Cheng Miu
Fong Sai Yuk's uninhibited arrogance toward a Manchu lord forces him to seek refuge in a Shaolin temple. Although abundantly trained in the martial arts, he is no match for Master San Te, the creator of the 36th Chamber of Shaolin, who constantly overpowers his younger, more agile disciples in matters of both body and mind. Exhausted by his frequent defeats, Fong seeks to escape his prison and crosses paths with a governor, who rewards him with a yellow robe granting immunity from any Manchu. But what are the governor's true intentions? Will Fong feed his foolish ego and betray the Shaolin Temple?
Someone's on a pituitary gland binge. Pituitary glands first go missing from corpses and the criminal theft escalates to living people..
Former wife of Chow Yun Fat, Candice Yu On-on stars in this gauzy softcore flick directed by Chor Yuen. Chun (Yu) is a high-class society woman who secretly dabbles in every sort of vice, from arranging murder to kidnapping young girls to serve as sex slaves for her brothel. One such lass is the beautiful Ai-nu, who manages to fight her way out of getting gang raped by Chun's minion. When she is recaptured, she promptly kills one of her first customers. Ai-nu's spunk intrigues Chun, prompting her to not only cover up the lass' crime but also seduce her as well. Detective Ling Yun (Alex Man Chi-leung) soon suspects something is amiss and begins investigating Chun's brothel over the objections of his superiors. When Ai-nu falls for Yun, Chun orders her lackey/lover Yeh to kill him. Instead, he tries to seduce Ai-nu himself. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
A small town is protected by one of the famous Ten Tigers of Kwangtung. The town is very safe as Ti Lung and his Kung Fu students patrol for criminals. Enter the rival Kung Fu school whom Ti Lung's students have beaten in a lion dance competition and then humiliated in a brawl. The rival school is joined by an opium dealing Kung Fu master who plans to turn the town into a community of addicts!
A rampaging swordsman slices and dices his way across China on a bloody mission to cut down every warrior in his way, and claim the blade of the legendary Supreme Swordsman in this Shaw Brothers classic starring Derek Yee and Jason Pai Piao, and directed by Keith Li Baak Ling. But when the son of a slain sword maker emerges as an unexpected challenger, the ruthless killer realizes that he may have finally met his match.
Veteran action actor and director Lu Chun-ku set his sights on a tale of Ching Dynasty royal intrigue as an excuse to hire his favorite action stars, gather three choreographers, and film one fight-filled conspiracy after another. Liu Hsueh-hua is the title character caught between battling princes. Then there's award-winning actor Ku Feng, "Bastard Swordsman" Hsu Shao-chiang, "King of Shaw Brothers' Screen Villains" Wang Lung-wei, "Venom" Sun Chien, and even the director shows up to get his kicks in this danger-fraught adventure.
Max Mok is the dashing young swordsman Feng Xiwu who arrives at a beautiful, but deadly location known as Moonlit Sky to investigate rumors of deaths and disappearances there.
This is an extremely rare example of science fiction, Hong Kong style, but, fittingly, it's unlike any sci-fi flick you've ever seen. Alien abductions, suicide pacts, superstardom, and the reality of science fiction itself is spotlighted in this bright, crazy, truly out of this world epic -- one of the more unusual movies in the Hong Kong cinema of the early 1980s. And if you know 80's Hong Kong cinema at all, you know that's really saying something!
The plot follows a group of women who struggle in Hong Kong, most of them illegal immigrants from mainland China.
Celebrated director Chu Yuan helms "Descendant Of The Sun", a Superman meets Hercules a la old style martial art film. Derek Yee is a magic solar baby sent Earthbound by a benevolent god, raised by an old carpenter, has martial art superpowers and "green kryptonite" loses them during solar eclipses. That's when the evil baby counterpart shows up. Demon-paced martial arts action by Jackie Chan's kung-fu classmates Yuan Pin and Yuen Hua compliments Toho Studio style special optical effects.
TIGER KILLER (1982) is a straightforward adaptation of one story from the sprawling Chinese literary epic, "The Water Margin." It tells the tale of Wu Song, who slays a man-eating tiger preying on farmers and villagers and becomes the hero of the province, getting appointed as a constable by the local magistrate. He is reunited with his older brother, the short, disfigured Wu the Elder, a peddler of buns, who invites Wu Song to move in with him and his new wife. The wife, Golden Lotus, is an attractive young former maid who had been forced to marry Wu the Elder as punishment for getting caught in bed with her master by the master's wife. She takes a liking to the handsome, strong Wu Song, who rebuffs her attempts to seduce him. When Wu Song is sent on a long journey, the wife begins an affair with a rich local merchant. When Wu Song returns from his mission, he is met with shocking news which sets off a series of violent acts of retribution.
Chu Liu-hsiang, the charming, capable, and, yes, sentimental, swordsman is back in action for this extremely well-named third in the hit box-office series. The titanic team of director Chu Yuan and novelist Ku Lung wisely choose to give their hero a whole new, non-stop, cliffhanger-fraught adventure featuring a mystery swordsman, a sensual swordswoman, an imperial assassin, a Ghost Mansion, the Bat Island, a booby-trapped tunnel, double crosses, and secret missions. And there are no fewer than three martial arts choreographers on hand to guide the amazing mayhem.
This is it: one of the most talked about cult films ever made -- a maniacal masterpiece of the macabre, the martial arts, and the just plain weird. Shaw's first international star Lo Lieh stars as the insane swordsman who makes Chinese lamps from, yes, the skin of his enemies' sisters, mistresses, and wives. Although insanely conceived, it is beautifully filmed and unashamedly performed by a first rate cast of sexy starlets and kung-fu favorites.
The main characters - the arrogant, harassed director, the sexy starlet, or naïve actors are familiar enough stereotypes. Along the way however, there is some fun to be had as more humorous incidents occur on the sound stage, together with dashes of nudity. Some of the events are presumably inspired by real life experiences, others have a distinct air of wishful fabrication. The over-the-top Kung Fu star, deserted by director and crew as he goes through his pointless extended routine, for instance. Or the action heroes, sweating in furs while they dutifully munch through their meal scene, 'snow' falling outside in studio land.
Here Chang Siu Tai (Alexander Fu Sheng) is the son of Master Chang (played by Ku Feng), a renowned chiropractor/bone-setter operating a clinic in a poor neighborhood in an unidentified city in early 20th century China. Siu Tai works for his father and studies bone-setting and kung fu under him, but gets into lots of trouble, especially after white foreigners and their westernized Chinese enablers descend on the town in hopes of acquiring a valuable statue of the Goddess of Mercy on display at a local Buddhist temple.
When Long Jian-fei is tossed from a cliff by the new sweetheart of his meanspirited ex-girlfriend, the friendly Dameng dragon-dog saves the hapless man's life, and brings him to Flame Cloud Devil, the blind master of the Buddha's Palm technique.
Wong Fei Hung (Gordon Liu) and his friend are constantly having contests to see who has the better martial arts skill. After getting in trouble with their fathers, Wong Fei Hung settles down and starts to train seriously, while his friend still horses around. After his friend is hurt by a rival school, Wong goes to the school for retribution. Instead his skill is tested through a series of events which climax with him taking on a Northern martial artist (Wang Lung Wei). In an excellent battle of skill (and choreography), he earns the respect of the rival school. Also stars Mai Te Lo and Hui Ying Hung.
A story of a coffin maker who tells a story about a policeman who was murdered by his wife and her lover. Eventually released constable loose of some grave robbers, the constables ghost is out to make the lives of all those involved in his death miserable. (A Shaw Brothers production)
A young boy betrays his family who hides a refugee and tells the pursuer (Lo Lieh) where the hiding-place is - just because he wants a valuable telescope for reward. His father decides to kill the boy in order to restore the honor of the family.
An expert swordsman is suspected of being the thief of a treasure sent to Emperor. The swordsman who has nothing to do with the theft investigates and is led on the trail of the supernatural "Bloody Parrot". This leads to the "Parrot Brothel" and the star prostitute who walks around half naked. Strange things happen including a demonic possession, witches casting poison spells, disgusting autopsies and numerous sword fights. Then a dead constable turns into a vampire! This is all in the first 30 minutes!
This mystery-tinged 'Martial Arts World' epic was one of director Chu Yuan and novelist Ku Lung's last together for the Shaw Studios, but it's another action-filled winner. Liu Yung and Sun Chien (the Korean kicking 'Venom' from Chang Cheh's internationally popular series) team to investigate the martial arts murders of a supposedly mortally wounded swordsman, only to find deception, death, double-dealings, imposters, and one deadly duel after another. No less than three choreographers are on hand to handle the multitude of magnificent martial arts.
Li Xunhuan comes back to his home after three years of wandering. He had decided to have a normal life, but a group of skilled martial arts fighters and leaders are bent on killing him, so they can be ranked top by Bai Xiaosheng in his renowned list of the best warriors in the martial arts world. Li Xunhuan battles them as he searches for his estranged friend A'fei, who is now married and living in seclusion. Li asks A'fei to join forces and fight against a new threat that wants to rule the world: the Money Clan.
Spoiled Yuen Si Si, the naive daughter of an affluent merchant, lives her cosseted life dreaming of meeting her idol, the heroic Qin Ge. When her father decides to marry her off, she runs away in search of Qin Ge, with her fiancee in pursuit. What she doesn't realise though is that her kung-fu skills are not what she thinks they are and that the outside world is far less chivalrous that she expected.
Actors David Chaing and Alexander Fu Sheng join director Chang Cheh and the rest of the Five Deadly Venoms crew for a supernatural martial arts epic that takes the action to another plane of reality entirely. When a fallen angel descends to the Earth on a mission to storm the underworld, a love shared between angels and humans offers telling testament to the power of a lucky ghost. In the battle that follows, both the living and the dead will discover that a war waged in hell could have consequences that resound forever
Complex plots? This director didn't want them. Expensive, famous stars? Didn't need them. Glorious sets and costumes? He could take them or leave them. With his choreographer Hsu Hsia, John Lo Mar liked making lean, mean, fighting movies, and fans rejoiced. Here Wu Yuan-chin stars as "the Kid," a monk whose education in the aptly named "Crazy Lo Han Fist" finds him battling a cruel bandit's son and befriending an abused prostitute. From then on, it's one fight after another in another John Lo Mar martial arts marvel.
Shaolin practitioners and brothers Wu and Hung kill the merciless Pai Mei. However, Pai Mei's even more merciless brother White Lotus takes revenge; killing most of the Shaolin disciples, including Wu and Hung's girlfriend, leaving only Wu's pregnant wife and Hung as the only remaining practitioners of Shaolin left to avenge the deaths. But Hung's kung-fu will not be powerful enough so he must learn feminine kung-fu techniques to help him try and defeat White Lotus.
Kao is given a mission by his elderly master to take a cursed sword and solve petty squabbles between skilled martial masters.
Gao Jian is a lazy and arrogant student of the martial arts school ran by vain Si Fu Shi Chen-chung. One night after his punishment in his school a wounded man reaches his house. He is Jin Tien-yun, a legendary warrior fleeing from a fight in which he was stabbed in a sneak attack and now has to hide from his pursuers, the Three Devils. Gao helps him and in return, Jin decides to teach him some serious kicks. Gao has to live alone for a year after Shi believes that he is traitor of his school. Then he tries to kill him but Jin interferes in order to save Gao and as his wounds are not fixed yet, he gets into a final battle with the three Devils. So it is Gao's turn to seek for revenge.
When a notorious fiend known as the "Bat Without Wings" returns to his small village after a five-year absence and kidnaps a young maiden, it's up to her family and a resourceful swordsmen to brave the horrors of the underworld to bring her back home alive.
Teng Piao (Ti Lung) went to jail for fifteen years on a frame up for drug smuggling. Now that he's out, along with his iron chain, Teng Piao is hungry for revenge. The man he wants to beat with his chain is Black Leopard Lam Fei. The problem for Teng Piao is that he doesn't know who he is, only that he has a picture of a black leopard tattooed on his chest.
Two friends who long to be heroes join the fight against a Ching warlord and his students. They get help from a Kung Fu student and a rebel. They also save Hung Si Quan's life.
Three inmates in an asylum tell their stories. Story 1, a husband and wife discover they should be careful what they wish for. Story 2, a naked female ghost gets revenge from her watery grave. Story 3, a dead prostitute returns as a ghost.
While international favorite David Chiang was best known for his roles as a grinning, streetwise, fighter in many Chang Cheh-directed classics, he rarely played a noble warrior monk. But here he portrays the great Chih Shim, the monk who saved the Southern Shaolin Temple. Making this production all the more notable is Lo Lieh, Shaws' first international star, who returns to a role he also made famous - that of Shaolin renegade Pai Mei. This, and even more, makes for a true martial arts epic of the first order.
After his parents are murdered, Jiang Xiao Yu (Fu Sheng) is separated from his twin as a baby and taken by a family friend to "Villains Valley," where he is raised to be a "villain" by a host of outlaws, each of whom has a special skill. When he's old enough (and grows up to be Fu Sheng), he devises clever means to trap each of his "uncles" and escape the valley to head off into the outside world. A chance encounter with a beautiful girl dressed as a man leads to a treasure hunt and eventually a confrontation with the Princess of Yi Hua Palace, the one who murdered Xiao's parents in the first place. Eventually, a reunion with his twin will occur.
A talented young swordsman (Derek Yee) has beaten many veterans before his inherited martial arts manual gets stolen. After encountering his first defeat in life, in despair, he comes across a gorgeous girl (Liza Wang), daughter of the head of a mysterious sect...
Director Chu Yuan was already famous for his many collaborations with respected novelist Ku Lung and for his introduction of detective thriller ingredients into the martial arts movie genre. But this production was made even more special by the rare presence of superstar David Chiang. Here he gives another great performance as kung-fu knight Shen Lang, who stumbles across grave robbers while on the trail of a martial arts mass murderer. There's intrigue, betrayals, and battles galore before the last plot is revealed and the final murderer is defeated.
Skilled martial arts director Lau Ka Leung offers you another Kung Fu treat! this Asian classic introduces viewers to the Shaolin Mantis way of fighting! The tale takes you back to the Qing dynasty & Wei Feng, the son of a Qing official who tries to unveil facts about a revolt. The grand daughter of the farmer community where his investigation takes him, sacrifices her life to save him in the end. Managing to escape unscathed, he promises to hunt down the girl's killer and therefore creates the effective technique of Shaolin Mantis.
The thrills continue in this second part of this cherished adventure, created by the renowned director Chu Yuan and ingenious novelist Chin Yung. Only the union of the title weapons can save the six remaining martial arts sects who are vying for mastery. So just sit back and enjoy the movie event which spawned a legacy that continues even today with a long-running, internationally loved television series, a role-playing game, and even collectible replicas of the Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre themselves!
Director Chu Yuan's titanic teaming with respected, inspired author Chin Yung created this unforgettable saga. Set during the Yuan Dynasty, it tells the fascinating story of the "Sacred Fire" sect, the Wu Tang swordsmanship clan, the disciples of the O Mei group, The Book of Chu Yang (which can make the reader immortal), and the destruction of Shaolin -- complete with a killer cliffhanger. And that's just the start of the fascinating intrigues and ingratiating characters found here.
Crippled Avengers is a 1978 Shaw Brothers kung fu film directed by Chang Cheh and starring four members of the Venom Mob. It has been released in North America as Mortal Combat and Return of the 5 Deadly Venoms. The film follows a group of martial artists seeking revenge after being crippled by Tu Tin-To (Chen Kuan Tai), a martial arts master, and his son (Lu Feng).
Following "Clans Of Intrigue"'s success, director Chu Yuan, novelist Ku Lung, and superstar Ti Lung re-teamed for another adventure featuring sexy knight Chu Liu-Hsiang. This time, he travels to the mysterious Island Of The Bats, where he encounters treacherous monks, beautiful women, and a strange Prince. The movie is also a significant milestone in the amount of female flesh revealed on screen, proving that Shaw movies can balance the yin of cheesecake with the yang of beefcake.
The Embroidery Bandit is stealing treasures while blinding his victims. The hero Liu Xiaofeng is called in to solve the mystery. The evidence points to the all-woman Clan of the Red Shoes - but appearances can be deceptive....
Three North Shaolin teachers (Lu Feng, Chang Sheng, and Sun Chien) are called on by the Manchus to teach their soldiers and are urged to challenge the current South Shaolin teachers. They defeat the South Shaolin teachers and, that night, the head general (Wang Lung Wei) kills the South Shaolin teachers and blames their death on the North Shaolin teachers. The South Shaolin master sends more of his pupils, who are killed accidentally by the North Shaolin teachers. He finally sends two more (Wei Pai and Lo Meng) of his students to train with old masters and trains one student (Kuo Chui) himself with the goal of finally defeating the North Shaolin experts.
The emperor's reign of terror expands. Heroic outlaw Ma Teng joins a squad of female rebels, whose leader is torn between family loyalties.
Gordon Liu stars as a Chinese martial arts student struggling to relate to his new Japanese wife. When a series of martial misunderstandings spirals into an international incident, he's forced to take on seven of Japan's most powerful martial arts masters, each an expert in a different discipline, ranging from karate to samurai to ninjitsu.
Sun Chung had made a name for himself directing satirical comedies and modern day crime thrillers when he started exploring the kung-fu genre with this fascinating tale which mixes music and martial arts. Revered choreographer Tang Chia leads a great action cast (including "Dirty Ho" - Wang Yu, and award-winning actor - Ku Feng) in a tale of conflicting clans and a mysterious song called "The Proud One" which leads to slowly blossoming love as well as sudden death.
The headless corpse of the Chao Clan patriarch and the theft of a jade tiger set in motion another successful collaboration between three of the biggest names in swordplay action dramas: director Chu Yuan, martial arts novelist Ku Lung, and kung-fu superstar Ti Lung (the same trio who made The Magic Blade and Clans of Intrigue such big hits). The authoritative Hong Kong Movie News magazine praised the film as one of the director's most "well-known suspenseful thrillers."
Due to his own extreme ideals, famed swordsman Li has lost everyone dear to him. After his life is saved by a rival swordsman, Li's overwhelming pride means he forsakes the woman he loves and lets her marry his saviour. Li's only comfort is alcohol and the simple life he has now accepted. On one such journey, the lonely swordsman befriends the exceptionally skilled, yet secretive Fei who has his own pressures to contend with. The person behind Li's troubles proves to be elusive, though all the clues seem to point to the legendary 'Plum Blossom Bandit', a disguised figure whose identity has long proved elusive to the martial world.
The Third Master is considered to be the greatest sword master of the day. His displays of skill and strength bring armies of challengers to his door, seeking the title for themselves. Not to be defeated, the Third Master fights evil, saves damsels in distress, and duels rival swordsmen to the death.
Emperor Chien Lung uses disguises to experience life among his subjects.
Three female detectives - from Hong Kong, Korea and Singapore - go undercover in a cabaret to expose a murderer.
Young man returns from studying abroad to take over management of the large family farm, and falls for the daughter of a tenant farmer. The unique twist is that her pet, best friend, confidante and protector is a cobra - but he hates snakes because his mother was bitten and killed by one when he was a child.
Sun Chung was already a valued comedy, romance, and modern crime filmmaker, when, through this tale of the 100 Poison Clique's obsessive ambition to destroy all rivals, he started bringing morality and motivation to martial arts movies like never before. Kung-fu superstar David Chiang and prominent choreographer Tang Chia lead the cast in a bloody clan clash centered on the trial of an admitted mass murderer and serial rapist. It was just the beginning of Sun Chung's exploration in emotion.
Master of the "swordplay thriller" genre, Chor Yuen and renowned kung-fu choreographer Tang Chia tell the fabulous tale of the "Fastest Swordsman in the World" facing the "1000 Face Devil" and no less than seven murderers.
Li's The Mad Monk consists of four stories that see the roaming monk save a mother and daughter from the brink of death and a young man from the hands of unscrupulous debtors. Ji Gong also deals mischievous justice on robbers and corrupt officials.
It's back to the Shaolin Monastery for one of the most unusual action-paced tales to invade its hallowed halls. Lo Lieh is the ringleader of the Snake Sect, intent on reviving a deadly faction known as the "Five Poison Web." In order to do so, he has an affair with the sexy ringleader of the Scorpion Sect, Angela Yu Chien. However, there is also the Centipede Sect to contend with, as well as other assorted martial artists, among them played by Shaw Brothers talents Yueh Hua, Ching Li, and Lily Li.
As two rival clans vie for dominance in a martial world where loyalty and honor can be bought and friends become enemies, a peerless swordsman (Chung Wa) discovers that the only thing truly worth fighting for is love.
Two rival swordsmen in imperial China, poncho-clad Fu Hung-Hsueh and Yen nan-Fei (Lo Leigh, 5 Fingers Of Death) vie with a power-hungry villain for the deadly Peacock Dart and fend off waves of expert killers during their journey.
Emperor Chien Lung, bored with imperial traditions, disguises himself as a commoner to experience a different side of life.
Liao Jiang is the lowest ranking member of a gang that holds up a jewelery store. Subsequently the three other gang members die, and their gold haul goes missing. Liao Jiang and his new gang member Huge Eyes are then forced to turn to a triad gang to help get back their gold from a rival group.
Despite Kuang Hsu's enthronement as the last reigning Emperor of China, his ability to rule effectively is overshadowed by the ever-present power of the Dowager Empress. When his attempts to reform the Imperial system are thwarted by the Dowager Empress, he attempts to curb her power. His efforts are not successful, and this failure leads directly to his own death and the end of Imperial rule in China. The Dowager Empress, though, ends her days comfortably and in peace.
Snake Prince (Ti Lung) is wandering with his snake buddies when he happens upon a beautiful maiden (Lin Chen-Chi) singing a prayer for rain. The song soon turns into a funky dance with the whole drought-blighted village, so the prince and his pals assume human form and join the party. The prince is so smitten with the maiden that he offers to share the snakes' river with the village if he can marry her. The villagers aren't too fond on the idea of marrying off their No. 1 babe to a snake, prince or no, but they really do need that water. (MrBooth/HKMDB)
Danny Lee is Hsu Chih-yuan, the youngest son of strict patriarch Hsu Hui-tang (Cheng Miu). A sailor, Chih-yuan incurs his father's wrath when he tells the latter of his girlfriend Susan's (Ai Ti) pregnancy. Pressured to leave her by his father, Chih-yuan finally agrees to continue his studies overseas. Eldest brother Chih-wen (Ling Yun) volunteers to raise money but ends up losing the family fortune in the stock market. It starts a roller coaster of tragedies for the family that ends with bitter disillusionment for Chih-yuan. It's a battle between tradition and youthful rebellion that leaves everyone a little poorer off.
This dragon lady of the Ching Dynasty was the power behind the throne for 50 years, and hew vast tapestry of palace intrigues is vividly brought to the screen in this memorable epic.
During a hold-up in the Wild West, Dakota kills a rich old Chinese man, Wang. Later, he is captured, sentenced, and is about to be hanged - and he never profitted from Wang's death, has he buried him with the photographs of his four widows, and a few worthless papers. Meanwhile, Ho comes to America in search of his uncle's fortune, and must get Dakota free, as he his the only man who can lead him to Wang's tomb. They open the tomb, retaking the pictures of Wang's widows. It happens he reads the papers and knows that Wang had one quarter of a map tattooed in each of his women's buttocks. Now, the difficult part will really start... Treasure hunt.
A romantic melodrama about an affair between a 16-year-old boy and a neglected wife.
Crime drama based on true incidents around a Kidnapping - and murder case ,also taking much time describing the psychological moments which propel the criminals. It's strictly focused on them, the law representatives are mostly faceless and out of the plot. Lo Lieh plays a moneyless guy working on a gas station, it's owner is a thorn in his flesh, because he completely knows the differences and painfully shows it: "I can find a new worker faster, than you can find a new job" Together with 3 friends, who are similarly struck, a plan to kidnap and blackmail this guy is made....
The plot follows the titular gang of misfits, gathered together by Chen Kuan Tai (a real life martial arts champion who starred in many films for the studio) in order to protect a patriotic general from a scheming usurper. To this end, the unlikely heroes act as the general’s escorts on a dangerous journey to a distant British consulate, beset by enemies and sinister Japanese interference along the way.
Chen Wo-Fu plays construction worker Ku Ting, whose skill at "tai chi" (shadow boxing) is as great as his pacifism. But when his girlfriend is raped by vicious gangsters, he shows everyone the true power and beauty of tai chi.
As the Heng Seng Index reaches unprecedented heights, people from all walks of life go stock speculation crazy. A security guard and his landlord learn firsthand that money is ‘Easy Come, Easy Go’ as their fast fortune disappears overnight in a Macau casino. Meanwhile, greedy neighbours and infidel couples cheat each other and even blue-collar workmen dive into the frenzy. Inevitably, the market tumbles as do the people’s bittersweet lives. A hilarious but ironic tale featuring some of Shaw’s biggest stars.
Everyone's looking to win the annual Lion Dance trophy, including Huang Fei Hung (Chung Tien Shih). The kindly physician has only 20 students, but when he decides he wants something, he usually gets it. Among his students is "Ghostly Legs" ("ghostly" meaning fast) Ah Chi (Bruce Le, channeling the spirit of Bruce Lee). At one point, the opposition, led by Shen (Shih Kien, who played Han in ENTER THE DRAGON), tries to frame Huang Fei Hung by placing a decomposing corpse in his village hospital. This gives Lu Wei the chance to pretty much steal the show: he's a corrupt cop who's more than willing to look the other way when it comes to The Law- as long as he's being properly compensated. He's more than willing to charge Hung with harboring a criminal (because the dead man was a pickpocket), drug dealing (the man was also an addict) and murder (since the man is now dead).
Arguably the funniest of the four famous Hui brothers, Michael has a tour-de-force vehicle in this naughty little comedy playing four different characters, each one in a compromising situation. And the laughs do come big and hearty as Hui bounces his cheeky humour off a terrific large supporting cast including the sophisticated Hu-chin and the lovely Pai Hsiao-man. Keeping the Benny Hill-style hi-jinks afloat is stalwart Shaw director Li han-hsiang who manages to switch flawlessly between these cheeky flings and his period epics.
The aggressive and dangerous Chin empire occupies the put-upon Chao kingdom while the hero-filled Wei empire is paralysed by an indecisive ruler.
Set during a period of depression, the film chronicles the daily lives of a single urban building split up into several separate units, and the actual people that dwell within.
Set in the waning years of the Ching Dyansty, this dramatic, tragic, romantic, blood-soaked martial arts tale of betrayal and revenge explores one of the most sensational scandals in Chinese history and marked the true ascension of its director and actors to superstar status. In fact, Ti Lung won Taiwan's Golden Horse Award for Outstanding Performance as the challenging role of a jealous provincial governor who kills his friend in order to steal the man's wife. The 11th Golden Horse Awards: Special Award for Outstanding Performance (Ti Lung)
Chiao Tzu Wei hires a killer under the premise that the local government (run by the local kung fu school) is corrupt and extorting the people of the town. The killer happens to be Hsieh Chun (aka Hsiao Hu) who left town ten years ago. (When Hsieh Chun opens up a suitcase full of knives, you know that there is going to be tons of killing!). Thinking that the local kung fu school is bad, he goes over there to fight them. There is some reuniting of lost friends and some love between two of them. The bad guys are constantly double crossing everyone and this leads to total mayhem and carnage. The final fight scene (which is actually several fight scenes going from one to the next) is incredible, especially the blood soaked finale between the evil Japanese leader of the opium ring and the two brothers.
Plotting to obtain the Yen family's land, dastardly Japanese plutocrat Omura (Ching Miao) bribes Yen nephew Hsu Chien (Chen Feng Chen) to steal the family seal and land deed. When Hsu Chien is caught in the act, he viciously beats elderly Master Yen to death to cover his actions. Determined to avenge the wrongs committed on his family and his country, young master Yen Tzu Fei (Ling Yun) blazes a knife-throwing path of revenge that leads him to his love Yue Hua's (Ching Li) father, who has corrupt connections with the Japanese
Chuan Yuan is the noble, powerful hero and Shu Pei-pei, one of Shaw’s top swordswoman, is a reluctant bride who comes upon a rebellion plot. They are joined by a large cast of expert fighters and actors all keeping the intrigue and adventure foremost in the film. There’s even a nice surprise ending amidst all the action.
No list of the screen's comic geniuses would be complete without Michael Hui Kwun-man. He created a hilarious and lovable comic persona that was both uniquely Asian but also universally beloved. This, his first film, not only showcased his incomparable sense of humor but revolutionized Hong Kong comedy. Evoking Chaplin, he plays a warlord in early 20th Century China, but makes the role his own with both laughs and some of the sexiest ladies on the Shaw Brothers lot.
The corruption in the Sung Dynasty of 11th century China is so rampant that it inspires a band of Oriental Robin Hoods - the Honorable 108. Mountain bandits who nevertheless live by a scrupulous code of conduct, the Honorable 108 pledge to end the repression of the brutal overlords.
The Yang family, men and women, have served their country loyally for generations. During the war General Yang is ambushed and killed. His widow and the entire family set out to avenge his death and defend the country.
The Jiuxian Witch and her Bloody Ghouls Clan (somehow you just know that these aren’t the good guys) are planning domination of the Martial Arts world. Standing in their way are two clans who posses a magic mirror each. The two clans enjoy friendly relations, but when one mirror is stolen and the blame seems to rest with the other Clan, suspicions and tempers run high. It’s left to the young renegades from each Clan to find the true culprit or culprits, and to ease the tensions of their families. Not to mention ridding the world of the evil Jiuxian Witch.
A perennial Chang Cheh favorite, Anonymous Heroes focuses on two vagabond brothers, Meng Kang (David Chiang) and Tieh (Ti Lung) who, in the search for fame and fortune, join in a rebellion against a provincial general. Used to shaking down local vendors for food and gambling away their limited funds, they are recruited by a local rebel leader (Ku Feng) who promises them a glorious adventure. The rebels plan is to steal a huge cache of new rifles set to be delivered to the barracks of the local army. With the help of an officer’s daughter (Ching Li), their plan starts out well, but inevitably slips toward a heroic but tragic finale.
Two men, one a businessman skilled in Kung Fu, the other a kickboxer discover they are brothers, and together, both in and out of the ring, they must face a crime syndicate. One of the first films to use the martial art of Muay Thai.
Reclusive hero Jin Fei, (Ti Lung) known as the King Eagle, inadvertently gets involved in the internal conflicts of the Tien Yi Tong sociaty, after he falls in love their 7th chief, Yuk Lin (Li Ching)
This tale is about a decapitating swordswoman who will let nothing stand in her way when she falls in love with a bandit's son. Chiao Chiao, made famous in One-Armed Swordsman, is the girl who won't let such trifles as craniums keep her from freeing her man from jail.
As a valiant Chinese general and his men battle Tartar invaders, patriot swordsmen attempt to stop the delivery of 12 medallions sent by a traitor that could spell the doom of the Sung Dynasty. When a powerful kung fu master assumes responsibility for the deliveries, his daughter and a former student turn against him in order to save China.
A group of evil bandits are terrorizing the land from their invincible mountain castle. The high commanding official decides to put a stop to this and commands one of his officers to gather a group of Kung Fu masters to put an end to the terror. But everything is not that simple and straight-forward, as we quite soon learn when the plot thickens.
Ying Ke-Feng, head of Peerless Manor, is an expert swordsman whose escort business transports 200,000 taels of silver to the capital each year. This year, however, he is afflicted with an infirmity that renders him unable to use his sword. Rather than give up this important commission and let the martial world know of his precarious health he means to entrust the consignment to two young knights in his manor, Hsiang Ting and Yun Piao-Piao. As it happens, these two are also betrothed; clearly they have their swordsmanship in common. At Peerless Manor, everyone is suspicious of malevolent strangers who may be sniffing around the silver transport. So when Le I appears astride a high-quality charger but otherwise clearly down on his luck, Hsiang Ting thinks Le I may be a spy for the bad guys in the Flying Tiger Manor. It doesn't help that Le I and Yun Piao-Piao hit it off right away. Even or especially when Le I saves Yun Piao-Piao from a Flying Tiger thug.
The Yu family earn the ire of the Green Dragon clan when the daughter (Cheng Pei-Pei) kills the clan chief's son (a rapist and murderer). The Green Dragon chief wounds family head Yu Yuan with his flying daggers, and kills many others who try to protect the noble family. Wandering swordsman Ying Qing (Lo Lieh) saves the family in a fight, using his own flying dagger skills, but his allegiances and motives are unclear.
A kung fu knight walks the road to vengeance after the evil Ghost Gang kills his wife and son. The swordsman known as "Twin Blades" must take on a quartet of color-coded cutthroats to set things right.
The film tells the story of Tang Bohu, a famous scholar who spends most of his time wandering around the countryside.
Golden Swallow revolves around the further adventures of its title character. This time around, she is forced into violence when a figure from her mysterious past goes on a killing rampage while leaving evidence that holds her responsible. Golden Swallow also makes room for a love triangle involving a mad, but righteous, swordsman named Silver Roc and a gentle warrior named Golden Whip. The three team up to conquer the evil forces of the martial world, but their joint venture only lasts so long, due to the two men's egos. Ultimately, a duel to the death is planned between them, leaving Golden Swallow caught between two men, both of whom she admires.
Welcome the "Bandit with a Thousand Faces" to the ranks of the great screen "outlaw heroes". Like Zorro, he uses a secret identity as a playboy to foil tyrannical Shan Yung county authorities. Bringing this swashbuckling adventure to the screen is a cast and crew fairly bursting with talent - including directors who were also popular actors and writers, and an actor (Ling Yun) - playing the lead dual role of twin brothers - who was also the director/ writer of some of the greatest martial art epics ever made!
A noble swordsman fights to recover the magical blade that has protected his country for centuries after being blinded and betrayed by a ruthless villain. A cunning killer has blinded the brave warrior chosen to defend his country with an enchanted sword, and murdered his family. After recovering, the sightless defender sets out to recover the weapon, and seek revenge against his murderous nemesis.
Lone swordsman Jiang Dan-Feng (Wong Chung-Shun) is ambushed by a pair of bandits and quickly despatches them. One of them, as he is dying, asks Jiang to take his personal effects to his sister. This being a Wuxia film, our hero is bound by a strict code of honour, and he agrees. The bandit’s sister, Xiu Xiu (Shu Pei-Pei), is surprisingly forgiving and tells him that he got mixed up in a bad crowd of robbers before he died. As it happens, these self-same bandits are threatening to tear up the village at any moment, and Jiang prepares to defend it despite being despised by the town folk for killing Xiu Xiu’s brother.
Susu (Ching Li) is an emotionally troubled young woman still tortured by the loss of boyfriend in a plane crash. Things change when she meets the dashing Yifei (Yang Fang), a handsome intern who strives to heal Susu of her emotional scars.
A young tutor, miss Chen, is sent to home school in a dysfunctional household head by a wealthy patriarch. She befriends his ambulatory disabled young daughter Ming Chu and becomes embroiled in her struggle to walk again. She also has problems and with her angst ridden artist brother, they search for their birth mother and their cruel spoiled half-brother. Meanwhile at home, the tutor's own fellow border house mates (a single mother Shen Chiu Meng and her nightclub singer son Chiang Hui) also possess guarded secrets that gradually resurface as Chen unwittingly becomes a catalyst for those in her life as they all converge towards the bridging of deep rooted familial gaps and resolving past estrangements.
Su Fen, a young and frail girl, looked forward to her wedding with her fiancé, Li Kuo-liang. The happy couple's bliss was cut short when war broke out. Kuo-liang was summoned to fight at the front lines. In his absence, Su Fen discovered she had tuberculosis.
Love knows no limits in the grand period romance, Lady Jade Locket. A young fighter inadvertently falls for the spirit of a beautiful woman, who died years earlier avenging her own father's murder. The beautiful ghost is in fact the sister of his fiancee. Experienced as an actor in many such romances, director Yen Chuan keeps the tone perfect. Plus, with period specialist Li Li-hua in the lead and the attractive and acclaimed Li Ching playing the ghost girl, he really can do no wrong.
A young swordsman is tasked to lead a patriotic secret society to fight a traitorous general who conspired with the enemy to invade their country. In due course, he meets two pretty sisters from a rural tribe and is caught between the affections of the two girls...
The adventures of a young married swordfighting couple, Lianzhu and Gui Wu, and the swordfighting members of their different clans.
Huangmei Opera movies like The Pearl Phoenix are unique to 1960's Hong Kong culture, a product of the Swinging Sixties but considerably more in touch with their Chinese roots. This one is complete with a gender-bending tale where the male lead is played by female and the female lead poses as a man, plus movie queen Li Ching and the singing voices of Ivy Ling Po and Jing Ting. Sit back and enjoy!
THE KING WITH MY FACE (1967) offers a well-produced Shaw Bros. variation on Alexandre Dumas' famous tale, "The Man in the Iron Mask."
Some 40 years ago when warlords rode rough-shod over the Chinese people, circus acrobat Pao Te-cheng took to the hills and began robbing the rich to help the poor. His daring feats earned him the nickname of “The Masked Robber”. Trying to intercept a large sum of money to be turned over to public security chief Cheng Kuan-hsi, he is nearly caught. Partner Hsiao Chung is jubilant over his safe return. But in the government office, chief detective Ma Pu-yun frantically plots his arrest. Ma Chien-li, son of the chief detective, devises a clever trap set for Ma Pu-yun’s birthday party. Among the guests is Huang Tan-ping who is engaged to Doctor David Lee. Ma Chien-li proposes to her without knowing this.
The mythological tale of a quest from China to India to bring back Buddhist scriptures, famous for the adventures of Sun Wukong, the notorious Monkey King.
The lovely Li Hsiang-chun stars as a poor beauty who is drugged, ravished, lied to, locked in a burning store room, left to drown, and chased by sword-wielding ruffians, among other things. Her only hope is her betrayer's new wife, played by the strong and sensual Ivy Ling Po. Dawn may come, but the questions is: will it be too late? Director/writer Kao Li shows both restraint and sadism in this historical melodramatic tearjerker.
Not a love triangle but a love rectangle, Rose, Be My Love is a romantic drama that represents the high standards achieved by Shaw Brothers in both star power and technical polish. Set on the eve of Pearl Harbor and Hong Kong's invasion by the Japanese, the tragic romance takes on added poignancy in light of the future fate of leading lady Li Ting, the "Rose" of Rose, Be My Love who committed suicide a mere three months after the movie's release.
Jenny Wu is a singer who charms the well-to-do Peter Chen, but his parents object to a union between their only son and a lowly cabaret singer. He ignores their advice and marries her anyway, and for a time, they find some manner of wedded bliss. But the years are not entirely kind. He works hard to make ends meet, but his health pays the price.
It's a powerful melodrama about a thwarted romance in 1930s Tientsin, China, during the Japanese occupation, and it stars Linda Lin Dai, one of the era's most popular stars. It was part of Golden Horse's 100 Greatest Chinese-Language Films.
With China under control of a weak Emperor, two officials compete to steer the future destiny of the land. Chiu believes the people are the future of China, while the diabolical Tu wishes to grind the people beneath an iron heel. Tu decides to take out Chiu's family, but one lone infant escapes.
It seems that Li Zhenfei was once an imperial concubine, who often found herself competing with her rival Madame Liu for the emperor's sole, undivided attention. When Li gives birth to the Emperor's child, the jealous Liu switches the boy with a cat and commands a servant named Kou Zhu to kill the baby. However, Kou Zhu ignores the order and gives the prince-to-be to the emperor's brother, a decision which eventually leads to the boy being adopted by the emperor himself! But as fate would have it, to go along with his new son, the emperor has a new wife as well - Madame Liu! As this strange new family unit is being constructed, poor Li Zhenfei has been confined to the forbidden palace, condemned to never see or speak to her son, the prince. But destiny reunites her with her son, but will this family reunion be a happy one? And will Madame Liu finally be punished for her treachery?
The tragic love triangle of early 20th century Peking Opera star Chiu Hai-tang, his beautiful stage partner, and the warlord who forces himself between them, has been a favorite with Chinese audiences for decades.
The story revolves around Tian Yu Quan (Chin Feng) who rushes to the aid of an elderly fisherman who is bullied by an arrogant relative of the Qiu Shan ministry. In the heat of the ensuing battle he kills the said man and is hence chased by the district's officials. Trying to use the waterway to shake off his enemies, Yu Quan finds a true friend in the old fisherman's bark-stearing daughter, Hu Feng Lian (Ting Hung) who becomes his loyal accomplice. As symbol for his gratitude, Yu Quan bestows Feng Lian with a Butterfly Chalice to reflect their eternal friendship bond...
Gui Wu happens upon a kidnapping with his wife Gan Lian-zhu at the Red Lotus Temple. Lian-zhu sends Wu to go for reinforcements while she stays to fight the kidnappers. Fortunately, the mysterious Scarlet Maid is surreptitiously helping her.
A Huangmei opera produced by Shaw Brothers about a carp spirit who transforms into an identical copy of a beautiful woman to win the heart of a lonely male scholar.
A member of the Red Peony troupe, singer Tang Pei Hua (Yeh Feng) is renowned for her beautiful voice and appearances. Her beauty, however, invites the unwanted attentions of cruel and lecherous warlord Cao Lin (Zeng Mei). In order to escape Cao's grasp, Tang and her lover Lin Ke Qiang (Chin Han) decide to run away to the south where they can live freely. But their plan is uncovered by Cao, and Lin gets captured. In order to save Lin, Tang must sacrifice herself and entertain Japanese guests at a banquet, throwing herself into danger's way.
Comedy of Mismatches begins with widow Sun who single-handedly raises her son Yu Lang (Chin Feng) and daughter Zhu Yi (Li Hsiang Chun). One day, Mother Sun sends her children to the temple, where Yu Lang encounters Hui Niang (Pat Ting). Artist Xu Ya is also at the temple, praying that his daughter Wen Gu (Carrie Ku) will find a good husband. Soon after, Wen Gu encounters nobleman's son Pei Zheng (Wai Mao) and the two fall in love at first sight.
The husband-and-wife team of Ivy Ling Po and Chin Han returned to another Huangmei Opera classic after Lady General Hua Mu-Lan. Helmed by Chow Sze-loke and written by Chang Cheh, the story revolved around two intellectual siblings, Ching Feng-sheng (Chin Feng) and Ching Feng-hsiao (Ivy Ling Po), who were constantly abused by their stepmother Hsia (Kao Pao-shu). Feng-hsiao was engaged to Li Ru-lung (Chin Han) since birth, but the greedy Hsia forced him to forfeit the marriage. When Ru-lung refused, Hsia framed him for thievery and put him behind bars. To rescue her lover, Feng-hsiao dressed as a young man and went to the capital. She then used Ru-lung's name to enter the national exam and was ranked first place. Impressed by Feng-hsiao, the Emperor decided to let her wed the Princess (Fang Ying). On the wedding night, Feng-hsiao revealed the truth to the Princess...
A woman in an arranged marriage falls in love with her husband's brother.
Ling Bo is Lin, a young man engaged to the daughter of a rich man, who now despises Lin because of his family's declining status. Lin visits his beloved fiancee before he heads towards the imperial city to participate in the civil service examination, only to find her maid lying dead in blood. Lin is then accused of murder. How can Judge Bao prove his innocence?
Fan Chia-soo is a kind-hearted student whose heart is captured by the sweet song of Shen Feng-hsien. However, he is not the only one who has eyes for Shen. The General's henchmen are also determined to present the songstress to their superior as a gift. Fan received help from an unexpected quarter to save the woman he loves.
This gripping story centers on the romance between Wang Chin Lung and Sue San. Although they may be perfectly matched when it comes to their love for one other, the two come from remarkably different social ranks. While Chin Lung is the son of a respected government official, Su San is a prostitute, albeit a famous one.
Admist a rebellion during the Ching Dynasty in ancient China, a nurse flees the palace with a young prince. As an adult, he convinces the daughter of the usurper to betray her father and to assist in restoring him as the rightful monarch.
About a woman who disguises herself as a man to take her father's place in the army.
In this dreamy romance set in China during the fourth-century, a young woman convinces her parents to allow her to dress as a boy and attend university.
The noted actress Li Li-hua, star of more than sixty films since 1947, beautifully portrays the drugged, then disgraced wife of a peddler in the waning days of the Ching Dynasty. To make matters worse, she’s soon framed for her husband’s murder by her rapist - the son of the local magistrate! And even that isn’t the end of her woes. It’s best to have a box of tissues nearby as two expert directors ratchet up the emotional suspense in this consummate tearjerker.
Return Of The Phoenix is yet another masterpiece from prolific director Li Han-hsiang. An imperial minister Cheng Pu (Ching Miao) is faced with a quandary. He's getting old and his daughters are still not married. Elder daughter Shueh-yeh (Elizabeth Chuang) is so ugly no one wants her. Younger daughter Shueh-wu (Li Hsiang-chun) is beautiful but Mrs Cheng refuses to let her marry before her elder sister. The drama unfolds when Cheng decides to marry Shueh-wu off.
Nurse Leng Shuxian is forced by family circumstances to marry Long Yusheng (King Hu), a grossly disfigured Quasimodo with a heart of gold. Shuxian tries but is unable to accept his deformity and they remain a couple in name only. With the appearance of Yusheng's cousin, she has to make a choice between personal happiness and family duty. From the start, Loh's character and drove the action, evoking a great intensity of emotions along the way: suffering, resignation and loneliness. Loh was lauded as the "Queen of Tragedy" after her heart-wrenching portrayal in this film. Winner of two Golden Harvest Awards – for best screenplay and best black-and-white cinematography – at the 8th Asian Film Festival in 1961.
