Directed by Chang Cheh

Stars: Alexander Fu Sheng, Philip Kwok, Wang Lung Wei, Sun Chien, Lo Meng

"When you are poor, you must struggle!"

Tough but naive Tan Tung flees Hong Kong to San Francisco's Chinatown after being set up by a gangster. Completely out of his element, he befriends a co-worker who is also new to the United States. Unfortunately, Tan Tung can't seem to keep away from trouble and eventually finds himself involved in a turf war between the Chinatown gangs.

This is my favorite Shaw Brothers film. Fu Sheng is excellent, and it is sad that such a talented guy died so young. (Alexander Fu Sheng, who had bought the late Bruce Lee's house, died after a fatal car accident. He was 28.) The final showdown is AWESOME, a full out melee involving guns, a cool belt buckle/knife, and fists and feet a flyin'!

Ignore the cheese factor and relax. Yes, they obviously are not actually in Chinatown. Yes, those are the same white folks serving as extras in all the "american" scenes. This isn't  a George Lucas production people...For the most part, the acting is great, and the action is fantastic. Fu Sheng and Sun Chien make an awesome ass-kicking team.
 

Directed by Chang Cheh

Stars: Chiang Sheng, Philip Kwok, Lu Feng, Wei Pai, Sun Chien, Lo Meng

"What I've taught them could be used wrongly, to hurt men."

That is an understatement if I ever heard one. This groundbreaking flick is very likely the most popular Shaw Brothers production of them all. The coolness of this movie cannot be put into mere words, but your Mistress of Distress will give it a shot!

The dying master of the Poison Clan dispatches his last pupil to find 5 ex-students who are all masters of various poisonous animal styles. He does not know their true identities, and the only hint of who they might be is in their kung fu skills, which they are sure to be masking. These bad-asses are- The Centipede, Snake, Scorpion, Lizard, and Toad. In a nutshell, Master tells Yang, don't fuck with these dudes on your own. You only know a little of each of their styles and they can all kill you. You better hook up with one of them if you like wearing your guts inside your skin. Peace out.

This movie is martial arts perfection. The action scenes are incredible. The violence is especially brutal, and the camera doesn't shy away from the bruises and bloody aftermath of the battles. Even the Iron Maiden makes an appearance! The sequences showcasing each Venom's particular mastery of his fighting style remains among the best in kung fu cinema.

Unlike a slew of this genre's brethren, this movie has a tight plot and will hold your attention from beginning to end with its tale of intrigue, treachery, and justice. When I say you better watch this movie, you say, "Sho 'nuff!"

Directed by Chang Cheh

Stars: Lo Mang, Lu Feng, Kuo Chui, Sun Chien, Chiang Sheng, Philip Kwok

"When this mission's finished, maybe we'll all be dead."

Another superb Shaw Brothers martial arts film! This flick is filled to overflowing with awesome characters, cool costumes, fierce weaponry, tough guy humor, and an engaging mystery involving the transport of a cache of gold through hostile territory. Your eyes will never leave the screen as the story advances from one bloody melee to the next.

The Chi Sah gang are a group of young martial arts masters who wish to intercept the gold being escorted through their domain. Golden Arm is #1 and even though he is the youngest of the group, he is the toughest motherfucker out there. He doesn't need weapons and can disembowel a man with his FIST. Silver Spear is #2, a slimy bastard who whups on his opponents using an extendable spear and throwing darts that he carries on his belt. Iron Robe is #3, and the name says it all- the dude wears an iron robe that makes him practically invincible. Finally, we have Brass Head, who is #4. He wears a brass helmet which he uses to cause the ultimate headache that no amount of aspirin can cure.

With villains like this prowling the route, we need some worthy matches for the Chi Sah. The Shaw Brothers don't disappoint. Mr. Yang, who is in charge of moving the shipment, hires some extra security in order to reach his destination safely. There is master swordsman Li and his girlfriend, Miss Leng (who also uses a sword.) Also on hand are Short Axe and Long Axe, two wisecracking pals who like to keep track of the number of men they kill. (These two are my favorite characters of the film and they are a joy to watch as they calmly joke with each other and destroy all comers.) Rounding out the group is the sardonic and crafty drunken master Hai To, who kicks much ass under the influence.

This movie is off the charts when it comes to action and pure mayhem. Favorite fight scene- Short and Long Axe walk into an ambush led by Silver Spear. Though outnumbered, the Axe boys slice and dice their way through most of the competition and Silver Spear resorts to some treacherous moves to manipulate the odds in his favor. The resulting battle between Silver Spear and Short Axe is AMAZING. If you are a fan of this genre, this movie is a must for your collection.

 

Directed by Chang Cheh

Stars: Jimmy Wang Yu, Pan Yin Tze, Chiao Chiao, Tin Fung, Liu chia-Liang

"My right arm...What am I going to do without my right arm?!"

After his father is killed defending Master Qi Rufeng, young Fang Gang (nice name) is taken in as apprentice to the master swordsman. Two students become jealous of Fang's skill and close relationship with the teacher, and Qi Rufeng's daughter, the duplicitous Pei-er, is angry that Fang Gang shows no sexual interest in her.

Master Qi Rufeng scolds the three when they pick on Fang, and they plot to punish their target for his perceived arrogance. During the attack, Pei-er cuts off Fang's arm, a truly disgraceful act, since he didn't want to fight the little bitch in the first place and asked her to fight with bare hands (which she agreed to!) Will Fang Gang manage to overcome his sudden handicap and become the master swordsman he's destined to be? Does a one armed bear shit in the woods?

A 1960's Shaw Brothers effort, this film was so popular that it spawned several sequels and made a huge star of Jimmy Wang Yu. While not one of my favorites (too much plot exposition, slow pace, long intervals between fight scenes) this slice and dice classic is worth checking out.

Directed by Jeong Chang-Hwa

Stars: Lo Lieh, Wang Ping, Chiao Hsiung, Chan Shen, Chin Chi Chu

"My only real interest is in fighting, I don't care about fame, honor, or fortune."

If Yul Brynner and a Klingon had a baby, it would look like Chen Lang, one of the villains in this flick. U-G-L-Y, he ain't got no alibi, he's ugly! Anyway, if that isn't enough to make you watch this movie, wait- there's more...

Chi-Hao is sent by his master to the school of Shen Chin-Pei, where he can learn superior fighting skills. Once there, Chi-Hao has to work as a temple lackey until he proves he is worthy enough to attend actual classes. This he accomplishes by having objects thrown at him unexpectedly and being able to dodge them without getting skewered in the process.

While training, Chi-Hao has a couple of run-ins with Yul Klingon and his cronies. When Chen Lang breaks into the school and disses the master, it's the straw that breaks the camel's back and Chi-Hao gives Klingon Brynner a proper beat down. (Much to everyone's surprise.) This leads to Master Shen giving Chi-Hao the Iron Fist manual, a lethal secret technique that only Shen knows. Our hero begins to train in order to compete in the big martial arts tournament. But then the Japanese thugs show up...

The first half of this chop-socky classic is slow going, but stick with it. A good portion of this movie could have been cut to keep the story moving, and the action scenes are spread too far apart. But there is no doubt that this is an entertaining movie, and it was one of the films that started the kung fu movie craze in the 1970's. The best reason to watch is to see how this film heavily influenced the Kill Bill series created by Quentin Tarantino. Don't miss this one.
 

Directed by Chang Cheh

Stars: David Chiang, Alexander Fu Sheng, Philip Kwok, Sun Chien, Lo Meng

"It's quite nice here in Hell."

What were they smoking when this film was conceived? Obviously planned during an opium den excursion, you'll either love this absurdity, or hate it with a passion.
Here's the concept- the Venoms star in a fantasy/musical/action film! Are you still with me?

Not your Mistress' cup of tea, but it does have a cast of familiar stars, and it's kind of interesting to see them in this mess. The film is divided into three sections, Heaven, Earth, and Hell. We're only in Heaven briefly (thank goodness) and the Earth segment is so awful you'll laugh your ass off or put your foot through the television screen. Fu Sheng lip synchs! Fortunately, we drop down to Hell soon enough and that is where the best part of this movie kicks in. Hell rules!

The best thing Heaven and Hell has going for it is its unpredictability. There are some cool fight scenes, and the final portion of the film is riveting. So weigh this against dumb costumes and weird sets. Strange and surreal, this Shaw Brothers film will have most fans scratching their heads in puzzlement. You could always just skip to Hell, that's where the fun is anyway.

 

Directed by Edward D. Murphy

Stars: Cameron Mitchell, John Dresden, Hope Holiday, Jennifer Holmes, Rey King

"No one is permitted to go there except martial arts outcasts."

Too bad THE Eddie Murphy didn't direct this, it would have been funnier. Well, we get full frontal nudity, martial arts, and zombies. This grade z thriller delivers on bush, blood, boobs, and bullets. That's it.

Put your brain on auto-pilot, you won't be needing to actively engage it as you watch this cheapo flick. Dim bulb traveling companions set sail to Warriors Island, where a group of weird monks live with their female captives and some pissed off reanimated dead. Total camp that can be enjoyed with the right attitude and plenty of liquor.

Directed by Wah-Kei Wong

Stars: Bruce Li, Chin Yuet Sang, Hon Kwok Choi,  Michael Winston, Bolo Yeung

"The one who won, he was best."

A rousing tale of three friends who set out to avenge the death the of their teacher. Part action, part comedy, and part drama, this is a pretty enjoyable martial arts flick that is engrossing on every level.

Lung and Choi are performers who lose their jobs after getting involved in a brawl. A second run in with the thugs completely demolishes their home and they leave to live with Lung's aunt. Auntie has problems of her own, as real estate developers want her property. Aunt isn't selling, a fact reinforced by our heroes as they kick the crap out of the goons the real estate guys send by periodically to harass the family.

Lee Hu, son of the developer, sends his American friend John over to cause trouble for Lung and Choi, who are now operating a busy kung fu school. Dum-dum John gets his ass soundly kicked, causing him to switch allegiance and join the school as a new student. Due to unfortunate events, Choi is crippled and sent to prison for braining Lee Hu. John returns to the United States, promising to come back and see his friends. Lung goes into acting and becomes a huge kung fu movie star, complete with entourage. Upon Choi's release from jail, their teacher is murdered by Lama Kwok Lee, John's ex-master. The three buddies take on the Lama in a fierce battle to end matters once and for all.

Bruce Li is a great Bruce Lee imitator, and his fighting style is powerful, but Choi is simply amazing. He's a fantastic athlete, in the style of Jackie Chan.
The dude is awfully funny too, especially in the scene where he and John visit a disco. It's a hilarious sequence for his outfit alone. And the dancing will have you howling on the floor. Check this one out, it's worth it.
 

Directed by: Wang Hung Chiang

Stars: Yuan Lung, Chia Che Fu, Kao Fei, Bolo Yeung

"You're a man, not a boy- don't cry like a woman!"

You'll cry if you force yourself to sit through this mess. A truly sad event- a kung fu flick that SUCKS. The comedy is weak, the action scenes boring, and the storyline drags. Sloppy dubbing doesn't help either. A bad experience all around. Even the appearance of always super bad Bolo can't save this one.

Two brothers who've been separated for many years find each other again and vow to avenge their father's death. Boo fucking hoo. Your Mistress didn't care and you won't either. Don't waste your time with this dreck.

Directed by Chang Cheh

Stars: Alexander Fu Sheng, Lo Meng, Sun Chien, Ti Lung, Lu Feng, and practically EVERY FUCKING Shaw Bros. star!!

"I should give you a lesson you'll never forget...some broken bones!" 

This is Chang Cheh's Altman moment! An awesome kung fu flick that will have you applauding at the end. The Shaw Brothers pull out all the stops in this one, the cast is simply phenomenal. Yes, you will recognize every face in this one, even the bit actors.

The narrative is a bit confusing, but the gist is this...ten warriors band together to protect a rebel leader. Forget the plot, you'll be too busy picking your jaw up from the floor from a.) seeing all these guys in one movie, and b.) the kick ass fight scenes. You have died and gone to kung fu heaven (and Bruce Lee is not there!) Best scene- a baddie gets his head KICKED OFF. Blood sprays! Yes!!