DVD Talk DVD Reviews https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/list/DVD Video DVD Talk DVD Review RSS Feed en-us Crash Masters: Beautiful Swordswoman DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/27366 Wed, 04 Apr 2007 23:05:20 UTC Rent It

Beautiful Swordswoman (1969) is a Taiwanese swordplay, one that plays out as a lukewarm female revenge piece hampered by a flat script and weak action lead.

The beautiful swordswoman of Beautiful Swordswoman is actress Wong Ling. She plays Yuan-yuan the daughter of a wealthy family. With help from her governess, she secretly moonlights as an assassin. We begin by seeing her going undercover as a bride, slashing the unsupecting hubby on the wedding night. Then she acts like a broken down farmer, hacking away at another anonymous guy. In the next scene, she and her governess act like retarded, raggedy bums and use this ruse get the surprise on a party of men they cut down.

After the setup, the film gets into her seemingly happy home life where her family is totally unaware of her other life and the fact that she is capable with a sword. She feigns girly-girl defenselessness and weakness...Read the entire review

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Crash Masters: Knights of Old Cathay DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/27365 Wed, 04 Apr 2007 23:05:20 UTC Recommended

Knight of Old Cathay (1968) is an interesting Taiwanese swordplay film. It plays to the melodrama as much as the action, and while it does kowtow to some formula it also has some novel twists in its revenge dynamics. To discuss those twists I've got to be spoiler-y, though honestly its not like there is Maltese Falcon worthy mystery afoot. Genre fans and your average moviegoer will probably see the third act twist coming from a mile away. But, ya' know, I'm warning you in advance I'm disclosing the finale.

Wei-tsun (Peter Yang Kwan) is just about to have his wedding night consummation when he gets distracted by the sight of his mother walking into the woods in the dead of night. He leaves his bride, Jyi-fung (Hong Seung-kam) the daughter of his adopted father/mentor/swordmaster teacher, and follows the mother in law, who wanders out into the woods in order to pray at the grave of Wei-t...Read the entire review

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Crash Masters: The Sword DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/26974 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 00:44:11 UTC Rent It

Jimmy Wang Yu is responsible for many vital Chinese martial arts flicks of the late 1960s and early 70s. 1971's "The Sword" is not one of them.

"The Sword" (original title: "Jian") follows the tribulations of a spoiled young nobleman who "has no worldly desires... except swords!" The man is obsessed with them, spending his fortunes on them, even keeping them nearby during sex - he is, after all, not interested in the woman, but in the blade. As the film opens, he's found a real beauty: a sword so precise that if you merely lay hair across the blade and gently blow, the hair will still be cut.

Ah, but others know this obsession is too much. "One day it will only bring your ruin," he is warned, and perhaps that day will arrive sooner than he thinks. The sword he recently obtained has only one other like it in the world, and he must have it, too, to complete the set. The new king has placed ...Read the entire review

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Ma Su Chen DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/23849 Sat, 16 Sep 2006 03:06:20 UTC Rent It

As an old school kung fu flick, "Ma Su Chen" promises a lot but offers too little. The appearance of Johnny Wang Yu, the screen legend from "The One-Armed Swordsman" and "Master of the Flying Guillotine" (among many others), should be enough to rake in viewers who, if not familiar with the name, are at least familiar with his filmography. But aside from a thrilling final battle and a few serviceable fight sequences, there's just not much here to keep fans of the genre interested.

"Ma Su Chen" (aka "Rebel Boxer") is a relatively thin actioner, plowing through its notably brief (75 minutes!) running time but without delivering enough of the good stuff. The film opens promisingly enough, with an army of baddies attacking Ma Yuen Chen (Wang) in the streets, leaving him with four axes buried deep into his torso - which apparently is not enough to stop him. After all, he's the Boxer from Shantung! Whi...Read the entire review

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Actress Apocalypse DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/15106 Fri, 01 Apr 2005 18:18:54 UTC Recommended

The Movie:
The Boobs are coming! Aaaah! Well, actually, they're just coming to audition for a horror movie (along with their other female body parts) in the indy exploitation film Actress Apocalypse, in an unrated director's cut, along with a bonus CD of the soundtrack by indy band Space Probe Taurus.

The Story:
in this mockumentary by director Richard R. Anasky, filmmaker David Lincoln III (Garo Nigoghossian) is making the ultimate epic movie: "Clearwater Canyon," in which a big Indian stalks and kills women (particularly hot naked women). And he's filming it in his shed. His boom operator, known as "The Golden Terror" (Jay ingle). was supposed to be a main actor in the movie. Unfortunately, he can't act. But he has a love of the phallic grandness of the boom mike. And he loves doing his job while wearing the gayest garb, including jockstraps and capes. Meanwhile, Lincoln'...Read the entire review

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Deadly China Doll Collection DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/14794 Tue, 08 Mar 2005 20:27:19 UTC Rent It

The Movie:

Angela Mao – the queen of kung fu. While she's hardly as well known as her male counterparts like Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, Ms. Mao did and still does have quite a following. Her natural good looks, quirky sense of comedic timing, and quality fight moves made her a natural in front of the camera and she was really one of the first female martial artists to break into film.

In The Deadly China Doll Collection, Crash Cinema presents three of her films in one handy-dandy package at a good price point. They've released these discs individually in the past, and these discs are the same as those individual releases, but if you don't have them in your collection and you are an Angela Mao fan, well, here's how it all breaks down:

Dance Of Death

Angela Mao plays a young orphan boy named Fei Fei whose best friend is killed by a gang of evil kung fu thugs...Read the entire review

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Ultimate Ninja Collection - Ninja vs. Mafia DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/14693 Wed, 02 Mar 2005 19:47:25 UTC Rent It

The Movies:

When a traveling man named Jack Doe (Alexander Lo Rei of Ninja: The Final Duel) meets up with an assailant named Charlie Wu who mistakes him for a rapist, the two quickly let bygones be bygones and off they go to room together and take jobs at the local sewage plant. Eventually the pair end up working for a kindhearted Chinese mob boss who takes quite a liking to Jack once he saves his life from an exploding fruit basket.

Unfortunately for the kindly old Godfather, not all of his employees are as jovial as Jack and his pal Charlie. Some of his underlings don't think that they're being treated well enough, and they want more money. Rather than talk it over man to man, they instead turn tail and start working for the dastardly Japanese mobsters who are bent on taking over the crime business in Shanghai.

When the Japanese thugs fail in their attempts to take dow...Read the entire review

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The Master Strikes DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/13194 Sun, 14 Nov 2004 18:52:02 UTC Rent It

Hong Kong has been called the Hollywood of the East due to its prodigious film output. Between the Golden Age of Kung Fu Movies in the 1970's and the New Wave of Action Films in the 80's and 90's, Hong Kong Cinema has certainly left its impression on many people. One of the most striking similarities between the Film industries of Hong Kong and Hollywood is that they often put Commerce before Art. When a Genre is successful, it's almost guaranteed that they will make every conceivable permutation of said genre before the audience finally says enough is enough. In the case of the Kung Fu Genre, they've run the gambit, but in the late 70's Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung had lots of success with a brand of Kung Fu comedy that was really taking off. So it was only natural that other Kung Fu comedies would be made to cash in on the popular trend.

The Master Strikes (1979) ...Read the entire review

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Shaolin Iron Fist Collection: Secret of the Shaolin Poles DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/13168 Tue, 09 Nov 2004 20:39:56 UTC Recommended

Crash Entertainment has certainly found their niche with DVD buyers by releasing numerous films from the golden age of Hong Kong Kung Fu. Countless films were produced during this time and in order to keep up with the demand, Crash Entertainment has resurrected their Venom Mob Films label for the release of cheaper, often more generic films that have previously been released under multiple titles. Each wave of films is being released as part of a thematic collection with special packaging to differentiate one set from another. I was fortunate enough to be able to review the Shaolin Iron Fist Collection, comprised of 4 DVDs. Let's see how Venom Mob Films does.

Shaolin Iron Fist Collection: Secret of the Shaolin Poles is hands down the best entry in the Shaolin Iron Fist Collection and is just a great movie in general. The cropped picture not withstand...Read the entire review

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Shaolin Iron Fist Collection: Shaolin vs. Manchu DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/12948 Sat, 30 Oct 2004 00:27:11 UTC Rent It

Crash Entertainment has certainly found their niche with DVD buyers by releasing numerous films from the golden age of Hong Kong Kung Fu. Countless films were produced during this time and in order to keep up with the demand, Crash Entertainment has resurrected their Venom Mob Films label for the release of cheaper, often more generic films that have previously been released under multiple titles. Each wave of films is being released as part of a thematic collection with special packaging to differentiate one set from another. I was fortunate enough to be able to review the Shaolin Iron Fist Collection, comprised of 4 DVDs. Let's see how Venom Mob Films does.

Shaolin Iron Fist Collection: Shaolin vs. Manchu begins with an overview of the Shaolin Fighting Practices… all 72 of them! After this brief introduction, we learn that the Emperor of the Manc...Read the entire review

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Shaolin Iron Fist Collection: The Fighting of Shaolin Monk DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/12950 Sat, 30 Oct 2004 00:26:55 UTC Rent It

Crash Entertainment has certainly found their niche with DVD buyers by releasing numerous films from the golden age of Hong Kong Kung Fu. Countless films were produced during this time and in order to keep up with the demand, Crash Entertainment has resurrected their Venom Mob Films label for the release of cheaper, often more generic films that have previously been released under multiple titles. Each wave of films is being released as part of a thematic collection with special packaging to differentiate one set from another. I was fortunate enough to be able to review the Shaolin Iron Fist Collection, comprised of 4 DVDs. Let's see how Venom Mob Films does.

Shaolin Iron Fist Collection: The Fighting of Shaolin Monk tells the story of Tamo, the Buddhist Monk who founded the Shaolin style of Martial Arts teaching. Tamo is a wanderer who stumbles upon a cara...Read the entire review

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Shaolin Iron Fist Collection: Disciple of Shaolin Master DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/13000 Sat, 30 Oct 2004 00:26:37 UTC Skip It

Crash Entertainment has certainly found their niche with DVD buyers by releasing numerous films from the golden age of Hong Kong Kung Fu. Countless films were produced during this time and in order to keep up with the demand, Crash Entertainment has resurrected their Venom Mob Films label for the release of cheaper, often more generic films that have previously been released under multiple titles. Each wave of films is being released as part of a thematic collection with special packaging to differentiate one set from another. I was fortunate enough to be able to review the Shaolin Iron Fist Collection, comprised of 4 DVDs. Let's see how Venom Mob Films does.

Shaolin Iron Fist Collection: Disciple of Shaolin Master is the worst of the Shaolin Iron Fist Collection and possibly one of the worst quality DVD's I've seen in awhile. While I have seen many ...Read the entire review

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Sun Dragon DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/12915 Mon, 25 Oct 2004 16:47:32 UTC Skip It

I can kind of see what the makers of Sun Dragon were going for, I really can. By combining the "Old West" look and feel, albeit poorly, of the classic TV show Kung Fu with a Blaxploitation plotline, this 1979 "Grindhouse" staple is far from being a classic but it does have it's moments. The three leads, Billy Chong (a one-time contender for Bruce Lee's crown), Carl Scott (Martial Arts Prodigy) and Louis Neglia (1979 World Kickboxing Champion) are all very skilled Martial Artists, but sadly everyone else just seems to be standing around waiting to get their asses kicked.

Set during the late 1800's, Sun Dragon begins with Shao Chong (Billy Chong) tracking down his Grandfather who is living in the American Southwest. While asking for directions, he encounters a group of surly Railroad workers with a bone to pick after the young immigrant accidentally in...Read the entire review

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Sun Dragon DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/11706 Mon, 26 Jul 2004 21:33:43 UTC Skip It

I don't know how many movies you watch in a week. Me, between reviewing, Netflix rentals, my expanding collection, and having every pay movie channel... plus factor in that given the choice, I'd rather stay in and watch movies than go out for a nice meal or spend time hiking or something... Well, I watch a movie a night, with a couple of two/three movie nights thrown in there on a weekly basis.

The reason I bring all of this up is, I watched Sun Dragon (1979, aka. Hard Way to Die) a very long time ago, and I just completely forgot. I had it sitting there waiting to reviewed, but somehow after watching the film, my brain refused to acknowledge it. So, Sun Dragon has become this anomaly in my viewing habit, somehow so unremarkable, it got lost in the flood of films I saw after it and became this buried memory, like a childhood trauma, that I couldn't recall.

Anyway, it is a ...Read the entire review

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The First Samurai: Book of Five Rings Collection DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/11524 Tue, 13 Jul 2004 00:14:36 UTC Recommended

Crash Cinema has really pulled off a coup, getting the distribution rights to Hiroshi Inagaki's acclaimed Samurai Trilogy, which until now had only been available to those willing to pay for the more exorbitantly priced Criterion Editions and releasing it at a reduced price as The First Samurai: Book of Five Rings Collection. Based on Eiji Yoshikawa's novel, Musashi, considered by many to be Japan's Gone with the Wind, this epic tale of the 17th-century samurai, Musashi Miyamoto, takes place during the time of Japan's own civil war. Through the course of the The First Samurai: Book of Five Rings Collection we see Musashi's growth from a headstrong youth to "The Sword Saint", a name by which he is commonly known in Japan.

In 1584, Shinmen Takezo was born in the town of Miyamoto, Japan. He claims to have defeated his first opponent in sing...Read the entire review

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Kill Chiba Collection DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/11481 Thu, 08 Jul 2004 21:36:07 UTC Recommended

Before we begin, I want you to repeat these Four Words: Sonny Chiba is God!

Sadao Maeda, the man who would become Sonny Chiba, was headed for the Japanese gymnastic team when a back injury ruined his Olympic chances. Turning his athletic prowess to the Martial Arts, he eventually attained black belts in Judo, Kendo, Shorinji Kempo and Ninjitsu. In 1960, he won a talent contest at Toei Studios and adopted the stage name Chiba Shinichi, named after the Chiba prefecture of Tokyo where he grew up. Japan's biggest action star at the time, Takakura Ken, befriended him and Chiba began to appear in more films.

In 1967, Bruce Lee's role as Kato in The Green Hornet was a breakthrough that eventually led to the modern Martial Arts film. Chiba Shinichi, now known as Sonny Chiba, was the star of several successful films and TV shows and his popularity was skyr...Read the entire review

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The Master Strikes DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/11018 Fri, 04 Jun 2004 23:44:25 UTC Rent It

The Master Strikes (1979) is, pardon my language, pure chop fucking suey and a bit of low budget, martial comedy silliness. It represents a style that can often divide martial fans. Guys like me opt for the purer, meaner, revenge-fueled bloodbaths, whereas The Master Strikes is tame silliness, more for the kiddie matinee crowd.

Big kicker Casanova Wong (Warriors Two, Iron Fisted Monk) is Tseng Yu, a courier entrusted with an extremely valuable jade horse statue. He delivers the sealed box containing the statue, but upon opening it, the owner, Liang, finds an empty box. Tseng Yu's entire business and life savings are turned over to Liang and Tseng Yu goes completely bonkers. A couple of bumbling schemers, Ah Liang and Hsiao Li, decipher Tseng Yu's gibberish, and begin to track down Liang, who as it turns out has been running this scheme, amassed an empire doing so, and is now l...Read the entire review

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Geisters - Fractions of the Earth (Vol. 1) DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/10986 Wed, 02 Jun 2004 04:42:45 UTC Recommended

The Movie:

There is a new kid in the world of anime DVDs.  Crash Cinema, aproducer of old-school kung-fu movies on DVD has branched out and createdAnime Crash, an imprint for releasing anime here in the US.  Thisimprint has just released their first DVD, The Geisters Volume 1. Will Anime Crash make the same mistakes other new companies have when releasingtheir first anime title?  Luckily, it seems that they've avoided mostof the common pitfalls.  And while there aren't too many extras onthe disc itself, the DVD comes packed with some outstanding bonuses thatwill be sure to please the fans.

The series takes place far in the future.  400 years ago, an asteroidwas spotted that was on a collision course for Earth.  With no hopeof stopping it, mankind split up into two groups, those...Read the entire review

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Horror Rises From the Tomb DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/10701 Sun, 16 May 2004 18:22:58 UTC Skip It

The Movie

I've had an interest in EuroHorror for many years now, and in reading about this genre, I've come across actor/director/writer Paul Naschy's name multiple times. Yet, I'd never seen one of his films until I recently saw 1973's Horror Rises from the Tomb (AKA "El Espanto Surge de la Tumba"). Having never seen one of Naschy's films, I had no opinion about his work. Now that I've seen Horror Rises from the Tomb, I'm still not sure what to think.

The film opens in 15th century France, where Aleric du Marnac (Naschy) and his companion Mabille DeLancre (Helga Line) are condemned to death for their evil activities (which includes "adoring Satan"...adoring?) Before he dies, du Marnac places a curse on his captor Andre Roland (Vic Winner) and swears that he will have revenge.

The scene then jumps to the present. Painter Maurice Roland (Winner) (a descen...Read the entire review

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Samurai Death Bells DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/10558 Sun, 02 May 2004 04:48:24 UTC Skip It

In the wild and wacky world of chopsocky there are basically two varieties of flicks: The serious ones and the comedies. Although they're both often pretty funny, the looser comedies are usually the ones that hold up better. Humorless, overly serious flicks like, oh say Samurai Death Bells tend to grate quickly (unless they really spin off into the Ed Wood unintentional hilarity zone, in which case they're great) while the goofy caricatures and politically incorrect jokes of a film like Matching Escort can be endearing in a way.

The incomprehensible drama in Samurai Death Bells involves a lot of cliche clan mumbo-jumbo. Dragon is scheduled to fight Phoenix. Phoenix has died so Dragon will fight her student. (I appreciate the prominence of kick-ass female fighters in the film, if nothing else.) Off-...Read the entire review

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Matching Escort (aka Fury of The Sliver Fox) DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/10559 Sun, 02 May 2004 04:46:51 UTC Skip It

In the wild and wacky world of chopsocky there are basically two varieties of flicks: The serious ones and the comedies. Although they're both often pretty funny, the looser comedies are usually the ones that hold up better. Humorless, overly serious flicks like, oh say Samurai Death Bells tend to grate quickly (unless they really spin off into the Ed Wood unintentional hilarity zone, in which case they're great) while the goofy caricatures and politically incorrect jokes of a film like Matching Escort can be endearing in a way.

Matching Escort begins with a young girl having her feet locked into "heavy iron shoes," which clash with her cute red outfit. The shoes cause the girl to stumble but eventually help her develop abnormal speed and dexterity. The film then quickly fast-forwards to some time ...Read the entire review

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Shaolin Revenger DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/10319 Thu, 15 Apr 2004 18:26:56 UTC Skip It

When it burst onto Western screens in the early 90s, people were astonished, wondering where it had been all their life. The Hong Kong action film, long a cult classic favorite with 'in the know' fans worldwide had suddenly found some capitalistic exposure in the American marketplace. Unexpectedly, a half-century of Asian movie making was recognized as an overnight sensation/the next big thing. Jackie Chan, John Woo and Jet Li established themselves as kings of ass kicking and Anglo auteurs were incorporating slow motion gun battles and wire fu into every film imaginable (even crappy family comedies like Dogs and Cats). With the floodgates good and open and the Internet poised to find martial arts merchandise from around the world, the market was inundated with all manner of jujitsu joy...and a lot of karate crud as well. Fancy editing and stilted stand-ins made Bruce Lee's filmography expand ex...Read the entire review

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The Wandering Monk DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/10200 Wed, 07 Apr 2004 21:58:48 UTC Skip It

The Wandering Monk (1980, aka. Shaolin Monk Fights Back) has no theme song. While watching it, I found myself humming one anyway, a Morriconeesque tune with simple, bouncy lyrics.

"The Wandering Monk,... he's a wanderin' man."

"He can fight,... ya' know he can."

"He stands for good,... all across the land."

"Oh, he can fight,... oh, yes he can."

"Wanderin'! (whip crack)"

"Fightin'! (whip crack)"

"Fightin' and wanderin'."

"You evildoers best bewaaaaaare!"

"(whip crack) Wanderin'!"

This is level your mind sinks too when staring at another lackluster Taiwanese kung fu film. Granted, kung fu films are my cup of tea, be they cheap, expensive, no name, or star powered. But, maybe it is the rash of HK classic Shaw Bros releases I've been devouring lately, I just wasn't in the mood for a full-screen tape tra...Read the entire review

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10 Brothers of Shaolin DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/10147 Sun, 04 Apr 2004 20:43:42 UTC Rent It

In this Taiwanese period kung fu film, a Ming revolutionary leader is in need of escort across the Ching territory. His chief guide and protector is Chi Yueng (Dong Wong Tao- The Hot, the Cool, and the Vicious). Along the way the evil Ching leader's (Chang Yi- Eagles Claw) men (including Lueng Kar Yan- Sleeping Fist and Steven Tung Wai) try to capture them at every turn, but luckily the countryside is littered with ten Shaolin masters in disguise who aide the duo.

10 Brothers of Shaolin (1979) is a real middle ground kung fu film. As Taiwanese cheapie, it isn't too bad, and Dong Wong Tao is a good lead, but there is just something missing. It is a f b-film, with all the b-film foibles. What makes a successful b-film is the energy, subtext, or inventiveness that makes you forgive the weaker bits like performance and basic or no-plotting. 10 Brothers of Shaolin just ...Read the entire review

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My Kung Fu 12 Kicks DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/8788 Sat, 20 Dec 2003 23:07:41 UTC Recommended

My Kung Fu 12 Kicks (1979) is a kung fu clowner from the Drunken Master school of kung fu comedy.

Shaw Bros. mainstay Bruce Liang (10 Tigers of Shaolin, Broken Oath) is our hero, Tao Pin (sp?). It is the sort of sad sack, underdog idiot role suited for the likes of Sammo Hung, Alexander Fu Sheng, or Jackie Chan. After he is beaten by the local moneylender and his henchman, Tao Pin is kicked out of the town, befriends a brothel lackey, and the two move into an abandoned monastery. A badass warrior (Lee Hoi San- Executioners from Shaolin, Warriors Two) waltzes into town and cripples three martial master brothers and ruins their school. The three brothers take refuge I the monastry and make Tao Pin their pupil.

Now, admittedly as huge a old school martial film fan that I am, I'm not real big on HK comedy, especially goofy martial comedy. The occasional Jackie Chan or Sammo...Read the entire review

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Mask of Vengeance DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/8786 Sat, 20 Dec 2003 23:07:32 UTC Rent It

Mask of Vengeance (1980, aka. Magic Sword) is a sprawling swordplay melodrama.

The story unfolds in a muddy manner, but it can be broken down like this: Our hero arrives in a city on the eve of a knife (I think they meant "sword" or "weapon") competition and goes to the bigwig, masked, secret martial society to ask that they suspend the games. As it turns out, both he and the clan leader wanted to find rivals at the competition. Our hero wants to find a man known only as The Man of Sorrow, who ten years prior told him of his fathers death and agreed that he would meet him at the competition and reveal more details of his fathers death. The masked clan leader knows of this man and agrees to turn over his whereabouts if our hero can find a blind, dumb, scarred, and crippled fighter that is the masked clan leaders rival. You scratch my back...

The masked clan leader turns over parchmen...Read the entire review

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Dressed to Fight DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/8785 Sat, 20 Dec 2003 23:07:13 UTC Rent It

Dressed to Fight (aka. Legend of the Broken Sword, Dragon of the Lost Ark) is a tale told in the style of Chinese adventure novels that was popularized in film by the likes of Chor Yuen and King Hu. Dressed to Fight is also a bit of a more low budget cheapie affair characterized by its production and star, the b-grade Tein Ping.

The plot is nearly convoluted and almost incomprehensible. The gist of it is that Tien Ping is a martial hero trying to get away from his many foes and ex girlfriends. One girl he has his eye on belongs to a secret sect that doesn't want to let her go. Precisely, when he first arrives, he encounters a woman's hand sticking out of the forest floor beckoning to him. Not falling for that old ruse, he ignores it. Then, moments later, a lady and her convoy are attacked by a ground burrowing guy called Golden Bell. Tein Ping comes to their aid, beating the ...Read the entire review

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Struggle Through Death DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/8621 Mon, 08 Dec 2003 22:42:51 UTC Recommended

Imagine if you took a little bit of I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, Cool Hand Luke and Hell's Highway and transported it into the chop socky world. That is the result with Struggle through Death (1978). Although the kung fu genre was certainly no stranger to stealing a premise from other movies, the prison picture was definitely a realm that wasn't covered very often.

Liu Kang (John Liu- Invincible Armor, Fighting Ace) and his buddy find themselves captured and sent to the local prison that doubles as a mine and gold smelting plant. They quickly befriend another rebellious prisoner, Fang Sze. Lui Kang's friend plots to escape and go to the aide of his pregnant wife. The cruel prison officials are suppling gold for a local marshall to buy weapons with and cutting corners anyway they can, mainly by over working the prisoners and not maintaining the mine. Prisoners who es...Read the entire review

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Young Hero of Shaolin DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/8042 Sun, 26 Oct 2003 21:14:56 UTC Rent It

Young Hero of Shaolin(1984) presents another take on one of China's beloved true life folk heroes, Fong Sai Yuk. Despite an opening text crawl informing us of how accurate the film has tried to be with the history of Fong Sai Yuk and how they went to the actual locations where Fong Sai Yuk traveled, you can still tell the film was getting the story from a folk aspect. It would be like a Davey Crockett bio pic actually having him kill a bear when he was only three.

The film begins with Fong Sai Yuk (Shut Bo Wa) as a newborn. His martial artist mother is challenged by a hard faced master who claims he and his student are superior. After making quick work of the man, he whimpers away claiming that he'll return one day to get revenge on her offspring. So, seeing that day could come, Fong Sai Yuk's mother trains her son as best she can and soaks him in mineral baths daily so he will have a resilie...Read the entire review

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Young Hero of Shaolin 2 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/8041 Sun, 26 Oct 2003 21:14:18 UTC Rent It

Young Hero from Shaolin 2 (1986) is one of those rare sequels that is much better than its predecessor. Unfortunately that doesn't mean it is really spectacular, but at least in comparison, they decided to improve on the first film.

This time in the continuing story of Fong Sai Yuk, the emperor has tired of Shaolin's growing influence and power, so he enlists a local commissioner to arrange a conflict between the monks and the surrounding martial schools. The crux of the story unites Fong Sai Yuk and fellow Shaolin student Wu Wai Kin (I'm guessing at the spelling), who has returned to his murdered fathers martial school in order to get revenge on a corrupt baddie named Dragon Head, the man responsible for his fathers death. Dragon Head gets help from the evil commissioner and a fighter named Lu Ti Ping, who has a vendetta against Fang Sai Yuk. Kidnappings,... lion dances,... and, of course,...Read the entire review

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Revenge of the Shaolin Master DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/8025 Sat, 25 Oct 2003 22:44:41 UTC Rent It

Revenge of the Shaolin Master (1979) is a cheap, period, martial quickie from director Law Chi (Crippled Masters, Invincible Kung Fu Trio).

Dorian or "Delon" Tan (Deadly Shaolin Kicks, Tattoo Connection) plays the stalwart Lin Chan Wu, a soldier in charge of escorting a cache of silver and rice to some refugees in great need of support. But, he and his crew are attacked by bandits and Chan Wu is framed as the inside man who clued them into the shipment. Inspector Yueng Ting is sent to find him and aid the local magistrate in uncovering the bandit plot and getting back the goods. But, the real snake behind the robbery is the magistrate and it will take some convincing to get Inspector Yueng on Chan Wu's side. Eventually, the two men join forces to clear Chan Wu's name and bring down the corrupt officials.

Pretty good, standard, "man is unjustly accused so he seeks justice for hi...Read the entire review

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Jade Dagger Ninja DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7972 Mon, 20 Oct 2003 23:42:58 UTC Rent It

I can describe Jade Dagger Ninja in three words: MADE IN TAIWAN. Usually quite a bit more ramshackle than an HK martial production, Taiwan produced films for cheapie market, for the mainland outdoor theaters and Filipino grindhouses. And, it's a puzzler. Jade Dagger Ninja's audience wanted some color, so you get a big cast of characters with names like Sunset Fairy and Master Cold Heart, stage sets from the Land of Oz, and a twisting story of soap opera motivations and scenes where spies are spying on other spies spying on people. It also has great lines of dialogue like, "Be careful with your badger. It is very valuable. Someone may want to steal it."

A lord has invited dignitaries to witness the marriage of his daughter. But, some of his guests like the Four Kings only want to get their hands on the Purple Jade Badger, a relic the lord possess that is said to contain an elixir that...Read the entire review

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Silver Spear DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7971 Mon, 20 Oct 2003 23:42:24 UTC Recommended

Silver Spear (1979, aka. Silver Hermit from the Shaolin Temple) is a kung fu fantasy, the kind with a fairly murky plot, foggy woodland stage sets like Legend, and a huge a cast of characters with names like Silver Hair, Petite Jade, and The Romantic Warrior, as well as a Persian vampire. Also, the titling is odd since Silver Spear is actually the name of the films villain. The hero goes by the moniker of Fast Steed, though we only see him on a horse once.

Madam Green Plum is the worlds foremost martial artist and lives in Jade Palace which is hidden deep in Snow Valley. The time has come to marry off her daughter so she sends an invitation to the worlds four best martial artists, Silver Spear, Green Lotus, Red Leaf, and Fast Steed. They meet at the designated place where they will be escorted to the secret palace. Red Leaf and Green Lotus are anxious for the opportunity to pr...Read the entire review

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The Story in Temple Red Lily DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/5787 Fri, 07 Mar 2003 22:10:08 UTC Recommended

The convoluted plot of Story in Temple Red Lily (1979) is actually pretty basic but hampered by a huge cast of characters and a story logic that dictates nearly every static talking scene being spastically followed by some sort of fight. And that is not a bad thing.... An evil baron wants to overthrow the prince. Aiding the baron is a local sheriff and an abbot and his students. The prince has some sympathizers, a general, a captain, a brother sister martial duo, a kid with a giant eagle.... that's right, a kid with a giant eagle. Anyway, the good guys try to protect the prince, mainly wander around a lot and get attacked at every turn,... some get captured,.... big finale,... you know the deal.

ANd I thought Kung Fu Colt Master had a confusing plot and a story crammed with too many characters. Obviously inspired and perhaps adapted from Chinese adventure tales, The Story in Temple R...Read the entire review

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Amsterdam Connection DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/5703 Wed, 26 Feb 2003 23:06:30 UTC Recommended

Ah Wing (Wong Yuen San), Ah Bun (Jason Pai Piao), and Fanny all want to get out of Kowloon. Ah Wing and Ah Bun get out by taking off to Holland and working for opposing crime bosses (one of whom is Bolo "Bloodsport" Yueng). Eventually Fanny comes back into their lives when she is lured there by Ah Wings's boss, Uncle Tung, who schemes to get girls into prostitution by initially importing them with the promise that they will become actresses. Ah Wing rescues her and faster than you say, "You can't take away my girl!" a jealous love triangle springs up between Fanny, Ah Wing, and Ah Bun. Then, the two friends unite together and scheme to double cross, rat out, and generally stab into he back their bosses and try to get out of the underworld, which of course leads to plenty of fighting.

File this one under: 70's Bellbottom Kung Fu

Stock storyline- the two former friends, in this case the good ...Read the entire review

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