Anytime :D
Favorite movie fight scenes
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
Daggers 8 (1980, Hong Kong). Directors: Cheung Sum & Wilson Tong. Action director: Wilson Tong.
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen another movie where one man (Wilson Tong as the hired killer) carried as many virtually full-sized fixed blades directly on his person. :)
Lead actor Meng Yuen-Man was another classmate in the same Hong Kong Peking Opera school as Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, Yuen Tak, Corey Yuen, and others. He appears in at least two previous entries in this thread (The Master Strikes and Zen Kwun Do Strikes in Paris, both on page 7). Unfortunately, in 1981 or so he suffered a heart attack; and although he luckily survived, he was forced to end his movie career and found work in a travel agency.
Final fight: Meng Yuen-Man vs Wilson Tong:
https://youtu.be/6Gk_2BQa69U
Jim
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen another movie where one man (Wilson Tong as the hired killer) carried as many virtually full-sized fixed blades directly on his person. :)
Lead actor Meng Yuen-Man was another classmate in the same Hong Kong Peking Opera school as Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, Yuen Tak, Corey Yuen, and others. He appears in at least two previous entries in this thread (The Master Strikes and Zen Kwun Do Strikes in Paris, both on page 7). Unfortunately, in 1981 or so he suffered a heart attack; and although he luckily survived, he was forced to end his movie career and found work in a travel agency.
Final fight: Meng Yuen-Man vs Wilson Tong:
https://youtu.be/6Gk_2BQa69U
Jim
-
The Mastiff
- Member
- Posts: 5951
- Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 2:53 am
- Location: raleigh nc
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
Jim, I've been going through the movie soundtrack website. There are PHD's that don't have the knowledge about their fields you do about this. Do you have any articles online anywhere on this subject?
Joe
Joe
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
Thank you for the kind words, Joe. I can’t take all the credit, though. There are others who have contributed to that thread as well, some tracks I never would have found the source of otherwise. And there are others out there who have as much or even a good bit more knowledge about kung fu films than I do. But then there are a few people considered authorities who have put out information I know for a fact is wrong, which I strive to avoid doing myself. I may err at times, but I really try to be as accurate as I can.The Mastiff wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 9:06 pmJim, I've been going through the movie soundtrack website. There are PHD's that don't have the knowledge about their fields you do about this. Do you have any articles online anywhere on this subject?
Joe
A British guy named Toby Russell is possibly the most knowledgeable about kung fu movies apart from the actors themselves, and probably even more than some of them. But Toby Russell actually lived in places like Taiwan and Hong Kong, and actually knew many of the old-school kung fu stars, and interviewed several of them. He also made a few documentaries on kung fu/Hong Kong action movies and the actors. I knew some of the kung fu film stars when I lived in Taiwan, and met several others, but not nearly as many as Toby Russell did. Some of his stuff might still be online.
But no, I haven’t written anything on martial arts films, other than whatever I’ve written in this thread and on that soundtrack thread on the kungfumagazine forum...possibly a couple other threads I’ve also contributed to over on that site as well. I love the genre, but TBH, I haven’t been watching them as much in recent years as I used to. I don’t even have a plan written down for what I post, either for that soundtrack thread or for this one. There are still some soundtracks I’m trying to find, that I’ve been hoping to find the original sources for, since the early 1980s(!). There’s one track in particular I’m hoping to find and post before somebody else does. In other cases, I’m aware of a track’s original source, but it’s not available to listen to or link to online, so I can’t (or won’t) post the name of it. It’s a pride thing, I guess. :)
Jim
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
I forgot to mention that back in 1981, there was a very good magazine called ‘Martial Arts Movies’ that lasted only 2 years or so, but it was an excellent publication. It included interesting information about many of the kung fu movie actors and their movies, as well as some direct interviews. And not just covering the super-famous ones in the West, like Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan. For that time period, the information the writers put out was excellent, considering there was no internet back then.James Y wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 9:33 pmThank you for the kind words, Joe. I can’t take all the credit, though. There are others who have contributed to that thread as well, some tracks I never would have found the source of otherwise. And there are others out there who have as much or even a good bit more knowledge about kung fu films than I do. But then there are a few people considered authorities who have put out information I know for a fact is wrong, which I strive to avoid doing myself. I may err at times, but I really try to be as accurate as I can.The Mastiff wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 9:06 pmJim, I've been going through the movie soundtrack website. There are PHD's that don't have the knowledge about their fields you do about this. Do you have any articles online anywhere on this subject?
Joe
A British guy named Toby Russell is possibly the most knowledgeable about kung fu movies apart from the actors themselves, and probably even more than some of them. But Toby Russell actually lived in places like Taiwan and Hong Kong, and actually knew many of the old-school kung fu stars, and interviewed several of them. He also made a few documentaries on kung fu/Hong Kong action movies and the actors. I knew some of the kung fu film stars when I lived in Taiwan, and met several others, but not nearly as many as Toby Russell did. Some of his stuff might still be online.
But no, I haven’t written anything on martial arts films, other than whatever I’ve written in this thread and on that soundtrack thread on the kungfumagazine forum...possibly a couple other threads I’ve also contributed to over on that site as well. I love the genre, but TBH, I haven’t been watching them as much in recent years as I used to. I don’t even have a plan written down for what I post, either for that soundtrack thread or for this one. There are still some soundtracks I’m trying to find, that I’ve been hoping to find the original sources for, since the early 1980s(!). There’s one track in particular I’m hoping to find and post before somebody else does. In other cases, I’m aware of a track’s original source, but it’s not available to listen to or link to online, so I can’t (or won’t) post the name of it. It’s a pride thing, I guess. :)
Jim
There were also some English-language martial arts publications out of Hong Kong, such as one called ‘Real Kung Fu’,and another one, which had articles on some of the kung fu stars/actors of the ‘70s. Also, Chinese-language publications back in the ‘70s like ‘New Martial Hero Magazine’, and Hong Kong movie magazines like ‘Southern Screen’ that also featured articles on the actors.
I had these magazines well before I moved to Taiwan from the mid-‘80s into the ‘90s. These were the pre-internet sources that originally got me interested in learning more about the kung fu movie directors and actors, their backgrounds, and the movies they made. Before that, to me as a young kid, they were just nameless people you recognized in the different kung fu movies. I also learned about the different directors and choreographers, and began to recognize their distinctive cinematic styles.
Jim
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
Royal Warriors (1986, Hong Kong). Director: David Chung. Action director: Meng Hoi.
Many Westerners recognize Michelle Yeoh, starting from her role as a Bond girl in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies, followed by Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and many American movies, including Crazy Rich Asians. Some others remembered her from when she made Police Story 3 with Jackie Chan and stole the show from him with her insanely dangerous motorcycle stunt onto a moving train. But Police Story 3 was actually her comeback film. She had originally retired from the film industry in 1988 for four years when she had married Dickson Poon, a Hong Kong businessman who founded D&B Films, which made ‘80s action movies that catapulted Michelle Yeoh (then called Michelle Khan) into stardom. (See also Yes, Madam on page 2 of this thread).
Michelle Yeoh’s background was in dance, as opposed to martial arts, though she was trained to perform for the movies. In her early movies, although she had less technical refinement, she often displayed a ferocity and a fluidity of motion that, IMO, she never fully regained after her 1992 divorce and “unretirement”. As far as pure martial arts movements, there were other women from the same time period who were every bit as tough, and technically superior to Michelle Yeoh, such as Moon Lee (also originally from a dance background), Yukari Oshima (karate background), Cynthia Rothrock (American karate forms champion), and Yeung Pan-Pan (Peking Opera background). But Yeoh had/has a certain star quality that transcends national boundaries much better, as well as transcending the action genre; some of the reasons why she is still active in movies and internationally famous, and the others, in comparison, are not.
Airplane fight: Michelle Yeoh, Hiroyuki Sanada & Michael Wong vs terrorists (Chan Wai-Man & Kam Hing-Yin).
https://youtu.be/b6pkJ1NLI5E
Final fight: Michelle Yeoh vs Pai Ying:
https://youtu.be/8m3srtfE3eI
Jim
Many Westerners recognize Michelle Yeoh, starting from her role as a Bond girl in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies, followed by Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and many American movies, including Crazy Rich Asians. Some others remembered her from when she made Police Story 3 with Jackie Chan and stole the show from him with her insanely dangerous motorcycle stunt onto a moving train. But Police Story 3 was actually her comeback film. She had originally retired from the film industry in 1988 for four years when she had married Dickson Poon, a Hong Kong businessman who founded D&B Films, which made ‘80s action movies that catapulted Michelle Yeoh (then called Michelle Khan) into stardom. (See also Yes, Madam on page 2 of this thread).
Michelle Yeoh’s background was in dance, as opposed to martial arts, though she was trained to perform for the movies. In her early movies, although she had less technical refinement, she often displayed a ferocity and a fluidity of motion that, IMO, she never fully regained after her 1992 divorce and “unretirement”. As far as pure martial arts movements, there were other women from the same time period who were every bit as tough, and technically superior to Michelle Yeoh, such as Moon Lee (also originally from a dance background), Yukari Oshima (karate background), Cynthia Rothrock (American karate forms champion), and Yeung Pan-Pan (Peking Opera background). But Yeoh had/has a certain star quality that transcends national boundaries much better, as well as transcending the action genre; some of the reasons why she is still active in movies and internationally famous, and the others, in comparison, are not.
Airplane fight: Michelle Yeoh, Hiroyuki Sanada & Michael Wong vs terrorists (Chan Wai-Man & Kam Hing-Yin).
https://youtu.be/b6pkJ1NLI5E
Final fight: Michelle Yeoh vs Pai Ying:
https://youtu.be/8m3srtfE3eI
Jim
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
Nice one, shunsui!
Jim
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
Angel 3 (AKA Iron Angels 3; 1989, Hong Kong & Thailand). Directors: Stanley Tong & Teresa Woo. Action director: Dang Tak-Wing.
I mentioned in my previous entry of Royal Warriors that Moon Lee was one of the women in Hong Kong action cinema who were superior to Michelle Yeoh in a purely physical/martial arts performance sense, even though like Michelle, she also originally came from a dance background. Although Moon Lee did not have the international star power that Michelle Yeoh had, her execution of technique onscreen was much quicker, fluid and more natural than Michelle Yeoh’s. Here she shows a much different face from her role in Mr. Vampire.
Another note about this movie is that the late Panna Rittikrai (1961-2014), who would later become Tony Jaa’s mentor, and whose direction and choreography made Tony Jaa a star, had a fight scene in the early part of this film as a Muay Thai boxer. However, that scene is not on YouTube as a stand-alone clip.
Fight scene: Moon Lee (AKA Lee Choi-Fung) vs thugs:
https://youtu.be/5c_qgxCIR3o
Jim
I mentioned in my previous entry of Royal Warriors that Moon Lee was one of the women in Hong Kong action cinema who were superior to Michelle Yeoh in a purely physical/martial arts performance sense, even though like Michelle, she also originally came from a dance background. Although Moon Lee did not have the international star power that Michelle Yeoh had, her execution of technique onscreen was much quicker, fluid and more natural than Michelle Yeoh’s. Here she shows a much different face from her role in Mr. Vampire.
Another note about this movie is that the late Panna Rittikrai (1961-2014), who would later become Tony Jaa’s mentor, and whose direction and choreography made Tony Jaa a star, had a fight scene in the early part of this film as a Muay Thai boxer. However, that scene is not on YouTube as a stand-alone clip.
Fight scene: Moon Lee (AKA Lee Choi-Fung) vs thugs:
https://youtu.be/5c_qgxCIR3o
Jim
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
The art of deescalating conflict.
https://youtu.be/7WFwy5tXGZY
https://youtu.be/7WFwy5tXGZY
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
Secret Rivals 3 (alternate title: The New South Hand Blows and North Kick Blows; 1981, Taiwan). Director: Chang Hsin-Yi. Action director: Robert Tai.
John Liu plays the master of “Northern Kicks,” and Alexander Lo Rei plays the master of “Southern Fists.” Chin Lung plays a wood carver who dreams of learning kung fu from both of them. Robert Tai is the arch-villain who tries to turn “Northern Kick” and “Southern Fist” against each other, as well as having the ability to defeat either fighter one-on-one. The two rivals must eventually team up if they hope to defeat the arch-villain.
Robert Tai was better-known as a director and action choreographer. He helped choreograph some of the early Venoms Mob films at Shaw Brothers Studios. He was an interesting choice for an arch-villain requiring both John Liu and Alexander Lo Rei to beat, as Robert Tai was hardly an overpowering screen fighter himself. He was an alumni of the Fu Hsing Peking Opera school in Taiwan, and was a classmate of Angela Mao Ying, James Tien, Chang Yi, Chia Ling, Chu Ko, Chiang Sheng, Lu Feng, Ricky Cheng Tien-Chi, Chin Lung, Peng Kang, and numerous others. Robert Tai himself has admitted that he was NOT among the most physically talented among his classmates, and his talents were more in directing, which he began doing in earnest when he returned to Taiwan after leaving Shaw Brothers Studios in Hong Kong. As a director, he was very demanding and was renowned for having a bad temper. Regardless, I personally enjoy the coup de grace, as John Liu’s kicks are cleverly combined with Lo Rei’s punches to dispatch Robert Tai.
Final fights: John Liu vs Robert Tai; Alexander Lo Rei & Sun Hsin-Hsiang vs Chu Ko, Tsang Ming-Cheong & Chang Hung-Chi; John Liu & Alexander Lo Rei (with Chin Lung) vs Robert Tai:
https://youtu.be/KMi4ulbqS4s
Jim
John Liu plays the master of “Northern Kicks,” and Alexander Lo Rei plays the master of “Southern Fists.” Chin Lung plays a wood carver who dreams of learning kung fu from both of them. Robert Tai is the arch-villain who tries to turn “Northern Kick” and “Southern Fist” against each other, as well as having the ability to defeat either fighter one-on-one. The two rivals must eventually team up if they hope to defeat the arch-villain.
Robert Tai was better-known as a director and action choreographer. He helped choreograph some of the early Venoms Mob films at Shaw Brothers Studios. He was an interesting choice for an arch-villain requiring both John Liu and Alexander Lo Rei to beat, as Robert Tai was hardly an overpowering screen fighter himself. He was an alumni of the Fu Hsing Peking Opera school in Taiwan, and was a classmate of Angela Mao Ying, James Tien, Chang Yi, Chia Ling, Chu Ko, Chiang Sheng, Lu Feng, Ricky Cheng Tien-Chi, Chin Lung, Peng Kang, and numerous others. Robert Tai himself has admitted that he was NOT among the most physically talented among his classmates, and his talents were more in directing, which he began doing in earnest when he returned to Taiwan after leaving Shaw Brothers Studios in Hong Kong. As a director, he was very demanding and was renowned for having a bad temper. Regardless, I personally enjoy the coup de grace, as John Liu’s kicks are cleverly combined with Lo Rei’s punches to dispatch Robert Tai.
Final fights: John Liu vs Robert Tai; Alexander Lo Rei & Sun Hsin-Hsiang vs Chu Ko, Tsang Ming-Cheong & Chang Hung-Chi; John Liu & Alexander Lo Rei (with Chin Lung) vs Robert Tai:
https://youtu.be/KMi4ulbqS4s
Jim
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
Last Hurrah For Chivalry (1979, Hong Kong). Director: John Woo. Action Director: Fung Hark-On.
Director John Woo is the same John Woo who became famous for Hong Kong gangster shoot-‘em-ups in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, such as A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard-Boiled, Bullet in the Head, etc., before crossing over into Hollywood films for a while in the ‘90s. IMO, his work in Hollywood was FAR below his Hong Kong “bullet Ballet” films. Also IMO, his bullet ballets were below his wuxia genre film, Last Hurrah For Chivalry. This is my all-time favorite in the wuxia (literally, “martial knight/hero”) wandering swordsman genre. It contains themes that John Woo clearly adapted into his later gangster films.
In the early ‘70s, John Woo had worked as an assistant director to Chang Cheh, whose films featured strong male bonding and friendships between the protagonists. John Woo’s Hong Kong films (including this one) were heavily influenced by Chang Cheh.
Chin Yuen-Sang, as the sleeping swordsman, is one of the few attempts at comic humor I’ve ever seen in a John Woo film.
Some wuxia films have featured creepy arch-villains, but IMO, the arch-villain played by Liu Chiang is a real creep, almost acting like a horror movie villain in parts of the final fight.
*Please note: For some reason, the language in these clips switches between English-dubbed and Cantonese w/subtitles.
Fight scenes: Damian Lau & Wei Pai vs Chin Yuen-Sang (from 3:30). Damian Lau & Wei Pai vs Lee Hoi-Sang (starting from 6:54...continued next clip):
https://youtu.be/qhVYEKXr9xI
Damian Lau & Wei Pai vs Lee Hoi-Sang, continued...(from 0:00 to 3:36...continued next clip):
https://youtu.be/vTXIvAbgocA
Final fight: Damian Lau vs Liu Chiang & his men (starting at 4:12...continued next clip):
https://youtu.be/BcOaR1eygIM
Final fight (continued): Damian Lau & Wei Pai vs Liu Chiang & his men:
https://youtu.be/ZFwFmW3rURw
Jim
Director John Woo is the same John Woo who became famous for Hong Kong gangster shoot-‘em-ups in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, such as A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard-Boiled, Bullet in the Head, etc., before crossing over into Hollywood films for a while in the ‘90s. IMO, his work in Hollywood was FAR below his Hong Kong “bullet Ballet” films. Also IMO, his bullet ballets were below his wuxia genre film, Last Hurrah For Chivalry. This is my all-time favorite in the wuxia (literally, “martial knight/hero”) wandering swordsman genre. It contains themes that John Woo clearly adapted into his later gangster films.
In the early ‘70s, John Woo had worked as an assistant director to Chang Cheh, whose films featured strong male bonding and friendships between the protagonists. John Woo’s Hong Kong films (including this one) were heavily influenced by Chang Cheh.
Chin Yuen-Sang, as the sleeping swordsman, is one of the few attempts at comic humor I’ve ever seen in a John Woo film.
Some wuxia films have featured creepy arch-villains, but IMO, the arch-villain played by Liu Chiang is a real creep, almost acting like a horror movie villain in parts of the final fight.
*Please note: For some reason, the language in these clips switches between English-dubbed and Cantonese w/subtitles.
Fight scenes: Damian Lau & Wei Pai vs Chin Yuen-Sang (from 3:30). Damian Lau & Wei Pai vs Lee Hoi-Sang (starting from 6:54...continued next clip):
https://youtu.be/qhVYEKXr9xI
Damian Lau & Wei Pai vs Lee Hoi-Sang, continued...(from 0:00 to 3:36...continued next clip):
https://youtu.be/vTXIvAbgocA
Final fight: Damian Lau vs Liu Chiang & his men (starting at 4:12...continued next clip):
https://youtu.be/BcOaR1eygIM
Final fight (continued): Damian Lau & Wei Pai vs Liu Chiang & his men:
https://youtu.be/ZFwFmW3rURw
Jim
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
I can't believe that I haven't seen anything from Kung Pow in this thread. :)
https://youtu.be/tUvFSQB5PPo
https://youtu.be/tUvFSQB5PPo
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
:p The South Shaolin Master (1984, Hong Kong; filmed in Mainland China). Director: Siao Lung. Action directors: Yeung Wah & Brand Yuan Bo-Nan.
*Full movie*
IMO, this movie stands out as the best kung fu/martial arts film to come out of Mainland China. The film company and the directors were from Hong Kong, but the actors/performers were all Mainland talents. The ‘80s-era Hong Kong influence is undeniable here. In addition to great fight choreography, this movie is filled with beautiful, often sun-drenched panoramic scenery. Unlike the martial arts films out of Mainland China today, which always seem to be filmed under drab, grey skies or CGI backgrounds.
All the martial arts performers were elite-level Wushu athletes. Wushu is a highly athletic, standardized performance sport based on certain traditional Chinese martial arts. The performance aspect is NOT a fighting art but a performing art, much like dance or gymnastics. Jet Li was the most famous Wushu champion/performer, but on a purely physical level, I preferred the technique of the star of this movie, Chiu Jian-Guo, over Jet Li’s. Chiu Jian-Guo acted in later movies as well, including the first ‘Once Upon a Time in China’ as a gang leader. Sun Gen-fa, who plays the arch-villain, acted in a few other films as well. For the majority of the performers in this film, this was their sole movie appearance. For any fans of kung fu cinema, this movie deserves a full viewing.
PLEASE NOTE: The video below takes you to a link to watch it on YouTube. Unfortunately, the YouTube vids of, or from this movie, are blocked from viewing on other websites.
Final battle (starting from 1:24:05); swordswomen (led by Zhong Xiao-Zhen) vs 2 Manchurian fighters; Chiu Jian-Guo & opera troupe fighters vs Sun Gen-Fa & Manchurian fighters; Chiu Jian-Guo vs Sun Gen-Fa:
https://youtu.be/C0c78uLhryg
Jim
*Full movie*
IMO, this movie stands out as the best kung fu/martial arts film to come out of Mainland China. The film company and the directors were from Hong Kong, but the actors/performers were all Mainland talents. The ‘80s-era Hong Kong influence is undeniable here. In addition to great fight choreography, this movie is filled with beautiful, often sun-drenched panoramic scenery. Unlike the martial arts films out of Mainland China today, which always seem to be filmed under drab, grey skies or CGI backgrounds.
All the martial arts performers were elite-level Wushu athletes. Wushu is a highly athletic, standardized performance sport based on certain traditional Chinese martial arts. The performance aspect is NOT a fighting art but a performing art, much like dance or gymnastics. Jet Li was the most famous Wushu champion/performer, but on a purely physical level, I preferred the technique of the star of this movie, Chiu Jian-Guo, over Jet Li’s. Chiu Jian-Guo acted in later movies as well, including the first ‘Once Upon a Time in China’ as a gang leader. Sun Gen-fa, who plays the arch-villain, acted in a few other films as well. For the majority of the performers in this film, this was their sole movie appearance. For any fans of kung fu cinema, this movie deserves a full viewing.
PLEASE NOTE: The video below takes you to a link to watch it on YouTube. Unfortunately, the YouTube vids of, or from this movie, are blocked from viewing on other websites.
Final battle (starting from 1:24:05); swordswomen (led by Zhong Xiao-Zhen) vs 2 Manchurian fighters; Chiu Jian-Guo & opera troupe fighters vs Sun Gen-Fa & Manchurian fighters; Chiu Jian-Guo vs Sun Gen-Fa:
https://youtu.be/C0c78uLhryg
Jim
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
How it all started.
https://youtu.be/wstIBq2H0z8
https://youtu.be/wstIBq2H0z8
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
Here you go...VooDooChild wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2019 6:52 pmI didnt read through this thread so I dont know if it was mentioned.
The hallway fight scene in Grosse Pointe Blank is actually really awesome.
https://youtu.be/H0ScNLt2zNc
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
One more for VooDooChild.
https://youtu.be/hXCaF68sDPU
https://youtu.be/hXCaF68sDPU
-
VooDooChild
- Member
- Posts: 2617
- Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2018 1:29 am
Re: Favorite movie fight scenes
Thanks shunsui!
I really have to sit down one of these days and figure out how to properly use this forum so I can link and upload stuff.
I really have to sit down one of these days and figure out how to properly use this forum so I can link and upload stuff.
"Rome's greatest contribution to mathematics was the killing of Archimedes."