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Picking favorites is always a difficult task, especially when you love Kung Fu movies as much as I do. To be on my top ten list a movie must meet certain criteria. The first (of course) is that it must have outstanding Kung Fu, the kind that makes you sit on the edge of your seat and wonder what’s going to happen next, what will be used as a weapon, and who will get in the most punches. The second is that is must be top-notch film, and I don’t mean the crap that Hollywood puts out these days and tries to pass it off as a film with no character development, loaded with special effects, and make all their money from video games and DVD sales. I mean a real film that makes you think and tells the story in a unique and sometimes beautiful way. The third criteria is more open to interpretation, but extremely important. The film must be somewhat legendary to martial arts and hold some sort of value to Kung Fu movies fans and martial artists alike. The movies on my list tell stories about some of the great Kung Fu heroes in history (Wong Fei Hung, Pei Mei, Fok Yuen Gaap) as well as showcase some of the best martial arts skills ever captured on film today. Enjoy!
(Clicking on the title of each movie will bring you to the HKMDB page for that movie. You will need to register in order to see these pages, and can do so here. It’s free!)
Iron Monkey (1993)
I could watch Iron Monkey every weekend (and for many months I think I did!). Donnie Yen's Kung Fu is incredible in this movie, and this is also some of Yuen Wo Ping's greatest work. I think they added just enough combination of flying and grounded fight scenes. Sze-Man Tsang (young Wong Fei Hung) plays the part well, and kicks some butt in traditional Wong Fei Hung style (note the umbrella). What most people do not realize is that young Fei Hung is really a little girl, a wushu champion at that. Let’s just say, she got skillz. Don't even bother with the Mirimaxe hacked version of this movie. They manage to completely remove the Wong Fei Hung aspect of this film and completely ruin it. Get the original HK version (Hong Kong Legends has the best release right now).
Fist Of Legend (1994)
There is nothing better than a health dose of Jet Li Kung Fu. Little wire work and just plain outstanding Kung Fu that has some of the best choreography and camera angles you could ever imagine. I really enjoyed the story as well. It is set in a time when Japan was occupying Shanghai and emotions were running high. Jet Li plays Chen Zhen, who is studying in Japan, but a Kung Fu student at the famous "Jing Wu" martial arts school (which was a real martial arts school in China during that period). This film is actually based on the Bruce Lee film Fists of Fury (AKA The Chinese Connection).
Heroes of the East (AKA Shaolin Challenges Ninja) (1978)
I choose to study Chinese martial arts for a lot of reasons, mostly personal preference, meaning it suits my personality. I do not want to look down upon or make fun of any martial art; it’s an art form and should be appreciated. This movie takes on the rivalry between Chinese martial arts and Japanese martial arts, but pulls together a happy ending. I must say that I was not routing for the Japanese martial artists in this movie, largely because you get to see Gordon Liu wield almost every Chinese Kung Fu weapon in the book like a true master. From swords to three-section staffs and even a little ninjitsu thrown in, it’s all here.
Shaolin V. Lama (1983)
See my full review here. I picked this one up at Best Buy with a bunch of other Kung Fu flicks on sale. It was a diamond in the rough and still fuels my addiction, forcing me to rummage through every bargain bin and used DVD rack in every store. Thanks to my girlfriend for being so patient!
Drunken Master II (AKA Legend of Drunken Master) (1994)
Here you get to see Jackie Chan at his finest, especially his fight scenes with Lau Kar Leung, who also helped with the directing and action choreography. Master Leung’s links to Wong Fei Hung (Jackie Chan’s character in the film) are quite interesting, as his Kung Fu lineage can be traced back to Wong Fei Hung himself. The film itself is just a blast, filled with action and quite a good story. Popular Hong Kong stars such as Ti Lung and Anita Mui (who recently passed away from cancer) grace the screen adding charisma and charm to this movie. The final fight scene is done Jackie Chan style and is one of his best.
Once Upon a Time In China (1991)
In terms of being a beautiful film that tells a fantastic story, OUATIC and Hero are tops on my list. The cinematography is just beautiful, and the entire film is just well done. Most will put OUATIC II on the top ten list, but I have watched both numerous times and favor this film because its just that, more of a film rather than just another wire-fu movie. Don’t get me wrong, I believe this film is a true Kung Fu film, even though most say it is light on action. All I have to say to them is the ladder scene man, the ladder scene. Simply brilliant and groundbreaking, taking 8 weeks to film just that one scene.
Executioners From Shaolin (1977)
The villain we all love to hate, "Pei Mei!", long white beard and all baby! A classic revenge tail with some great Kung Fu from Chen Kuan Tai and a host of others. But the best part is "Pei Mei!", not certain who I like better as Pei Mei , Lo Leih in this film or Gordon Liu in Kill Bill Volume 2. But still, this film rocks.
Master Killer (AKA Shaolin Master Killer, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin) (1978)
No one personifies the Shaolin monk character better than Gordon Liu (AKA Liu Chai Liang, Lau Kar Fai). He especially shines in this movie which has the best training scenes hands down than any other Kung Fu movie. Jumping over logs, carrying water up steps, and banging your head against sandbags are just a few sequences you will enjoy. I’ve always wanted to go train at Shaolin, and this movie always makes me think twice about that. It’s an absolute classic and should not be missed by anyone.
Hero (2002)
Kung Fu aside this is one of my favorite films of all time. It is one of the most visually stunning films you have ever seen, and it features top Kung Fu stars like Jet Li and Donnie Yen, what more could we ask for?!? With Zhang Zimou behind the camera we get an all-star cast, excellent story, and some of the best cinematography you will ever see. The story is based heavily on Chinese history, specifically the formation of the first dynasty, the Qin. Great fight scenes, beautiful usage of colors, and solid acting performances are just a few reasons why this is China’s #1 grossing film of all-time.
8 Diagram Pole Fighter (1983)
I go back and forth about which is my favorite Gordon Liu movie, as there are three of them on my top ten list. He is a true Kung Fu master (a student of Lau Kar Leung), and it truly shines in this movie. Personally I like happy movies, but this one is pretty dark and still manages to be on my top ten list. The plot itself tends to set a dark mood, compounded by that fact that one of the films stars, Alexander Fu Sheng, died tragically while making this film (coincidentally, he was staying in the same house that Bruce Lee died in, *shutter*). I believe this contributed greatly to the overall emotion displayed in the film, which comes out in the form of frustrated Shaolin students and over-the-top, extremely well-done fight scenes. The end fight scene in this movie gets my heart racing every time; in fact the first time I watched I think I jumped off the couch! This film also contains the best staff vs. staff fight scene ever to be captured on film between Gordon Liu and Philip Ko Fei. Not to be missed.
Written by: Paul Asadoorian
Date: 17 August 2004
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