Over the course of the next two decades, the Shaw Brothers and director Chang Cheh produced an insane amount of films with pretty much the same cast. The 40 best Kung Fu films of the over 100 that I’ve watched, in close-enough chronological order to fit the story of Kung Fu cinema history that I want to tell: One-Armed Swordsman (1967) My journey isn’t over, but if you would like to indulge with me, below you’ll find a hand-picked list of the fruits of my labor. It’s easy, enjoyable, and it feels strong to take in. It’s easy to root for the hero, and it’s entertaining to watch them succeed. These guys are hot and they fight damn good. Kung Fu films are pure spectacle of martial arts fighting and choreography, and in the simplest of terms–they just fucking rule. Either because I missed martial arts (I was once a practicing second-degree black belt in a Korean style of self defense known as Tang Soo Do), or because I take in new interests like an addict, but anyone who asked me “what’s new?” in the past half-of-a-year can attest to the fact that I most definitely brought up that I had just been watching Kung Fu movies with titles such as “Five Fingers of Death” and “Shaolin Hellgate.”Īs I watched these films, I noticed that there was a simple and mesmerizing formula that still really popped whether it got broken in interesting ways, or was followed down to an absolute tee. But even at such a manic production rate, his films retain his signature energy and brio, making him one of the most influential and revered filmmakers of the time.Ī rollicking blend of martial arts action and supernatural horror, this genre hybrid sees mercenary swordsman Yeh Ting-feng (Jason Pai Piao) team up with dogged cop Tieh Han (Tony Liu) and concubine Pei-yu (Jenny Liang) to track down the titular mysterious bird after he’s framed for robbing the emperor. Director Shan Hua throws all kinds of weirdness into the mix, including a vampire, demonic possession, evil witches and a lot of casual nudity, but the breakneck pacing and superb action choreography carry the day.For the past six months, I haven’t done much of anything outside of watching Kung Fu films. Hailing from the freewheeling, hard-fighting 1970s, when martial arts movies first came to the attention of Western audiences, SBS On Demand's special collection of classic Kung Fu films feature some of the most blistering action sequences ever recorded. Most of these hail from the famous Shaw Brothers production house and director Chang Cheh, Hong Kong’s most prolific merchant of high-flying mayhem.Īt the height of his powers in the mid-70s, he was directing between five and eight feature films a year.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |