What's your favorite martial arts film so far and why?
Frank Weaver
martial arts film/s so far and please say why, for any choice/s named
?
Paul Allen Panks
After that, my vote goes to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Anything else falls a tad short.
Sincerely,
Paul Allen Panks
dun...@yahoo.com
Phoenix, AZ USA
John Harkness
wrote:
>What is or are, your personal favorite Asian and / or English language
>martial arts film/s so far and please say why, for any choice/s named
>?
Let's see...
In The Line of Duty 4 -- Donnie Yen, and the ass-kickingest movie
ever.
Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan -- Because it's completely insane
Eagle Shooting of Heroes -- A crazy parody/remake of Ashes of Time,
with the exact same cast, where at times you can't tell what gender
the characters are from scene to scene. And, all things being equal
movies with a guy in the gorilla suit is better than a movie without a
guy in a gorilla suit.
Once Upon a Time in China -- one of the ten greatest action movies
ever made.
Tai Chi Master -- Yuen Woo Ping. Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh. Nuff said.
Police Story 3 (aka Supercop) -- not really a martial arts picture,
though Jackie kicks some but, but it has the greatest chase sequence
in the history of movies. For straight up Jackie, I'd probably take
Drunken Master 2, for Jackie and for the fabulous Anita Mui.
Magnificent Butcher --- Sammo! Inspiration to fat guys everywhere!
Another Yuen Woo Ping, but sans wire work.
So many films, so little time...
John Harkness
EllisBB
"Drunken Master 2".
For story, another tie between "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" because of the
classy treatment of a traditional story, or "Shaolin Soccer" for pure unbridled
hilarity.
An honorable mention to both "Once Upon a Time in China 3" and "God of Gamblers
III: Back to Shanghai" for entertaining treatments of mundane
lion-dancing/gambling, respectively.
-b.e.
Mike1
>Enter the Dragon. Because it stars Bruce Lee. Because it is so good.
>
>After that, my vote goes to....
<nothing important>
It begins and ends with Bruce Lee, because he's *alone* among
martial-artists to eschew all wire-fu fakery as a matter of principle.
AND: He was an *authentic* hardass -- you *knew*, just looking at him,
that he could beat the ever-livin' crap out of *anybody* in a fight
without rules.
--
Reply to mike1@@@usfamily.net sans two @@, or your reply won't reach me.
Anarchy: The political manifestation of Liberty.
Capitalism: The economic manifestation of Liberty.
"An election is nothing more than an advance auction of stolen goods."
-- Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary"
"Democracy: Nine Nazis and one Jew voting in the 1932 German elections."
Pam or C. Wayne Owens
Bruce Lee wrote, but never go a chance to make. "Circle of Iron" (AKA "The
Silent Flute") is one of the best examples of Zen thought ever put on film.
Mike1
And it features one of my absolute favorite lines: "One is taught in
accordance with his fitness to learn."
SDM
Takeshi Kitano's "Zatoichi" looks mighty good.
SDM
> martial-artists to eschew all wire-fu fakery as a matter of principle.
Bruce Lee just didn't live long enough to arrive at the inevitable and
make a wire-fu movie. He certainly would have at some point.
Vic Martinez
any of the Champion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Grapplers of their day, like
Carlson Gracie Sr. for example. If you notice, VERY few Martial Arts
schools in America teach Judo/Jiu-Jitsu. Too 'intricate' to teach. it
almost has to be 'one on one' teaching. Tae-Kwon-Do is absolutely
USELESS for the 'streets', but is 'photogenic' for movies., and it's
easy(and more profitable) to get a classroom of students to do 'forms'
at the same time. Take a close look again at the Martial Arts school Jim
Kelly walks into early in ETD, the style they taught is BULLSH*T for
real street situations!
JnEricsonX
Mike1
"SDM" <smros...@hotmail.com> wrote:
I say you're wrong.
Now what?
G. M. Watson
----------
In article <cff1c49.04040...@posting.google.com>,
fm...@hotmail.com (Frank Weaver) wrote:
I refuse to limit or stigmatize Kobayashi's superlative "Seppuku"
("Harakiri") by calling it a "martial arts film", but it does contain the
most beautifully-filmed sword duel I've ever seen or expect to see,
featuring Tamba Tetsuro and the great Nakadai Tatsuya, who gives a
performance of such intensity that one worries that the screen may catch
fire. Utterly transcendent. Some scenes in Gosha Hideo's films rival it, but
no one has ever equaled it (and yes, I know it was inspired by a similar
scene in Kurosawa's "Sugata Sanshiro").
In the strict sense of the MA genre, I would still choose Chang Cheh's 1974
"Shao Lin Martial Arts" (don't know the original title), even though it's
been thirty years since I last saw it, back in the old Shaw Brothers theatre
in what was then my local Chinatown-- a place I spent many an evening in my
sordid youth, along with the Golden Harvest theatre down the block, munching
dried squid and trying not to breathe too much cigarette smoke. If "Shao Lin
Martial Arts" ever does become available on DVD/video, I hope it still looks
as good as I like to remember it. Anyone know if Chang Cheh's early-70s Shaw
Brothers films (mainly his great Shaolin Temple series, with Alexander Fu
Sheng, David Chiang, Chen Kuan-Tai and the others, back when Chang was still
an independent producer within the Shaw stable) are likely to ever appear
domestically? There was some flurry of rumors a while back that a lot of
early SB films were going to be released in NA.
John Harkness
Are you thinking of Five Shaolin Masters?
http://www.hkflix.com/xq/asp/filmID.529914/qx/details.htm
There's a bunch of early 70s Chang Che's listed at HKFlix, mostly in
R3 -- the new remaster of Five Deadly Venoms is terrific.
John Harkness
madkevin
"Frank Weaver" <fm...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:cff1c49.04040...@posting.google.com...
> What is or are, your personal favorite Asian and / or English language
> martial arts film/s so far and please say why, for any choice/s named
> ?
"Drunken Master II" is the best all-around martial arts movie I've ever seen.
It's the magic moment that combines Jackie Chan's incredible comic skills with
some truly inspired fight choreography and a big enough budget to pull it all
together. Looks great, too.
Others that haven't already been mentioned: "New Masters Of Shaolin", Jet Li's
semi-rip-off of "Lone Wolf & Cub", is a terrific over-the-top wire-fu movie, the
movie that finally made me understand why wire-fu is, in the proper contexts,
cool.
"The Bride With White Hair" - outstanding story combined with
Neil-Jordan-circa-"The Company Of Wolves"-esque visuals combine into a
wonderfully moving fantasy movie.
"Hero" - Just watch it. The swordfight above the lake is worth the admission
alone.
The Shaw Brothers classics: "Five Fingers Of Death", "36 Chambers Of Shaolin",
etc. Cool in the way that Sergio Leone was cool; old school seventies kung fu
that must be seen in widescreen to be fully appreciated.
Kevin "Hiiiiiii-Ya!" Cogliano
Goro
> What is or are, your personal favorite Asian and / or English language
> martial arts film/s so far and please say why, for any choice/s named
> ?
SHAOLIN TEMPLE - No, not the Jet Li one, the Shaw Bros one with Fu
Sheng, Ti Lung, et al. Absolutely my favorite kung fu movie. kung fu
training, intrigue, great fight scenes. Defines kung fu movie for me.
8 DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER - Liu Chia Hui + Fu Sheng + Venom Mob + Lau Kar
Leung. Oh yeah. unforunately, Fu Sheng died during filming, so it's
a bit odd at times.
FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS/SUPERNINJAS - Venoms, Chang Cheh. Over the top
insane action. Just crazy, beautfiul.
SHAOLIN V NINJA - Liu Chia Hui + Lau Kar Leung. Chinese Kung Fu vs
different types of japanese martial arts. great and interesting
fights, with the added bonus of the honor/respect between the
fighters.
36 CHAMBER - Liu CHia Hui + Lau Kar Leung. Definitive shaolin
training film.
Moon Warriors (Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Anita Mui) - rumored to be one
of George Lucas' favorite HK films and many people had hoped he was
going to base EpI on this (analogously to what he had done with HIDDEN
FORTRESS).
The Drunken Master series : DM I, DM II, Dance of the Drunk Mantis
(Yuen Wo Ping's unofficial sequel to DMI )
Snake in teh Eagle's Shadow (Jackie)
Prodigal Son (YuenBiao)
Pedicab Driver (Sammo)
PomPom and Hot Hot (Jackie Cheung, Lam Ching Ying) - innovative Gun-Fu
Righting Wrongs (Yuen Biao, Cynthia Rothrock)
Magnificent Butcher (sammo)
Dreadnaught (Yuen Biao)
Five Venoms (venom mob, chang cheh)
and then some domestics:
DRIVE - Mark Dacascos + Kadeem (Dwayne Wayne) Hardison. B-film, but
surprisingly engaging. very fun fight scenes shows what Dacascos can
do with great choreography.
ONLY THE STRONG - Mark Dacascos. Not that great a movie, but watching
capoeira is really cool. Also has Master Amen Santos who is simply
amazing (i had a chance to work out with him and it was awesome!)
SILK AND IRON (or is it IRON AND SILK) - Mark Salzman, Master Pan Qing
fu. Not a martial arts film per se, but a drama with kung fu/wu shu
components to it.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES - i just have a soft spot for it. it's
infinitely rewatchable... uhm, ok... ;)
CRYING FREEMAN - Dacascos again. Dir by Christopher Gans (Brotherhood
of the Wolf), based on teh manga/anime. very fun, good action.
GYMKATA!!!! (ok, just kidding)...
and there are just so many more...
-goro-
EllisBB
>> martial arts film/s so far and please say why, for any choice/s named
>> ?
Jesus Christ on a bike, how could I forget the best kung fu film of all time...
INFRAMAN.
A little bit of Shaw Brothers genius mixed in with Shaw Brothers desperation to
reach a wider audience.
See also "Return of the Five Deadly Venoms" for a unique yet amazingly
unpolitically correct look at people overcoming their handicaps.
Goro
> "Frank Weaver" <fm...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:cff1c49.04040...@posting.google.com...
> > What is or are, your personal favorite Asian and / or English language
> > martial arts film/s so far and please say why, for any choice/s named
> > ?
>
> "Drunken Master II" is the best all-around martial arts movie I've ever seen.
> It's the magic moment that combines Jackie Chan's incredible comic skills with
> some truly inspired fight choreography and a big enough budget to pull it all
> together. Looks great, too.
DM II is great. odd thing: Lau Kar Leung directed teh first half
before Jackie fired him. Then Jackie took over directing the 2nd
half. Once you know that, the tonal shift in the movie is
understandable.
> Others that haven't already been mentioned: "New Masters Of Shaolin", Jet Li's
> semi-rip-off of "Lone Wolf & Cub", is a terrific over-the-top wire-fu movie, the
> movie that finally made me understand why wire-fu is, in the proper contexts,
> cool.
Is this the same (perhaps us retitling) of New Legend of Shaolin? Jet
Li, directed by Wong Jing, costarring Xiao Miao. iirc, i really liked
it, even though it has some typically Wong Jing-ish wackiness (wasn't
there a wooden tank or soemting like that?).
> "The Bride With White Hair" - outstanding story combined with
> Neil-Jordan-circa-"The Company Of Wolves"-esque visuals combine into a
> wonderfully moving fantasy movie.
Ronny Yu kicks Ass!!! so i should also mention WARRIORS OF VIRTUE
here. Kung fu kangarooooooooos! (But why did they keep prnouncing
"tao" incorrectly?!?!?!)
> "Hero" - Just watch it. The swordfight above the lake is worth the admission
> alone.
yeah-yup. it has everything that CROUCHING TIGER had, plus the story
is more compelling.
> The Shaw Brothers classics: "Five Fingers Of Death", "36 Chambers Of Shaolin",
> etc. Cool in the way that Sergio Leone was cool; old school seventies kung fu
> that must be seen in widescreen to be fully appreciated.
those celestial r3 dvds are gorgeous. they look like they could've
been filmed only a couple of years ago.
> Kevin "Hiiiiiii-Ya!" Cogliano
Goro
Apparently, Miramax has bought the North American rights to the Shaw
Bros martial arts films. With their previous track record (ref:
Shaolin Soccer, Hero most recently; Jackie/Jet movies in the past),
don't expect any remotely timely release. hopefully, they won't be
allowed to edit them. and apparently, they DID NOT buy the english
dubs and intend to REDO THE DUBBING. i think this could be a collosal
mistake.
btw, SHaolin Temple IS my favorite shaw bros film and both Shaolin
Temple and Five Masters of Death/Five Shaolin Master (the semi-sequel)
are released on R3 dvds that look absolutely gorgesou, but with no
englihs dub (eng sub, though). Shaolin Martial arts has not yet
released, but "Martial Arts of Shaolin" (which may or may not be the
saem film) is scheduled for release in December 2004
(http://www.dvdcult.com/KFDVD1.htm)
check this out for current shaw bros (Celestial) offerings:
https://www2.setssl.com/~hivizone/title/shawbrothers.htm
Also, check this out: http://www.hkcinema.co.uk/shawbroreleases.html
hth
-goro-
Goro
while i'd agree that Bruce Lee would have had trouble dealing with an
expert grappler, it should be noted that Bruce Lee was EXTREMELY
open-minded with regards to accepting various martial styles ("Empty
your cup"). He embraced boxing and wrestling and if he were to have
lived long enough, he likely would have championed Brazilian jujitsu
as well.
madkevin
"Goro" <eviln...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:7caec896.04040...@posting.google.com...
> > Others that haven't already been mentioned: "New Masters Of Shaolin", Jet
Li's
> > semi-rip-off of "Lone Wolf & Cub", is a terrific over-the-top wire-fu movie,
the
> > movie that finally made me understand why wire-fu is, in the proper
contexts,
> > cool.
>
> Is this the same (perhaps us retitling) of New Legend of Shaolin? Jet
> Li, directed by Wong Jing, costarring Xiao Miao. iirc, i really liked
> it, even though it has some typically Wong Jing-ish wackiness (wasn't
> there a wooden tank or soemting like that?).
Yup. A somewhat overlooked but really excellent Jet Li movie.
Kevin "Cub" Cogliano
G. M. Watson
----------
In article <ossc70ljvpi5s2i0o...@4ax.com>, John Harkness
<jhXaYr...@sympatico.ca> wrote:
Long, long response:
Thanks; I'll have look at HKFlix. I saw "Five Shaolin Masters" (AKA "Heroes
Five"), which is a different film (and also a very good one), back around
the same time (1974)--IIRC it came a few months after Shao Lin Martial Arts
and was almost the last of the really good Chang Cheh stock-company films.
The heavy in Shao LIn Martial Arts was plyed by Wang Lung-Wei, who was one
of the most frequently-seen heavies in HK films for many years (and was
also, reportedly, a highly skilled martial artist). I've had some sporadic
involvement with martial arts over the years and I've always preferred MA
films that are relatively realistic in nature, as opposed to the superhuman
ones. Chang's Shaolin films were wonderful for this; they always featured
extended training sequences and the fight scenes were always long and shot
at medium range; no slow motion, no trick editing. His actors, for the most
part, were skilled martial artists themselves, and it showed.
Shao Lin Martial Arts was perhaos the best example of this quality. It's
been, as I say, three decades since I saw the film, but I still recall a
surprising amount of it quite clearly. The story was, on the surface, a
common one for the genre-- evil MA masters (Wang, in this film a master of
the "Plum Blossom Style", and a crony) kill good MA master; students of
latter seek revenge. What made the film interesting (**WARNING: Spoilers
ahead!!**) was a plot twist almost heretical by HK standards of the day. To
wit: Almost the entire first half of the film concerns two (of a total of
four) revenge-bent students who go to the mountains to seek out a
semi-legendary master of Eagle Claw, reputedly the only style that can
defeat Plum Blossom. He accepts them and sends one of the students into the
forest to train in Eagle Claw by cutting firewood and then ripping off the
bark with his bare hands. The other is sent into a nearby river to catch
large carp, barehanded of course, for the Master's daily dinner (he
professes a great liking for fish).It takes them a long time to get good at
their appointed tasks.
After what appears to be many months of training, the two students, by now
highly skilled in Eagle Claw, and both played by well-known actors from
Chang's company (can't remember their names) return to challenge the evil
masters. Things are going well until Wang's observant crony shouts a warning
to him: "Look out! Deadly Eagle Claw!". At which point the quick-thinking
Wang and the other baddie shift tactics in order to adapt--- and the two
heroes are brutally, bloodily killed. During the crucial moments, the screen
shifts to monochrome, in itself a stylistic innovation for the time in HK.
But the real shocker was seeing two likable and sympathetic heroes get
messily slaughtered after all that training. It played hob with the
storytelling conventions of HK cinema, and the viewers' expectations of
same.
Anyway, the rest of the story can be guessed. Hearing of the fate of their
comrades, the remaining two students redouble their own efforts, having
ought out an even more legendary master. One of them, played by my man Chi
Kuan-Chung, is given an unusual training-- he is ordered to exclusively
practice a strange technique: a short-range, waist-level punch, a similar
technique to Bruce Lee's famous "one-inch power punch" which Lee developed
from his training in Wing Chun. Chi is told to punch into a portable, thick
wooden screen made from rough 1" planks. When he is able to punch through
the planks, the distance is shortened, bringing it closer each time, until
he is literally moving his fist forward only an inch. Oh yes... on contact,
he is to *open his fist*, extending his fingers, smashing them through the
planks (you can proabably see what's coming) (SPOILER AHEAD!).
Chi and the other student (don't remember who it is... Fu Sheng, maybe?)
complete their training and return for the big showdown. The final match
lasts maybe ten minutes and is amazing. No flying through the air, no wire
work, no energy blasts or shattered trees... just good, solid, furious
kungfu fighting. Comes the crucial moment (**SPOILERS**!!). The screen goes
monochrome again. Chi, face-to-face with Wang, sees an opening... slams a
short-range punch into Wang's abdomen-- opens his palm...and *eviscerates*
him, in perhaps the most graphically violent shot in all of early-70s HK
cinema. I remember dragging several of my then-T'ai Chi classmates to see
the film, and I also remember my friend seated next to me going "Bleah!" in
a loud voice as Wang's intestine was messily removed. Brief, but very nasty.
Bad guys die. Roll credits.
Far as I'm concerned, that film was when HK MA cinema peaked for me. After
that we got into the gimmicks. Flying guillotines, venom masks, 18
bronzemen; to me all that was hokey theatrics. Chang eventually folded his
independent production company, his players drifted away, and he returned to
Shaw, his tail between his legs, and made mediocre films for the rest of his
career. I think that Chang Cheh, given the right set of circumstances (a
supportive company, bigger budgets, or whatever else), could have developed
into another King Hu. But fate, as they say, had other plans. Bruce Lee
died. Eventually, along came Jackie, Sammo, and the comedians and cops, and
the "realistic" HK martial arts film was dead. Sic transit and all that. It
all happened a long time ago, when we were all a bit more naive, I guess.
GMW
frank habets
> An honorable mention to both "Once Upon a Time in China 3" and "God of Gamblers
> III: Back to Shanghai" for entertaining treatments of mundane
> lion-dancing/gambling, respectively.
Another honourable mention should also go to A Chinese Ghost Story. A fine melange of genres.
Wheeljak
writing:
>Five Venoms (venom mob, chang cheh)
Is that the same as "Five Deadly Venoms," the one with the wacky
animal styles, including Toad and Lizard?
>and then some domestics:
>
>DRIVE - Mark Dacascos + Kadeem (Dwayne Wayne) Hardison. B-film, but
>surprisingly engaging. very fun fight scenes shows what Dacascos can
>do with great choreography.
Drive! Great flick! That's probably THE most underrated martial arts
flick, period. Awesome action and good comedic moments, too!
>ONLY THE STRONG - Mark Dacascos. Not that great a movie, but watching
>capoeira is really cool. Also has Master Amen Santos who is simply
>amazing (i had a chance to work out with him and it was awesome!)
Crappy movie, but I love watching Capoeira too.
>TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES - i just have a soft spot for it. it's
>infinitely rewatchable... uhm, ok... ;)
You must have a soft spot on your skull if you like that movie. ;)
>CRYING FREEMAN - Dacascos again. Dir by Christopher Gans (Brotherhood
>of the Wolf), based on teh manga/anime. very fun, good action.
I was afraid to rent that. I loved the manga, and I just knew they
were going to seriously butcher it, like they did "Fist of the North
Star".
>GYMKATA!!!! (ok, just kidding)...
Aw, come on! That pommel horse scene is one of the funniest scenes
ever. I always thought Gymkata should have been on Mystery Science
Theater 3000.
Jordan Lund
> martial arts film/s so far and please say why, for any choice/s named
> ?
Does Seven Samurai count as a martial arts movie? If not then I'd
probably go with the second Drunken Master flick with Jackie Chan.
- Jordan
Geezer From The Freezer
Enter The Dragon - its a classic
Way Of The Dragon - I like the show down at the end with Chuck.
Twin Warriors(1993) - This has a silly story, but the fight sequences/wire work
makes the
Matrix sequences/wire work look rubbish. Best choreography I've seen I think
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon - a beautiful film
Russell Watson
<For-Gilly's-be...@usfamily.net> wrote:
>Paul Allen Panks <pa...@sdf.lonestar.org> wrote:
>
>>Enter the Dragon. Because it stars Bruce Lee. Because it is so good.
>>
>>After that, my vote goes to....
>
><nothing important>
>
>
>It begins and ends with Bruce Lee, because he's *alone* among
>martial-artists to eschew all wire-fu fakery as a matter of principle.
>AND: He was an *authentic* hardass -- you *knew*, just looking at him,
>that he could beat the ever-livin' crap out of *anybody* in a fight
>without rules.
Wire-fu fakery? Depends on how you define it. While he may never have
been on a wire, the guy he shows the "Dragon whips its tail" move in
"Return of the Dragon" (AKA "Way of the Dragon") is definitely
snatched back on a wire. He also had some camera trickery in "Enter
the Dragon", like the scene where he obviously hops down out of a tree
and they reverse it to make it look like he jumped up onto the limb.
No doubt had he lived he would have had to resort to more and more of
that type of fakery to keep his films fresh.
'97 FLSTF
To reply by e-mail, remove nospam from address.
Mason Barge
wrote:
>What is or are, your personal favorite Asian and / or English language
>martial arts film/s so far and please say why, for any choice/s named
>?
From the point of view of someone who doesn't like martial arts
movies:
1) Crouching Tiger -- because it was a magnificent sweeping epic,
beautiful, well-acted, and had something new to say (or at least it
was different from anything else I have ever seen).
2) Brotherhood of the Wolf -- because the atmopherics and Monica
Belluci were good enough to overcome the cheesy aspects. I guess this
shouldn't count, since I pretty much liked it *despite* the martial
arts theme.
Mason Barge
"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln