The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter is a stone-cold classic of the Shaw Brothers studios. It was directed in 1984 by master director Lau Kar-Leung (the 36th Chamber of Shaolin). It was made under a tragic circumstance, in that original leading man (who footage was shot with) Alexander Fu Sheng died in a car accident. The…
Blu-ray Review – Human Lanterns – 88 Films
Human Lanterns is the 1982 Swordplay/Martial Arts/Horror hybrid film by Sun Chung who in the prior year began dabbing in horror and martial arts with his film Revenge of the Corpse. The film follows Master’s Tan Fu and Lung who are ultra competitive with one another. Right now it is the yearly “Lantern” festival, and…
Blu-ray Review – Shaolin Mantis – 88 Films
It’s been a good few years since I’ve seen Shaolin Mantis, and oddly I did have a review of this for the prior Dragon Dynasty disc, but that most have disappeared with ECAV 1.0, alas this is just an opportunity to watch and write about another slice of martial arts greatness from mastermind Lau Kar…
Blu-ray Review – Come Drink With Me – Arrow Video
King Hu’s ‘Come Drink with Me’ was not the director’s first, nor his best film, but it could be argued that it would be the film of his that had the most impact on cinema. The Shaw Brothers produced Wuxia epic from 1966, basically kickstarted Shaw Brothers studios run of martial arts films, and basically…
Blu-ray Review – Shawscope Volume One – Arrow Video
Classic kung fu films have always struggled to find legitimate release in the U.S., for a short spell in the early 2000’s in the direct period after Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill was released Miramax/The Weinstein Company made a deal with Celestial Pictures/Shaw Brothers to release some of their titles under the Dragon Dynasty banner. At…
Blu-ray Review – Disciples of Shaolin (88 Films)
Disciples of Shaolin stars Alexander Fu Sheng as a wandering pauper, Kuan, that comes to his brother’s city and finds himself in trouble almost immediately for being a perpetual goofball. Luckily, he’s able to fight his way out of most situations. Shortly after arriving he stops at the textile factory his brother works at, and…