleton, easily swayed by anyone with a walnut-sized brain. Hung Sze-Kwan is more of a killer than the worst of the Manchu; I lost track of how many people he killed. Seriously, the guy’s an early-model Terminator. The villains are all underdeveloped, particularly the hateable Zhu Mu. All the guy does during fights is lurk around, watching his men take on the Shaolin fighters, just to sneak up and throw in the occasional cheap shot.

The sets are low-budget, compared to later Shaolin films. Most of the movie is filmed outdoors, with the indoor sets mostly relegated to the dungeon and other nondescript locations, though there is a nice reproduction of a village. There’s a great film flub when Fong escapes the Chings after his failed rescue attempt on Hung. Fong runs along a roof and jumps over a wall, and if you look close, you can see his shadow on the painted “sky.”

In conclusion, there are too many problems with the story and its execution to consider this film a flawless classic. Still, it’s recommended for all Chang Cheh/Fu Sheng/Chen Kuan-Tai fans. As a closing note, the film’s soundtrack features a fanfare that sounds exactly like a section of the theme from Phantom Menace.

Joe909’s Rating: 6.5/10

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

Boxer Rebellion | aka Bloody Avengers (1975) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Bloody Avengers" American Theatrical Poster

“Bloody Avengers” American Theatrical Poster

AKA: Spiritual Fists
Director: Chang Cheh
Cast: Alexander Fu Sheng, Jenny Tseng, Chi Kuan Chun, Johnny Wang, Li Lihua, Leung Kar Yan, Richard Harrison, Bruce Tong, Hu Chin, Alexander Grand, Au Lap Bo
Running Time: 137 min.

By Mighty Peking Man

Let’s kick off with some bold statements: Boxer Rebellion is one of the most extravagant Shaw Brothers flicks I’ve ever seen. It has a strong budget and is polished with an international cast. It features some of the finest martial arts choreography of the time (compliments of Liu Chia-Liang); as well as outstanding performances by its lead cast (Alexander Fu Sheng, Chi Kuan Chun, Liang Chia-Jen and Wang Lung-Wei).

But truthfully, I’d rather watch Masked Avengers over this any day.

I haven’t seen all of Chang Cheh’s “let’s seriously base this on an historic event” movies, but let me tell you, the guy shines a lot more when he’s making brainless ultra-violent action flicks like Five Element Ninjas and One-Armed Swordsman.

I personally don’t think Chang Cheh and factual scenarios mix. At some instances, Boxer Rebellion is a serious piece of historic drama. Other times, it’s a badass kung fu flick in the vein of a Venoms movie. In the end, we end up with a half-assed true story (with many inaccuracies) smothered with Saturday afternoon Black Belt Theater action. I mean, imagine if Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket had ninjas in it or something? Where I’m getting at is there aren’t enough gray areas, just a sloppy mix of black and white. Make either a no-nonsense, high budget period movie or or a straight up kung fu tale. Don’t try to cram both into one package.

Boxer Rebellion is a very Americanized production. They definitely didn’t skimp out when it came to extras (of all races), set designs and locations. Even the soundtrack (which I’ll assume is the original) sounds like some kind of American TV show from the 70’s. Richard Harrison – an Italian film star who made dozens of films in the 60’s and 70’s, including Chang Cheh’s Marco Polo; as well as unintentionally starring in a string of goofy Ninja movies for Godfrey Ho and Joseph Lai – has a chunky cameo as an American officer who tries to take on Alexander Fu Sheng and Chi Kuan Chun (take a guess who wins?).

All bullshit aside, Boxer Rebellion isn’t bad, but it does take a while to build up into something we’d expect from a Chang Cheh film. The final third of the movie is what packs the most punch (mind you, this is a very LONG movie). The action is brutal, entertaining and bloody remarkable (no pun intended). As with most Chang Cheh films, don’t expect a 100% happy ending. Heck, a lot of the movie has kung fu guys vs. men with rifles, so use your imagination.

Now, excuse me while I pop in Crippled Avengers.

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 7/10

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

Don’t Tell My Partner (1997) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Don't Tell My Partner" Chinese DVD Cover

"Don't Tell My Partner" Chinese DVD Cover

Don’t Tell My Partner (1997)
Director: Otto Chan Juk Tiu
Producer: Norman Wong Chi Hung, Wong Hon Wa
Cast: Siu Chet-Yuen, Wong Shu-Kei, Tong Tak-Wai, Cho Wing-Lim, Ben Ng Ngai-Cheung, Gan Piu-Kwan
Running Time: 91 min.

By Gwailo

Category III meister Otto Chan casts his ‘Grand Gugniol’ violence stylings aside in favor of something a tad different. Chan’s 1997 offering, ‘Don’t Tell My Partner”, is an attempt at the most frightening of all genres, the romantic-comedy hybrid. He’s used both before in other films, but opts to leave the blood and carnage out, solely relying on romance and laughter- not much of either are on display unless you count ‘ye ol’ in-out’ as romantic or comedic. My ex-girlfriends vote the latter. Anyway, a staple of Chan’s film’s stays intact-the nudity. The ever-lovin’ gobs of naked excess-the films strength, naturally.

The paper thin excuse for a plot has an add exec (Jimmy Wong)-nicknamed ‘Little Cock'(My ex’s must have gotten a hold of this film) getting involved with the new office girl (Ozawa Madoka). Little Cock’s close friend has persuaded him to forsake his upcoming nuptials to a fashion photog, and get a bit adventurous. How odd his friends words coincide with the hiring of the new office hottie. Kismet or plot device? You make the call!

The sex scenes in DTMP are just short of x-rated and seems as if shots of penetration were trimmed before release. Jimmy Wong always seems to get sweet tail (see The Fruit is Ripe) and here rides Madoka, holding on for dear life. Ozawa Madoka is rather good looking, but needs to see an orthodontist. The Brits may have left HK, but it seems they have left their legacy of mangled oral hygiene behind.

Though I am a big Chan advocate, in all honest, the film isn’t really good. It’s rather slow and the sex scenes, which I’m sure the film is built upon, are few and far between. There is absolutely no need for the film to exist save for the booty on display. It’s all just softcore, late night skin flick, nonsense (not that I’m complaining, really). One thing seems to be certain and seen in many a Chan flick – he sure knows how to film scenes of carnal pleasure. The kind that make theater floors sticky and the rewind button constant.

Gwailo’s Rating: 3.5/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews |

Duel to the Death (1982) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Duel to the Death" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Duel to the Death” Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Duel, The
Director: Ching Siu-Tung
Cast: Norman Chu, Flora Cheung, Damian Lau, Kuo Sheng, Eddy Ko, Paul Chang Chung, Yeung Chak Lam, Kwan Yung Moon, Casanova Wong, Hon Gwok Choi
Running Time: 82 min.

By Numskull

Bo Ching Wen is a wise young Chinaman, itching to test his skills after ten years of intense study at the Shaolin Temple. Hashimoto is the warrior champion of the Sun Yin Sect, eager to illustrate the power of his Japanese martial techniques, even at the cost of his life. Both men of honor, both master swordsmen, both snappy dressers. Both headed to Saint Sword Village in China to meet their destinies and determine once and for all whose skill is superior in a…(drumroll please)…DUEL TO THE DEATH!!!

Yes, it’s a hokey old Hong Kong melodrama, but it’s no Lo Wei bullshit. It’s an entirely different kind of bullshit. Swordplay replaces Kung Fu, honor replaces revenge, and LSD-induced fantasy replaces realism as warriors fly through the air with the greatest of ease, engaging in elaborate combative exchanges while floating twenty feet off the ground. There’s also a talking bird (though it is not a parrot) named Chicken (though it is not a chicken, either) who looks after Bo Ching Wen’s crazy old mentor who appears to have modeled his life on the teachings of Tarzan rather than Buddha. Even better, when a villain is decapitated and his severed head gets impaled on a tree branch, he utters a curse at his killer before dying. I always thought that you needed your lungs to draw the breath necessary for speech, but maybe I was wrong. And let’s not forget those darn ninjas. They pop up everywhere, working against Bo Ching Wen and his allies. And when I say “pop up”, I mean that in a very literal way, because they can appear out of thin air in the blink of an eye, vanish in a puff of smoke, explode in suicide frenzies, and merge into a fifteen-foot Super Ninja.

Bullshit…but entertaining bullshit.

The fight choreography seems competent enough, but don’t expect anything too spectacular. The aerial super-heroics get in the way sometimes. The plot is coherent despite the absurdities of the action that drives it along. Towards the end of the film, it looks as though the grand finale will be a cop-out and that no actual…DUEL TO THE DEATH!!!…will take place. But take place it does, and the winner should surprise no one. Keep a barf bag handy if you can’t handle severed limbs with Kool-Aid blood flowing like…well, like blood.

Oh yeah, and there’s a token female character who falls in love with one of the duellists (after knowing him for about eight minutes) and wishes she could fight as well as everyone else seems able to.

One other point I wish to address. The subtitles. The version I saw was from Tai Seng’s Remaster series, and they look great. The film is in letterbox format and the text is in (O Hosanna!) the blank space underneath the picture, with clear electronic characters. This in itself is a minor miracle, but the thing that really impressed me was their coherence. I did not notice a single spelling error, and there were only two or three grammatical snafus that anyone could have made. You won’t have any problem following the story. Well done.

The best recommendation I can give you: “You could do worse.”

Numskull’s Rating: 6/10

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

Champions, The (1983) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"The Champions" Theatrical Poster

“The Champions” Theatrical Poster

Director: Brandy Yuen
Cast: Yuen Biao, Dick Wei, Fung King Man, Cheung Kwok Keung, Gam Biu, Moon Lee Choi Fong, Eddie Ko Hung, Tino Wong Cheung, Ho Pak Kwong, Johnny Cheung Yiu Wah, Brandy Yuen Jan Yeung, Cheung Ging Boh
Running Time: 94 min.

By Vic Nguyen

A mischevious country boy, who after many amusing situations, becomes Hong Kong’s soccer king.

This early Yuen Biao vehicle is an entertaining blend of light comedy and some of the best soccer sequences ever commited to film. Here, Ah Biao stars as an acrobatic country hick from the sticks who must flee out of town after inadvertantly injuring a wealthy socialite during an innocent competition. While exploring the area, he runs into a soccer team who discovers his talents, and subsequently joins the team.

Despite the martial arts adept cast, there is little to no fistacuff duels in this film, instead, the action all involves well choreographed soccer games that are every bit as exhilarating. Yuen Biao, at the prime of his career, gives a fun performance, while Dick Wei provides a great portrayal as the arrogant villain. An underrated gem that unfortunately does not receive the attention it deserves.

Vic Nguyen’s Rating: 8.5/10

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

China Strike Force (2001) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"China Strike Force" Hong Kong Theatrical Poster

“China Strike Force” Hong Kong Theatrical Poster

AKA: Thunder Cop
Director: Stanley Tong
Cast: Aaron Kwok, Norika Fujiwara, Mark Dacascos, Leehom Wang, Coolio, Ruby Lin, Jennifer Lin, Ken Lo, Kim Won-Jin, Jackson Lau Hok-Yin, Li Xue-Tong
Running Time: 103 min.

By Reefer

Wanna know why I like Stanley Tong? Because he is a guy who must have sleepless nights trying to figure out how the heck he’s going to get a motorcycle on top of a double-decker bus. He’s a guy who probably wonders out loud “Can Coolio do kung fu?”; and says “Forget that Jackie hanging from a helicopter crap. Let do one better!”; and asks “Can Aaron Kwok’s hair actually move?”

Needless to say, Tong’s Chinese Strike Force is an effort to make a bigger, better action movie. Unfortunately, you feel that he judges success by the amount of wrecked cars and mangled stunt men and not by creating any emotional attachment to his characters or telling an interesting story. It is because of this that Chinese Strike Force comes off as a hollow exercise in complicated physical mayhem.

CSF follows the adventures of two agents (one of them is Kwok) as they chase bad guy Mark Dacascos and LA gang-banger Coolio who are planning a big drug deal along with the help of a skillful and beautiful Japanese chick.

Filmed mostly in English, the acting is truly a bore. It isn’t exactly a good thing when American rapper Coolio turns in the best performance. Kwok, who looks like the Asian Gumby, acts like he doesn’t quite understand what he is saying. Dacascos comes off as nothing but a typical sneering bad guy. The rest of the cast just kinda wanders around until they get behind the wheel or find a gun in their hands or are, uh . . . suspended on a giant pane of glass hanging by a crane connected to a skyscraper. You get the picture. A couple plot twists are thrown in, but who really cares? For the most part, I was just waiting for some more excitement.

Fortunately, excitement comes in some heavy doses as Tong gives you a wild car chase involving an Indy car and a Lamborghini, another insane chase with the aforementioned double-decker bus, several lively fistfights and finally a Supercop-topping finale.

Tong clearly is a guy who should stick with stunt coordinating and producing but save the actual filmmaking for more complete directors. I am trying not to make this a slam because what Tong does with his imagination and skills as a stuntman are truly amazing.

Reefer’s Rating: 5/10

By Ben Poppel

Wow, what a disappointment. The way this movie starts out, you get the feel that it’s going to be an all out action bonanza buffet. But what we get instead is a big ball of cheese. What the hell was Coolio doing in this movie anyway, he used more terrible potty-mouthed one liners than the guys from Night at the Roxberry, I just hope he had nothing to do with the writing of his own lines. At least the almost always cool Aaron Kwok was pretty up to par in this movie. And Talking about pretty, the Japanese co star was probably the highlight of the film.

Now, I can’t say this is a flat out terrible movie – It had a few nice set pieces and crazy stunts, with the help of some wire work, but you talk about a terrible ending. I know some Hong Kong movies are trying to go for that Hollywood look and feel, but give me a break, the ending was just too unrealistic! Overall, It has the look and feel of a low-budget Mark Dacascos movie…oh wait a minute he was in this film too with the help of director Stanley Tong. But the good action was just too few and far between and was filled with dialogue (which is over half in English) and lousy plot lines that are overused.

This will probably be released in America in a year or so and have a big picture of Coolio and Mark Dacascos on the poster art. Nevertheless, this will probably be a movie you will either love or hate.

Ben Poppel’s Rating: 6/10

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

Dead End (1969) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Dead End" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"Dead End" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Cheh
Writer: Chiu Kang Chien
Producer: Runme Shaw
Cast: Ti Lung, Li Ching, David Chiang (Da Wei), Chen Hung Lieh, Angela Yu Chien, Chen Yan Yan, Goo Man Chung, Fong Min, Hsu Hsia
Running Time: 100 min.

By Mighty Peking Man

Zhang Chun (Ti Lung, in one of his first starring roles for Shaw Brothers) is a good natured, twenty-something playboy who loves his family, despises his office job and envies the rich. At a glance, he’s a happy go-lucky ladies man; but deep down inside, he’s frustrated with his ant-like 9 to 5 work routine. Burnt out and depressed, his mind becomes more and more self-destructive; he even fantasizes about “living fast and dying young” like his idol, James Dean.

It’s only when he meets a rich girl, named Wen Rou (Li Ching), that his world is turned inside out. The two fall madly in love with each other and Zhang Chun’s pessimistic nature begins to see a happy light.

Trouble begins to boil when the girl’s older protective brother, Wen Qiang (Chen Hung-lieh), finds out about their relationship. Because of Zhang Chun’s unsuccessful white collar status, Wen Qiang immediately disapproves of him and requests that the two stop seeing each other. Zhang Chun ignores his request and the two collide in a bloody opposition, leaving Wen Rou caught between the two in a helpless situation.

First of all, hats off to Celestial Pictures for their newly produced trailer for DEAD END. In a word, brilliant. The trailer’s perfect edits and choice of music grabs your immediate attention. In fact, the trailer’s vibe is so positive that I’m beginning to second guess my disappointing thoughts that followed watching the actual movie.

DEAD END marks a change of setting for your typical pre-1970s Chang Cheh flick. The sword is now a gun; feudal China is now modern day Hong Kong. Also, it’s the first in a series of endless urban tales of troubled youth (i.e. Chinatown Kid, The Delinquent, Friends, The Generation Gap…like I said, endless.) and their association with violence. In addition, DEAD END marks the first real team up of the Chang Cheh, David Chiang and Ti Lung collaboration, dubbed “The Iron Triangle,” because of their successful line of films together which would last several years.

The main problem with DEAD END is its story line. Sometimes, it’s a little too much to-the-point; other times, you’re wondering which way that point is facing. Plot elements come in, then plot elements disappear. More than anything, there are just too many moments of plain stupidity that are extremely evident. When the film comes to a conclusion, we never really know WHY anyone did what they did.

Despite the film’s line of talent and it’s visually-hip 1960’s yester-year style of filmmaking, DEAD END is a rushed mess. Unless you’re a super-duper Cheh/Chiang/Lung fanatic, or you just like to stare at Li Ching’s unbelievably cute face, skip it. It’s just a friendly reminder that not everything Chang Cheh touched turned to gold; however,it would only a take a couple of years for him to do a much better job with similar films like the ones mentioned above.

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 5/10

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

Blood Brothers | aka Dynasty of Blood (1973) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Blood Brothers" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"Blood Brothers" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Cheh, John Woo
Writer: I Kuang, Chang Cheh
Producer: Run Run Shaw
Cast: David Chiang, Ti Lung, Chen Kuan Tai, Ching Li, Wang Lung Wei, Tin Ching, Cheng Miu, Wong Ching Ho, Yeung Chak Lam, Wong Kwong Yue, Fan Mei Sheng
Running Time: 118 min.

By Perkele

Set in the waning years of the Ching Dynasty, this dramatic, tragic, romantic, blood-soaked martial arts tale of betrayal and revenge explores one of the most sensational scandals in Chinese history.

Widely regarded as one of the finest of the early Chang Cheh films, and at least from what I’ve seen [not nearly all of ’em], this statement is certainly correct. “Blood Brothers” is an epic tale of three sworn blood brothers, friendship, honor, betrayal and revenge. It’s sort of like a kung fu version of “Bullet in the Head,” and in fact, John Woo worked as an assistant director on this one so the similarities can’t be just coincidence.

Based on the real events and characters, Ti Lung plays terrifically the power-greedy general [quite like Wise Lee in BITH], whose lust for power finally makes him murder Chen Kuan Tai [in BITH it’s Jackie Cheung], with whom wife (Ching Li) he’s also having a secret love affair. David Chiang [compare: Tony Leung] finds this out, and avenges Chen Kuan Tai’s death by finally killing Ti Lung.

The film uses efficient beautiful outdoor locations [get the widescreen version], and there’s dozens of extras in the biggest fights, making the movie look real good. Fight choreography (in courtesy of Hong Kong legend Liu Chia Liang) is pretty much the best of the era [if you don’t count Bruce Lee’s films], though many will consider it a bit slow nowadays.

Highly recommended for the fans of this older SB stuff.

Perkle’s Rating: 7/10

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

Come Drink with Me (1966) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Come Drink With Me" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Come Drink With Me” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: King Hu
Producer: Run Run Shaw
Cast: Cheng Pei Pei, Yueh Hua, Chen Hung Lieh, Yeung Chi Hing, Simon Yuen (Siu Tin), Guk Fung, Lee Wan Chung, Kok Lee Yan, Han Ying Chieh, Fung Ngai, Nam Wai Lit, Wong Yeuk Ping, Chan Hei, Jackie Chan, Yam Ho
Running Time: 91 min.

By Mighty Peking Man

I was hesitant to watch a Shaw Brothers movie made in 1966; I admit, the stuff I have grown to love in kung fu cinema started in the 1970s: the colorful gore of Chang Cheh, the intensity of Bruce Lee, and the physical genius of Jackie Chan. So, could there possibly be some appeal in a late 1960s flick for me? Hmmm… 1966… let’s see, Sergio Leone made The Good, The Bad & The Ugly; The Beatles made Revolver (okay, that’s an album, but you get my point). The fact is, yes, the 1960s was a groovy time for music and movies all over the world, and the Shaw Brothers produced-films were no exception.

I’ve never been a big fan of heroine kung fu movies; in fact, I’ve tried to stay away from them every chance I got. Could you blame me for being a male chauvinist pig when it came to genuine ass kicking? Of course not. With Come Drink With Me, I’m forced to say that Cheng Pei Pei (who plays Golden Swallow, the film’s protagonist) is the real deal; for the first time in kung fu movie history, I actually enjoyed seeing a woman beat the hell out of the bad guys. I’m not sure what it exactly is about her, but she pulls off a believable kung fu fighting babe and does a much better job portraying one than Angela Mao, Michelle Yeoh and Moon Lee COMBINED… and I’m not talking in a fight choreography sense; I’m talking in terms of how she carries herself with her no-nonsense charisma. And who knows, maybe some of the credit could be given to director King Hu? Frankly, I haven’t seen enough of his or Cheng Pei Pei’s work to give a valid opinion.

As it stands, Come Drink With Me is one entertaining film. I’ve heard both good and bad things about it… it’s “boring”, there’s “too much talk”, it’s a “classic”, it’s “influential”… I’m shooting for the more positive remarks. It has a plot that’s solid and simple. It’s probably not as graphic and action packed as your average Chang Cheh film, but you do get the occasional blood-in-the-face shots, dismembered body parts and even some mystical shit (and the visual effects were done pretty damn well, especially for the time). Even the villains are colorful and have a lot more character than the majority of baddies in an average kung fu film. And you have to love Golden Swallow’s semi-sidekick, Drunken Cat, played by Yueh Hua.

King Hu’s direction is top notch. The cinematography is beautiful. The sets are visually lavish. For the most part, the fight choreography may seem bland when compared to today’s standards, but to even up the odds, they bare less edits and camera tricks. To sum it all up, Come Drink With Me is a film that I appreciate and its innovation and influence reflects many popular martial arts movies of today. Sounds like a classic to me.

And now, my eyes are drooling over Golden Swallow (the Chang Cheh-directed sequel to Come Drink With Me) and the One Armed Swordsman series.

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 8/10

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

Young People (1972) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Young People" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"Young People" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Cheh
Cast: David Chiang, Ti Lung, Chen Kuan Tai, Agnes Chen Mei-Ling (Agnes Chan Mei Ling), Irene Chen I-Ling (Chan Yi Ling), Bolo Yeung (Yang Sze), Yen Shi Kwan
Running Time: 118 min.

By Mighty Peking Man

Young People is a story of active college kids who are divided into three groups, with each one having a leader: David Chiang’s consists of musicians, singers and dancers. Ti Lung’s are basketball players. Chen Kuan Tai’s men practice kung fu.

They’re all from the same school, yet there’s still a sense of rivalry between the students. Ti Lung’s jocks and Chen Kuan Tai martial artists poke fun at David Chiang’s group for being into non-manly activities; Chen Kuan Tai has a beef with Ti Lung for stealing his girl (it’s fun to watch Irene Chen juggle all the guys around); David Chiang seems to be the cool cat of the bunch, who spends most of his time breaking up fights; and even though his forte is playing the drums, he tears it up when it comes to any activity, especially kung fu.

I don’t know how Chang Cheh did it, but he managed to make an enjoyable movie with no deaths, no blood, and a limited amount of PG-rated brawls. Mind you, I walked into Young People knowing it was a non-action movie based more on a friendly plot about competitive, fun-loving college kids. I just never realized I’d end up liking it as much as I did. In fact, I can honestly say that it was much more enjoyable than your average Shaw Brothers basher. But who knows? Maybe I just needed a break from watching a bunch of guys killing eachother.

Young People is cornball movie making at its finest. The comedy isn’t smart. The story is nothing intriging or original. Expect a lot of dated music (some of it’s in English). With all this said – and I know it doesn’t make much sense – Young People is interesting throughout it’s 90-minute duration. It’s kind of like watching an episode of some cheesy 1970’s TV show: it’s outdated, it’s far-fetched, but for some reason, you just keep on watching it.

If there’s anything truly negative to be said, there are a couple of draggy segments. One is an overlong basketball game (we only needed a few minutes of it, not 15 or whatever it was). Also, there are a couple of numbers performed by Agnes Chan that seem to go on forever. Depending on your taste (or mental stability), these scenes may knock off the film’s nice pace.

No biggie though.

Besides, where else you gonna see Ti Lung and Bolo play basketball? Where else are you going to hear Agnes Chan perform a cheesy cover of James Taylor’s “You’ve Got A friend”?

Need a break from the usual Chang Cheh flick? Give Young People a try.

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 7/10

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

Web of Death (1976) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Web of Death" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"Web of Death" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Literally: Five Poison Web
Director: Chor Yuen
Cast: Yueh Hua, Cheng Lee (Ching Li), Lo Lieh, Guk Fung (Ku Feng), Wong Hap (Wang Hsia), Lily Li Li-Li, Wong Chung (Wang Chung), Angela Yu Chien, Ngaai Fei, Yen Shi Kwan
Running Time: 87 min.

By Joe909

I’ve loved these old school Shaw Brothers movies since I was a kid, and figured I knew a little about them. But I had never heard of director Chor Yuen. I had heard of one of his movies, though: 1977’s Clans of Intrigue, and the only reason I knew about that one was because it starred the fucktastic Nora Miao. But it turns out that Yuen was one of Shaw’s biggest directors. Unlike Chang Cheh and Liu Chia-Lang, Yuen delved into the esoteric world of swordplay films, with all-powerful characters, fantastic sets, colorful costumes, and complicated plots. He lacked the buckets of blood Chang Cheh doused his films with, but hey, no one’s perfect. Re-introducing Yuen’s body of work is just one of many things Celestial should be thanked for.

Praise aside, the only things hampering Yuen’s movies were the byzantine plotting and cluttered cast. You can’t entirely blame him, because the majority of his movies were based on convoluted Gu Long novels, a few of which I’ve read, and which themselves can be very confusing. But it can still be hard figuring out who’s who in Chor’s movies, and what’s going on. Web of Death is no exception, even though it doesn’t seem to be based on anything by Gu Long.

The sets are the most interesting thing about this movie. That’s not an insult to the film; these sets are fantastic, even beyond the usual magnificent Shaws set design. There’s a trap-filled dungeon, a clan headquarters that seems to be colossal, and fog-shrouded cauldrons with pools of acid. I can only imagine what martial chaos Chang Cheh could’ve wrought on such sets, but Chor Yuen’s movies are more introspective, complex, and feminine than Chang’s bloodthirsty tales.

Another interesting aspect of this movie is the similarity of its plot to the Shaw Brothers classic Five Venoms. Both of these movies came from the pen of I Kuang; Web of Death in 1976 and Five Venoms in 1978. You could consider Web a prologue to Venoms. It’s about the Poison Clan, but whereas Five Venoms is a kung-fu mystery of the highest order, Web of Death is a high-brow swordplay/romance/B-grade horror movie.

The plot concerns the evil leader of the Snake Clan’s search for the fabled Five Poisons spider, the most powerful weapon in the martial world. It’s just a little spider in a weird box, but it glows red, screeches, and ensnares its victims in a radioactive cobweb. It can also apparently do all sorts of wacky stuff. The Poison Clan leader won’t let him have it, as the spider was banned ages ago and is now hidden. So the Snake Clan leader devises a ruse to find it; he makes it seem that other martial artist clans are out seeking the spider. This causes all sorts of confusion, fatal mistakes, and plotting in the martial world.

In the middle of this, a love story brews between virtuous swordsman Fei and the Poison Clan leader’s daughter, Hong. At times this part of the story takes on aspects of a kung-fu version of Three’s Company. Lots of mistaken identity, holding of secrets, and misunderstandings. All the movie really needs is a topknotted Normal Fell as Mr. Roper, who could live upstairs from these crazy kids.

The two plot threads come to a head when Fei is framed for the massacre of an escort agency, and the Snake Clan leader, now in possession of the spider, comes after him. The final battle is good for a while, but then the spider is unleashed. The special effects in this part are entertaining solely due to the cheese factor. We’re supposed to buy it when this fake-looking spider ensnares all of the master swordsmen in a radioactive web. Unfortunately, there is only way to kill the spider, and doing so gives the movie its requisite tragic ending.

Cheng Lee, as the clan leader’s daughter, is the true star of the film, with lead-billed Yueh Hua mostly providing back-up. Lo Lieh is the black-garbed villain, and he’s perfect as the power-mad leader of the Snake Clan. He also has the best outfit in the movie, though I did like the wiry Centipede Clan leader’s “centipede” shield. I would’ve preferred to see more of these clan leaders in action, but when people do fight, it’s generally along the fantasy side of things. Lots of leaping and bolts flying from fingertips.

Action-wise I didn’t find this movie on par with Chang Cheh, though surely others will disagree. I guess it comes down to genre preference. For me, I tend to like just about anything which begins with that majestic Shaw Brothers logo, save for the odd movie or two. I do prefer kung-fu to swordplay movies, but it’s not a hardcore preference. That being said, I still found the action scenes to be over too quick in this one, and would have loved to see the violent epic Chang Cheh might have created with these sets and costumes.

Joe909’s Rating: 7/10

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Angry Guest, The | aka Duel of Fists 2 (1972) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"The Angry Guest" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The Angry Guest” Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Kung Fu Killers
Director: Chang Cheh
Cast: David Chiang, Ti Lung, Chang Cheh, Chan Sing, Yasuaki Kurata, Bolo Yeung, Cheng Lee, Woo Wai, Gam Kei Chu, Lee Pang-Fei, Yen Shi Kwan
Running Time: 93 min.

By Mighty Peking Man

Fan Ke (David Chiang) and Wenlie (Ti Lung) are back, and this time they’re up against a powerful Japanese crime syndicate (headed by director Chang Cheh, himself). Not only that, but Killer (Chan Sing), the head villain from “Duel of Fists,” has escaped prison and wants retribution. Killer’s revenge plot leads to Wenlie’s girlfriend’s kidnapping, and forces the two heroes to travel to Japan to set things straight and kick some ass.

Unlike “Duel of Fists,” this sequel doesn’t take itself seriously at all, which works great, considering its wacky content. Filled with non-stop action and far out situations, “The Angry Guest” feels more like a down ‘n dirty Golden Harvest exploitation flick (ie “Stoner”) than your average Chang Cheh joint. Complete with ultra-violence, cheesy gadgets, vehicle chases, cheap Bond-ish set designs, colorful villains (Bolo at his hippest), and a raunchy sex scene that titty-squeezers will get a kick out of, this movie will appeal to true fans of Chang Cheh at his playful best.

Though “The Angry Guest” succeeds where “Duel of Fists” didn’t, the film may have lost a point due to the bad presentation. The version I saw was PanMedia’s DVD release and even though it was in its original aspect ratio, the picture quality was like that of a VHS and its English-dubbing was awful (yet sometimes entertaining). Let’s face it, we’re all spoiled by Celestial’s line of remastered Shaw titles (well, most of them), so second rate quality really stands out. If it were the early 90’s, then my DVD virgin eyes would have thought differently.

Mighty Peking Man’s Ratin: 7/10

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Shaolin Rescuers | aka Avenging Warriors of Shaolin (1978) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Shaolin Rescuers" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Shaolin Rescuers” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Cheh
Cast: Jason Pai Piao, Lu Feng, Lo Meng, Philip Kwok Chung Fung, Chiang Sheng, Sun Chien, Chiang Nan, Walter Tso Tat Wah, Yeung Chi Hing, Wong Ching Ho, Chan Fai Kei, Chan Shen, Cheng Miu, Cheung Hei, Chow Kin Ping
Running Time: 110 min.

By Joe909

Despite the fact that the opening credits feature San Te (the character featured in “36th Chamber of Shaolin”), Fong Sai-Yuk (featured in several films), and a few other famous Shaolin monks getting killed by the villainous Pai Mei and his henchmen, Avenging Warriors of Shaolin is a comedy. As a matter of fact, you’d think Lau Kar-Leng, the Shaw director most noted for his comedic efforts, was behind this film, instead of Chang Cheh.

The Venoms star in this one, and though all of their previous films together had featured some comedy, none of them had it to this level. Unfortunately though, Chiang Sheng, usually the most humorous Venom, has a rather straight-laced part, and doesn’t even show up until the last half hour. Lo Meng shines as a bean curd seller who learned Mantis Fist from a teacher whose name he never learned. Kuo Choi shows off his own comedic talents and acrobatic skills as a smart-ass waiter who doesn’t mind stealing food from customers’ plates. Kuo’s kung-fu skills were taught to him by his dad, who showed Kuo how to fight with a bowl and chopsticks. Lo and Kuo are best friends, and spar with each other constantly, much to their respective bosses’ dismay.

When injured Shaolin student Hung Sze-Kuan, the only escapee from Pai Mei’s attack, shows up in Lo and Kuo’s town, they take it upon themselves to heal him. Sun Chien joins them, as the expelled student of a local Shaolin school whose evil master rejected Hung Sze-Kuan’s request for aid. The three drum up cash to buy the exotic potion required to heal Hung, stirring up the curiosity of Lu Feng and his henchmen.

Lu Feng plays his usual role, of course: cruel, evil, and deadly. He’s Pai Mei’s right-hand man, and he’s been sent out to find and kill all Shaolin rebels. Joining him is a muscle head who wields a humorously-large hammer, a guy who fights with wooden shield and sword, a punk who wears metal hoops, and a couple other stooges. Lu himself wields a spear and carries a pair of miniature claws that come in handy for tossing at his victims. In one memorable scene, Lu and his companions take on a Shaolin rebel who refuses to give up.

The laughs come on consistently with Kuo, Sun Chien, and Lo Meng’s parts, with Lu Feng giving the film it’s moments of brutality. As the film continues, it takes on a more serious approach, with the final battle being the usual life-or-death Shaw Brothers climax. And it should be noted that this final battle is one of their best. It features the usual breath-taking acrobatics, combined with more weapons than I could keep track of. Spears, swords, chairs, tables, chopsticks, weird-looking blades, the works; just about everything’s used.

Avenging Warriors of Shaolin is lighthearted through most of its running time, and provides a different look at the Venoms actors. I wouldn’t say it’s one of their best, as it quickly becomes apparent that most of the plot is just an excuse to set up the next fight sequence. This movie has more fights than any other Shaw Brothers movie I’ve seen. But it does feature two of the best fight sequences I’ve seen: the final battle, and the fight between the lone Shaolin warrior and Lu Feng’s men.

In a final note, there are currently two releases of this movie available. There’s the Ground Zero version, which goes by the name “Shaolin Rescuers,” and has shots from the movie on the cover, and the Venom Mob version, which is called “Avenging Warriors of Shaolin,” and for some reason has a photo of Gordon Liu on the cover. Both are the same length, and uncut. Opinion varies over which is better quality, but neither are pristine, and both were obviously dubbed off of a second or third-generation video. I bought the GZ version, as it’s cheaper. However, this movie is so rare that I’d recommend purchasing either of the releases, as it’s worth tracking down for the Venoms fan.

Joe909’s Rating: 8.5/10

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Bells of Death, The (1968) Review

Posted on January 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"The Bells of Death" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"The Bells of Death" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Griffin Yueh Feng
Cast: Chin Ping, Chang Yi, Chiu Sam Yin (Chao Hsin Yen), Lam Kau (Lin Chia), Tien Sheng, Guk Fung (Ku Feng), Paul Chun Pui, Yeung Chi Hing, Wu Ma
Running Time: 84 min.

By Mighty Peking Man

Bells of Death is the story of Wei (Chang Yi) , a young man who seeks revenge on the three bandits responsible for slaughtering his family and kidnapping his sister. Armed with his blood-thirsty sword and a bracelet of tiny bells – which symbolizes his murdered mother – Wei is an unstoppable, tortured soul and he will not rest until he gets a chance to piss on their graves.

Bells of Death is a revenge movie that doesn’t waste any time getting to the ‘revenge’ part. They even skip the whole ‘kung fu training session’ and leave it to your imagination. Throughout the movie, I was waiting for the training scene to kick in via-flashback mode, but it never came; In a way, not having the scene was strange, but once the rest of the film got going, it really didn’t matter.

For a movie made in 1968, Bells of Death feels more like something that was made in the late 1970s. That whole jolty camera style of the 60’s era Shaw flicks is absent; instead we get more of Westernized approach, which is restrained in comparison.

The tone of the film is very grizzly and dark. The costumes, set designs and backgrounds are mostly neutral in color. Even when someone is wearing red, it appears to be darkened, with very little contrast. The tone also applies to the gloomy soundtrack, which becomes haunting at times (like most Shaw flicks, a good portion of the film’s soundtrack was probably borrowed from Western films).

Bells of Death has a good amount of satisfying action. If you like blood and gore, it’ll put a smile on your face. There are a couple of scenes where sliced heads and limbs fall to the ground – and they show it!

Bells of Death gets the award for having the freakiest kung fu villain of all time, thanks to that stubby guy with a huge prosthetic nose and beard. As he attacks his victims, he does this eerie, horizontal head shake – and you can hear the cracks his neck makes when he does it. I think most people find it goofy, but it freaks me out for some reason.

Highly recommended.

Mighty Peking Man’s Rating: 8/10

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

Cheap Killers (1998) Review

Posted on January 19, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Cheap Killers" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Cheap Killers” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Clarence Ford
Writer: Wong Jing
Cast: Sunny Chan, Kathy Chow, Alex Fong Chung Sun, Henry Fong Ping, Stephen Fung Tak Lun, Lilian Ho Ka Lei, Ku Feng, Michael Ian Lambert
Running Time: 94 min.

By Raging Caijin

“Cheap Killers” springs forth, guns blazing, from the twisted imagination of writer/producer Wong Jing. It’s a sweaty ode to machismo and bullets that at times plays out like “Happy Together” with guns. Fortunately, whenever any of Wong Jing’s excesses threaten to sink the entire endeavor, some solid performances and the stylish direction of Clarence Fok are there to redeem the picture. If you can handle the blatant homoeroticism that simmers just below the movie’s surface, then you may enjoy “Cheap Killers” for the stunning return to HK cinema’s glory days that it is. That’s right: this is a genuine ‘heroic bloodshed’ flick and one of the best in years.

The story follows Sam Cool and Yat-Tiu, two of the most successful hitmen in all of Hong Kong. They’ve got the house, the cars, and the women. Well, only Yat-Tiu is into the women but we’ll get to that later. Of course, his penchant for the ladies gets both men into a lot of trouble. Yat-Tiu falls for a femme fatale and it ends up his undoing; betrayed and left for dead, the two men have little choice but to pick up the pieces of their broken lives…and plot their revenge. And you can bet it’s going to be a sweet, bloody revenge.

This is all pretty standard HK action stuff, but what separates “Cheap Killers” from other movies of its kind is the relationship between the two lead characters. When you first load up the DVD and see the menu with both actors dressed in flowing white clothes, shirts open to expose their chiseled abs, looking like two male models – it is merely a hint of what is to come. To put it simply, Sam Cool and Yat-Tiu are close. Very close. The nature of their relationship is ultimately left ambiguous by the filmmakers, but be prepared for many scenes where the two men hold each other in their arms and cry together. And watch out for that scene where Sam Cool bathes Yat-Tiu. But don’t worry; there is good reason for these moments: something happens to Yat-Tiu and Sam Cool must take on an almost paternal role for his friend. To me, these scenes imbue the movie with more emotion than your average triad flick – or at least, as much real emotion as a Wong Jing movie can have.

There are strong themes of brotherhood and loyalty at play here. It’s unfortunate that Wong Jing has to ruin it by making the female characters either manipulative or weak. He seems to be saying “all men are brothers” and “all women are bitches”. Thus, it’s not surprising that some parts of this movie resonate and others do not. At one point, a character even says “Never trust a woman” without a hint of irony. While I wish Wong Jing had reigned in his misogyny a bit, I must say that in this case the woman-bashing helps make “Cheap Killers” even more a guilty pleasure. This is a trashy movie but the filmmakers know it – hell, it was directed by Clarence “Naked Killer” Fok, after all. It’s best just to sit back and enjoy it, without taking it too seriously.

And if you’re just looking for action, “Cheap Killers” is sure to please. This movie is violent as hell. People are shot, stabbed, cut in half, chopped by shears, impaled with harpoons; others have their eyes cut out or plummet to their death. It’s all delivered with a visual punch from Clarence Fok, who knows this kind of grimy neo-noir like the back of his hand. His kinetic pacing, unique camera angles, and excessive use of slow motion mean that “Cheap Killers” is a feast for the eyes as well; which is good because the eye candy tends to take your mind off of some of the plot holes, implausibility, or sleaze in Wong Jing’s script.

Sunny Chan does a decent job as the womanizing pretty boy Yat-Tiu, but the full depth of his acting talent isn’t realized until half-way through the film. He’s very convincing as someone on the edge of sanity. That said, this movie belongs to Alex Fong. His portrayal of Sam Cool is one of the most complex and fascinating characters out of HK in years. Honestly, an exploitation movie doesn’t deserve a performance this good! He comes across as tough and vulnerable all at the same time; he projects an impossibly macho attitude while still showing tenderness and love to his male friend. He does a consummate job and makes up for Kathy Chow and Henry Fong, who are content to mostly ham things up. They’re not bad performances per se; they’re just more typical of the genre (femme fatale and sleazy gangster) than Alex Fong’s three-dimensional portrayal. Stephen Fung shows up in a supporting role as a nice guy cop. His turn is nothing to write home about but he’s a welcome presence in the movie. His character is an honest beacon of righteousness in a movie otherwise consumed with debauchery and murder.

Overall, if you can’t already tell, I loved “Cheap Killers” . It’s not a good movie at all but it’s a hell of a lot of fun to watch. It’s a trashy b-movie, an exploitation flick, and tasteless to the extreme. But guess what? They just don’t make ‘em like this anymore. When was the last time you saw a movie where the heroes armed themselves to the teeth to exact their vengeance in a rousing finale of choreographed ultra-violence? While “Cheap Killers” cobbles together elements of “A Better Tomorrow” and “Bullet in the Head” , it stands on its own thanks to the strong chemistry between the two main characters as well as some stylish cinematography…and the fact that there hasn’t been anything like it since the year it came out.

What I love about “Cheap Killers” is summed up entirely by the final shot of the movie. I’m not going to ruin it for you but once you see it, there’s no way you can resist from shouting out “Hell yeah!” It’s just one of those moments that gets your blood pumping and reminds you of the good old days of Hong Kong action. The moment, just like the entire movie, is completely unrealistic, impossibly over-the-top, and stylized to the hilt – and that’s exactly why I love it. I’m not scoring this film higher because it’s admittedly just a guilty pleasure with little artistic merit; and I can’t help but think how much better it would have been if produced by someone like Tsui Hark instead of Wong Jing. But if you’re like me and you have a soft spot for the heroic bloodshed genre, then watch this movie as soon as friggin’ possible.

Raging Caijin’s Rating: 7.5/10

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