Favorite movie fight scenes

[James Y]

The Magnificent Butcher (1979, Hong Kong). Director: Yuen Woo-Ping. Action directors: Yuen Woo-Ping & the Yuen Clan, & Sammo Hung & the Hung Action Group.

Full movie; original English dub. The revenge fight and final fight only were previously posted on page 5 of this thread, but as often happens with movies (or scenes from movies) by Hong Kong’s Golden Harvest Studios posted on YouTube, it was taken down, due to licensing issues with Fortune Star, which remastered them. This may well get taken down at some point, too. It is rare to find this in original English dub, as Fortune Star released many of the remastered Golden Harvest films with new English re-dubs, which, quite frankly, suck. If it has to be English-dubbed, original is the way to go, IMO.

The title character, “The Magnificent Butcher,” played by Sammo Hung, is Lam Sai-Wing (1861-1943), a real-life historical figure, master of Hung Gar kung fu, healer, and a student of the legendary Wong Fei-Hung (portrayed by legendary actor Kwan Tak-Hing). Lam Sai-Wing was a butcher by trade. Obviously, this movie’s story is purely fictional, and never pretended to be a true account. IRL, one of Lam Sai-Wing’s famous students was Lau Cham, father of director/actors Lau Kar-Leung and Lau Kar-Wing. Another of Lam’s famous students was Chiu Kao, whom I once had the pleasure of meeting during a visit to Hong Kong back in the 1980s.

This movie was among Sammo Hung’s best period films (in a career full of excellent films), and was unusual in that the action choreography was done by both Yuen Woo-Ping and his brothers, and also by Sammo Hung and his stunt team; two famous choreography teams working together.

This movie is a comedy, but also a tragedy. It is almost unheard-of in American movies to combine intentional slapstick-style comedy with intentionally disturbing and tragic scenes in the same movie, but it was a common thing in old-school Hong Kong kung fu and action films. In Hollywood, a movie has to be either one or the other, and the two (comedy and tragedy) are virtually never combined in the same movie.

Calligraphy fight (from 8:10): Kwan Tak-Hing vs Lee Hoi-Sang:

Invasion of school and fight (from 1:02:42): Yuen Biao vs Lam Ching-Ying; Wei Pai vs Yuen Mo; Lee Hoi-Sang vs Yuen Biao, Wei Pai & Sammo Hung:

Training scenes (from 1:13:30): Sammo Hung & Fan Mei-Sheng:

Fight scene (from 1:15:20): Sammo Hung (with Fan Mei-Sheng) vs “Wild Cat” (Chung Fat):

Murder and revenge fight (from 1:26:27): Fung Hak-On vs Cheung Kam; Sammo Hung vs Fung Hak-On:

Final fight (from 1:32:20): Sammo Hung (with Fan Mei-Sheng) vs Lee Hoi-Sang:

https://youtu.be/xqtFlqTlHVA

Jim

[James Y]

Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars (1985, Hong Kong). Director: Sammo Hung. Action directors: Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Lam Ching-Ying, Yuen Wah, Chin Kar-Lok.

I previously posted some clips from this movie on page 4 of this thread, but parts of the end fight were removed from YouTube, so I decided to post some other clips I never posted, along with another clip of the full final fight. These clips will probably be removed from YouTube eventually as well, due to licensing issues, since they belong to Golden Harvest film company/Fortune Star.

Sammo Hung, during the peak period of his career (approximately 1977 - 1989) remains my favorite Hong Kong martial arts/action actor. I also consider him (and his stunt team) during that era to have been the overall best and most versatile fight choreographers. He was also a good dramatic actor who possessed great comic timing (IMO, better than Jackie Chan). Of course, like any director or star, Sammo Hung’s filmography included both hits and misses, but he had more hits than misses during that time period.

Before he ever appeared in movies, Australian martial artist/actor Richard Norton had worked as a bodyguard for The Rolling Stones, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, and other celebrities. His first movie appearance was in The Octagon (1980), starring Chuck Norris, in which Norton played two roles; one as a thug, and another as “Kyo,” Tadashi Yamashita’s ninja enforcer.

Warehouse fight: Yuen Biao vs Philip Ko Fei; Andy Lau vs Lau Kar-Wing; Jackie Chan vs Dick Wei (actual fights start at about 3:00):

https://youtu.be/eWaVXcZlLII

Sammo Hung, Sibelle Hu & Michael Miu vs Thai “she-male” assassins:

https://youtu.be/9w7s2TDA_eg

Full final fight (English dubbed): Jackie Chan vs Yasuaki Kurata; Yuen Biao vs Chung Fat; Sammo Hung vs Richard Norton; Sammo Hung vs Yasuaki Kurata:

https://youtu.be/47ZZkrAZY5g

Jim

[James Y]

Operation Scorpio (original title: The Scorpion King: 1991, Hong Kong). Director: David Lai Dai-Wai. Action directors: Lau Kar-Leung, Corey Yuen, & Yuen Tak.

Operation Scorpio was part of a resurgence of period kung fu films in Asia that started in 1991, and lasted until the mid-to-late 1990s. Prior to that, period kung fu movies had fallen out of fashion by the mid-1980s, in favor of hardcore stunt/action films, as well as the “girls with guns“ genre, in Hong Kong.

The movie’s main draw was not the leading man, Chin Kar-Lok (younger brother of actor Chin Siu-Ho), but the young Korean, Kim Won-Jin, who played the arch-villain that the movie was originally named for, “The Scorpion King,” who is his evil father’s enforcer. He is a master of the fictitious ‘Scorpion style.’ In real life, Kim Won-Jin was an expert in Tae Kwon Do and performance Wushu, and also possessed excellent acrobatic skills and extreme flexibility. Though diminutive in stature, he proved to be an outstanding performer onscreen. He was the final Korean martial artist/super kicker to enter the Hong Kong film industry, a legacy that began with other ethnic Koreans: Ji Han-Jae, Hwang In-Shik, Hwang Jang-Lee, Casanova Wong, Kwon Yung-Moon, Han Ying (AKA, Eagle Han), Tiger Yang, Dragon Lee, and Chang Il-Do. Kim Won-Jin only made a few appearances in Hong Kong movies, before returning to South Korea.

Although a decent movie and a great showcase for Kim Won-Jin’s physical skills, IMO, this movie could have been so much better. There is too much wire work and defiance of gravity which, although I can suspend disbelief for a movie, is too much and detracts from the choreography, especially during the final fight. With his skills, Kim did not need any wire work enhancements. And although Chin Kar-Lok was a solid screen performer, he was neither adequate nor convincing in a lead role as someone who could potentially overcome Kim Won-Jin’s character.

Fight among criminals: Kim Won-Jin vs Indonesian(?) fighters:

https://youtu.be/2jJ_MkzUP-M

Strongman (Chan Chi-Leung) vs Kim Won-Jin & henchmen:

https://youtu.be/nTK_b-IhIpk

Final fight: Kim Won-Jin vs Lau Kar-Leung & Chin Kar-Lok:

https://youtu.be/eE4Cb9F4ZZQ

Jim

[James Y]

The Bone Crushing Kid (1979, Taiwan). Directors: Chen Hung-Lieh & Chen Hao. Action directors: Sun Shu-Pei & Hou Po-Wei.

Full movie.

Although this movie has never been among my top-rated ones, IMO it’s not bad, and there are things of interest.

Off the top of my head, this was the only solo leading role for Chin Lung, who was another alumni of Taiwan’s Fu Hsing Peking Opera academy. Chin Lung was a short-statured performer who, in most of his movie appearances, played a goofball. In most instances, he was squashed by villains (and sometimes by heroes). And though he does some goof balling in this film, this was the one movie where he got to showcase his physical prowess as the main character. And there are no comedic moments in the final fight against James Tien (AKA, Tien Chun). Regardless of the roles he was usually given, Chin Lung was an amazing physical talent. Sadly, Chin Lung died 6 years ago in Taiwan.

James Tien, the arch-villain, is familiar to Westerners for playing supporting characters in Bruce Lee’s first two martial arts films, The Big Boss and Fist of Fury. He was also in Game of Death, where he was destroyed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (footage was mostly unreleased in the international version). But he later acted in many films, especially with Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. By the late 1970s, it was clear that James Tien’s screen fighting skills had improved tremendously over his performances in the Bruce Lee movies. Like Chin Lung, James Tien was an alumni of Taiwan’s Fu Hsing Peking Opera Academy, but he never seemed to display much, if any, acrobatic ability. Not all Peking (Beijing) Opera performers excelled in acrobatics; some specialized in other things, such as singing, etc.

Final fight (from 1:17:30): Chin Lung vs James Tien:

https://youtu.be/3WqNd1tqnXI

Jim

[James Y]

Mr. Vampire (1985, Hong Kong). Director: Lau Kwan-Wai. Action directors: Lam Ching-Ying & Yuen Wah.

I had already posted this film’s final fight on page 15 of this thread. Part of which was taken off of YouTube. Mr. Vampire was one of the best and most successful horror comedies of all time in Asia, and it inspired several inferior sequels and spinoffs.

Recently, another scene, the ghost fight, was uploaded to YouTube, so I’m posting that here.

I’m also posting the (non-fighting) scene where the female ghost first sees Chin Siu-Ho as he is bicycling through a dark forest, to give a bit of context to the ‘ghost fight’ scene. It’s essentially a cinematically stylish (and comedic) portrayal of the moment a “spirit attachment” occurs. The Taoist master, played by Lam Ching-Ying, must break that spirit attachment, as she has taken control of his apprentice (Chin Siu-Ho), and is slowly draining the life force from him.

In addition, I’m also reposting the final fight against the arch-vampire in its entirety. As mentioned about other Hong Kong films, it is remarkable how, in the final fight, even with the cheesey makeup on the arch-vampire (played by Yuen Wah), the scene still combines comedy with deadly seriousness, something that would never happen in a Hollywood horror comedy.

Ghost in the forest scene:

https://youtu.be/q9DHRNREzlk

Ghost fight: Lam Ching-Ying vs female ghost (Pauline Wong Siu-Fung) & Chin Siu-Ho:

https://youtu.be/g-GOMgzz7Ps

Final fight: Chin Siu-Ho & Lam Ching-Ying (with Moon Lee, Lau Nam-Kwong, Ricky Hui & Anthony Chan Yau) vs Vampire Yam (Yuen Wah):

https://youtu.be/zseNSX2CycE

Jim

[James Y]

Eastern Condors (1987, Hong Kong; filmed in The Philippines and Canada). Director: Sammo Hung. Action directors: Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, Corey Yuen, Lam Ching-Ying & Hsiao Hou.

Full movie; original English dub.

Early in this thread, I posted the final fight, but it was only the last portion of it. It is rare to find the full movie posted on YouTube, and it may get taken down at any time due to licensing issues. It’s also rare to find this movie in original English dub. For lovers of action cinema, this movie is definitely worth seeing in its entirety at least once.

Eastern Condors was an extremely ambitious project for Hong Kong cinema, and for director/star Sammo Hung in particular, who lost 30 pounds for his role. It was clearly inspired by movies such as The Dirty Dozen, The Deer Hunter, and Rambo: First Blood Part II, but with Sammo Hung’s own unique take and penchant for large ensemble casts. Set in 1976, a year after the end of the Vietnam war, the plot is about a huge, secret arsenal of weapons that was left behind by the Americans, who now want to destroy it to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Vietcong. Lieutenant Colonel Lam (Lam Ching-Ying) is tasked with recruiting a unit comprised of Chinese-American convicts to go into Vietnam and destroy the arsenal, and if they succeed, they get a full pardon, full US citizenship, and $200,000 each. They are helped by three female Cambodian guerilla fighters.

Of course, like any action movie, many aspects are contrived (running straight into machine gun fire, gunfire missing easy targets, using knives to climb a tree, using leaves as projectile weapons, etc., etc.). But for pure entertainment value, this is my personal favorite “war movie.”

The movie also features the late Haing S. Ngor, most famous for co-starring in (and winning an Oscar for) The Killing Fields.

Unlike most Sammo Hung films of the late ‘70s and throughout the ‘80s, this movie is not a comedy, although there are some comedic aspects. In particular, the effeminate Vietcong general with the high-pitched, squeaky giggle, played by Yuen Wah; an affect to create a colorful character that the audience would underestimate. This is also not a ‘martial arts film’ per se, but a war/action movie with some martial arts scenes incorporated into it; however, those martial arts scenes are outstanding.

Yuen Woo-Ping and Corey Yuen, both more famous as directors, also have roles as team members.

From 9:25): Cambodian guerilla fighters (Joyce Godenzi, Elsa Chiu & Ha Chi-Chun) vs Vietcong:

From 38:35): Sammo Hung & Yuen Biao vs Vietcong (with Philip Ko Fei):

(From 1:04:40): Sammo Hung, Joyce Godenzi, Yuen Biao, Corey Yuen, Yuen Woo-Ping, Lau Nam-Kwong, Elsa Chiu, Hsiao Hou, Charlie Chin, & Haing S. Ngor vs Vietcong:

Final battle (From 1:15:20): Sammo Hung vs Joyce Godenzi; Lam Ching-Ying, Lau Nam-Kwong & Charlie Chin vs Vietcong; Sammo Hung vs Billy Chow; Yasuaki Kurata vs Hsiao Hou & Lam Ching-Ying; Yuen Biao vs Yasuaki Kurata & Dick Wei; Joyce Godenzi vs Dick Wei; Yuen Biao & Sammo Hung vs Yuen Wah:

https://youtu.be/UKUBhae1PyI

Jim

[James Y]

Two Toothless Tigers (1980, Hong Kong). Director: Lau Kwan-Wai. Action directors: Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Billy Chan Wui-Ngai & Lam Ching-Ying.

Full movie.

Note: This is the clearest version I could find on YouTube. However, there are several minutes missing from this copy. Also, the language switches between English and Mandarin dubs. A caveat for anyone who decides to watch the entire film: IMO, it’s not a very good movie. I’m only posting it for the fight scenes I’m highlighting.

This movie stars Yuen Shun-Yi, of the Yuen Clan (which includes his older brother, the legendary director Yuen Woo-Ping). Sammo Hung has a supporting role as his uncle. The real reason to watch this movie is the arch-villain, played by Wang Lung-Wei, more familiar for acting in movies by Shaw Brothers Studio. This was the only film in which Wang Lung-Wei fought onscreen against any of his opponents here: Lee Hoi-Sang, Chung Fat, Yuen Shun-Yi, or Sammo Hung, which makes this very rare indeed. The movie itself may not be great, but the fight choreography by Sammo Hung and his stunt team still possesses Sammo’s trademark dynamic high quality and physicality.

Wang Lung-Wei was excellent, as he always was, as the villain. Although a great technical all-arounder, for some of his character’s more difficult jump kicking stunts, Wang Lung-Wei was stunt doubled by Korean Tae Kwon Do expert Casanova Wong.

From 1:00:10: Wang Lung-Wei vs Lee Hoi-Sang:

From 1:07:06: Wang Lung-Wei vs Chung Fat:

Final fight (from 1:11:34): Yuen Shun-Yi & Sammo Hung vs Wang Lung-Wei:

https://youtu.be/08n4HpiNkDA

Jim

[James Y]

Wits of the Brats (1984, Hong Kong). Directors: Alexander Fu Sheng, Lau Kar-Wing & Wong Jing. Action director: Lau Kar-Wing.

This was the only movie that the late Alexander Fu Sheng had a hand in directing. Fu Sheng died in a car accident in 1983, and this movie was released the following year, along with another movie he was co-starring in but never completed, The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter (posted earlier in this thread).

This movie starred Alexander Fu Sheng’s real-life younger brother, Chang Chan-Peng. If the name difference is confusing, Alexander Fu Sheng’s family name was Chang (or Cheung in Cantonese); so his full Chinese name was Chang Fu-Sheng. Alexander Fu Sheng is the only Chinese actor I’m aware of whose English name utilized his given name as his ‘last name.’ If it were done in the common manner, his English name would have been Alexander Chang (or Cheung in Cantonese). Alexander Fu Sheng had a small role in this movie, but IIRC did not have a fight scene. He is not in the finale.

Note: Chang Chan-Peng is the actor shown spinning around on the torture wheel early in the scene.

Final fight: Chang Chan-Peng, Wong Yue, Nat Chan & Lin Hui-Huang vs Wang Lung-Wei:

https://youtu.be/OqAL9Nq8tqg

Jim

[James Y]

Master Killers (1980, Taiwan). Director: Wang Hung-Chang. Action directors: Philip Ko Fei & Yuen Lung.

Full movie.

Note: I previously posted some incomplete fight scenes from this movie on page 18 of this thread. This shows the complete fights, but this version is Spanish-dubbed (a few spots are English-dubbed with Spanish subtitles), which is no problem if you choose to only watch it for the fight scenes. Other than the fight scenes, IMO, the movie is unremarkable. This movie’s title is not to be confused with “Master Killer,’ which was the alternate international title of the 1978 movie, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin.

The final fight is long, about 12 minutes. I especially like it for the performance of the late Philip Ko Fei, who played the arch-villain. From the late 1970s into the early ‘80s, he was one of the best, most versatile onscreen fighters in the business. When he was at his physical peak, when acting in period kung fu films, his movements always involved extensive use of his entire body in characteristic ways that would be virtually impossible for anybody else to replicate exactly.

Not that anyone cares, but in this film, Blackie/Blacky Ko (AKA, Ko Shou-Liang) was credited with the name Yuan Lung (or Yuen Lung). Casanova Wong (real name: Kim Yong-Ho) was credited as Chia Che-Fu; he was often credited in movies as Ka Sa-Fa (probably a Chinese version of saying Casanova). Philip Ko Fei was credited as Kao Fei, the Mandarin pronunciation of Ko Fei.

From 39:55: Philip Ko Fei vs Casanova Wong:

From 1:14:45: Blackie Ko & Casanova Wong vs Philip Ko Fei:

https://youtu.be/U44tIFFjKOw

Jim

[James Y]

Enter the Fat Dragon (1978, Hong Kong). Director: Sammo Hung. Action director: Sammo Hung.

This is the original “Fat Dragon.” This year, a new ‘Enter the Fat Dragon’ was released featuring Donnie Yen in a fat suit and a good deal of CGI effects. Although sharing the same title, the new movie bears no resemblance to the original it’s based on. Even though the original was clearly low-budget, I prefer it over the Donnie Yen version. It has a certain charm that the new version lacks. This was also the second movie that Sammo Hung directed.

When looking at Sammo Hung during that time period, he really wasn’t all that fat. Today, the Sammo Hung of the late 1970s would be considered average, or even below average, at least here in the States. Different time and place. Sammo always used his weight for comic effect, and to showcase the fact that the extra weight did not negatively affect his amazing athleticism and skills.

Sammo Hung plays a country bumpkin who idolizes Bruce Lee, and comes to Hong Kong to find work. IMO, Sammo had the best Bruce Lee imitations, which he also did in one other film, Skinny Tiger, Fatty Dragon (1990). He could mimic Bruce Lee better than anyone, but also added his own unique flair that was unlike Bruce Lee that made his performance better. Unlike other Bruce Lee imitators, Sammo actually knew Bruce Lee, and had a fight scene with him in the opening scenes of Enter the Dragon. The first video clip shows two Bruce Lee imitators fighting each other; Sammo, and Tony Leung Siu-Hung, who plays a Bruce Lee imitator movie star.

Movie set fight scene: Sammo Hung vs Tony Leung Siu-Hung, Wong Ha, etc.:

https://youtu.be/ugfN8lJXuuk

Final fight: Sammo Hung vs Lee Hoi-Sang, David Nick & Leung Kar-Yan:

https://youtu.be/RLZ44anXCLg

Jim

[James Y]

Hong Kong Godfather (1985, Hong Kong). Director and action director: Wang Lung-Wei.

This movie is in the Triad (Chinese organized crime) genre.

Note: This final fight scene is infamous for its extreme violence and gore.

This was one of the last movies produced by Hong Kong’s legendary Shaw Brothers Studio before the company ceased movie production to concentrate on TV productions and real estate. By the early-to-mid-1980s, Shaw Brothers movies had been falling out of step with Hong Kong audiences’ tastes. Shaw Brothers‘ popularity had been completely overtaken by movies from Golden Harvest Studio, their main rival. Many of the final Shaw Brothers Studio films seemed either uninspired, or in the case of crime dramas, especially dark and violent. This one definitely falls into the latter category.

Another note: Ownership and availability of guns wasn’t as common in Hong Kong, at least in the past, and probably still isn’t. Hence the heavy use of knives, etc., in this scene.

Final fight: Leung Kar-Yan, Norman Chu & Richard Cheung Kuen vs security guards and thugs; Leung Kar-Yan vs Wang Lung-Wei; Norman Chu vs Pomson Shi (AKA, Sin Lam-Yuk); Leung Kar-Yan vs Wong Chun:

https://youtu.be/NAjLa7V3PiM

Jim

[James Y]

Game of Death 2 (AKA, Tower of Death; 1981. Filmed in South Korea, Japan & Hong Kong). Director: Ng See-Yuen. Action director: Yuen Woo-Ping.

This was the sequel to the 1978 posthumous release of Bruce Lee’s uncompleted Game of Death. The initial main character, “Billy Lo”, is the main character from the original. After the Billy character is assassinated, Billy’s brother, “Bobby Lo”, takes over to avenge his death. Some footage and images of the real Bruce Lee were inserted into the film to make it seem like it was Bruce Lee playing Billy, but in reality, both Billy and Bobby Lo were actually played by Korean martial artist, Kim Tai-Chung (credited with the name Tong Lung). Kim Tai-Chung (alternate spelling: Kim Tae-Jeong) also played the “fighting Bruce Lee double” in the first Game of Death. Kim Tai-Chung became known mostly for imitating Bruce Lee, even though he didn’t look or move anything like Bruce Lee.

Much of the time, Kim Tai-Chung’s face is in shadow: in the greenhouse fight, to hide the fact that he isn’t Bruce Lee; in the final fight, to hide the fact that his character’s more complex movements and acrobatic stunt sequences were stunt doubled by Yuen Biao. In addition, Kim wears dark clothing, which doesn’t help to see him clearly in the dim lighting, especially in the greenhouse scene. Nevertheless, Yuen Woo-Ping’s fight choreography is on point.

Kim Tai-Chung also appeared in the American movie No Retreat, No Surrender, in which he played Bruce Lee’s ghost, who trained Kurt McKinney to defeat Jean-Claude Van Damme. It was Van Damme’s first American film. Sadly, Kim Tai-Chung passed away in South Korea in 2011 at age 54.

Both of Kim Tai-Chung’s opponents in these clips, Casanova Wong and Hwang Jang-Lee, are fellow Koreans who worked extensively in martial arts films in Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as in their native South Korea.

Greenhouse fight: Kim Tai-Chung vs Casanova Wong:

https://youtu.be/zkbhirX8FgY

Final fight: Kim Tai-Chung vs Hwang Jang-Lee:

https://youtu.be/wdyJnRMqOx8

Jim

[James Y]

The Flag of Iron (1980, Hong Kong). Director: Chang Cheh. Action directors: Kuo Chui (AKA, Philip Kwok), Lu Feng & Chiang Sheng.

Kuo Chui, Lu Feng & Chiang Sheng were the most consistent core members of the “Venoms Mob” (so-called for starring in The Five Deadly Venoms, and many more films together). As mentioned in previous posts on other movies of theirs, they were alumni of Peking Opera academies in Taiwan, a background that is evident in their masterful acrobatics and weapons performances.

Chiang Sheng, who shows up near the end, passed away in 1991 at age 40, and is buried in Taichung, Taiwan.

Besides starring or appearing in many Hong Kong and Taiwan kung fu movies, Kuo Chui (Philip Kwok) also briefly appeared in the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies, which he also choreographed the fight scenes for. He also choreographed the fight sequences in Brotherhood of the Wolf, a 2001 French period action/horror film that was based on historical accounts of The Beast of Gevaudan, which took place from 1764 - 1767.

Lu Feng, who more often than not played the villain, as he does here, was nearly five years younger than both Kuo Chui and Chiang Sheng, even though the characters he played were usually portrayed as being either older than, or senior to, their characters.

Final fight: Kuo Chui vs Lung Tien-Hsiang; Kuo Chui & Chiang Sheng vs Lu Feng:

https://youtu.be/jipGz6ay9-Y

Jim

[James Y]

Dead End (1969, Hong Kong). Director: Chang Cheh. Action directors: Lau Kar-Leung & Tong Kai.

Although this fight scene may not be considered overly impressive today, this was an important movie historically for Hong Kong cinema and its fans. Dead End was Ti Lung’s very first movie. OTOH, co-star David Chiang had been a child actor going all the way back to 1952, and had already appeared in nearly 40 movies by that time. Ti Lung and David Chiang went on to become a very popular team in a great number of movies throughout the early 1970s. Although they were almost always cast as close friends, in real life, Ti Lung and David Chiang didn’t really get along.

The cigarette-smoking main villain was played by Chen Hung-Lieh.

Several of the actors playing thugs (Yuen Woo-Ping and his brother Yuen Cheung-Yan, Lau Kar-Wing, Hsu Hsia & Huang Pei-Chih) later went on to become famous directors and/or fight choreographers.

Fight scene: Ti Lung & David Chiang vs thugs (Lau Kar-Wing, Wong Ching, Chen Chuan, Huang Pei-Chih, Yuen Woo-Ping, Yuen Cheung-Yan, Wang Chung & Hsu Hsia):

https://youtu.be/QEsgsOXE_no

Jim

[James Y]

Horse Boxing Killer (AKA, Cute Foster Sister; 1979, Taiwan). Director: Huang Chong-Kuang. Action director: Chin Lung.

Full movie.

The female co-star of this movie, Liu Hao-Yi, was a senior classmate of mine for several years in the first kung fu school I trained at in Taiwan. She even helped me with my spoken Mandarin early on. After around 26:00, her character cuts her hair and switches to wearing men’s clothing, to pass as a man. It’s a theme that was used in several kung fu movies that never made sense to me, as no one would ever be fooled by it.

The male co-star, Wang Kuan-Hsiung (sometimes billed as “Champ Wang”) was in many kung fu films, but I was always more familiar with him from movies in the gangster and gambling genres.

Lung Fei, who played the arch-villain, was a very versatile onscreen performer, who (predictably) was almost always cast as villains.

From 0:00: Opening training scene: Liu Hao-Yi, So Yuen-Fung & Wang Tai-Lang):

From 107:55 - 1:11:34: Lung Fei vs Wang Kuan-Hsiung:

From 1:17:53: Lung Fei vs Wang Tai-Lang:

From 1:26:05: Final fight: Wang Kuan-Hsiung & Liu Hao-Yi vs Lung Fei:

https://youtu.be/nDd1AqKNXd4

Jim

[James Y]

The Boxer’s Omen (1983, Hong Kong). Filmed in Hong Kong, Thailand & Nepal. Director: Kuei Chih-Hung. Action directors: Yasuyoshi Shikamura & Chu Ko.

The Boxer’s Omen was the last and best of director Kuei Chih-Hung’s horror films, most of which dealt with the supernatural. This film is infamous among fans for its over-the-top gross-out scenes. As of this posting, the entire film is posted on YouTube, but I’m not posting that here due to scenes inappropriate for this forum. IIRC, whoever posted it on YouTube even deleted at least one scene from it for content.

The Boxer’s Omen seems like two films in one: Philip Ko Fei plays a Hong Kong gangster and Muay Thai fighter out to avenge his younger brother (played by Wang Lung-Wei), who is crippled in the ring by a Thai fighter (played by Bolo Yeung). Philip Ko Fei is also contacted by the spirit of a Buddhist monk and must go to Thailand to stop an evil warlock, whose black magic can not only prevent the monk from achieving immortality, but will kill him as well, because he and the monk were twins in a past life. In order to save his own life and allow the monk to achieve immortality, Philip Ko Fei must become a Buddhist monk and become infused with Buddhist magic to battle the warlock. Sound confusing? It is for some. But IMO, for anyone familiar with some of the more bizarre Asian horror films, it’s fairly easy to follow.

This opening fight scene is notable, because it’s the only time I can recall offhand seeing Wang Lung-Wei’s character in a movie being bullied and manhandled. Wang usually played extremely tough villains, as seen in several fight scenes posted earlier in this thread. In this instance, Bolo Yeung’s nastiness is a little too much for him. I’m NOT including the revenge fight between Philip Ko Fei and Bolo Yeung, because that fight scene alternates with over-the-top scenes of black magic rituals being performed elsewhere simultaneously that are inappropriate here. This is not a martial arts film, and the movie’s two brief kickboxing scenes are the only martial arts-related scenes. This is mostly about conflict at the magical level. I even like the puppets they used for the monsters.

Yes, the following two clips are from the same movie. :)

Opening fight: Bu Bo (Bolo Yeung) vs Chan Wai (Wang Lung-Wei):

https://youtu.be/CqlbbtogJAw

The magical fight in this next clip is not the finale; it takes place in about the middle of the film. It is always interesting to see Philip Ko Fei as the protagonist, since he was usually cast as kung fu villains. Philip Ko Fei’s kung fu villain characters were often nearly unstoppable and sometimes over-the-top, but never as over-the-top and maniacal as the villains he faced in this movie, especially this one, played by Rolando San Juan. Believe it or not, this scene is not as crazy as the finale, involving three more warlocks and a female zombie that takes place in a Buddhist temple in Nepal.

Note: Some parts of this scene are not for the squeamish. Those who are particularly sensitive may want to skip it.

Buddhist magic vs black magic: Philip Ko Fei vs warlock (Rolando San Juan):

https://youtu.be/w_I-x3nVfuM

Jim

[James Y]

Return to the 36th Chamber (1980, Hong Kong). Director and action director: Lau Kar-Leung.

In terms of its story, this movie is not actually a direct sequel to The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. Gordon Liu plays a different character, and the movie is more lighthearted and comedic in nature.

The dyeing mill fight in the first clip leads into the final fight in the second clip.

Dyeing mill fight: Gordon Liu vs Kwon Yung-Moon, Chang Il-Do, Chiang Tao, etc.:

https://youtu.be/CJ1mW_hKdDE

Final fight: Gordon Liu vs Wang Lung-Wei & his henchmen (Chiang Tao, Lee Fat-Yuen, Mak Wai-Cheung, Shek Kong & Liu Hok-Ming):

https://youtu.be/g-ij-ak_a9Q

Jim

[James Y]

The Loot (1980, Taiwan). Director: Eric Tsang. Action directors: Chih I-Hsiung & Ho Chi-Wai.

Note: I posted another clip of this fight scene on page 20 of this thread. I found this newly-posted clip of it that is much better quality.

Final fight: Norman Chu & David Chiang vs Philip Ko Fei & Lily Li:

https://youtu.be/38tDBFOxpXU

Jim

[James Y]

Spiritual Boxer, Part II (AKA, The Shadow Boxing; 1979, Hong Kong). Director & action director: Lau Kar-Leung.

Contrary to popular belief, it was director Lau Kar-Leung, NOT Jackie Chan or director Yuen Woo-Ping, who revolutionized the kung fu comedy genre, which Lau did in 1975’s The Spiritual Boxer, which starred Wong Yue. That was a full three years before Jackie appeared in Yuen Woo-Ping’s Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, Jackie’s first kung fu comedy film which catapulted Jackie to stardom, in 1978. However, in general, Lau Kar-Leung was not as adept at directing comedy as Yuen Woo-Ping, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, etc. Lau Kar-Leung’s forte was adapting traditional kung fu styles and Peking and Cantonese opera acrobatics into extremely complex fight sequences. But most of the comedy scenes Lau directed were way overdone, drawn out, and in some instances, a bit annoying.

Spiritual Boxer Part II (AKA, The Shadow Boxing) is not as well-known as some of Lau Kar-Leung’s other works. While the final fight scenes with Gordon Liu were good, overall, IMO, the movie itself was one of Lau Kar-Leung’s worst. It’s predecessor, Lau’s 1975 film, The Spiritual Boxer, was far superior.

Final fight (from about 1:40; Gordon Liu & Wong Yue vs Wilson Tong & Lee Hoi-Sang:

https://youtu.be/Q31aB7P6o-U

Jim

[James Y]

Excalibur (1981; filmed in Ireland). Director: John Boorman.

This is among my favorite movies. It’s also the only Arthurian movie I’ve ever liked.

Knights riding into battle to ‘O Fortuna’:

https://youtu.be/nthojvLZoNY

Final battle scene: King Arthur (Nigel Terry) vs Mordred (Robert Addie):

https://youtu.be/7ZEqMqBLOOI

Jim