Hao Li-Jen
In the 18th century, Emperor Chien Lung makes a journey into Southern China.
The anti-Ching patriots, under the guidance of Ho Kuang-han, have secretly set up their base in Canton, disguised as school masters. During a brutal Manchu attack, Lui manages to escape, and devotes himself to learning the martial arts in order to seek revenge.
Sensual Pleasures features a collection of three, ghost story, sexual vignettes starring a viscerally sensual trio of hardcore experience with the well endowed Chen Ping, Chinese adult film legend Shirley Yu and the innocent doe-eyed Shaw Yin-yin.
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."
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.
A brother who loves books and a sister who loves swords must face a yellow-robed warrior, the Red Python, a sinuous snake-charmer, and a silk-masked beauty (who must kill or wed the first man to see her face) before they can bring peace to their battle-addled family.
Set in early 20th century Shanghai, this Hua Shan actioner stars former Golden Harvest regular Nora Miao Ke-hsiu as Bobo, a village girl who has journeyed to the big city in search of her father. Not long after her arrival, Bobo witnesses a gang fight dominated by a man she was friends with as a child. Now known as Jaguar, he works as a bodyguard for mob boss Kam, who is having a row with one of his partners. Jaguar makes trouble at one of the man's casinos as a part of a plan to smooth over the situation. Ace gunman Ko Tang is also in town and the two strike up an alliance to take over Kam's empire. Jaguar's lust for power soon alienates Bobo, who realizes that she was simply a pawn in his plan to gain control of the Shanghai underworld. Held a virtual prisoner, Bobo's one hope for revenge is Luo Lie, another friend from childhood and now her fiancee, currently imprisoned in Germany.
Lo Lieh stars as Sima Jun, a killer working for a corrupt lord whose orders are followed without question or hesitation. When the lord (Ku Feng) suffers from a life-threatening boil on his back, he is told by the Imperial doctor that an herb called "Longevity Rattan" offers the only cure and is grown in a remote village by an herbalist named Tan. Lo is sent on a mission to get the herb and bring it back before it's too late (seven days). A jealous aide saddles Lo with six other fighters to accompany him, i.e. steal the herb when they get the chance and race back to the capital so the aide will get the credit. Lo doesn't trust the six and none of them trust each other. At one point, one of the six nearly botches the whole mission.
There is no place more hallowed in the martial art world than China's Shaolin Temple. This special place deserves a special epic, which is what the martial arts maestro delivers in this battle between a brave brand of Chinese boxers and literally thousands of Ching troops - complete with betrayals, intrigues, and such novel fighting machines as 108 wooden robots. The conflicts grow in complexity, intensity and even suspense as monks struggle to stay alive in the face of overwhelming odds.
After malicious gangsters capture Bruce Wong's ex-girlfriend, a young martial artist attempts to rescue her along with the late master's book containing lethal techniques for killing with one's fingers.
Vaunted director Li Han-Hsiang reveals the way of the world in this anthology film of four stories that feature far more swindlers and swindling than lovers or love. There's fake acupuncturists, gullible counterfeiters, a jewelry heist in a VD clinic, and a salesgirl's subtle scam in these short cinematic stories of gulls, dopes, marks, and fools and the cons, cheaters, charlatans, and connivers who trick them. It's four times the fraud as the cheats, gyps, and rip-offs come fast and furious!
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.
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.
A family gathers to be with its dying father. The reunion brings to the surface old rivalries.
Accompanied by his old manservant, scholar Sung Li Ho (Hong Hoi) is on his way to the capital for the imperial exam. They spend a night in the house of Mrs. Yuan and Li Ho takes a fancy to her pretty daughter, Pei Fang (Dana). Li Ho is discovered by a maid peeping at Pei Fang as she takes a bath. He slips and falls into the bathtub, creating a most embarrassing situation. His old servant is also implicated and both are beaten up before being thrown out. Continuing their journey in the desolate countryside, they come across woodcutter Hsi Hsueh Kuei who puts them up for the night. Captivated by the beauty of the owner’s two daughters, who are vampires, he spends a night with them and turns into a skeleton. Chased by the vampires, Shun Lai makes a narrow escape.
A righteous husband-and-wife swordfighting duo struggle to protect China from the machinations of Japanese pirates and corrupt officials.
In order the get her greedy hands on some money, an evil stepmother uses black magic to destroy her stepson's relationship.
A young man who has been beaten, abused, humiliated and laughed at all his life finds that he has an unusual empathy with snakes. He can talk to them and they understand him, and eventually he finds that he can get them to do his bidding. He decides to use his newfound friends to take his revenge on everyone who ever did him wrong.
Historical movie set during the Japanese occupation of China during WWII. Jackie Chan is one of the good guys but has nothing much more than a supporting role.
Lee Khan, a high official under Mongolian Emperor Yuan of the Yuan dynasty (year 1366) procures the battle map of the Chinese rebel Chu Yuan-Chang's army. Rebel spies, aided by treachery within Khan's ranks, strive to corner him in an inn.
Heroes of Sung stars one of the original kung-fu ladies of the silver screen Shih Szu playing swordswoman Meng Hung who must work with Fan Tien-fu, played by perennial Shaws bad guy Lo Lieh (although he's good in this) to find then protect the royal seals of the Sung Dynasty. If they should fail, the dynasty will fall. Shih's magnificent performance earned her the female hero role in the Shaws-Hammer Studio hit "Dracula" and the 7 Golden Vampires.
Michael Hui plays four characters in this three-chapter, Hong Kong erotic comedy anthology set in Northern China during WWII.
Yuen Woo Ping, who would in time become one of the world's leading martial arts choreographers, blocked the fight scenes for this Kung Fu action extravaganza. A small Chinese town is being torn apart by a conflict between local farmers and Japanese soldiers of fortune, who have been brought to town to liberate supplies of a rare Chinese herb. A martial arts expert gifted in both Chinese and Japanese fighting disciplines passes through town, and takes it upon himself to settle the feud.
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.
Li Ching is the Seventh Sister, an angel who comes down from heaven to see what life in Hong Kong is like. In Hong Kong, she runs into Zili(Chin Feng), a reincarnated version of her deceased lover, Dong Yong. Zili, with help from cook Uncle Bull(the warm, portly Peng Peng), do their best to watch over homeless kids in an run-down orphanage. However, a heartless tycoon named Xu Caifa wants the land where the orphanage is and he's willing to go to extremes to get it. Armed with omnipotent powers, spirit, and help from her "celestial sisters", Seventh Sister works to defend Zili, Uncle Bull, and the orphans from Xu Caifa.
A young Kung Fu student (Shih Szu) seeks a reclusive teacher so that she may learn to defeat the evil Black Demon. She doesn't realize that the servant woman she befriends (Cheng Pei-Pei) is actually the kung fu master she seeks. After Black Demons henchmen attack, the master reveals herself and eventually takes on the student to train her so that they may both defeat the villian. A love triangle complicates things when another student (Lo Lieh) asks for training as well.
This top ten box office hit reunites the star duo from Come Drink With Me in another classic action adventure. Cheng Pei-pei (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) radiates her trademark charm while wielding the deadly title weapon, which is implicated in multiple murders and a major heist. Whether single-handedly fighting sixteen bandits or avenging her father's brutal death, she demonstrates why she was Hong Kong's number one swordswoman -- and no slouch with the whip either!
Sworn-brothers expert martial artists are the targets of a mysterious killer, which seems to bear a grudge against them for what happened several years ago.
The lovely Ching Li and handsome Chang I star as star-and-sword-crossed comrades who take on the vicious Black Tigers gang in a quest for hidden wealth. There's action galore, until the final, fiery fight in a temple of treasure.
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.
The 5 Kao brothers, separated since childhood, are unaware that the master Teng Lung Manor, Lung Chen-feng has killed their father. All five, however, seek to defeat the vicious gangsters at the Manor.
The notorious “One-Armed Swordsman” who has spent the last two years retired from the martial world as a simple farmer with his wife. Of course this idyllic life is about to be sliced to ribbons by Chang’s wicked imagination. He concocts a savory setup when he introduces, not one, but eight unique villains known as the Eight Kings of Swords and their sword-wielding entourage for Wang Yu to eventually chop his way through.
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.
Li Zhishan is a rich man, but wealth cannot keep the loyalties of his wife, who has been visiting the bed of a rival. She helps plot against him, and the Vicious Long Brothers invade his home and steal the Golden Dragon Blade - a sword that makes its wielder unbeatable. Zhishan, crippled in the attack, and his young daughter are whisked away by a devoted servant, and the trio soon find shelter in the home of an herbalist. Years pass, the daughter grows up to be a lovely young woman and a powerful fighter, and the Long Brothers use the Golden Dragon Blade to gain power in the region. Zhishan's family of sorts has managed to stay well hidden, but a trip into the city - the daughter's first - sets off an old power struggle as Zhishan's wife discovers her daughter is quite alive.
The film tells the story of Tang Bohu, a famous scholar who spends most of his time wandering around the countryside.
After the Ming Emperor is overthrown and his infant son put in the care of the Black Dragon Society, a traitorous martial arts clan attacks the society and forces two inexperienced swordsmen to flee with the infant and begin a dangerous journey in search of allies.
Travels with a Sword is a Hong Kong Martial Arts movie starring Sammo Hung
A simple woodcutter named Wei Fu (Chang Yi) finds his world shattered when three murderous horsemen arrive to kill his family and kidnap his sister. Left with nothing but his mother’s bell-laden bracelet, he sets out to seek his revenge. Lucky for him, Wei Fu encounters a master swordsman (Yeung Chi-hing), who takes him under his wing.
The bandits of Hulu Valley murder the chief of Mei Clan while searching for a treasure map. In retaliation, the clan’s leading swordsman Feng-chun (Chan Leung) infiltrates the bandit’s fortress hideout in anticipation of a surprise attack by a larger force and unexpectedly finds himself romantically involved with the bandit leader’s feisty daughter (Cheng Pei-Pei).
This kung fu classic focuses on a contested succession at the Supreme Gate School. When turncoat Shen Darong kills several of the Supreme Gate students, the survivors are forced to accept him as their leader. Or are they? The students organize a tournament for Shen to prove his skills, inviting other formidable warriors in the hopes that someone can defeat him.
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.
In 1966, like in The Love Eterne, Ling Bo took up the male lead in Forever and Ever, despite Shaw Brothers' earlier plan of having her as the female lead. Facing opposition from fans, they finally arranged for her to star as a male student named Xiaowen. Wicked rich man Liu, portrayed by Lo Wei, the director of this film, wants Xiaowen to marry his daughter (Lin Yu) who is suffering from leprosy, thinking that marriage will take away her disease. Although Xiaowen discovers Liu's plan, he is still in love with her and hopes that a miracle will cure her disease...
Li is a beautiful young woman who is engaged to a handsome scholar, Pei Shunqing. However, a rich evil man, Jia Sidao, is attracted by Li's beauty and wants to take Li as his concubine. Pei and Li then come to discuss the matter and decide to flee, but they are kidnapped by Jia's men before they can escape. Jia threatens to kill Pei, and Li finally yields but requests to see Pei for the last time. During their short conversation Li tries to persuade Pei to leave, but he insists that he will not leave without her. Li tells him that she has promised to be Jia’s concubine. Pei has to depart, angry and disappointed. Later, Li tries to kill Jia with his sword before their wedding but she is stabbed to death instead. Li's ghost then returns to avenge Jia and his men by burning them until only ashes remain.
Movie queen Ivy Ling Po is ideally cast as a male scholar in this historical Huangmei Opera romance. It’s a tragic love story between the scholar and a local beauty (played by Fang Ying). He polishes mirrors as a pretext to get closer to his love, who signals her approval by tossing him a bunch of lichees. From that point on the course of true love proves operatically rocky, complete with murder and suicide.
With her elegant classic persona, Li Li-hua was the ideal performer for period aristocratic and imperial roles. The Goddess Of Mercy is a good example of her strong empathy and noble presence. The youngest daughter of a brutal king, the princess openly disapproves of the floggings and cruel treatment her royal family heaps on the peasants. As a result, the heartless king turns on his own daughter forcing her into exile. This humanistic tale will inspire and hearten even the most cynical viewer.
An evil gang attacks the Chi school of Golden Sword Kung Fu. One student sacrifices his life to save his teacher and his school, his dying wish is that his son be taken in as a student. Young Fang Kang grows up in the school and treasures his father's broken sword and the memory of his father's sacrifice. The other students (including the teacher's daughter) resent him and try to drive him away. The teacher's daughter challenges him to a fight and when he refuses she becomes enraged and recklessly chops off his arm! He retreats, broken and bloody, and is found by a young poor girl living alone who nurses him back to health. Meanwhile, the evil gang who originally attacked the Golden Sword school develops a weapon that renders the Golden Sword useless and starts killing off all of the schools students. Fang Kang eventually recovers with the girl's help but must now face a life with only one arm. Will he be able to recover and live to defend the school as his father did?
This was an adaptation of a ghost story, “A Xiu”. Liu Zigu is on his way to visit his uncle and is attracted by a beautiful girl, A Xiu. Liu meets A Xiu again in a paper fan shop owned by A Xiu's father. Liu goes to the shop every day to buy a fan and see A Xiu. One day, Liu follows his uncle to a matchmaker, who arranges for A Xiu to become his bride. The following day, Liu and A Xiu visit a temple where they meet a ghost who looks very similar to A Xiu. On the wedding day, the ghost disguises itself as A Xiu to spoil her marriage with Liu. Finally, the ghost is in the custody of a magic fan, and Liu and Xiu complete their wedding.
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!
Golden Swallow (Cheng Pei-pei) is a fighter-for-hire who has been contracted by the local government to retrieve the governor's kidnapped son. Holding him is a group of rebels who are demanding that their leader be released from prison in return for the captured son. After a brief encounter with the gang at a local restaurant, Golden Swallow is joined by an inebriated wanderer Drunken Cat (Yueh Hua) who aids her in her mission.
Ling Bor plays Wen Fei E who is both an excellent academic as well as martial arts expert. Since her childhood days fond of dressing up as a boy, she becomes a village scholar sharing classes with Tu Zi Zheng (Chin Feng) and Wei Zhun Zhi (Ho Fan). When Fei E's innocent father is framed and sent to prison, she rushes to his rescue saving Jing Fu Quan (Kam Fie) who is in the hands of robbers along the way. Mistaking Fei E to be a noble hero, Fu Quan has no greater wish than to get married to her savior...
Film version of Suo Lin Nang, the popular Peking opera written by Weng Ouhong.
A wandering swordsman named Lu Fang (Jimmy Wang Yu) who is returning from battle discovers that several farmers have kidnapped the local magistrate’s daughter. He sides with them after learning that this is an act of desperation to improve their low standard of living. The magistrate hires bandits and another fighter named Huang Liang (Cheng Lui) to get his daughter back. Huang recognizes Lu as a comrade in arms and joins him in fending off the bandits. The standoff comes to an abrupt end when the magistrate uses one of the farmer’s daughters as leverage to get his own daughter back. Lu convinces the magistrate to punish him in place of the farmers, but he’s lied to. The magistrate’s daughter (Chin Ping) and a fighter in his employ (Lo Lieh), along with Huang help Lu to escape. Once recovered, our heroes return to see that a petition from the farmers gets to a higher-ranking official.
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.
Chang E is a fairy in the moon. One day she sneaks to the earth where she meets a talented archer, Hou Yi, and falls in love with him. At that time, there are nine suns in the sky and they cause serious droughts on earth. Chang then pleads with the Heavenly Empress for some magic arrows so that Hou can shoot down the spare suns. After that Hou becomes a king with overwhelming support from the people. Later, Hou becomes increasingly cruel and corrupt after ascending to the throne. He wages wars on neighbouring kingdoms and drives his people to extreme misery and hardships. Chang has tried to stop him but fails. At the end, she takes Hou’s magic arrows and returns to the moon.
Jimmy Wang Yu plays a young kid who heads off to Dragon Valley to meet the childhood friend who was promised as his bride. When he gets there, he finds that the family of the bride might not be an entirely honest bunch of people though. What is the story behind their feud with the monks at the Temple Of The Red Lotus, for a start?
A scholar woos the daughter of an important family, while outwitting rebels who try to capture her.
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?
FAIRY, GHOST, VIXEN (1965) consists of three fanciful tales that may be loosely classified as ghost stories, but they're presented and designed more along the lines of traditional fairy tales. They're beautifully staged and photographed and have a timeless quality about them with a moral at the end of each.
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...
Julie Yeh Feng stars as Hsiu Hsiu, a beautiful singing shepherdess who falls head over heels in love with a handsome boatman named Liu Ta Lung. Unfortunately, she can't afford to marry her new beau because her father has racked up numerous debts due to his uncontrollable gambling addiction. And to make matters even more complicated, there's a rival suitor who promises to pay off all of her no-good father's debts on the condition that he is given Hsiu Hsiu's hand in marriage. She initially declines his offer, but starts to get jealous when she sees Ta Lung getting a little too close for comfort with another woman. In retaliation, she starts flirting with her possible benefactor/husband-to-be. But what Hsiu Hsiu doesn't know is that her jealousy isn't based on any actual unfaithfulness, but on an unfortunate misunderstanding!
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?
The Story of Qin Xiang-Lian is a Hong Kong Chinese Opera musical starring Jackie Chan in a child role.
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.
Chen Hou is a chauffeur who gets caught in a mistaken identity scandal linking him to businesswoman Lok Dai. Chen was supposed to audition for a job as her chauffeur, but a proposed musical show is far more attractive to the aspiring dancer. When a rumor gets out that the two are involved in an affair, she's angry and confronts him, but his charms overwhelm her, and it's revealed that she too desires to dance. Soon she's bankrolling the affair, the sets are being built, and the singing and dancing begin!
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.
Seventh sister of the celestial world goes down to earth to marry Dong Yong, a young man sold to servitude. However the Jade Emperor orders her to go back to the immortal world.
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.
The renowned Li Li Hua plays Wu Ze Tian, the most famous woman in China's four thousand year history.
Based on one particular storyline from The Water Margin, Three Sinners weaves an intriguing story of romance, treachery, and death, all within the context of the traditional Huangmei Opera. Yan Jun casts his real-life wife, the elegant Li Li Hua, star of such Shaw Brothers films as The Goddess of Mercy and Vermillion Door, as one of the title characters, a woman who finds herself in the middle of a stormy love triangle involving her controlling husband (director Yan Jun serving double duty in a starring role) and a passionate lover (Chen Yan Yan).
The ethereal Lok Dai plays a pivotal role in the 1962 Shaw Brothers screwball costume comedy The Bride Napping. Based on a chapter of author Shi Naian's The Water Margin (AKA: Outlaws of the Marsh), the action kicks off when Liu Yuen Ying (Ding Nung) is "bride-napped" by a bandit who's out to make her his wife! The bandit's sympathetic sister returns Ying, but that's only the beginning of the mistaken identities, social satires, and cross-dressing confusion as Ying's disappearance and return wreaks havoc with the locals! A delightful costume comedy that combines screwball antics, musical interludes, and even a little action, The Bride Napping is a fun and entertaining way to catch the legendary Lok Dai at her most beautiful and charming!
This Classic Seductive tale of two snakes who assume human forms will send chills of pleasure down viewers' backs. The Lovely Linda Lin Dai (Les Belles, The Kingdom And The Beauty) and margaret Tu Chuan (The Dream of The Red Chamber) play the two sister serpents, Pak Su-cheng and Ching Ching. Su-cheng meets Hsu Hsien (Chao Lei) one day and recognizes him as her savior in another life 1,000 years ago. She marries him to reward him but the snake-human union brings about problems beyond imagination.
Perhaps the most notorious concubine in Chinese history, Yang Guifei set a pudgy standard of beauty in her days of glory during the Tang dynasty. The Emperor Minghuang was so besotted with the woman that when An Lushan stages his rebellion against the empire, the ruler takes Yang Guifei along with his imperial entourage in an escape to the mountainous area of modern-day Sichuan, and sanctuary of sorts. But the concubine had roused the jealousy of the court and unfortunately for her and to the great sorrow of the king, her brother and others among the king's retainers demanded she be strangled to death while they were still in the mountains. This is the story told in this interesting Taiwanese adaptation by director Li Han-hsiang (Li Hanxiang).
A young scholar spends the night in a creepy temple that is said to be haunted. He doesn't believe in the rumors, but after running into a Taoist swordsman, he meets a beautiful lady ghost. She is forced by an evil old witch to seduce young men, so the witch can kill them and drink their blood...
This is a musical about a young emperor who is lured via stories told to a place called Kiang-Nan by his royal tutor. The empress mother has the tutor go to Kiang-Nan to bring him back.
Wan Jialiang, a factory worker, and Lu Xiuzhen fall in love and live together. Hou Liang is supported by Dong Yaqin, his cousin, and their lives improve. Desperate to get rid of Jane, who is pregnant, Jialiang plans to make her fall into the sea and die.
Based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Diau Charn is a sublime retelling of a familiar tale with iconic actress Linda Lin Dai (Lam Doi) in the titular role of Diau Charn, one of the four storied beauties of ancient China.
